1879 hotchkiss project opinions

[Jessesky]

Hey Guys,

A couple months ago I picked up a Winchester Hotchkiss rifle online for a decent price. I wanted a project gun to bring to life. (The first pic is the condition I received it)

The rifle was in rough shape, I mean rough! The bore was heavily pitted and rusted near the end and was not worth saving unfortunately. I would have liked to restore the rifle to original spec, but It was a little too far gone.

I’m not one for sporterizing guns, but I fear this was the last option before wallhanger.

I chopped the sour part of the barrel off and made a handy little 16” thumper. Ultimately I’d like to build a custom walnut stock and install a 32” octagonal barrel to make a buffalo rifle out of it.

Until then should I modify my spare stock to be a full stock mannlicher style with the original steel nose cap by the muzzle or do I chop at the red arrows and have a nice traditional stock? (Bear in mind the stock has already been modified and is cracked at the very end so it is not ruining the original stock.

 

[LoonWulf]

Personally I'd do the mannlicher if you can blend it all together properly.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Did you notice the familiar looking bolt?

 

[Jessesky]

Did you notice the familiar looking bolt?

How do you mean?

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Take a look...

 

[LoonWulf]

I dun get it.....

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Hint: Could OP post a picture of the bolt out of the rifle? Those are good photos. Take a look on the right side of the receiver and bolt. Also other views the bolt. What other European rifle resembles OP's rifle.

 

[mustanger98]

Mosin-Nagant Model 1891? The Russians had a habit of buying or incorporating U.S. designs.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Mosin-Nagant Model 1891: Yep, the resemblance is remarkable actually holding the rifle in one's hands. I kinda figured the Nagant was already doing work for the Russians. The history of the rifle is complex. This is better left to those into the history of these interesting rifles. Nagant, being a Belgian may have seen Winchester Hotchkiss rifles. Perhaps, the Russians involved saw the Winchester Hotchkiss. Somebody would have had to see a Winchester Hotchkiss. The similarity is not an example parallel development! Hope OP is not too angry with me for hijacking his thread. Hope all works out well for him with his project rifle.

 

[Jessesky]

Interesting you said that, I had done extensive research to find what rifle bolts could potentially be fitted to the Hotchkiss rifle as I had another with a missing cocking piece. While it does resemble the Mosin, I think it is a design of the period. The Krag, Chaffee Reese, mosin, Winchester Lee. I believe it’s because most used the bolt handle as their only locking lug and the simplest design was to have the cocking piece be separate from the bolt and just cock on the close on the trigger sear. When rounds got higher pressure than black powder, nagant rifles added locking lugs

 

[Jessesky]

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Good luck on your project.

 

[caribou]

Hiram Berdans 1870 Berdan Rifle II came out years before the 1878 Hotchkiss/Winchester.
He was Hiram Berdan of the Union Troops 'the Berdan Sharps shooters', who wore green and were known for their good shooting.
He wanted fast loading, accurate rifles, so he designed them.....
When the drawn cartridge was perfected , he coupled the one of the worlds first successful bolt action design with the worlds first successful bottle neck cartridge design. .42 Berdan

The bolt is almost a direct copy of the 2nd Berdan system, ( evolved from his first) and it was the Berdan that Russian adopted and , eventually, the mechanics of the action was adapted by Sergi Mosin and the magazine design rights were purchased from a Belgian, Mr. Nagant......(he never made a rifle that was a commercial success.)
In Russia, its just a ''Mosin''

Just FYI, thats all.........


(I ripped the pict from the internet.....)

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Thanks, you mean an American was ripped off yet again!