OK AR'ers,

Under sad circumstances, I just bought a parts gun:


A friend of mine purchased it to build up ,but tragically was killed in an auto accident while I was in Africa.


Chuck West was a mild mannered West Texan in his late 50s with a fondness for all things shooting. He had a vast knowledge of firearms and was always a pleasure to visit with around the gun shop. A hobbyist gunsmith, Chuck could turn out some pretty nice refinish work. Although I doubt he would have ever ventured to Africa to use the rifle, he was always very interested in our africa stories.

He was at his Wed. nite church meeting when an indigent family knocked on the church door asking for gas money. Chuck volunteered to fill their car up with gas (this was the kind of guy Chuck was). He requested they follow him to the local gas station to fill up. En route he was T-boned by a dumbass that ran a stop sign. He died later that evening in the hospital.


God bless Chuck...his memory will live on!

It is a FN Mauser action that has been converted to a double square bridge and has a vintage Rigby .350 barrel screwed on it! Way cool. This barrel has all of the original Rigby engraving with a hooded front sight and a rear 1 up-2 down island.

Anybody have some pictures of an original Rigby for me to build off of?

I'm building it up in his honor and will hunt it in Africa.

I am going to do this rifle up right!

Any input appreciated.


Thanks,

Jeff

There are pictures of some original Rigbys in the Mauser Photo Archive at NitroExpress.Com

I have some picks - actually an article, written about a project like this, in an english gun magazine. I do not have a scanner here at work, but I will fix this tonight and post it here. They will show picks of a genuine Rigby .350 Magnum. A real working gun, no fancy pants.

Sorry about your friend Chuck, may he rest in peace.

May Chuck rest in peace. May his killer rest in jail. Send him to the state of Misery. We will keep an eye on him for you. Interstate compact deals are done every day. Packy

Thanks guys!

JW

Now that looks like one very interesting project. Keep us informed on how it comes out.

465H&H

The magazine was not to be found easily, but I have the article here at hand, and will scann and post it tonight, but it is a good article, so I will give it a new thread for all to see!

I'm sad to hear about the loss of your friend in such a tragic way.

Your project sounds like a great tribute to him.

While hotter than traditional 350 Rigby loads, my 350 dotes on 250 gr hornady rn's over 66gr Varget for 2700 fps. It's assembled on a VZ-24 action w/ a cheapy midway barrel, but it'll put three of those hornady 250's under an inch at 100 yds day in day out, 5/8" is about the best.

Paul H,

That's a good looking rifle you have there.
That Walnut stock looks like it has good figure in it too.

Don

Nice work Paul!

I have gotten a good buddy (reknowned smith) to take on the project.

When finished it will very closely resemble a Vintage Rigby...

...give us a year or so.

Thanks to everybody for input!

JW

what would or do 310's do???

p.s. pergo?

I think the 350 rigby could push 310's about 2400 fps from a 24" barrel. Case capacity is a tad less than the 375 H&H, and you loose velocity when you drop bore size.

Jeff:

I've got a shooting buddy that recently sold off his #1 Ruger in 350 Rigby and still has dies, brass and bullets available which I'm sure he'll part with reasonably to a deserving party.

Let me know if you are interested and I'll hook you guys up.

Sounds like a great project and honor to your friend.

Rifle components have been sent to rife maker!

In a year or so we'll have a nice Rigby 350 "hybrid" to shoot!

Can't wait...

..Thanks to everybody for their help....special thanks to Bent for the extra effort in getting those pictures over to me.

Will post up progress pix as available...

...Thanks again to everybody

Jeff