Has anyone built a Steve Earl Dan Frasier Side Lever Single shot?

[Muskox]

Fraser Action

$2645 isn't too bad.

What cartridge did you chamber it in?

If it only takes rimmed cartridges, I guess a 30-40 Krag would be in order. Or maybe a 350 Rigby Rimmed.


Who did the work?

 

[odonata]

As a left-handed shooter, I've had that web page bookmarked for years. It might be wishful thinking on my part but fortunately dreaming is still free. Since I have a big nostalgic fondness for the 303 British ever since I shot my first deer with one, I might opt to chamber in it so I would have another rifle to go with my Ruger No. 1 and my 1885. I can never have too many 303 British falling blocks. Something like this (Click here!).

 

[BlueFlyer]

They are a very elegant action, and make up a beautiful rifle. I don't have personal experience with Steve Earls version. Many years ago there was a guy in Melbourne Australia who made a version using investment casting to make the main body. They were beatifully made actions but being a poor engineering student at thetime, I could not afford one.
I still think the Hagan single shot action is the pinicle of single shot action designs, but I would be very happy to also own a Daniel Frazer single shot rifle. I would be looking at one made in 450/400 3".

 

[Muskox]

As a left-handed shooter, I've had that web page bookmarked for years. It might be wishful thinking on my part but fortunately dreaming is still free. Since I have a big nostalgic fondness for the 303 British ever since I shot my first deer with one, I might opt to chamber in it so I would have another rifle to go with my Ruger No. 1 and my 1885. I can never have too many 303 British falling blocks. Something like this (Click here!).

View attachment 719976

He has a left handed version now.

 

[Muskox]

They are a very elegant action, and make up a beautiful rifle. I don't have personal experience with Steve Earls version. Many years ago there was a guy in Melbourne Australia who made a version using investment casting to make the main body. They were beatifully made actions but being a poor engineering student at thetime, I could not afford one.
I still think the Hagan single shot action is the pinicle of single shot action designs, but I would be very happy to also own a Daniel Frazer single shot rifle. I would be looking at one made in 450/400 3".

I don't know what I would do with a 450/400 in that gun.

Make a nice elk rifle as a 9,3x74R or 350 Rigby rimmed.

 

[BlueFlyer]

Make a nice elk rifle as a 9,3x74R or 350 Rigby rimmed

prefer the 350 Rigby rimmed.

 

[BlueFlyer]

333 Jeffery Rimmed?

 

[MontanaGrant]

I have one build by Dick Hansen of Havre MT. .45-70. Great rifle. Absolutely love it.

 

[Muskox]

I have one build by Dick Hansen of Havre MT. .45-70. Great rifle. Absolutely love it.

Pretty.

Couple questions for you.

Do you think 6.5 pounds would be achievable with a planer walnut stock and no sights for a bare rifle?

In a 30-40 Krag or 7x65R, something not so killing on both ends?

There seems to be a safety option, that I don't fully understand. What are they talking about?

 

[318AE]

Bolted safety is that little swing arm in the far right photo that holds the thumb safety back, locking it in position. It was a pretty common feature on best guns in the pre war era.

 

[Muskox]

Bolted safety is that little swing arm in the far right photo that holds the thumb safety back, locking it in position. It was a pretty common feature on best guns in the pre war era.

Thanks, that didn't make sense at all.

 

[318AE]

Rigby added one to this 1920 Savage when they spruced it up, along with a peep sight.

 

[Muskox]

333 Jeffery Rimmed?

I was thinking about a 8.5x75R, which would be similar with more easy to obtain bullets and the ability to use 9.3x74R brass. But I don't want to deal with what is essentially a wildcat.

A 30 Blaser would be easy, but that isn't as common of a cartridge as the 9,3x74R is by any stretch of the world. the 8x75R would be a pain in the ass, but at least it is a factory cartridge.

I wish there was a Rimmed cartridge that was as powerful as a 300 Winchester or 338 Winchester and was more available.

The 9.3x74R is really it for a factory cartridge in that Goldie Locks power range. Build it with a bit of weight and do it as a 10 pound all out rifle with a scope.

The 30-40 Krag isn't super available internationally. But it is mild and the odds of shooting it out are low, a couple thousand rounds over the rest of my life would work.

The 7x65R is super common, even internationally but if I was going to build more than one rifle I'd one the other one in kind of a medium bore boomer that was available.

The 30-40 Krag or 7x65R would be a 8.5-9 out the door hunting weight rifle.

Be neat to have a 5.6x50R or another rimmed 5.6 caliber round. But none of that is cheap to shoot. Could get a lot of mileage with a 22 Hornet.

I don't think I would hunt dangerous game with it, so no 450/400 or 500/416 for me.

I am moving back to the USA next year, and I don't think this would travel much and it would never take a flight. It would be my Rocky Mountain and exotic rifle. Maybe a Canadian bear hunt I can drive to.

 

[odonata]

I wish there was a Rimmed cartridge that was as powerful as a 300 Winchester or 338 Winchester and was more available.

The 9.3x74R is really it for a factory cartridge in that Goldie Locks power range. Build it with a bit of weight and do it as a 10 pound all out rifle with a scope.

I don't think I would hunt dangerous game with it, so no 450/400 or 500/416 for me.

I love my Ruger No. 1S in 9.3x74r so I would never dissuade you from building one. It's a great cartridge.

You might want to put the 375 H&H Flanged on the list for consideration since brass is still available & commercial ammo by companies like Norma & Nosler has been available recently. Not quite as fast or as powerful as the regular belted 375 H&H Magnum but in this instance, that may not be a bad thing.

 

[BlueFlyer]

The 9.3x74R is really it for a factory cartridge in that Goldie Locks power range.

Sounds like you have your answer, you could not go wrong with it.
But the 333 Jeffery using .338 projectiles would be awesome, even if it would be a "wildcat".

 

[Huvius]

I’ve had two original Fraser side lever falling blocks - one 303 and the other 400/360.
The 400/360 is very similar to the 9.3X74R (or, rather, the 9.3 is similar to the 360!)
I wouldn’t want anything bigger on a Fraser action unless it was a BPE cartridge although they do have a through bolt in the stock so I think overall one could take a bit of punishment.
That said, IMO, a long through bolt is not necessarily a good thing in a high recoiling rifle anyway.

 

[Muskox]

A guy could do a 30-405 Winchester or 338-405 Winchester, but why when there are easier solutions.

At this point in my life, the easy button is my favorite button.

 

[DieJager]

@Muskox

8x68 RS? Horneber in Germany makes the brass and Johanssen sells it on his site. Similar performance as the 300 win mag. It is ofcourse the rimmed version of the 8x68S

 

[PCC600]

A couple of years ago a guy in rural New South Wales Australia was selling his 303 rifle collection . None were military rifles - they were high end English including Purdey , H&H and Daniel Fraser double rifles and some beautiful single shots . I bought the Purdey and the “usual suspects” in Aussie gun scene got the rest . For some unknown reason I had a fit of financial responsibility and did not buy a Daniel Fraser take down side lever falling block rifle that he wanted to sell. Easily the most beautiful single shot I have ever seen .

 

[Muskox]

@Muskox

8x68 RS? Horneber in Germany makes the brass and Johanssen sells it on his site. Similar performance as the 300 win mag. It is ofcourse the rimmed version of the 8x68S

Yes it's an option.