Although this may not be the correct forum on which to post this question, with apologies I pose it anyway.

Does anyone know if there is a Mark Sullivan film in which he uses his Watson .700 bore, if I am correct "Shot to Death" and "Death at My Feet " filmed his Marecl Thys .600 ?

I believe the .700 rifle is now up for sale in the U.S with a tag of $105,000, I thought it would be interesting to see that calibre in action

Jonathan,

I would check his web site to see if he mentions that rifle in the descriptions of his DVDs.

George

Mark's .700 is at Champlin's and here is the description:

#20700, Watson Bros, 39 Redcross Way, London Bridge, England; Back Action Sidelock Ejector 700 Nitro Express Made in 1997 for African Hunter Mark Sullivan with 24 in. Chopper Lump barrels with 1/4 rib and 1 fixed standing rear sight with a front night sight, Hidden third bite, Bushed strikers, Bolstered frame, Extended over the comb top tang, Double triggers with the front articulated, A massive action with a good length action bar with sidelock plates with the H&H style short leg to increase bar strength, Nicely carved action body both on the breech & action bottom, 100% coverage of very well cut acanthus leaf engraving on a case color hardened frame with the 1/4 rib and front ramp to match, It has a very nice piece of European walnut with good color & contrast, 14 3/4 in. L.O.P. over a 3/4 in. Silvers pad, 16 lbs. 6 oz., This gun has made its way to the game fields of Tanzania and was built for that purpose, It was ordered by Mark to be field proven and it has passed the test well. The original barrel blue remains at 70%, the case colors remain at 90% and the stock is as solid as when inletted and remains at 95%. It is tight to the face and the bores are as new. We can set you up with brass & loading dies for a memorable day at the range for you and your friends. It is cased in the maker's oak & leather trunk with a full set of accoutrements and a trade label with a fair amount of history on the firm of Watson Bros. History here will take us back to 1875 and they later held an appointment to H.I.M. The Sultan of Turkey The Shah of Persia. They go back to the reign of King George III.

Wasn't Mark Sullivan's rifle in one of the Safari pub adds for $180k? Imagine that the little beauty would have a limited market, even at $105k.

Dak

quote:

577NitroExpress: Mark's .700 is at Champlin's

My gunsmith traveled to Enid to purchase a 450#2 from Champlin's. While trying his rifle at their range, he took a whirl with Mark's 700. Says it is quite a beast, wishes he'd videoed the event.

Dak

Yes the rifle was advertised a little while ago in Safari Times for an inflated sum, $180k sounds about right. I guess it didn't sell hence the revised price. It looks a nice rifle but given what it is, it will appeal to a limited few only.

Also at 16lbs 6 oz it is lighter than usual .700's which seem to run in at around 17- 18.5 lbs, so I imagine recoil would be a little lively, kind of the thing you would fire but the once

JT

Marky's gun is atleast 3# too light...

and he can shoot it for ONE reason...

it's regulated for ~1600fps...

that means PURPOSELY BUILT to run slow, from the start

as well as his 600...

and his 577 is loaded at 577 2 3/4"...

sorry to crack that little myth, but his toughness is a little annoying, as he's shooting what would ammount to "blackpowder" loads for his 700, which wasn't invented until the 1980s
jeffe

Jeffeosso.

That is intersting info, i did not know that and even having traded e-mails on the subject of the .600 with him he always gave the impression it was a full house load, I suppose if I thought about it the recoil of his .600 in Shot to Death does not appear to reflect that usually seen from a .600.

My interest is based upon my own .600 being built here in the U.K at present, this will use the 110 load equivalent, which looks like equating to 159 grains of Rel #22, although some load development has yet to take place.

JT

Here is a link that I think will take you to the rifle.
Sullivan 700 Double Rifle

JT,
there's this thing about recoil... even when on a lead sled, it happens..

and his 600 is underweight.. I've heard, from a VERY reliable source, that these guns are extremly underloaded... I mean velocities like I can match with a front stuffer 58!!

So, in a nutshell, if you choose to build a 600 just like marky's and want to use full house loads, it will knock your block off!!

jeffe

Jeffeoso

Yes, my own .600 is to weigh in at 16 plus pounds and that is to include 2 C&H mercury recoil reducers.

I thinks Marky's .600 is given as 13 lbs (ish) very light for a .600
JT

There is also a brand new Watson sidelock .700 at Sportsmans Access in California for $189,000. It was at the last San Francisco show this weekend

How about a 700 single shot?

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
JT,
there's this thing about recoil... even when on a lead sled, it happens..

and his 600 is underweight.. I've heard, from a VERY reliable source, that these guns are extremly underloaded... I mean velocities like I can match with a front stuffer 58!!

So, in a nutshell, if you choose to build a 600 just like marky's and want to use full house loads, it will knock your block off!!

jeffe

Jeffe

I don't know what Sullivan shoots in the 600 now but the rifle was regulated by Thys with a full load. I shot it 4 times at the proof house when it was being regulated.

Thys are famous for building light for caliber rifles. I have a friend who had a 600 at 11# until he had them put in a kilo of lead. My 577 3" Thys weighs 10.5#. Another 470 I know about is an even 9#. Easy to carry but kick like Hell.

Their are no flys on the 577 2 3/4 load with the 750 grain bullet. It has more energy than the 500NE and with a much larger bullet. 1800fps in my Hollis. I think it is a much better combination than the 3" load as it has much less recoil and more than enough punch to penitrate an Ele side to side.

If you google NE.com you will see a discussion of this combo that has many converts.

Mickey,
kinda have mixed things here..

on the 577 2 3/4", the "classic" load is 650gr at 1800, right? With the 750, 1650fp..

the 750 at 1800 is actually what SEVERAL loads convert to when the load from bell brass is used in bertram. In fact, until 3 years ago, Ross Seigfreid's "load" actually produced 1875 or so fps in bertram brass.


no doubt that the 750 at 1800 is a killer.. and, having shot the 577 3" at 1850 as well as 2065, i can tell you there is a WORLD of difference in recoil.

and probably no difference in real "power" and effect on game

for what it's worth, I can take 615gr to 1450 in a muzzle loader, and that's NOT pushing the limits of what the barrels can take.. just what the stock can

jeffe

quote:

on the 577 2 3/4", the "classic" load is 650gr at 1800, right? With the 750, 1650fp..

the 750 at 1800 is actually what SEVERAL loads convert to when the load from bell brass is used in bertram. In fact, until 3 years ago, Ross Seigfreid's "load" actually produced 1875 or so fps in bertram brass.

124 grains 4831 1810fps 577 2 3/4" Hollis

140 grains 4831 2075fps 577 3" Thys

Bell Brass Fed 215 Woodleigh Bullets