Interesting link?

[Mike Armstrong]

Garnett, I found this link while blundering around the internet and wondered if you or other members were familiar with it?

It's https://www.leroysramblings.com/Savage_model_219-220.html

The author is LeRoy Wisner, an old-time (and OLD) gunsmith who is, I think, associated with the Wisners who make repro gun parts like clips. 

If you don't want to type out the whole link (a pain if you're as bad a typist as I am), you can just do a search for Leroys Ramblings and find his blog.  Then you'll have to scroll through the rest of the articles to find this one (there may be some other interesting stuff in there; I haven't looked yet).

Not sure why Wisner wanted to convert his .30-30 to a .35 Winchester.  I had a 219A with a trashed bore (I think somebody "cleaned" it with iodine....) and Ihad it rebored to .358 and chambered for the .35-30 wildcat, which is just a .30-30 necked up to .358 w/no other changes.  An excellent medium bore cartridge if you don't mind a little handloading.  Mine shot 180 gr. .357 Magnum "deer bullets" perfectly and at that time you could pick up a bucketload of once- fired .30-30 cases at any range right before deer season because guys sighted their 94s and 336s in and left the cases lie.  Doesn't happen much any more, unfortunately.

Let me know what you think of these "ramblings" if you get a chance.

Mike Armstrong

[Garnett]

Mike, Thanks for telling us about this site.  I tried several times and could not find it and was getting very frustrated.  Then....I accidentally found the address below.  Note the spelling for the actual web site is NOT Leroy as I was trying with Google, but leeroy.  Many thanks for sharing this site with us.  He has some good information and agrees with me that this is a difficult action to disassemble/reassemble.


http://www.leeroysramblings.com/

[Mike Armstrong]

Sorry for the mis-spelling.  (I told you I was a crappy typist....).

Wish I could find a nice, original Utica 219 or a 220, especially a .410.  The early 219/220s seem to be VERY scarce in CA--all of the ones I've found were in "the Northern Tier" states.  Out here we specialize in those side lever monstrosities....

I see that Wisner used a Stevens 94 stock on one of his 219s.  Now I (and I think, you) have considered doing that, but I've always been stopped by the shear number of different versions of the 94.  Which one fits which 219/220???  Anybody know?

If not, I guess the best I can do is buy what LOOKS the closest with an agreement that I can return it if it doesn't fit.  The stock on my 219B is "so ugly you have to call it oooooogly," and I'd like to get it to nearly match the forend, which is downright yummy!

[Garnett]

Mike, I too, prefer the Utica 219/220's.  Another thing I have noticed is that even if you find one on Gun Broker, so many people will not ship to California because of the hassle.  As to the stocks.  In theory, all stocks for the 219, 220, 24, and 94's will interchange.  But this is not actually always true.  I have removed a stock from one action and put on another and there was enough difference in fit, that it was not usable on the intended action.  I have also found that even if they fit properly, the Monte Carlo design of the M24 (this is the original .22 over .410 model) will not work with the 219 rifle with open sights, at least with me, as I can't get my head low enough to use the rear open sight of the M219.   I do think interchanging stocks is  easier to do than barrels.  I have tried to make this clear in my books that buying a barrel hoping to fit it to your action is a gamble, especially if you only have one action.  I have been lucky as I have several actions.  The 219 Zipper barrel I got from you had to be tried on 4 different guns before I found one it would fit.  Best wishes, Garnett

[Mike Armstrong]

Thanks for the stock info!  My 219B has a barrel grooved for "tip-off" scope mounting and I now need to use a scope, so I'm going to look for a Savage Model 24 "Monte Carlo" style buttstock and insist on "3-day return privileges."  Maybe I can find a nice one!

[Garnett]

Look at the Boyd Co. web site.  They make this stock.  I have one, in my reserve stock, to use as needed.  It is good quality walnut with what appears to be an Epoxy finish.  I have also purchased a semi-inletted stock and forearm off the internet.  I don't remember where.  You can google it.  The quality of the wood and the inletting was excellent.

[Mike Armstrong]

Thanks, I'll do it!  Need a project!