In J.Mellon's excellent book " African Hunter", he mentions that his PH, Mickey Micheletti had the remains of O'Connors "elephant gun" that had blown up. Does anyone know the details of this gun and how it blew up? Thanks....

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana1:
In J.Mellon's excellent book " African Hunter", he mentions that his PH, Mickey Micheletti had the remains of O'Connors "elephant gun" that had blown up. Does anyone know the details of this gun and how it blew up? Thanks....

+1

Was this the .416 Rigby on the Brevex magnum action?

I don't recall anything about a "blowup of an elephant rifle" in any of Jack's books or writings.
I started reading him in about 1950. I seem to recall he only shot one elephant, if my memeory is working.
Very interested in hearing more about this.

I too believe he only shot one elephant and that was in Zambia. He used a custom Mauser rifle in 416 Rigby built on a Brevex Mauser action. I photographed that rifle a coup[le of years ago and you can see the picture in the Boone and Crocket Record Book. It is currently in Oregon and definately not blown up.

465H&H

It is my understanding as well that O;Connor only shot one elephant! He wasn't too interested in anything that couldn't be taken cleanly with a 270Win! He could have just as easily borrowed the Bervex for all the need he had for it!

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There is a very detailed acccount of all Jack O'Conner's rifles in the book Jack O'Conner by Robert Anderson. It is actually in an addendun by Buck Buckner who ,I believe , is the current owner of O'Conners Brevex 416. Jack O'Conner was planning to hunt Africa for Elephant one more time and had a 458 built by Fred Wells specifcally for that safari (which never came off). It was stocked by a friend and classmate of mine Clayton Nelson. Very good book of Jack O'Conner's life and VERY complete detail on all his firearms. I have a rather personal debt to Jack O'Conner as I corresponded with him as a high school student asking his advice about gunsmithing and he and Lucien Carey were responsibile for my selecting TSJC for gunsmithing school and many years later for my moving to Tucson. Such is the impression a writer in Outdoor Life made on a 16 year old kid from Mississippi. I even owned a Model 70 transition model in 270 Win.

Didn't O'Connor have an 03 in 270 blow up that took a bit of his thumb?

As I recall, Jack O'Connor had a .416 Rigby built on a M1917 Enfield action. If it was an Eddystone action, known for being brittle, that could have been the rifle which "blew-up".

According to Buckners list the 03 that blew up was a G&H 03 30-06 that had an accidental discharge caused by a broken firing pin. This happened in 1939.

I took this photo at The Jack O'Connor museum in Lewiston , ID.

Notice anything funny about it?

quote:

Originally posted by Dog Man:
I took this photo at The Jack O'Connor museum in Lewiston , ID.

Notice anything funny about it?

Either the picture was reversed or the rifle is a left hand rifle, and I don't think Brevex made a left hand action! I can't remember O'Connor being a lefty!

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
Either the picture was reversed or the rifle is a left hand rifle, and I don't think Brevex made a left hand action! I can't remember O'Connor being a lefty!

And Jack is wearing Eleanor's shirt, since it buttons the wrong way.

Here is a picture of Jack's 416 On a Brevex Mauser action.



465H&H

Looks like it's wearing an old steel El Paso Weaver too.

93 year old Al Biesen made it, as well as several other rifles for O'Connor. His son, Roger Biesen, used O'Connor's pattern to profile a blank for my 500A2:

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
Here is a picture of Jack's 416 On a Brevex Mauser action.

Seems they[Jack & Al] chose not to pass up a modified[some might say molested] BreVex magnum action,
or they did it themselves to install those bases.

In the July/August 2010 issue of Sports Afrield is an article titled The Rifles of Jack O'Connor. It has some photos of his rifles but none bigger than .375H&H.

Trax, all Brevex actions were supplied drilled and tapped, including the one you have pictured. See pages 186-187 "Bolt Action Rifles", Frank de Haas.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
Trax, all Brevex actions were supplied drilled and tapped, including the one you have pictured. See pages 186-187 "Bolt Action Rifles", Frank de Haas.

I know the Brevex brochure makes point of mentioning several features, including a gas vent hole in front receiver ring.
It does not mention any feature of drilled & tapped holes.
That is not to suggest that a good number of Brevex actions did not come drilled & tapped from the factory.





However,this may suggest that not all came factory drilled and tapped.

I've owned several Brevex actions and all of mine were drilled and tapped. Could be that a few left the factory w/o the holes but any gunsmith worth their salt can fill them if the buyer wants.

Trax, bottom action looks like a Brevex modified to look like an Oberndorf #20, thumb cut, tigged scope holes, straight bolt handle, etc.

Read Frank de Haas' book, he specifically states all were D&T'd, since they were also supplied with turned down bolt handles for scope mounting.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
Trax, bottom action looks like a Brevex modified to look like an Oberndorf #20, thumb cut, tigged scope holes, straight bolt handle, etc.

Read Frank de Haas' book, he specifically states all were D&T'd, since they were also supplied with turned down bolt handles for scope mounting.

I have to agree. If the bottom photos of the .505 is truly a Brevex, then it is highly modified, doesn't even resemble a Brevex

Hello guys;
I saw this post and then got distracted. Called on great friend Bradford, JOC's son, to sort out the real facts on this thread. Here is Brad's response-

"Interesting thread indeed. No, I am not aware of any elephant gun blowing up in Dad's possession. The GH .30.06 blowup in 1939 is true. I was just six at the time, but I remember all the commotion and Mother driving Dad hell bent into Tucson.

I took the picture of Dad, the buff and the .416, and the bolt position was not for a southpaw. That was in Zambia in 1969 and within days of when Dad shot his first and only elephant.
Someone screwed up in printing the picture. I accidentally reversed a nice shot of Dad, me, my .375 and antlers of a moose I shot. I discovered the goof after I had had the picture on the wall for several years apparently without anyone else noticing.
Yes, Buck owns the .416 as well as a .458 I sold him. Dad planned for me to use it on elephants in Kenya, but the hunting ban went into affect, canceling our hunt and need for the 458!"
So that's the real story...right from the proverbial horses mouth!!