Who woulda thunk it?

[mongrel]

I showed pictures of this little shooter awhile back, when it was in rough form. As I explained then, it's a more-or-less half-scale fullstock trade rifle built to be displayed with a fully-accoutred American Indian doll. The barrel is a 14" cut-off of a Marlin Model 39, .22 caliber, and the length of pull is slightly over 7". The gun is fully functional, taking a #11 percussion cap. I was paid $250 to cobble this piece together.

The "who woulda thunk it" kicker to it? The owner has ordered a second one and one of the other vendors at Friendship has ordered TEN of them, guaranteeing that he'll get me a better price than I charged for the first one or that he'll buy whatever ones don't sell after a reasonable time.

Anyone got octagon .22 caliber (or even .30-.32 caliber if they aren't too heavy -- I need slim barrels, like 5/8" or less at the muzzle) barrels they want to sell cheap?

[caintuck rifle]

Try taking a look at ruger 10-22 barrels they can be found cheap and sometimes free at gunshows because many people update to bull barrels and the like and have no use for the factory barrels Just my 2 cents you may find something that works and by the way nice miniature rifle. 

[William]

Mike that is terrific!  I'm glad you got all those orders, it's a keen looking rifle.  

Oops, I didn't read for content, octagon barrels only..

[mongrel]

The problem is, the barrels have to be octagon. Dirt-cheap .22 barrels are all over Gunbroker, but none of them are octagon.

[Red Badger]

I hesitate to suggest this beacause I am sure you have already talked to them but what about the outragesly expensive Henry repeating arms company....?

[crazell]

Nice looking little shooter!!

[Hanshi]

It is a painfully cute little rifle.  Good luck, Mike.

[mongrel]

I hesitate to suggest this beacause I am sure you have already talked to them but what about the outragesly expensive Henry repeating arms company....?

Well, I can get Marlin 39 barrels from Numrich, with my dealer's discount, for about $70 apiece, shipped. Push comes to shove I'll order ten or those, but I told the vendor who wants ten mini-guns that in that case he has to put down a $1000 deposit. He'll be back home in Ohio, now, and says he has a couple of possible sources for old .22 rifle barrels, and will be getting with me about those. He's a stand-up guy and won't leave me hanging on this, but I figured if I could scrounge a few used tubes in the meantime it would be a step forward. A couple of other vendors expressed interest (in one gun each, not a bulk purchase) so I may be in the market for octagon smallbore barrels for awhile to come.

I also can get unbreeched, 42" x 3/4" barrels in ultra-small (.25 or .29) calibers, from my friend Howard Kelley, at a price that will break the three resulting 14" sections down to less than $60 each, but until I have to go that route I'm hoping to find CHEAP barrels.

Time to start hitting the flea markets....

[William]

I will BOLO for those barrels in my neck of the woods.

[beowulf]

the popularity of these mini rifles comes as no surprise ! pieces such as these have always been sought after by collectors , and then there`s the fact that you do very nice work ! 

[Red Badger]

g should we start calling them salesman samples? and if so when do we get ours to show around for taking  orders??   

[Blackfeet]

If Numrich has some round tubes of sufficient diameter they can be milled octagon fairly easily at that length. (by the way, the barrel is finally on the way to you  )