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Joined: Feb 2009
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Originally Posted By: keith
....But there is none of the detailed information concerning screw, pin and thread sizes....

Only a thought, though you likely considered it. Since you're doing all the machining, you can pick the sizes and threading that you want. Maybe, you can base it off of ease of availability and value, rather than unseen historical correctness. An example of this approach is the CPA folks use highwall barrel threading, because it fits their goals better than the original.

Knowing all too well how projects like this can go, I'd think you'd be better off committing to one trigger style and not worrying about converting it. I think there's a distinct appeal for double set triggers, but in use, say fun at the range or out hunting, a decent conventional trigger might be preferable. Again, only thoughts, nothing more.

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keith Offline OP
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Mike (skeettx), thank you for taking the time to post the link. That leeroysramblings drawing is actually one I was able to find during my own searching. It is based off of the drawing in the DeHaas book.

Kutter, thanks very much for the positive I.D. on the separate hammer sear. The drawings I've seen thus far are for a single trigger action where the hammer sear engages directly with the trigger and there is no separate intermediate sear. Your mention of the possibility that these castings originated with the late Ken Bresien meshes with what Bob Saathoff posted.

I didn't come across Ken Bresien's name at all during my own searching on the 44 1/2, but it seems vaguely familiar. I'm wondering if he may have been involved in the design or investment casting of the old Wickliffe 76 actions, which were a very beefed up version of the 44 1/2. Those were built in northeastern Ohio.

Vall, I suppose it is also worth a try to contact Rodney Storie. But I read a lot of old threads on the ASSRA forum, Practical Machinist forum, etc. looking for build info that had a lot of conflicting info on Mr. Storie and his Rifle Shoppe. He has a website that seems inactive, and there are reports that he has little interest in a business that took far too much time for the amount of return. Others say he is starting up production again, but can take months to respond to calls or emails. I'm just repeating things I read on other forums, and have no idea how much is true. But there is no question, judging by the number of different single shot action casting kits he had at one time, that he must have put his heart and soul into the business.

craigd, I agree with what you said. I hunted with double set triggers for years on my flintlock rifle, so am comfortable with either system. Except for that one time I tried a quick shot at a buck and pulled the wrong trigger. I also know how a lot of these projects go. They get started and never finished, and end up in somebody's estate sale. I got another lead yesterday on a nice Nichols & Lefever hammer gun with a poor replacement buttstock. If I can make a good deal, I probably won't be able to resist trying to save it too. When I finally retire, I'll have lots to keep me out of trouble. What started as a complete mystery with a lot of dead ends in my own searching is starting to come into clearer view thanks to the help I'm getting here.


A true sign of mental illness is any gun owner who would vote for an Anti-Gunner like Joe Biden.

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I don't know that Ken was involved with the Wickliffe project at all,,but as far as I know what became the CPA/Shuttleworth rifle was originally a project of Ken Bresien.

Ken was investment casting, or probably having investment casts made,, of many parts even late in his working career.
I have a couple of the less than acceptable 'culls' of M/L trigger guard and butt plate castings. They are marked with small red pencil areas to note what was not acceptable to him on them.
Also what I think is a trigger guard master used to make the wax models used in the investment cast process for them.

As far back as the late 70's, maybe very early 80's I recall single shot collector Leo Cook mentioning the 44 1/2 action that was in the works with Bresien's and Paul Shuttleworth's names in the conversation along with Jim Hall.
Jim Hall was making the Walker Hepburn underlever conversions on original Hepburn actions.
Leo was a well known Sgl/Shot collector. A great number of his rifles were in Grants books on the subject.

I didn't really know what it was all about back then. I was doing some restoration type engraving for those guys on some Single/Shot projects. I was still learning a Model 44 from a 44 1/2!

Ken was the go-to guy in the muzzle loader target arena for a bbl. His specialty was slug guns but most any precision M/L target rifle was his thing. An excellent all around gunsmith as well.
I still have the Win73 be rebored to 44cal for me from a worn out 38-40.
I remember that I traded the work I did relettering a Sharps bbl for him for the rebore.
That's kind of how a lot of things got done then.

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Hello, this is Rodney Storie, I did make a set of molds from a DST 44 1/2 loop lever action. I did not make the parts that are pictured here. I have no drawings or know of any. Bud Smith of Tools International had the drawings done for the Sharps 1874, Remington #1 and #3 Hepburn, Ballard, Farrow 1887 and Winchester 1885. a fellow named Mueller had the drawings for the 1878 done and as was stated before the ASSRA archives has these for $10 each. I have found a good foundry and am offering sets and parts again as a small retirement business.rodney4477@yahoo.com. Yes Ken Bresien made the molds that CPA uses. Ken showed me his action years ago at Friendship.

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just to clarify. I am not the Rifle Shoppe that is Jesse Melot. he is still in business, but can be hard to contact. he does mostly Muzzleloading sets and parts. he has told me that most of his business is in Europe. I have never had a web site, though I may if I get some help from my grandson.

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