Austrian Lorenz Repop

[LibertyHallVols]

Does this development refresh interest in this product, or appreciably affect discussion of its authenticity?


Nope! And again, with feeling: Nope!!

The improvements on the inside of the barrel, while admirable, still don't address all the deficiencies with the visible portions of the piece. My opinion.

Thanks for the update, though! I was not aware of the new option. Perhaps there is yet hope that they might make further improvements (??).

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

"Does this development refresh interest in this product,..."

In brief and to over-generalize...

IMHO...

Refresh? No.
There was, and remains, interest from certain individuals and in certain quarters for an authentic "Lorenz" reproduction.
However, those numbers wouild appear to be too small to interest the Italians (etc.) in believing that the start-up cost investments and production costs could/would be recouped and a sustainable profit mantained.

"... or appreciably affect discussion of its authenticity?"

Short answer, no.

While a partisan subject with supporters and detractors, it is the general point-of-view and standard of the AC Forum that these Indian "non-guns" have unresolved authenticity and safety issues to the point of their being discouraged from authentic-use discussion and sale here.

Curt

[10TnVI]

The rifled option has been available for a while. The work is done by a gunsmith in Little Rock. I believe, IIRC, he uses a steel sleeve in a pre-existing barrel.

[Johan Steele]

Having owned S/N 2 that had been reworked by IMO the premier mind of the Lorenz today I have serious reservations about anything Loyalist Arms touches. I made the mistake after having just received S/N 2 of going to the Heritage Arms show in Eagen MN where I had the opportunity to handle two oroginals, one priced for $750... the S/N 2 didn't even have the advantage of looking like an original Lorenz upon close inspection. The workmanship/fit n finish was poor in comparison to an original and I won't even go into the safety issues involved w/, for all practical purposes, using electrical conduit as a barrel.

Now all of that said, the loyalist product does have some advantages... it's all that is out there. It's balance is almost spot on to the original I handled. But that said, for anything except a museum representation I wouldn't trust the critter.

[stri volunteer]

According to everything I have read, the best solution for a decent Lorenz in shooting condition is to build yourself one out of disassociated parts. It would not cost that much more than the rifled version of the India-made repro, if those figures are correct.

[Johan Steele]

Mr Barry is quite correct, "sporterized" Lorenzes are regualrly available on Gunbroker for nothing and I keep seeing African trade Lorenzes that were converted to Flint after the war and somebody brought over here at some point. Buy the sporterized and steal the lock abd barrel if in tolerable condition. Place into the Flintlock (as ecvery one of those I've seen is in cherry condition) some minro fitting would be required but any competant smithy should be able to do that for a reasonable fee.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

An "intermediate" step, is the heretical sacrilege of restoring an original to its CW era-use condition.

Meaning, original "Lorenz's" can be found in "fairish" condition with the metal and wood being "a bit gone" to the point on the sliding scale that they no longer have "color" or condition good enough to command higher collector prices.

Many of the skills and techniques needed to do so-called "defarb" carry over for such "restoration" projects.

Having said that, I would add that doing so is often considered Sacrilege and a Mortal Sin.
However, in our hobby is a dirty business where originals are cannibalized into parts and the parts sold to the custom-building and reenacting communities because the profit margins in parts can run as high as 2-3-4 times the profit from selling the intact gun.
While it is said that "parts" come from "Bannerman" half stock shotguns that have long-since lost there "CW History," some dealers cannot resist the profits from stripping any CW guns into parts whne its overall condition will not bring Big Bucks.

Others' mileage will vary...

Curt
Who once as a custom builder, had talked himself into believing there were tons of Bannerman shotguns and even crates and boxes of armory left-over parts "out there" Mess