Russ Hamm Rifle

[back_4ts]

Gentlemen, first time poster here. I have a rifle I beleive was built by Russ Hamm. Lock is so marked the only other marks are J.W.F. on the barrel. Gun belongs to a friend of mine. The stock is stripped maple I beleive, the patch box and butt plate are brass. The inlays and escutions are silver and engraved. My friends dad bought
the rifle in the earlyy 70s. It has not been fired as far as he knows. The caliber as near as I can ascertain is around 24 caliber. A right nice rifle and he wants to sell it to me.

Anyone have any ideas on this rifle? Thanks Bill

[Majorjoel]

Hello Bill and welcome to the ALR forum. It sounds to me that your friends rifle was actually built by someone whose initials are inscribed on the barrel. The lock and the lock alone was made by Russ Hamm. If the caliber is 24, it would be most unusual. I would be interested in seeing pictures of this rifle. Is it a flintlock or percussion system?

[B Shipman]

Yes, Russ Hamm made locks in the 70's so you're timeline would be correct. As said above, he didn't make the rifle. Dean Mitton took over his business about 1980.

[Randy Hedden]

Maybe this rifle was built by our own J.W. Filipski??  I belive he was making rifles back then.  A couple of pictures would help, also.

Randy Hedden

[back_4ts]

Good afternoon, I would have replied to you guys sooner but I had to buy a new computer. The other one died.
 The rifle is a cap lock and a 00 buck pellet is to big to use a patch with. Maybe a # 4 buck will work. I had some pictures on the other computer. I will see if i can get any taken and then figure out how to down load them here.
 I might buy it if I can convert it to flint. I see what i can do about the pics. Thanks for the help and replies. Bill

[Jim Filipski]

Wow totally missed this thread! Found it accidentally on a goggle search of all things.

No that JWF was not I. Yes I was building in the late 60's & 70's; but strictly center-fire  heavy varmint guns!

Didn't move to MLs until 1982. My early 80 guns had the J.W.F. stamp in the top of the barrel behind the rear sight. By the late 80's early 90's the "intersected JWF" logo (such as my avatar) appears on the sideplate side oblique flat near the breech.  Custom builds were always engraved as my signature, J.W.Filipski on the top flat.
The recent "Phillips & Bier" touchmark ( reenactor guns) shows the stamped vertical "P' with the lazy "B"underneath, on the sideplate side oblique flat at breech.
Never did percussion & never did .25 cal unless it was producing 4000fps MV
Jim

[Longbow]

Saw this and wanted to reply, I do own an original Hamm/Large  Rifle. It is a BEAUTY, one of the nicest tigerstrip  I've ever seen  and almost black with the dye used. Both Russ Hamm and Bill Large have signed the top of the barrel. Ten pierceings in the ornate patchbox. a 45 cal flint. I was told by Steve Zihn that Russ possibly only built 12 complete rifles, no way to verify it, but makes you dream and wonder. I did send it to Steve about 10 years ago for him to check it over.This gun was built in 1960 and the cost was $600.00!!!  I'm not real computer minded, maybe sometime I can get Steve to upload A pic for you guys. see ya, Pete in Montana.

[FVR]

Just pulled out the old Lancaster style 45 and decided to do a little research on it.  

I was told it was made by Russ Hamm many, many years ago.  It is a percussion and has his name on the lock.  It is a most beautiful rifle with a tiger stripe stock.  I got it in a trade with a gent who collected rifles down in Florida.  It's design looks to be a Dickert style Lancaster, 44" barrel with brass inlays and all.

From what I was told, like a few here, Russ made 12 rifles and this may be one of them or one that he had on the bench.  I don't know, don't really care as it's the most accurate rifle I own.

It has the initials HRU on the barrel.  The rifle has been used, the sights are a modern Lyman style and it looks like someone has changed the trigger guard.  It's a Lancaster style just too short.  It needs a 9" long rather than the current 8".  You can see where the original guard was pressed and pinned in the stock.




I"m just curious.  Needless to say that my trade of an in the box 50 cal. GPR flint, we both agreed I got the better deal.  Oh the deal.  The  condition of the deal, he would do the trade but I had to use the gun rather than just hang it on the wall.  I do use it.

Thanks,  Frank

[Levy]

Russ Hamm was located in Ft. Pierce, FL at the time I stopped by to visit him.  He had apparently just sold his business.  He referred me to Dean Mitton.   I left and he continued his lunch.  This probably was in the early 80's.

James Levy

[FVR]

That's what I heard, he lived in Florida.  This rifle looks to be a might bit older than the 80's.

Ahhhh............it does not matter.  It's a shooter and keeping.  One of those guns you pass down to our childrens children etc.

[FVR]

Just ordered a 9" Lancaster style trigger guard from R E Davis to put on.  The current one is an inch too short.  Will not change the sights until after hunting season, aka summertime.