Gentlepeople:

I thought I would post an update on the .30-06 rifle I am putting together for my son. The barreled action was just returned from Roger Ferrell and I now have some additional photos to share.

First, specifics:

Pre-64 Model 70 Winchester Action
Krieger Barrel chambered for .30-06 Springfield
NECG Rear sight with one standing and two folding blades on a quarter rib
NECG Banded front ramp sight
Barrel band Swivel
Sunny Hill Bottom Metal with integral box
Denli Exhibition Circassian Walnut blank
Bill Soverns is doing the stocking to include a skelton grip cap (THANK YOU jjs!!!!!) and an ebony fore end tip.
Leupold Vari-X III 2 - 8 X scope
Quick Detachable Talley Rings and bases

I am going with a British Stalking design for the stock, similar to the one in this photo:



Here is the blank that is being used:



Here are some photos of the barreled action and sight work done by Roger Ferrell:

Wow. That's going to be gorgeous!

quote:

Posted 21 February 2007 01:06
Gentlepeople:

I thought I would post an update on the .30-06 rifle I am putting together for my son. The barreled action was just returned from Roger Ferrell and I now have some additional photos to share.

I suddenly find myself up for adoption.

Is it the photo or do I see a gap under the quarter rib. It is a very nice setup and I would love to have a rifle as nice.

Thanks guys. I have now had three offers for adoption from various people on here - you all are too much and I love every second of it.

Pegleg, it must be the photo regarding the gap under the quarter rib. There is no gap at all - Roger did one hell of a job on this, IMHO.

I want to thank jjs and JudgeG for recommending Roger when I first started planning this project a little over a year ago. Also, a thanks to Jim Kobe whom I purchased the pre-64 Model 70 action off of.

Congrat,

A beautiful classic.

Roland

577,

make that four...and I am willing to mow the yard in the summer and shovel the walk in winter...

Rich
DRSS

Paul,

It should look fantasic when all is done. I really like the quarter rib Roger did.

quote:

Originally posted by jjs:
Paul,

It should look fantasic when all is done. I really like the quarter rib Roger did.

Jim:

Thank you for the kind words. I think Roger did an outstanding job and he is great guy to work with. And thank you so much for recommending Roger - he's one of the best.

Are you going to do anything with the bolt handle? Have you given any thought to straightening, slimming, checkering? Or leave it as is. I am a little biased, but I do like the look of a straight handle and some fine panel checkering, especially on a rifle such as the one you are building.

The barreled action is spectacular work but that stock is going to be absolutely beautiful... I do a fair amount of wood work and have only seen a handful of figuring that is so pleasing to the eye as your blank....

Can't wait to see the finished rifle....

I found a piece of figured bubinga that I thought would make a spectacular stock but it is a very heavy wood... I might have to think about that one though one of these years...

Ken....

Any updates?

That is a very nice barreled action! That is a wonderful gift for your son. I am a pre 64 Win 70 fan ansd also a 30-06 man; that is right up my alley.

Very nice - thanks for posting. Can't wait to see some more, esp. after that blank is turned.

Considering that the post is 2 1/2 years old, I would expect that the rifle has been completed.

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:
Considering that the post is 2 1/2 years old, I would expect that the rifle has been completed.

This what I'm thinking and am hoping for pictures.

Update is Bill has disappeared, and I do not know where my components are.

I'm trying to contact Bill, but so far my attempts are not working. People have offered assistance, but since I only tried to contact him since last week, I will give him some time as he may be out of pocket for the holidays.

I'll keep you posted.

And that would be Bill Who?

Man, that is gonna be nice !
If a guy had that and a twin brother in .375 H&H , he would be set for all the adventure a guy could ask for.
I have an NEGC catalog and will be buying some sights for a far less fancy project 7X57.
I wish they made a folding rear sight with out any standing leaf. Folding so i could mount a scope real low.
...tj3006

But the multiple leavs look great just don't think I would ever use more than one

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
And that would be Bill Who?

Bill Soverns has left the building...

He was the man who was to do the stocking. He had the components for almost three years now.

Man that is just horrible. I haven't read all the threads, but from the sampling I have read, it seems a lot of folks were left in similar situations. Going out of business sucks, and it can't be fun for anybody, but geez, get folks their stuff back, there is no excuse for not communicating that I can think of other than some very specific health issues. Heck, one of my smiths had to have a Kidney taken out, and managed to contact me about a project through another fellow while he was IN the hospital. He'll keep getting business from me!

I wish you luck in at least getting your components back....one thought, do you know where he was physically located and your components supposedly were? I was thinking that if you did, maybe a fellow AR member, or friend of yours, could go calling and try to get your stuff back???? just thinking out loud---

my sympathy, and good luck to you.

another soverns victim? oh my that hurts. i hope the parts come back.

Gentlemen:

Thank you for the encouragement and kind words. I didn't learn about Bill's "disappearing" until Christmas day when I went online. When I comissioned Bill to do this work, I told him how special this project was to me and told him to take his time and make it PERFECT. I would touchbase with him every six month's or so, so not hearing from him wasn't out of his M.O.

