Remington / Hepburn # 3 & C.C. Johnson

[oneoldsap]

I'm looking for info on a rifle I have been asked to evaluate and appraise . The rifle is a Remington / Hepburn # 3 Grade B Match . I was pretty much ignorant on these things a week ago , but am gaining a little knowledge a piece at a time . What I do know about it is , It's a #3 B Match , built sometime before 1888 . I'm told the E. Remington & Sons Ilion N. Y. roll stamp on the barrel , indicates such . This rifle has had the barrel relined to .22 cal. , and chambered to the .22 Hornet . The work was done by a Mr. C.C. Johnson of Thackery , Ohio sometime in the 40s or 50s maybe . Mr. Johnson was a fine craftsman and did a beautiful job . The only alterations done were the reline , and attending modifications required to convert it to .22 Hornet . I'm told that some of these were converted for use as Varmint rifles ( much to the chagrin of collectors I'm sure ) . Many of these conversions were tapped to accept a Unertl scope . This one was not tapped and appears 100 % original , in appearance , with it's original , long range Vernier rear sight , and Globe front (minus spirit level) . There is also a bit of a mystery with this rifle . The S/N on the barrel 58XX , if 4 digits different than the receiver ! Perhaps Mr. Johnson was working on more than one of these and inadvertently mixed up the barrels ? Your guess is as good as mine here ! The barrel is 28 1/2" , and stamped 38. 1 3/4 (it's original BP chambering) . The rifles condition is between very good and excellent by any standards ! I would say both wood (quarter sawn Walnut) , and Metal are in the 90% neighborhood with some minor dust pitting , from poor storage . It's case colors are still very good . The bore is absolutely beautiful , doesn't appear to have been shot much after conversion . I was told there were less than 1,000 of these Grade B Matches built . Has the Swiss buttplate , and cut checkering on Pistol Grip and Forend . So if any body out there can help me , help an old widow , it would be most appreciated !

[admin]

Photo's would be great if you send them to me I will post them for you.
You can just click my post email or the service desk dog on the home page.

P1020011.JPG (149.07 KiB) Viewed 2614 times

[oneoldsap]

I haven't a clue how to do that . I can email them to another email address though .

[jon_norstog]

CC Johnson was a famous butcher of fine old single shot rifles. he was also a sweet guy. When we were teenagers, we visited him at his place. My brother Paul had him put a Douglas barrel on his 7mm Mexican Mauser, and brother Eric had him convert a martini cadet to .218 Mashburn Bee. Both brothers still have those rifles, both rifles shoot great. Mr. Johnson also gave me a sporter block with a kind of arrowhead design cut into the handle, for my Argy #1 "carbine."

He was a fine machinist who built live steam mini-locomotives in his spare time. He would sometimes fire one up and drive it around the track laid out on his commodious rural place.

[admin]

Photo's would be great if you send them to me I will post them for you.
You can just click my post email or the service desk dog on the home page.P1020011.JPG