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 25 Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials (Read 7083 times)
Rcat7147
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Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Sep 16th, 2019 at 1:45am
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Hi all,
Mentioned this in another thread and wanted to share some pics.

This rifle, though decently photographed, was criminally under-described by the auction company.

In fact, it was listed as a Russian Berdan rifle  Roll Eyes
I won't be able to keep it (I have a strict "no rifles more expensive than my Ford Ranger" rule) but it will be an honor to handle it for a while!

I don't have it in hand yet, so here are some pics from the auction.
  
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Rcat7147
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #1 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 1:46am
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And some more:
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #2 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 2:12am
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Very nice - That's one complicated bolt-action!
  
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Knute1
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #3 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 2:34am
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I have Dorsett's book "Development of the Krag Jorgensen Rifle for the US Military". He has a short section on this rifle and a few pictures. I see it is tube fed from the butt plate. Interesting specimen you have. (How new is your Ford Ranger?)  Wink
  
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Dick Hosmer
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #4 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 3:51am
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If anyone is interested, there is a complete chapter, with numerous illustrations, operating cautions, etc. on the Chaffee-Reece ("Reese" , though widely seen, is incorrect) in my "More .45-70s" book.

For example, do NOT put ANYTHING other than full-length .45-70-500 rounds into the magazine! The toothed feed system will - sooner or later - jam with anything else.

That's a pretty damn scarce item. Now that you have it, I'd keep it, and sell something you could be sure of replacing if a $$$$$$ squeeze occurred.

Side note, the bayonet, assuming it fits snugly and properly, might be rarer than the rifle!!
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #5 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 5:32am
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The bayonet is not properly attached and locked into place in the auction company photo.
  
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Rcat7147
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #6 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 10:22am
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Thanks for the input, all!  This is definitely the rarest I’ve found so far.  I’ve had an M1C Garand and a Winchester Spruce Gun but they made 10 times as much of those.  Amazing. 

Knute, the Ranger is just a 2004  Wink.

Dick, thanks for chiming in.  I’ll have to pick up a copy of your book.  I collect standard issue US arms so this doesn’t exactly fit my collection, unfortunately.  I buy and sell as a “side hustle” and this one will make up a few others that I should have sold haha.
I gather the inner diameter of the bayonet is specific to this rifle?

BR, I’m excited to get it in my hands!  I watched the Forgotten Weapons video on this and he basically said, “Yeah, I’m not taking this one apart.”  Pretty complicated indeed!
  
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olderthansome
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #7 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 1:04pm
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I am an experienced rationalizer.  It obviously the time to buy a new Ford Ranger!!
  
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Rcat7147
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #8 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 2:13pm
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olderthansome wrote on Sep 16th, 2019 at 1:04pm:
I am an experienced rationalizer.  It obviously the time to buy a new Ford Ranger!!


Now that does make sense!

Seriously though, I love this little Ranger.  Just a 4 cylinder to get me to and from work and anything that goes wrong on it is cheap and easy to repair.  I only paid $3,000 for it a couple years ago and it's just trucking right along.

I'll buy another when this one kicks the bucket.  Maybe one that only single-digit-old  Grin
  
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Dick Hosmer
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #9 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 3:33pm
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Rcat7147 wrote on Sep 16th, 2019 at 10:22am:
Dick, thanks for chiming in.  I’ll have to pick up a copy of your book.  I collect standard issue US arms so this doesn’t exactly fit my collection, unfortunately.  I buy and sell as a “side hustle” and this one will make up a few others that I should have sold haha.
I gather the inner diameter of the bayonet is specific to this rifle?



You're very welcome.

You do NOT want to fool with the mag until you understand how it works! Another tip, the bolt must be open before attempting to open the butt trap, but should be closed while operating the cutoff!!  It's a goofy system - in fact many specimens have had parts of the mag assembly broken or removed.

Gun looks to be complete, and just in need of a little TLC. The cleaning rod is of special length, and, yes, the bayonet has a slightly larger socket to fit the 28" barrel. The one in the pic is most likely incorrect, but, it's a Benjamin towards keeping the rifle! Cheesy

Book, signed and postpaid, is $25 to POB 1367 Colusa CA 95932. Others welcome, too! Smiley
  
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Rcat7147
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #10 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 7:54pm
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Dick Hosmer wrote on Sep 16th, 2019 at 3:33pm:
Book, signed and postpaid, is $25 to POB 1367 Colusa CA 95932. Others welcome, too! Smiley


I'll take you up on that.
I ordered it earlier on Amazon before this post but was able to cancel just now.  I'd rather give the money straight to you!

Check is in the mail!
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #11 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 10:39pm
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R-cat - I hope your bayonet is the correct one.

I merely noticed, it is not fully on and locked into place. It looks like it will fit. The 'Lock-Ring' needs some oil.
  
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Rcat7147
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #12 - Sep 16th, 2019 at 11:24pm
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We’ll know soon enough!  This company runs a tight ship and I suspect I’ll have the rifle in hand early next week.
  
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Rcat7147
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #13 - Sep 20th, 2019 at 9:28pm
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The rifle is in!
There is a touch of pitting on the receiver and the bayonet does not fit.  The big uh-oh is the extractor isn’t hooked into the magazine actuator (??) so it doesn’t work the way it should.

Anyone know where I can find some instructions on disassembly?  Or, for that matter, is this even something I should fool with before selling?  I’m confident I can do the work, with some disassembly tips, but if it won’t impact the selling price much....

So now for the good!  The bore is in great shape, the wood looks great all over, and the bayonet (that’s in good shape) looks really nice on my trapdoor  Grin

Pretty happy with this buy!  It’s a good feeling rifle..feels more natural than the trapdoor but maybe that’s just me.  It’s a shame the magazine system was so funky.

I’ll get it listed this weekend and let you guys know what it ends up going for.
  
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Rcat7147
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Re: Chafee Reese - Magazine Rifle Trials
Reply #14 - Sep 22nd, 2019 at 9:30pm
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Figured it out. 
The extractor has an extension which fits into the bar that actuates the magazine.  The extractor is fastened to the bolt by a bar along the top.  This bar has, what appears to be, a release lever on top of it. 

The bar and lever are held to the bolt body with a pin.  I simply drove out that pin and the whole thing came apart.

I gather the release thing is supposed to, well, release this assembly without removing the pin but I don’t see how.

Anyway, with the extractor off, I simply placed it inside the magazine actuator bar and reassembled.  Everything seems to be working fine now.  Looks like someone else had it apart and just didn’t put it back together correctly.

Nothing wakes ya up like taking tools to a multi-thousand dollar rifle!
  
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