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Western Field or Heym?
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I picked up a Western Field/Heym out of the local classifieds. It's a WF Model 724A, which is a Mannlicher stocked, stylized butter knife bolt, 22" 30-06. Looks to me like the bolt has been chromed, but maybe it's just highly polished. It's been Bubba'd with a Kmart best Tasco in the highest "see through", almost "drive through" rings I've ever seen, plus bright red nail polish on the front sight. When it gets stripped back to it's birthday suit I think it'll be a handy little rifle.
I'm not a Mauser guy, but I think this is a large-ring Mauser with two position safety and a pretty heavy trigger. I'm open to any suggestion about slicking it up, or more info on the rifle. I'm pretty darned happy to have any rifle with the name Heym on it. Can I consider it a Heym, or just another pretentious Western Field?
After taking it down, doing some reading and fondling it, I'm thinking it's a slightly pretentious WF, made in fact by Heym. But it's still a slick fast handling 30-06 Mannlicher, which is what I wanted.
 
Posts: 244 | Location: Kansas City, Kansas | Registered: 16 September 2002Reply With Quote
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Try to post a picture.

As you may know Western Field never made any guns, [just like Sears, and Montgomery Wards] they had others make them and put their name on them...

A picture would really help.


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Posts: 16134 | Location: Texas | Registered: 06 April 2002Reply With Quote
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You rifle was assembled (barreled) by Heym during their lean years (mid 1960's) There should be a month-year stamp on the barrel.

It is a commercial Yugoslavian intermediate mauser action that was made on FN acquired machinery. If it is for a full length cartridge, the front of the magazine box will have been opened up with a hacksaw.

Westernfield was the US importer.

The barrels are of Heym quality. Everything else is typical econo-grade. Fortunately, it was contracts like these that kept Heym alive to become the high-end company it is today.
 
Posts: 2036 | Location: Roebling, NJ 08554 | Registered: 20 January 2002Reply With Quote
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