Anyone Interesting In Getting A Free H&H 577 NE Double?

03 February 2008, 13:38

Ok Ok!

The rifle was bought by Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, in 1893, for the grand sum of 28 pounds Sterling.

He embarked on a three year journey to the North Pole.

In january 1894, he was in a row boat with two of his sailors, trying to shoot seals for meat. He lost his footing, and the rifle fell overboard.

Exact location is 79 54 21.72 N, 59 46 55.41 E. the depth was 8 fathoms.

He felt so bad about it, they went back to their ship, the FRAM, and got some tools to dridge for it. They went at it for the rest of the day, until darkness fell, and gave up.

So, as far as I know, that rifle has not been recovered yet, and all one has to do is go pick it up!

Let me get out of the way, I don't want to be crushed in the stampede

Good luck to you all!

www.accuratereloading.com
Instagram : ganyana2000

03 February 2008, 14:04

Huglu

Hmmmmmmm
Thanks Saeed, but I think I pass on this one.
Franz Josef land is not that easy to access, even today. It is too far away for most helicopters and you need a nuclear icebreaker to go there.
Then, the restoration of a rifle that has had 114 years on the sea floor is more than I can handle even if it perhaps would be legal to get it, as compared to the illegal actions to get it, if it was around Svalbard....

Sincerely
Daniel

03 February 2008, 16:17

PoppaW

Took a look on google earth. I guess I'll go pull the canoe off the truck. It's a little farther out than my supplies will get me. What condition would that gun be in after sitting on the sea floor that long. If you found it and took it to Holland and Holland would they beat you to death? Thats some serious pitting. Unlike some I'm glad to still have my left nut

WOODY
Everyone is allowed an opinion, even if its wrong.

03 February 2008, 16:42

caorach

I'd guess that if you found it and took it to H&H and it was anywhere near working condition then H&H would swap it for a brand new one. Think of the PR they'd get from one of their rifles lying on the sea bed for that long and then working when recovered.

In fact if H&H had any sense they'd get one of these bunny hugging moan a minute TV channels to fund a trip to recover the rifle. That way we could all go on the Greenpeace boat and we could save the world the whole way there by farting into plastic bags and using them to power the ship.

03 February 2008, 17:19

JudgeG

I have a friend who is involved in a syndicate that is recovering P-38's from the ice in Greenland. They use steam to go 400 feet down and carefully lift up the planes. Several years ago, one was recovered (not by this group, I believe?) and it sold for a huge profit. I think they are projected to make about 20 million this effort for seven planes (one will be a B-17 for parts).

Saeed, I'll give them the coordinates and your good wishes.

Seals with a .577? Why didn't he use a .45/70? Wouldn't he have gotten more penetration?

JudgeG ... just counting time 'til I am again finding balm in Gilead chilled out somewhere in the Selous.

03 February 2008, 19:00

Jim Manion

Thank you, Saeed.

A deals a deal. If you need coordinates for the location of the subject of my bid, please let me know. Also, if you need some pinking shears to collect your prize, drop me a line and I'll make sure you receive a pair.

SCI Life Member
DSC Life Member

03 February 2008, 19:10

GarBy

As a Navy diver in a previous century, it's tempting!...especially as it's realatively shallow.
But.....as I can attest to "tresures" found it other waters...those barnacles will be a bitch to remove!

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Frederik Cocquyt
I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good.

03 February 2008, 20:27

zimbabwe

Quite frankly I neither need nor want a 577 double and given the opportunity to get one for free I would definitely sell it and finance one last trip to Zimbabwe to hunt one more time,preferably for Lion.

SCI Life Member
NRA Patron Life Member
DRSS

03 February 2008, 21:51

Woodmnctry

quote:
Originally posted by JohnCrighton:
What would I do for a .577?

I'd stop asking questions. Yup, that's right - me, never asking another question on AR.

There's a winner!

OMG!-- my bow is "pull-push feed" - how dreadfully embarrasing!!!!!

04 February 2008, 00:29

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by Macifej:
The rifle currently resides in the bottom of a Croc infested muddy river. Saeed will tell you where someone lost it overboard and you may have a go at retrieving it. Question is!! Was it lost overboard by someone in the 19th century or last week??

I think this is the place where the 577NE double is resting, and is just about the only place in the world I would not go to get it!

..........

....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1
DRSS Charter member
"If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982

Hands of Old Elmer Keith

04 February 2008, 01:50

Phoenixdawg

I would give the rifle too my father. He has dreamed of owning a double his entire life. He is making a trip to Africa with me this summer both of us for the first time and I would like nothing more than to present him with the gift.

04 February 2008, 03:59

Balla Balla

Saeed

Are you sure that it was NOT a 45/70 that went overboard, as if it was, there are a number of good swimmers agaist the tide whom would give their left ventricle to get it and use on cape buff (-:

Cheers, Peter

04 February 2008, 04:51

caorach

quote:
Originally posted by JudgeG:
Seals with a .577? Why didn't he use a .45/70? Wouldn't he have gotten more penetration?

Over penetration, that is the issue here.

