Well, Griff; it's been nearly a year. Do ya still like that purty rifle of your'n?
I'll bet ya do!
I've had mine 'bout 6 years now; have slicked it up - tho not as much (or as well
) as a real gunsmith would; shot it with smokey-less as well as BP, and it's like that Energizer Bunny: it keeps going, and going ....
I don't know how old mine is per-zackly, but I seem to recall that Steve of Steve's Guns (Nate Kiowa Jones - who helped me, over the phone, with some tuning tips) said it was probably made in the early to mid 90s. There's no safety, it has the 24" Sporting Rifle 1/2 round/1/2 hex barrel and I've added a Marbles Tang sight which has worked well out to 100 yds, but I haven't had the opportunity to try it at longer ranges. I also replaced the rear barrel sight with a Marbles semi-buckhorn version.
I've had two complaints with mine, neither of which affect function
or accuracy, and the first is that mine has a carbine-style front sight and band, and the other is the buttstock wood. The forend has very nice grain and some extra dark brown to black figure. The buttstock looks cr@%%y, and almost looks as if they used sawdust glued together to make it! Only cosmetic faults, however.
I've been threatening to sell the old gal, but I never seem to get around to it. I use my 1866 Win. (by Uberti) for 90% of my shooting, and I like it better, but ...