I stopped in a local shop today and the kindly older gentlemen working there thought I was looking for "little guns" (shame on them ). I picked up a 6mm Mauser action and set it back down.

He asked me what I was looking for and I said, "Bigger than that, .375 or more".

He raised an eyebrow. So did the other men in the store.

Anyway, he reached behind him and handed me a Whitworth 375H&H. However, it was not the same as the one I have. Plus the price was way too high, it had an older Redfield scope on it.

If any of you know what this is please feel free to elaborate!

I noticed several strange things.

One, there was no rear sight except for some kind of strange (to me) side mount near the scope. But the sight was not attached, just a mount. Mine has an express three leaf sight.

The stock had a bit more checkering than mine, and no cross bolt(s) at all! The end cap and forend was real wood, not sure if it was a dark stained walnut or light ebony but the grain was very evident and the wood kind of striped.

I asked what kind of bedding it had as there was some sort of material visble all along the action, which looked weird to me. Almost like it was completely glued in. He said he thought it was "fully bedded". I raised an eyebrow (again, keep in mind I am not the most knowlegeable gun person) as it looked funny to me.

I asked the man if he would take the rifle off the stock so I could see what it's origin was and if there was a recoil block. He didn't since it was a consignement gun. The barrel had what looked like some Magna-Porting. Not a muzzle brake but it had a few 'cuts' in it.

There was a repair to the fore end wood cap, almost like someone screwed the sling swivel base to it in a weird spot.

The stock had some sort of older looking Decelerator type pad on it, the honey comb type. It was not a shadow line cheek piece. The wood looked ok and had nice grain to it.

The store had $1000 on it. I told them I'd never pay that much. And I didn't want the scope.

The bore was clean and the bolt looked fine. Oh, and it had a bottom plate release on the trigger guard, not the push button type like mine.

What do you guys think? What's it worth? Should it just be avoided?

I didn't take any photos of it.

Ann, It sounds like a custom by a person with "unusual" tastes.

It's value is in the action and that is maybe $500 tops. If the barrel is 26" long and can be salvaged at 24" that might have value but all in all that gun should remain in the current hands at $1,000.

Being a big bore alone don't make it a valuable gun.

I have seen Good Whitworths for 700 to 8 lately.
Would not go past 500. JMO

I am editing my comments. I am not qualified to judge without having the rifle in my hands and the rest is my opinion.


Stay away Ann. If you want another Real one let me know. That is my opinion based on learning the hard way.
Sounds like someone removed the sling stud and patched it to me. Did it have the barrel band?
If you don't mind starting with a barrelled action I know someone who has one. It wouldn't take much to add a better stock and have a very nice hunting rifle.
The release on the guard indicates an older model. To my thinking it does not make any difference, but, some folks do mind that.
Sounds like a different barrel if there are no sights.
Frank

Frank,

It did not have a barrel band, just a swivel mount on the stock. Again, it looks like someone put one on the fore end cap and repaired it.

Vapo,

I thought it was way over priced and said so. I just wasn't sure if it was an older model or someone's 'project' gun gone awry.

I know lots of folks here are looking for Whitworths, that was why I looked it over.

There's this one in San Antonio, TX.

Is this the same thing? It's only $549

The Whitworth Express

Bob that is a very nice looking rifle.
The price looks to be low enough to buy and fix.
Frank

All of the 375 Whitworth barreled actions that Brownell's sold had the Whitworth logo on the front bridge and "whitworth" on the barrel. The barrels were slick. So, when you see a slick-barreled Whitworth like that it is ususally a project gun built up from a Brownell's order (like mine). They were $175 IIRC in the late 80s.

Anne,

You should have asked (in your sweetest little girl voice) "would it be much trouble to rebarrel this for .458 Lott?"

Rick,

I could tell the folks running that shop were not gun smiths. For me to ask them that would have probably caused an over load situation.

Since it was a Whitworth and I know others on these forums are looking for them it was something I was going to post but I just saw too many "what's that" stuff on the gun.

Too bad....

BTW- My Whitworth is in the shop now getting "chicked out" for me. I'm having some metal and stock work done locally and then it will go off to Roger Kehr for some engraving and other modifications.

Ann.....post pics when it's done please. we all love photos of rifles and big bores especially.

FranK, I'm interested in a Whitworth, lets talk. Could you e-mail or PM me????

Anne,

The thought was to blow thier minds, wonder what they'd say if they knew you'd bagged an ele?

We all insist, we need pix of your "chicked out" rifle. BTW, my fiance wants a rifle in stainless, so my next project will probably be a 7x57/7-08/.308 deer rifle for her. I'd like to see what the other half carries...

Rick

Rick,

The nice thing about being a chick is we can accessorize our rifles just like any fashion accessory and LOOK GOOD in the field. Plus we always get good looking guides.

If your lady would like some pointers have her drop me a line sometime. Mostly a rifle just needs to fit us right and take into consideration that our proportions are a little different from you nice, strong, burly men who take care of us.

But, once we get that rifle "chicked out" properly, we shoot pretty darn good and LOOK GOOD doing it. How could a guy resist?

No female should fear shooting a .300 WM or even a .375H&H if it is properly "chicked out".

No muzzle brakes needed!

thanks for the offer, I'll suggest she get n touch.