Hepburn help?

[Okiedave]

I recently acquired a beautiful Remington Hepburn from an uncles estate.Being an avid and excellent reloader,dear uncle had re-barreled the Hepburn.and I need help finding out what to load for this thing.The barrel is from the A&M rifle Co. Inc. and chambered in .17 A&M My delima, Just how much trouble is .17 A&M to load as I know it is probably an Ackley wildcat load.Any help with this would be appreciated.I have considered getting it re-barreled to a chamber that can be easily purchased and hand loaded but I have been told I will have to stay with a rimmed cartridge like the 30-30 due to the shell extractor design, so that being said ,Is there a cartridge ,rimmed,that would lend itself to long distance target and varmint shooting?The Hepburn has a bull barrel so plenty of meat to play with.

 

[XBBR Shooter]

The 219 Wasp would be a classic winner...
Made from 30-30 cases.

 

[Okiedave]

Kewl XBBR
That wil go on top of my possibles list!

 

[bheadboy]

Kewl XBBR
That wil go on top of my possibles list!

I built a 219 mashburn zipper on a hi Wall, never disappointed. no shortening of the zipper cases.

Bob

 

[Carolina Man]

Kewl XBBR
That wil go on top of my possibles list!

Look in some of the older gun books including Ackley and you will find many caliber that were used by some older varmint hunters that were based on 30-30 and 30-40 Krag brass. Check also for 222 Rimmed and 225 Win. Which is a semi-rimmed case. Any decent gunsmith should be able to recut the extractor. Even the 220 Swift is a semi-rimmed case.

George

 

[Carolina Man]

How bout a 6mm wildcat based on 25-35 win. It has same powder capacity as 6br+ and many modern high bc bullets available for it, and AI it to shorten neck and provide a little more powder capacity. Sounds like maybe I should just shut up and do it. Never mind a crazy old man that loves old timey rifles and modern performance calibers.( a couple low walls, a couple high walls. A rolling block, a couple sharps, and a trap door

How bout a 6mm wildcat based on 25-35 win. It has same powder capacity as 6br+ and many modern high bc bullets available for it, and AI it to shorten neck and provide a little more powder capacity. Sounds like maybe I should just shut up and do it. Never mind a crazy old man that loves old timey rifles and modern performance calibers.( a couple low walls, a couple high walls. A rolling block, a couple sharps, and a trap door

How bout a 6mm wildcat based on 25-35 win. It has same powder capacity as 6br+ and many modern high bc bullets available for it, and AI it to shorten neck and provide a little more powder capacity. Sounds like maybe I should just shut up and do it. Never mind a crazy old man that loves old timey rifles and modern performance calibers.( a couple low walls, a couple high walls. A rolling block, a couple sharps, and a trap door

There is nothing really wrong with the 17 A&M. It's based on the old 32-20 brass. Easily made from 32-20, 25-20 or even 218 Bee brass. All are still available. It was a hot damn 17 in it's day. But single shots got to be scarce and the 17 didn't work well in a bolt gun. Harder to find then 30-30 brass. But lots of old calibers were based on the 30-30 brass, including the 25-35, 30-30,32-40 and 38-55 all the same.

The Hepburn was a hell of a target rifle way back in the days of Creedmore long range matches. Chambered in the Remington 44-77 and others. A good strong action. Mine is a 38-50 Remington for Black Powder shooting.

George

 

[Okiedave]

I built a 219 mashburn zipper on a hi Wall, never disappointed. no shortening of the zipper cases.

Bob

Hey Bob
Mashburn zipper ? Thats a new one on me! But will certainly put it on the list.Where can info on it be located?

 

[Okiedave]

There is nothing really wrong with the 17 A&M. It's based on the old 32-20 brass. Easily made from 32-20, 25-20 or even 218 Bee brass. All are still available. It was a hot damn 17 in it's day. But single shots got to be scarce and the 17 didn't work well in a bolt gun. Harder to find then 30-30 brass. But lots of old calibers were based on the 30-30 brass, including the 25-35, 30-30,32-40 and 38-55 all the same.

The Hepburn was a hell of a target rifle way back in the days of Creedmore long range matches. Chambered in the Remington 44-77 and others. A good strong action. Mine is a 38-50 Remington for Black Powder shooting.

George

Thanx for the info George.Just so happens I found a bag of unprimed 218 Bee brass yeasterday in unk's reloading stuff so that leaves me looking at .17 A&M Bee, Now to see if I can find a few loaded up, there is so much stuff, he had been at reloading rifle and shotgun for near 70 yrs I have 4 trash bags full of shot-shell wads!I am thinking about a new backyard shed just to set up in!

 

[Okiedave]

Look in some of the older gun books including Ackley and you will find many caliber that were used by some older varmint hunters that were based on 30-30 and 30-40 Krag brass. Check also for 222 Rimmed and 225 Win. Which is a semi-rimmed case. Any decent gunsmith should be able to recut the extractor. Even the 220 Swift is a semi-rimmed case.