I emailed him on Dec. 26, and have yet to hear back from him. Again, this was his normal M.O. as all other emails were returned within a week or so. I can appreciate that some people are not a slave to their emails as I am.

I'm giving Bill some time to address my matter and make it right. If nothing happens within a timeframe that I deem acceptable, I will take further action.

Hopefully we will not have to go down that path.

I all ready have the wheels working on a number of options should I need to go that route. But for now, I'm hoping Bill does the right thing.

I feel your pain. Losing that stock blank alone would cause me to wake up in a cold sweat. I hope it works out for you.

Man I am so sorry for you,this really sucks,after having gone through this type of stress myself,I just shy away from custom work,I hope it works out !!

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
Man I am so sorry for you,this really sucks,after having gone through this type of stress myself,I just shy away from custom work,I hope it works out !!

Thanks, Bal!

Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks! We need to hook-up to talk about a taxi from DFW to the hotel.

Hi Paul,

I know how much this project means to you and hope all turns out ok and you get your components back. Wish I could help.

Are you heading to the Dallas Safari Club Show? I am planning on heading down there and would sure like to shake you hand.

Best,

Jim

JIM!

So great to hear from you. I will be at DSC, but will be arriving into DSC on Saturday around 8:00 AM. I should be at the convention by 11:00 AM.

PM me, and lets hook up. I would LOVE to see you again!

V/r,

Paul

Dear Paul:

I'm very sorry to hear about your troubles on this great project. It had such a wonderful beginning, it is a shame to see it get off track. Hopefully, it works out in the end.

I am also looking to begin a project on my father's pre-64 M70. I want to have the action worked on and accurized. Not sure where to start. I'm going to the SCI and ACGG shows in a few weeks and hope to get more information. If you don't mind sharing information on what work you had doen to your action and any suggestions, I would be appreciative.

Thanks.

Jeff:

Thank you for your kind words. Hopefully this will be back on track soon.

If I can recommend someone, it would be Roger Ferrell in Georgia. I can think of no better gunsmith nor gentleman. You will NOT regret choosing him for all of yourgun's needs.

Hopefully I will get some closure with is, and get my components back. This is a special project for me ( a project for my son) so this mean more to me that a project for myself.

I hope Bill mans up and sends me my stuff...

I had a similar situation with Mic McPherson. I sent him a gun and payment. Four years later I still did not have the gun back despite numerous followups by phone, mail and email. I finally had my attorney notify him that we were pursuing legal action and that we wanted a full refund and the gun returned immediately. My attorney put in the letter that if he did not do this we would expect all of this and in addition would demand court costs and treble reimbursement under the consurmer protection act. That seemed to actually motivate him enough to send the gun back and refund all of my money.

Received an email from Bill. He said he will start boxing my components up.

Fingers crossed.

Glad to hear it. Hope if all shows back up.

Bill just emailed me tracking numbers. This is a good thing.

Excellent.

Well, I got my components back from Bill today, but the barrelled action is fucked.

Sever rust and pitting from the action all the way to the front banded site. It must have been laying on its left side for some time.

Because of this, it is clear to me that Bill had no intention on working on this project.

I am not contacting him at this moment because I am too livid - I need to calm down.

I will be posting photos of the damage when I can get some good photos done. I would appreciate if people could give me their opinions if this barrelled action can be salvaged or is just junk at this time.

Man....

quote:

Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:
Well, I got my components back from Bill today, but the barrelled action is fucked.

Sever rust and pitting from the action all the way to the front banded site. It must have been laying on its left side for some time.

Because of this, it is clear to me that Bill had no intention on working on this project.

I am not contacting him at this moment because I am too livid - I need to calm down.

I will be posting photos of the damage when I can get some good photos done. I would appreciate if people could give me their opinions if this barrelled action can be salvaged or is just junk at this time.

Man....

Paul,

I am sorry to hear about this and I sure hope it can be reworked.

Just a suggestion, you may want to send Roger the pics or give him a call and see what he thinks about the possibility of reworking the metal.

I hope your stock blank is ok?

Let me know if I can help you.

Jim

It's definitely not what you had in mind when you started, but what about a good bead blast and some Cerakote in a matte black? That, combined with a synthetic stock, would save it and you could sell it off to finance starting over.

577

I think if I were you I would send the whole thing back to Roger Ferrel and have him take a look at it. Its his work, he knows it best, and he knows what can be done to make any repairs on it.

Guys:

Sorry, I just got power established after the 30+ inches of snow hit our area here in N. Virginia.

I had the gun shipped to my dad, who keeps all of my gun in his top notch safe in PA. He is taking photos and sending them to me.

I have spoken to Roger. The gun is heading back to him. First I am sending him photos for his initial assessment. Then he'll have it in hand and give me a no BS opinion about it.

I'll keep everyone updated on the process.

Man I am pissed. If I lived closer to Bill, he and I would have a man's conversation for sure.