Rescuing a Hepburn

[rbertalotto]

I finished the old Remington Hepburn that has been staring at me from the bench for months!

Wrote another article about it on my web page.

Hope you enjoy it!

www.rvbprecision.com
www.rvbprecision.com

[Bill in Oregon]

Nice job! And what a lovely photo of our dear Kate!

[marlinman93]

Nice job!
I love project guns, and saving them from the abuse they've seen over years of owners! I don't do barrel fillers that show unless the barrel's finish is so nice I want to retain it. The Ballard below had 3 extra dovetails, and 6 extra D&T holes when I bought it. Add to that the poorly polished octagon flats with rounded over corners, and hot bluing, and it was a real mess!
I fitted extremely tight dovetail fillers, and cut them long. Then once I applied some permanent Loctite to the dovetail, I drive the fillers in, and peen the ends over to ensure they tightly fit. I made up threaded rod for the 6-40 holes with mild steel rod, and did the same Loctite application. Then cut them long and peened the tops to expand into the holes.
Once I finished the fillers, I draw filed them, and the entire octagon flats. Had to be careful around the rollstamp, as this is a Schoyen Ballard and his "GEO C SCHOYEN DENVER CO" is stamped on the top flat. So worked around that to maintain it. After draw filing and polishing parts, I sent them to Al Springer for rust bluing and color casehardening. Once rust blued, the fillers disappeared, and only very close examination will show they are filled.
Had to also reshape the funky pistol grip, and forearm tip on the birdseye maple stocks. I believe the stocks are later work, and not from Simmons at Schoyen's shop, since the shape of those two areas was too modern looking.

[rbertalotto]

Beautiful Ballard! Might want to read about mine on the web site.

[marlinman93]

Yes Roy, I saw your Ballard build on the ASSRA forum, and enjoyed it! You were extremely fortunate to pick up the stock set you found on ASSRA to fit that Ballard! I'm looking for a similar buttstock for a Ballard project I bought recently. The buttstock has been butchered on it, and the buttplate end cut short to convert to shotgun buttplate!