From none to four

[marlinman93]

I headed over the Cascades Yesterday to buy an O.A. Bremer custom High Wall scheutzen rifle with a George Schoyen .38-55 barrel from a friend. After doing the deal he began bringing out three more High Walls! I had a weak moment and ended up bringing home all four High Walls! I didn't own a single High Wall before the trip, although I have owned some. My buddy said I'm officially a High Wall collector now.

Bremer-Schoyen .38-55:



High Wall .25-35 Takedown. One of only 80 made in .25-35 and much less in a takedown:



Schoyen High Wall .38-55:



Bremer-Pope .22LR:

[GunnyMack]

Very nice!
I like that take down, bet that would be neat to take out for antelope or deer.

[Old No7]

Wow, really nice!

But you know -- you can't shoot them all -- so you ought to loan them out to us here; we'll shoot them for you, get them on target, put them through their paces, etc. You'd eventually get them back there (right....) This is no time to be greedy... But lucky -- yes! I'd say you were!

Old No7

[Bill in Oregon]

As Jack Benny used to say: "Now CUT THAT OUT, Vall!"

[marlinman93]

Very nice!
I like that take down, bet that would be neat to take out for antelope or deer.

I think you're right Gunny. It's a fairly heavy barrel, but still feels light. There's a dovetail under the barrel that likely had a sling swivel once, but oddly the buttstock doesn't appear to ever have had one? So maybe someone replaced the buttstock sometime? If they did it fits perfect, and doesn't look replaced, but I can't think of why it has the barrel dovetail on the bottom, except for a sling.

[marlinman93]

As Jack Benny used to say: "Now CUT THAT OUT, Vall!"

I have no control when it comes to old single shot rifles, especially by well known makers. I've wanted to buy a Bremer Ballard, but a Bremer High Wall with a Schoyen barrel was too hard to pass on. And the others were just too well priced to not take home too.

[yooper2]

Excellent haul!


Eric

[hfcable]

amazing score ! love those rifles !!

[marlinman93]

Never messed around with a High Wall, but the Bremer-Schoyen had a hammer/sear issue that caused the hammer to drop just as the lever was almost closed! So last night I tore into the action and discovered someone had used solder to build up the sear in an attempt to make less engagement. The solder being so soft had over time been pushed up towards the sear tip and made the contact to the hammer notch unsafe. I took a small file and scraped the solder off the sear and reassembled the action. It now works as it should have originally. Not nearly as easy to disassemble as my Ballard or Remington Rolling Blocks, but I figured my way through it.
Today I'll d&t for the forearm screw on the Bremer-Pope .22 so it's finished. Then I'll rob the Win. A5 scope and Pope mounts off my Zettler Bros. Ballard to fit the Pope scope cuts on the Bremer. I'll replace the bases on the Zettler and put another spare scope on it to keep it correct also. It doesn't have Pope cuts, but has Pope bases to accept his rings. I'll use regular target bases instead to accept an old target scope.
Need to replace the prongs on the Bremer-Schoyen buttplate, and weld a prong on the lever to make it longer and easier to open and close the lever.

[Oldncrusty]

When it rains it pours . Congrats. High walls have always been my favorite to look at.

[AmBraCol]

That 25-35 especially looks like a right sweet package! Have had a thing for that caliber for most of my life, and the high wall platform just sweetens the deal!

[marlinman93]

That 25-35 especially looks like a right sweet package! Have had a thing for that caliber for most of my life, and the high wall platform just sweetens the deal!

I've owned a couple 1894 Winchesters in .25-35, but didn't keep them long. My first Marlin was a Model 1893 in .25-36M takedown, which I still own and love shooting. We'll see how this High Wall compares to my 1893. Doubt is will ever replace the 1893 as I've had that rifle for almost 50 years, but it might become another favorite eventually. It feels light and nimble with it's 26" heavy barrel, especially compared to the other three!

[RIHMFIRE]

THATS AWESOME!
CONGRATS

[marlinman93]

Began restoration/upgrades on the first Bremer today. Restoring the prongs to the buttplate, and fixing the lever so it has enough length to operate easier. I had a couple repro Ballard ball & spur levers so I cut one up and tied it to the Bremer lever to see where to splice it before I cut or weld it on. Looks like it will work and give a better grasp to open and close the action.


Took the points off the Bremer buttplate that was hacked and d&t for 8-32 screws. Then cut prongs off a repro brass buttplate and d&t them also to let me screw them on and hold when I braze the new prongs to the old buttplate.


Maybe tomorrow I'll get the lever welded, and prongs brazed. Then see if I can get them both shaped and smoothed out also.

[GunnyMack]

Val, I'm surprised you don't have safe jaws for your vise! 1" copper pipe the length of the jaws, hacksaw that length, bring to red hot and quench in water. You can then peel it at the slice , hold in your vise and fold to shape. They hold parts and no damage. Easy to take off when you need to grab and hold.

I keep copper, lead and soft rubber jaws on my bench. Aluminum angle works too, can glue some cork on for even softer holding.

[Griff]

Very nice additions to an already outstanding collection of single shots. I believe I'm jealous of your willingness, and skills in tackling rehabilitations & upgrading deficiencies into something you will enjoy.

[marlinman93]

Val, I'm surprised you don't have safe jaws for your vise! 1" copper pipe the length of the jaws, hacksaw that length, bring to red hot and quench in water. You can then peel it at the slice , hold in your vise and fold to shape. They hold parts and no damage. Easy to take off when you need to grab and hold.

I keep copper, lead and soft rubber jaws on my bench. Aluminum angle works too, can glue some cork on for even softer holding.

I have 3 or 4 types of vise jaw inserts that are either magnetic, or formed to my vise jaws. The buttplate is simply sitting on the vise as I used unpadded jaws to cut the prongs off the repro buttplate.

[GunnyMack]

I knew you knew better

[marlinman93]

Almost finished the lever and buttplate repairs! Just need some polishing and then I'll rust blue the lever, and put the buttplate in a sealed container with vinegar and salt to antique the finish and keep it looking old.
I decided to return the lever to Winchester style instead of the Ballard type. So just made a piece of tang up and welded it back on where it was chopped off. Pretty simple task and done quickly.



The buttplate turned out to be a long time to braze the prongs as the sheer weight of the buttplate sucked heat out and took a long time drawing heat directed on the buttplate before the rod flowed well. Finally got it flowing, and then it wasn't too bad, except every time I stopped to turn it over I had to heat it again for awhile. Once it was brazed I ground it close, and then used my 1" belt sander to make it closer. Still needs some fine polishing before applying finish, but getting close!