Over penetration has always been a big issue in the arctic which is why people heading that way tended to go for the less powerful cartridges. In those days it was considered very unsporting to shoot a seal and then later find out that you had badly wounded a polar bear standing only 900 yards beyond the seal. After lots of accidents of this nature the trusty .45/70 was abandoned and polar explorers were forced to trust their lives to the .577. This is absolutely the only reason why, to this very day, the 45/70 is considered unsuitable for polar bear and other large animals which might be standing in front of something that could be wounded as the result of over penetration.

04 February 2008, 06:03

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by caorach:
quote:
Originally posted by JudgeG:
Seals with a .577? Why didn't he use a .45/70? Wouldn't he have gotten more penetration?

Over penetration, that is the issue here.

Over penetration has always been a big issue in the arctic which is why people heading that way tended to go for the less powerful cartridges. In those days it was considered very unsporting to shoot a seal and then later find out that you had badly wounded a polar bear standing only 900 yards beyond the seal. After lots of accidents of this nature the trusty .45/70 was abandoned and polar explorers were forced to trust their lives to the .577. This is absolutely the only reason why, to this very day, the 45/70 is considered unsuitable for polar bear and other large animals which might be standing in front of something that could be wounded as the result of over penetration.

"When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all."
Theodore Roosevelt

04 February 2008, 07:09

Saeed

Dr. Nansen went on to decribe how sad he felt for loosing that rifle, and how safe the seals were because of this accident.

The impression I got was that this was probably the most accurate rifle he had.

Imagine the historical value one might get out of this if it was recovered.

www.accuratereloading.com
Instagram : ganyana2000

04 February 2008, 07:18

577NitroExpress

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
Dr. Nansen went on to decribe how sad he felt for loosing that rifle, and how safe the seals were because of this accident.

The impression I got was that this was probably the most accurate rifle he had.

Imagine the historical value one might get out of this if it was recovered.

I say we send Walter on "a mission" with a film crew!

577NitroExpress
Double Rifle Shooters Society
Francotte .470 Nitro Express

If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming...

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We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, Which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a President, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke!!!!! 'What the hell could possibly go wrong?'

04 February 2008, 07:45

JudgeG

Hey Roscoe:

That's not me. It's my second or third wife... I can't remember? I think she just discovered that her alimony check bounced.

Actually, that dog picture made me happy that I don't hunt dogs, just leopards, lions, buffalo and elephants.

04 February 2008, 09:23

Saeed

quote:
It is too far away for most helicopters and you need a nuclear icebreaker to go there.

What a bunch of wimps we have today

Dr. nansen went there in a wooden ship, powered by wind sail, and tiny motor.

When they managed to get 8 knots, they thought they were on warp speed!

www.accuratereloading.com
Instagram : ganyana2000

04 February 2008, 10:35

375 fanatic

Its not even april yet but it was fun to see so many okes on their knees

here is a special for you ive got handy andy for only $1 so that all the brown rings can be washed of

"Buy land they have stopped making it"- Mark Twain

04 February 2008, 19:42

J D

No pain no gain. Have Walter deliver it. I will give him a home for a year. Just think how much peace you will have. Throw in some ammo and I keep him a year and a half.

JD

DRSS
9.3X74 tika 512
9.3X74 SXS
Merkel 140 in 470 Nitro

04 February 2008, 20:16

mr rigby

dr Nansen had many fine guns that he used for lots of hunting and shooting, he had a custom Krag built on the danish action in .45-90 that he had a Winchester A5 scope on for lots of varius chores.

He also had many other fine guns, unfortunately his krag was stolen some years ago and hasnt been recovered yet again.

04 February 2008, 21:29

Atkinson

Not uncommon for Saeed to offer anyone a nice rifle if he will swim the Rhuaha river at night.. I have had such an opertunity, but passed...

will a flame thrower work under water???

Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com

04 February 2008, 21:45

Saeed

quote:
Originally posted by Atkinson:
Not uncommon for Saeed to offer anyone a nice rifle if he will swim the Rhuaha river at night.. I have had such an opertunity, but passed...

will a flame thrower work under water???

It will if Bola Bola had his spell on you

www.accuratereloading.com
Instagram : ganyana2000

Frank

"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money."
- Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953

NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite

.395 Family Member
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Political correctness is nothing but liberal enforced censorship

04 February 2008, 22:26

JudgeG

Fjold:

Please do not threaten any action that might cause you to remove your avatar. Although I believe that the AR readers would raise enough money for a new H&H .577 N.E., don't make us do it! I have to feed my babies.

JudgeG ... just counting time 'til I am again finding balm in Gilead chilled out somewhere in the Selous.

Have gun- Will travel
The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark

Mike

--------------
DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ...
Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com

05 February 2008, 02:53

Michael Robinson

Moral of the story:

"Never take any firearm onto a boat that you are not willing to store forever afterwards in Davy Jones's deep blue gun safe."

There is a really big and interesting gun collection at the bottom of the sea, not to mention most rivers!

Mike

Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer.

05 February 2008, 20:44

Gator1

Congratulations Saeed.

You have set the new AR Record for Suck Up Posts on a Single Thread.

Better put Steve (I would do what ever you asked) Lefforge in your Date book for when you visit Wyoming. I knew a girl that like that in College and it was worth the effort.

Gator

A Proud Member of the Obamanation

"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left."
Ecclesiastes 10:2

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