I am finally getting to the bottom of a mountain of paperwork needed to export one of Selous's rifles to the USA (and you thought it was hard to get a rifle into Africa!)

It will be for sale (along with appropriate photo's and documentation.)

Thinking of having it Auctioned but if any AR members are keen drop me a PM.

Reserve price £20,000 (about US$35k)
Make- Gibbs (Farqueson large Action, Metford's patent rifling)
Serial No 125
Side plates - steel, by Beasly
Cal. Gibbs No 1 (.450)

Condition - good. Blueing worn off barrel but action and sideplates still very good. Gold lettering stil clear. Safety catch doesn't seem to work reliably. Shoots 2" groups about 1" right of point of Aim at 100 yards.

Rifle passed from Selous to J. Colenbrander in 1888. Colenbrander used it to help provoke the Matebele war in 1893 and kept it until his death. I inherited it.

Any advice on auctioning such a rifle would also be helpful.

Ganyana, What an interesting piece of history! One other option you may consider is having someone like George Caswell at Champlin Arms market it for you on a consignment basis. He has the market and potential buyers for a rifle with such provenance. Sad to report I am not numbered among them. Best of luck,gduffey

You might also consider Lewis Drake at www.drake.net. He recently sold one of Sir Samuel Baker's rifles for a princely sum, handles lots of very high-end collector guns. Check out his website.

I have dealt with Drakes and I would also give them a second nomination. They are top notch in customer service.

Thanks for the nod guys.Lewis drake came right back to me and seem to a) want the buisness and b) know what they are doing with it.

Thanks