John, Please refresh my memory, is the stock marked and if so where and how? If the rifle is marked "T. Shelhamer" with a number under the buttplate then it's post Niedner and it might be possible to learn what the caliber was originally. The Shelhamer papers are safe for the time being with a hope that someday everyone will get to use them. Shelhamer kept a file on every stock he made. Now if this rifle dates to the Niedner Rifle Corporation time I would look for a Niedner barrel to replace the one on it. That's just me, otherwise a .22 Hornet would be the way to go if for no other reason than resale value.
