On the topic of doing up old .22's....

[fenring]

Here is my late father's Lithgow Model 12 repeater. Dad had got it when he was about 16, and it had been well used but well cared for. I've had it since dad passed on in 1987. In the early 90's I decided to scope it up to make it more usable. So, I had some 3/8" dovetails cut, and got a pair of low Hillver steel mounts and fitted a Gold Crown 4x32 wide angle. I refinished the stock with some Wattyl Forestwood oil based stain and then applied a linseed / turps mix over that. I've left the bluing alone, though I've built up and reprofiled the bolt handle a bit as the original brazing where the handle goes into the root on the bolt body was getting a tad loose.

So here it is.



The other night I took it out, with my Eagletac T100C2 torch mounted to the scope (the front sight has been removed as it lit up like the Eiffel tower...) and shot about 25 bunnies with it. The new Winchester 42gr Max subsonics will not feed reliably, so next time out it will be fed something else. Probably some of the Federal bulk pack HVHP ammo I have.

Here are a pair shot around a pile of fallen redgum.



And three I hit in a row on the rare occasion I didn't get a hangup with the Max's.




A mate recently picked up an old Sportco repeater for small change - that's going to get the treatment too.

[Dr G]

I love the lithgow fenring. I have one that I was given to learn to shoot with when I was 12 years old, I need to ask dad where it came from but i suspect he got it from a workmate. I restored the stock about six years ago using boiled linseed, tung and turpentine. looks a treat. I have been contemplating getting it re blued by the bloke who did my 280 but something about the old patina on the barrel really works for me.

It is still an open sighted rifle (no dovetails) and I use it when checking cat traps. Mainly I run either winnie subs or remington yellow jackets. I cant get stingers to chamber.

Yours looks great, plus its a nice bit of aussie history.

Dr G

[1kshot]

That is nice Fenring ! I think we must of all grown up with a Lithgow my first 22 was one and the scope mount system was literally a metal band around the scope that attached to the mounts via a big knurled and coin slotted screw and the mount bases were soldiered onto the action . Probably shot like a piece of crap, didn’t care and can’t remember! but to a kid it was the best thing since the lolly shop and I knocked over literally hundreds of rabbits with it on Dads farm.

All the best
John

[fenring]

Thanks John.

I've been mucking around with the mag and got it feeding satisfactorily now, though it will not feed the 42gr Max subsonics no matter what I do - they foul the chamber mouth. The five shot magazine makes no difference. Oh well - I'll just set it up with some of the Federal HVHP bulk pack stuff I have and use those.

[ducky]

I got one of the model 12 sitting in the safe also. It was my fathers also. They are a simple rifle, not much can go wrong with them. I've done mine up also, but I varnished my stock. Had it dovetailed many years ago now but it's back to open sight now. Nothng like shooting open sight with them also.

[fenring]

The open sights they have are not bad, but for hunting I much prefer a scope and for hunting at night with a torch a scope is mandatory.

[McDave]

great looking 22 Fenring. I love all the stories that come with these heirloom guns.

here's mine istting on top of the shotgun case.

gd22.jpg (365.58 KiB) Viewed 1063 times

This was my grandfather's Remington Targetmaster single shot. he died in 69 almost a decade before I was born, and the old man inherited it and has since passed it on to me. from what we can figure out we think he bought it brand new back in the 40s. it was what I graduated to from the air rifle once the old man decided I'd terrorised enough sparrows and it was time to start knocking over bunnies.

been thinking of giving it some TLC. since this photo was taken I've had a dove tail added and scoped it and it still bowls over the bunnies when I've put the open sights back on.

any suggestions on how I could clean it up are more than welcome.

D.

[fenring]

Nice old Remington. I'm in two minds about cleaning these rifles up too much. On the one hand, it's nice to bring them up as nice as possible, especially if they have a nice bit of wood in the stock. On the other hand, if they are working fine then I think to some extent the marks and dings on the rifle can tell a bit of a story - in fact if the rifle shoots fine, and has the marks of honest use (as opposed to abuse) it can be all the more endearing.

The finish on my Lithgow's stock was a very dark, thick varnish and I hate that sort of finish no matter what. So that came off and I put on the sort of oil finish that the factory probably gave it back then.

This is a rifle that was my grandfather's. it is a 1909 Enfield SHTLE converted to .22LR for use as a target rifle. That isn't all that rare. What is rare is the Parker Hiscock magazine that it comes with. The Parker Hiscock allowed the rifle to function as a repeater - inside the normal looking .303 magazine is an intricate mechanism that forms a .22LR magazine. This rifle had been in the roof of my grandfather's house for decades. The stock had been stained with the oil the rifle had been covered in - so I refinished it and cleaned off the crud that had built up on the metal.



Central target sight.





The workings of the Parker Hiscock.

[cruisey]

Now that is something special, very nice Fenring

[Dr G]

Agree totally Cruisey

Fenring thanks for taking the time to show us that rifle in particular the workings of the magazine. very Interesting

Dr G

[1kshot]

Mate that is nice! and looks nice and clean to I wouldn’t do anything to it especially if it’s got some history and 10 fold if it has family history and the fact she still shoots nice leave it like it is it's been around since 1909, I hope I looked half that good at over 100yrs old without a face lift or any surgery .....
I would be happy to have it in the safe as is for sure

All the best
John

[Camel]

Nice bit of gear there mate, with the 22 magazine, would one fit that is still for 303, not that you would fire it of course being a 22 barrel. Its a very interesting rifle. Thanks for showing

[fenring]

Thanks guys. To top it off, I have a very nice SMLE that was also my grandfather's.

Camel - yes a regular .303 magazine will fit.

[McDave]

what a great bit of kit. cheers for the pics Fenring.

I've got the old man's SMLE in the safe as well. not sure it's been fired since the 80's so it could do with some TLC as well!

D.

[ducky]

Hi Guys, now with that magazine for the 22 trainer 303 the valve of the rifle has just doubled in price. The magazine is a rare item to get hold of not to manywere made. Most were only fed singly.Using the mag, they never fed reliablely. But...if yours feeds reliabley, thats a bonus