Colorado Gun Collectors show

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marlinman93
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Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

Just returned from the CGCA show this weekend, and it was a wonderful show again! Snow closed highways, and diehard gun guys (like us!) had to really work to get to the show! We did a 450 mile detour when they closed I-80 just as we approached Sinclair, Wy.!! Bad timing, as 10 minutes sooner we could have driven right through!
Finally arrived 7 hours late, and couldn't setup as the show closed. Set up Fri. before opening, and did a quick run around. Picked up a couple gorgeous Ballards, and a couple Rolling Block Sporting rifles too. But the highlight for me was Saturday midday when I came across a cased Pope Ballard rifle and shooting kit! I've wanted a Pope barreled Ballard for several decades, but they're always too spendy. Finding a 3 barrel cased set seemed out of my pay grade, but was shocked to see a price cheaper than a well worn Ballard rifle! I grabbed it quickly, and very excited to get it!
The case has the name LG Pridy on a brass tag, and the 3 barrels are .32-40, .28-30 (based on a necked up .25-35) and .22WCF. It came with the Pope bullet starter, lube pump, re-decapper, and a Winchester B5 scope. Each barrel has it's own globe sight, and the .28-30 is windage adjustable. It also has a Ballard midrange sight on the receiver. Stocks are a typical schuetzen and a benchrest shotgun type buttplate. All three barrels have their own forearm wood also.
LG Pridy was a member of Denver City Gun Club in 1919 that won the top team honors for the USA in 1919. He was also the top shooter on the team that year. He was a barber in Denver, Co., and puzzling a barber could afford to own such a set as this? The takedown system is the finest fitted and engineered system I've ever seen! The barrels each have an adapter, as does the receiver. And each barrel is indexed to the receiver bushing to ensure they return to zero when changed.
This gun set is listed in Warren Greatbatch's book on the Hartford Pope rifles, and was last seen in 1974. No telling where it's been since then!

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Pete44ru
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by Pete44ru »

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Nice grab, Vall !

(most lookers wouldn't have a clue)


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Last edited by Pete44ru on Wed May 24, 2017 8:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
jdad
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by jdad »

Holy stuff Vall, almost ready for a new safe? :wink:

My office is across the street from Royd. I'm sure you knew he filed for bankruptcy a few weeks ago. I heard the liquidator consigned his stuff to Mark.
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JerryB
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by JerryB »

I reckon you must be real proud to own that set.
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earlmck
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by earlmck »

Wow! What a find.
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2ndovc
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by 2ndovc »

That's a real trophy! Very cool!

jb 8)
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marlinman93
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

jdad wrote: Tue May 23, 2017 8:08 pm Holy stuff Vall, almost ready for a new safe? :wink:

My office is across the street from Royd. I'm sure you knew he filed for bankruptcy a few weeks ago. I heard the liquidator consigned his stuff to Mark.
Yes, Mark probably got the guns, but everything else went to Ernie.

Yeah, the safes are getting fuller! Brought five single shots home from Denver! Two more Ballards, and two more Rolling Blocks.

.22LR
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.32-20
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.40-50SS
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.44 Long CF
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marlinman93
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

JerryB wrote: Tue May 23, 2017 8:37 pm I reckon you must be real proud to own that set.
Thanks Jerry! I am blessed beyond what I deserve! I've wanted a Pope barreled Ballard for decades, and never dreamed it might be a cased set if I got one!
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JerryB
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by JerryB »

Vall, what are the two rolling block rifles chambered for? Many years ago I traded for a very pristine RB in 7mm. A friend loaded some rounds for and it was a real joy to shoot, until I saw something that caught my eye and the RB was gone regretfully,
JerryB II Corinthians 3:17, Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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marlinman93
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

JerryB wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 3:09 pm Vall, what are the two rolling block rifles chambered for? Many years ago I traded for a very pristine RB in 7mm. A friend loaded some rounds for and it was a real joy to shoot, until I saw something that caught my eye and the RB was gone regretfully,
The early 1871 round top receiver sporting rifle is chambered in .44 Long CF. The later Sporting Rifle with half octagon barrel is chambered in .40-50 Sharps Straight. I'm already set up to shoot for the .44 Long CF, but need to figure out what donor case I need to make .40-50SS.
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6pt-sika
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by 6pt-sika »

Very very nice ! I am quite certain I'll never be able to own any nice old original in Pope schuetzen configuration , but perhaps one day I might be able to acquire a CPA rendition of the Pope style 😉👍🏻
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marlinman93
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

6pt-sika wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 11:17 pm Very very nice ! I am quite certain I'll never be able to own any nice old original in Pope schuetzen configuration , but perhaps one day I might be able to acquire a CPA rendition of the Pope style 😉👍🏻
You just echoed my thoughts for the last 30 years 6pt-sika! I was sure I'd never own a Pope barreled anything! I even found a Pope bullet starter and a pair of Pope scope mounts, which made me feel like I at least had something he made!
I'm almost embarrassed to say how cheap the Pope set was, so I wont. But it was cheap enough that anyone could afford to buy it, and I didn't try to get the seller down any lower! Crazy part was the seller told me 3 other guys had looked at it and passed on buying at his ridiculously low price!
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
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marlinman93
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

Just a quick follow up to the Pope Ballard story. Been spending a lot of time online and in books trying to track down both the owner, LG Pridy, and the takedown system on the Pope rifle. There was discussion at the Denver show that nobody knew who designed or built the takedown system for this gun. Well I ran some searches of HM Pope patents, and found the patent granted Pope in 1888 for this takedown system! I also contacted a friend who I remembered having something that looked the same, and he confirmed it too was on a Pope Ballard, but only with one barrel, so not a switch barrel system!

https://www.google.com/patents/US384277

Surprising also that a picture of the patent drawing is in the back of Volume II of the book on Hartford Pope rifles, but not info regarding Pope's patent.

As for LG Pridy, I found a write up in Arms and the Man from 1919, with information on the Denver Colorado Rifle Club that he shot on then. The Denver team was not only civilian champions that year, but set a team world record of 9,956 out of a possible 10,000 points that year! Closest team was 12 points behind them. Remington also made use of their world record in their ads that year, by mentioning it was done with their ammo!
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Vall, that rifle couldn't have found its way to a better home, or a more appreciative and knowledgeable Ballard enthusiast. Congratulations!
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marlinman93
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Thu Jun 01, 2017 8:09 am Vall, that rifle couldn't have found its way to a better home, or a more appreciative and knowledgeable Ballard enthusiast. Congratulations!
Thanks Bill!
It was exciting to find and work a deal on, but chasing down the gun's history has been even more fun!
Cast up some bullets from my old 287405 Lyman mold yesterday, after slugging the bore and finding it was .287". My mold drops a .288" bullet that weighs 155 grs., which may be too heavy for the .28 Pope barrel. It's a gain twist that starts at 1:16" and ends at 1:14", and 14" rate might need a lighter 130-140 gr. bullet. I may have the mold cut off at the base to shorten it, and convert it to a Pope style nose pour and lighter weight.
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Old No7
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by Old No7 »

Gosh...

Heart be still...

Oh my, where do I start???


OK...

I love that Schuetzen 22!!!

But I wouldn't turn down ANY of those gorgeous rifles!

If you run out of room in your safe -- I will make some room in mine!!!!

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marlinman93
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Re: Colorado Gun Collectors show

Post by marlinman93 »

Thanks Old No7! Still a little room left, but getting less and less all the time, thank goodness!
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
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