A mystery 22 rifle

[4K2022]

What is it? It's a break action,, but you have to lift the bolt handle, which rotates AND retracts a "breech before it will break open.

Who made such a rifle? The exterior of the barrel is "sheet metal" wrapped and stamped like a Daisy BB gun.

The stock also has the minimalist bb gun appearance. The forearm is missing and (to Me) the design of the fore grip is unknown .

ANY comment would be NEW information

 

[Alpo]

I don't know about the action, because I've never examined one for real. But the shape of the receiver looks like a Hamilton. Hamilton's were cheap boys rifles, quite often given as prizes for selling stuff, like seeds or bluing or grit magazine.


If it is a hamilton, it is not missing the forearm. They did not have one. Just the wooden butt stock that looked more like it was sawn from a piece of lumber than that it was carved as a rifle stock.

 

[30-30remchester]

First guess is a Hamilton model 27.

 

[Alpo]

How about that. I guess they did have a forearm.

 

[murphydog]

Cool gun. But wouldn't use + P in it, or for bears.

 

[wundudnee]

Here is a 027 Hamilton. As stated above the barrel nis brass wrapped in sheet metal. The receiver is basically all sheet metal. The hammer and trigger are about the only solid metal parts. The top rifle is a Remington #6, the bottom is the Hamilton.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

It would be just right for these Bears.

 

[2152hq]

Hamilton 27 or 027.
The only difference betw the two is the #27 had flat sided stock and forend.
The #027 had stock and forend that were rounded/profiled. Hamilton called it 'Turned and finished'.

The sheet metal sleeve will show the seam along the bottom edge the length of the bbl.
I'm told that the actual bbl inside it which is Brass, was produced by a rolling process also has a seam in it because of that.
Normally the seam in the brass bbl isn't visible, but with the use of modern ammo the seam can open up.

These rifles were made for .22 Short & Long ammo only and then when only BP and early smokeless Standard Vel ammo was made.

Best to use the CB Long or BB Cap ammo in these. They don't have much of a breech lock up.

Many of the Hamilton rifles, and there are a bunch of different models, have bbl's less than 16" long.
But the ATF has granted an exemption for all orig Hamilton rifles from any NFA registration and placed them into the Non-NFA, C&R Firearm catagory.

 

[DWalt]

Have owned a variety of turn-of-the-Century boy's rifles, but never a Hamilton. Have none now. With mine, I normally used only .22 Short standard velocity ammunition. I think all of mine had legal length barrels.

 

[RSinOR]

Unknown Rifle

Went to a gun show this afternoon and a vendor had a Hamilton
#27 rifle for sale. Never seen one before. Chambered for .22
short, asking $67.00

Pretty good condition but it sure looked like steel stamped BB rifle.

 

[4K2022]

Thanks for solving my Mystery! My brother provided the pictures in the OP. We shot this gun as boys and he still does!

I asked him if it would chamber a 22LR ,, he said yes !!! PROBABLY because of HIM!!! is my theory,,, so MAYBE I'll tell him it shouldn't. And I can confirm it has a steel butt plate with 2 screws.

Thanks again for the replies,, my big brother and I are a couple of happy boys this morning ��