single shot hi-wall in a 6mmBR or what?

[jmm03]

Hello all, advice needed please. I am considering purchasing an original hi-wall that has been barreled in a wildcat caliber. Since it has already been modified I don't feel bad about changing it again into a caliber I can use and reload for more easily. Would turning it into a 6BR or a 6BRA be doable and safe, or should I not consider either? I mostly shoot 03's and M96 Swede mausers with iron sights, but my sighting ability with old eyes unfortunately is coming to an end. I have been reading many posts on here concerning different forms of the 6mm but I would appreciate more info as to the difficulties and any drawbacks. Thanks, Jim

 

[Keith Kilby]

Original Winchester 1885s pretty much require a rimmed case. There are lots of 6mm wildcats suitable. One using 30-30 brass would make finding your parent brass easier. Look at EABCO website. He offers his single shots in lots of wildcats. Also dig into Cartridges of the World….wildcat section. Be prepared for tedious brass making.
Keith

 

[BRGUY]

I shoot a Ruger #1 and a Browning 78 in 6mm B-R and they are both awesome rifles.

 

[Keith Kilby]

I also have a No.1 I rebarreled to 6BR. It shoots crazy good. The Ruger No.1 and Miroku “high walls” use extractors that accommodate rimless cases. The original doesn’t.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Will the 1885 handle 6Br pressure?

Frank

 

[Keith Kilby]

Until sometime in the 50’s high wall actions were in use as test platforms in quite a few ammo plants. Their version of universal test receiver. I built one in 219 Donaldson Wasp. No clue how pressure compares to 6BR but the action handles that cartridge easily.

 

[dellet]

The 444 Marlin or less popular 307 Winchester brass is a rimmed .470-471 base. Many wildcats formed from these. There is a popular 6 & 6.5 444 improved out there with a lot of info. A little more than just trimming and running the case through 6BR die to get a rimmed 6BR, but that’s the basic idea.

I wouldn’t hot rod a 60,000 psi load through a 100+ year old action with probably 10’s of thousands of rounds through it just do to fatigue. But the design will stand it.

 

[BRGUY]

A 6mm Donaldson Wasp would be an excellent round in a rifle like that!

 

[ronsatspokane]

What wildcat is it currently chambered in? I think a 6 BR in an 1885 would be awesome. I've had them in 25-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, 45-70, 22 mag and I currently have a high wall in 45 Colt and a Low Wall in 22 LR.

 

[Webster]

Hello all, advice needed please. I am considering purchasing an original hi-wall that has been barreled in a wildcat caliber. Since it has already been modified I don't feel bad about changing it again into a caliber I can use and reload for more easily. Would turning it into a 6BR or a 6BRA be doable and safe, or should I not consider either? I mostly shoot 03's and M96 Swede mausers with iron sights, but my sighting ability with old eyes unfortunately is coming to an end. I have been reading many posts on here concerning different forms of the 6mm but I would appreciate more info as to the difficulties and any drawbacks. Thanks, Jim

Old hi Wall rifles shouldn't be safe with modern high pressure cartridges.

 

[Bob3700]

Those old Hi-Walls were used for many of the custom varmint rifles back in the 40s. There were a host of high velocity 22 and 6mm cartridges. All would be considered high pressure.
C.S. Landis wrote about many of them in "22 Caliber Varmint Rifles".
My shooting buddy has a Hi-Wall chambered in 219 Zipper Improved.

 

[clowdis]

I've got one almost complete chambered in .25 Krag improved. Should be about the same as .257 Roberts improved.

 

[ALK]

I thought Hi Wall-high pressure---Low Wall-low pressure.

 

[expiper]

Hello all, advice needed please. I am considering purchasing an original hi-wall that has been barreled in a wildcat caliber. Since it has already been modified I don't feel bad about changing it again into a caliber I can use and reload for more easily. Would turning it into a 6BR or a 6BRA be doable and safe, or should I not consider either? I mostly shoot 03's and M96 Swede mausers with iron sights, but my sighting ability with old eyes unfortunately is coming to an end. I have been reading many posts on here concerning different forms of the 6mm but I would appreciate more info as to the difficulties and any drawbacks. Thanks, Jim

It sounds like the 307 brass with a rim on it would be a good choice then you could nick that down to six MM and have a 243 clone--- or even better you could connect them on down and push the shoulder back and make six BR or 22 BR out of them roger

 

[Keith Kilby]

The original Winchester 1885 single shots, not the recent/ current Japanese versions, were divided between “high” and “low” walls. It was not entirely based on pressure. Production of the original guns ran up around WW1. A very limited number were made in 30-06 but they weren’t carried on past “prototype “ stage. Very few cartridges available during that period were classed as what we would today consider high pressure. The low wall was developed for ease of loading small cartridges. I. E. 22WCF, 25-20SS, 25-20WCF, 32-20WCF etc. The side walls were lowered to better expose breech face for loading the small cases. Early versions as well as later Winder muskets were simply high walls with sides lowered. Later low wall were skinnier top to bottom and side to side. Those actions also had smaller tenons. Internal geometry is basically identical between the two.
Photos show competed high wall and low wall in progress.

 

[nakneker]

The original Winchester 1885 single shots, not the recent/ current Japanese versions, were divided between “high” and “low” walls. It was not entirely based on pressure. Production of the original guns ran up around WW1. A very limited number were made in 30-06 but they weren’t carried on past “prototype “ stage. Very few cartridges available during that period were classed as what we would today consider high pressure. The low wall was developed for ease of loading small cartridges. I. E. 22WCF, 25-20SS, 25-20WCF, 32-20WCF etc. The side walls were lowered to better expose breech face for loading the small cases. Early versions as well as later Winder muskets were simply high walls with sides lowered. Later low wall were skinnier top to bottom and side to side. Those actions also had smaller tenons. Internal geometry is basically identical between the two.
Photos show competed high wall and low wall in progress.

I appreciate this input. Do you work on these rifles? I recently got the bug to try out some the more modern versions and I’m learning a little about these.

I think one of the modern Japanese Miruko rifles would a neat rifle for the mighty 6BR.

 

[25ring]

I'm pretty sure Keith knows a thing or two about single shots! http://www.wyomingarmory.com/

 

[TimS]

The original Winchester 1885 single shots, not the recent/ current Japanese versions, were divided between “high” and “low” walls. It was not entirely based on pressure. Production of the original guns ran up around WW1. A very limited number were made in 30-06 but they weren’t carried on past “prototype “ stage. Very few cartridges available during that period were classed as what we would today consider high pressure. The low wall was developed for ease of loading small cartridges. I. E. 22WCF, 25-20SS, 25-20WCF, 32-20WCF etc. The side walls were lowered to better expose breech face for loading the small cases. Early versions as well as later Winder muskets were simply high walls with sides lowered. Later low wall were skinnier top to bottom and side to side. Those actions also had smaller tenons. Internal geometry is basically identical between the two.
Photos show competed high wall and low wall in progress.

They also made “thick” and “thin” side walls on the receivers.

 

[nakneker]

I'm pretty sure Keith knows a thing or two about single shots! http://www.wyomingarmory.com/

Looks like it! Noted!

 

[farmerjohn]

Looks like it! Noted!

Like you I am wanting to build a BRA in a single shot, but I'm easily side tracked. That's how I ended up with these two 38-55s, one a baby sharps and the other a H&R Buffalo classic. I've about decided after listening to all my elders that I need to start with a #3 Ruger, straight stock, action is strong as 4 acres of garlic, extractor comes .308, and fairly affordable........ least that's what I'm thinking now.... John