George

Thanks George
You could start a feud with the term "Decent Gunsmith"I have visited several in the Tulsa Area and they all want to specialize ,Mostly in cheap disposible AR parts,1 in only machine guns,and 1 closed his shop and hides at home but says he can work on anything ! he sounds like he may be pushing 25.

 

[bheadboy]

Thanx for the info George.Just so happens I found a bag of unprimed 218 Bee brass yeasterday in unk's reloading stuff so that leaves me looking at .17 A&M Bee, Now to see if I can find a few loaded up, there is so much stuff, he had been at reloading rifle and shotgun for near 70 yrs I have 4 trash bags full of shot-shell wads!I am thinking about a new backyard shed just to set up in!

on my Mashburn Zipper, I took max zipper loads and worked up to just under 22-250 mid loads, the thing was capable of .500 groups which for me at that time great from a Hi Wall. I think I settled on 3031 but today would look at a number of the new offerings

bob

 

[XBBR Shooter]

Hey Bob
Mashburn zipper ? Thats a new one on me! But will certainly put it on the list.Where can info on it be located?

The 219 Mashburn Zipper is very similar to the 219 Donaldson Wasp, except Mashburn used a shallower shoulder angle.

Mashburn dies are very hard to find, while .219 Wasp dies are easy... Redding has .219 Wasp dies as a standard catalogue item.

 

[bheadboy]

The 219 Mashburn Zipper is very similar to the 219 Donaldson Wasp, except Mashburn used a shallower shoulder angle.

Mashburn dies are very hard to find, while .219 Wasp dies are easy... Redding has .219 Wasp dies as a standard catalogue item.

the mashburn zipper is an unshortened 219 with "Ackley" style shoulder - basically the wasp neck and shoulder in an unshortend zipper case creating a near 22-250 rimed look.

Bob

 

[Okiedave]

the mashburn zipper is an unshortened 219 with "Ackley" style shoulder - basically the wasp neck and shoulder in an unshortend zipper case creating a near 22-250 rimed look.

Bob

Kewl I will look into it
Thanx

 

[DHD]

I've watched this thread with some interest. I also have a Hepburn, but mine is strictly a BPCR (40-65, 30" 1-16" tw heavy octagon, and some very very nice wood built by Dave Crossno). The reason I am replying is to suggest him if you want to have any work done. He is in Arcadia Oklahoma. FWIW, using my rifle as a gauge, he does outstanding work but is probably backed up. I'm not positive he works on anything not a BPCR, but I can't see why not. His website is not the best, but it shows some of his work and lots of high quality wood.

 

[Okiedave]

I've watched this thread with some interest. I also have a Hepburn, but mine is strictly a BPCR (40-65, 30" 1-16" tw heavy octagon, and some very very nice wood built by Dave Crossno). The reason I am replying is to suggest him if you want to have any work done. He is in Arcadia Oklahoma. FWIW, using my rifle as a gauge, he does outstanding work but is probably backed up. I'm not positive he works on anything not a BPCR, but I can't see why not. His website is not the best, but it shows some of his work and lots of high quality wood.

I will give him a shout out for sure I had never thought about it till now but maybe B/P would be fun on the hepburn.
Thanx DHD

 

[DHD]

I spoke to the original owner of my rifle who had Crossno build at least 3 others, and they were all beautiful rifles that shoot like the supermodels they are.

I've had 3 strictly BPCR's (and have done load work ups on 3 others) and this one is my favorite. Some don't care for the look of a Hepburn, but obviously I do.

Unless you plan to spend some serious $$$, I would say be careful as it is not an inexpensive hobby playing with BPCR's. I have no way of knowing if you have any experience with them, but it is a different animal entirely than smokeless rifles. I won't say you'll spend more than buying a custom bench rest rifle all up, but you won't spend less. Then there is the bullet casting which I enjoy, but the molds, pure lead and tin, lubes, etc etc etc...

Have fun with it.

 

[Hal]

I recently acquired a beautiful Remington Hepburn from an uncles estate.Being an avid and excellent reloader,dear uncle had re-barreled the Hepburn.and I need help finding out what to load for this thing.The barrel is from the A&M rifle Co. Inc. and chambered in .17 A&M My delima, Just how much trouble is .17 A&M to load as I know it is probably an Ackley wildcat load.Any help with this would be appreciated.I have considered getting it re-barreled to a chamber that can be easily purchased and hand loaded but I have been told I will have to stay with a rimmed cartridge like the 30-30 due to the shell extractor design, so that being said ,Is there a cartridge ,rimmed,that would lend itself to long distance target and varmint shooting?The Hepburn has a bull barrel so plenty of meat to play with.

Dave

Can you post a picture of your new Hepburn. I always enjoy looking at fine firearms.

Hal

 

[GeorgeSpringer]

DZ Arms in OKC specializes in Hepburn rifles and parts. Crossno does very good work as well.