Sounds like a nice rifle, I also vote for leaving the original initials on the rifle, at lease until you make an effort to learn who the original owner was. No. 2546 was not in my data-base of over 600 G&H rifles, but it is now. Hope you are able to post a picture.
Murphy, I'm sure if Emil McConnell knew the shock wave of price increases following the auction of his collection he would be amused.
Match shooters all clean their .22's with a brush. I believe that a proper rod guide and a tool steel one piece rod should be used and for rifle that cannot be cleaned from the breech. (like my 44 1/2) I use a pull through made from weed-whacker line for both
patch and brush.
I’ve had enough PM’s and emails about the Stevens .22 I thought I would try to answer all the questions at one time.
The original rifle is a Niedner false-barrel rifle with a 7 ½” .22 short chambering. The rifle was made using a No. 3 Winchester barrel so we got a Green Mountain Winchester No. 3 so a new forearm would not have to be made. The barrel is held by the treads and one screw from the bottom so it will make a good switch-barrel rifle. We followed the information published over the years by Bill Calfee in selecting the spot to cut and crown although with a tapered barrel we could not choose the breech end. The chamber reamer was a Calfee design, no taper, without rim cutter. The barrel is not yet blued and I’m still trying out different ammo to see what it likes. The targets were shot at 50 yards, no wind. About ever 100-200 rounds I clean with a bronze brush. When trying different ammo one wet patch followed by two dry before new ammo. The scope on the new barrel is a 12 power Unertl.
