WHO MADE THIS RIFLE ? - A Unique 458 found at a local Gun Shop here in Wisconsin.


Hello All,

It was a couple of weeks ago that SAFARIKID posted a classified ad; "..... Looking for a 458 to play with and make a hog machine ....." He said he was thinking about shortening the barrel to 16". Here's his post: http://forums.accuratereloadin...1078981/m/1201020542

Like many others, I responded to his post and offered him one of my 458s that I was willing to part with. I even "photo-shop" "cut" the 24" barrel down to 16". I mention all this because even though "I" personally wasn't looking for such a rifle, it must have been Karma, or a some kind of foresight of things to come. .... Because, I found a 458 with a short barrel for sale.

This came about yesterday, when a friend called to tell me about an interesting 458 with a short barrel, that was for sale at a local Gun Shop. He knew I collected 458's, having 8 in my collection. As you might expect, you don't find many BIG BORE rifles for sale here in Wisconsin. So, I had to go and take a look. ... And, not so much to my surprise, it followed me home; just because I needed another 458. Nine ? ? ?

The rifle was "Made in Belgium" (so marked) with a "Chrome Vanadium Barrel" "cal 458" (so marked) with the typical bunch of Liege Proofs marks scattered about. It was built on a vintage FN barrelled action with all the numbers matching; Receiver, Bolt, Barrel, and Bottom metal; they all matched. It had nearly 98% of its original bright blue finish. It has a very fine Sako Trigger w/ side safety, a nicely checkered Laminated stock with 3 reinforcing cross-bolts, a "White-Line" Mershon Co. recoil pad, a checkered Grip Cap, and an Ebony Forend Tip. The under 20" Barrel was cut-down from some unknown longer length, and nicely crowned, resulting in an overall length of just under 40 inches. It has Sights consisting of a Long-Slide Lyman No. 48 Peep at the rear, and a Gold Bead Ramped Sight at the front, and a filler block in the mid-barrel island where a rear sight could go. It weighs a light 8 pounds 2 ounces, with a 13-1/2" LOP. It holds 3 down, and 1 up. And, ..... if all that wasn't enough, the Reciever, Trigger Guard, and Floor Plate are tastefully "Floral Engraved". All this, for the "walk-out-door" price of only $650. WOW ..... I might have to take up Hog hunting.

So here's a question for the Forum members. Any idea who built this rifle? The rear sight filler block has the initials "R.C.P." and ".458". I'm assuming this is the rifle's builder because the man who commissioned this rifle to be custom made (now deceased) doesn't have those initials.

Anyone know of a gunsmith with the initials; "R.C.P." ? ..... Please Help.

As always, your comments are welcome.

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Very cool I would of bought it too

What host do you use for pics?

quote:

Originally posted by gunslinger55:
Very cool I would of bought it too

What host do you use for pics?

Hello gunslinger55

Thanks for the reply.

I upload pictured to "my" web page, and reference the url.

http://www.buckstix.com/howitzer.htm

RPC? at least it wasn't JS --
It looks like someone that loved the r600 color pattern --- though, honestly, looks hella stout - how does it feed?

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
It looks like someone that loved the r600 color pattern --- though, honestly, looks hella stout - how does it feed?

Hello jeffeosso,

Thanks for the reply.

It feeds great - I plan on shooting it today.

Nice find. I would have bought it to. I only have one 458 and one 450 Marlin bolt guns so I can see I am failing in the 458 part of the safe. so if you decide to get rid of it let me know.

If it was in a different colored stock, it might be more popular ... but man, it does look like it would take a beating ...

btw, don't be surprised if you barely lose any velocity -- h335 is good for it

Good buy! For myself, I would strip that stock and dye it as dark a brown as it would accept. The only laminate I ever did, I stained it and it was much less "in your face". I wonder why the forearm checkering is so low? Nice engraving! Tell us how it shoots!

An FN custom mauser, opened up and rebarreled to a .458.. who did the work I have no idea..I believe that is an old fajen drop in stock. Im not much on the Wby style of stock, but plenty of folks like them.. I have no idea why one would need 3 cross bolts on a Laminated stock.

Oh Yay-yuh! What a buy!
I would have grabbed it for that price, even with a -20" barrel.
We would have had a tug-o-war if we got there at the same time.

Please do chronograph that cutie with a specified handload of yours, or a specified factory load.
It will make a great addition to THE MISSION.

Rip ...

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
An FN custom mauser, opened up and rebarreled to a .458..

Hello Atkinson,

Thanks for the reply.

Nope ... its not opened up .... and its not re-barrelled.

According to the markings, this one is all original FN 458 Win Mag Action, with Original 458 Win Mag barrel. The bolt is number matched and the bolt face is magnum and unaltered. Its all original in 458 caliber as seen by the caliber marking, above the proof marks on the side of the barrel, and also with the caliber marking on the bottom of the barrel. This rifle was either purchased as a barrelled action without a stock, or maybe its original stock was replaced because it failed. And of course the barrel was shortened.

buckstix,

If ever looking to re-stock,
consider a milsurp Mauser M98 stock with the handguard like Harold Wolf did: JUNGLE CARBINE
His was a 22-incher, but he says he would do 20-incher if he did it again.

Add a laminate military Mauser stock for fun and field use.
The current stock is as cool as the tail fins on a 1959 Cadillac with the gas filler cap under a tail light.
It would be a shame to beat it up that museum piece with hard use in the field.

Rip ...

Wow! Great buy! I would have snatched it up at that price too...

I actually kinda like the funky colored laminate too..

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Oh Yay-yuh! What a buy!
I would have grabbed it for that price, even with a -20" barrel.
We would have had a tug-o-war if we got there at the same time.

Hello RIP

Thanks for the reply.

I would have won!

quote:

Please do chronograph that cutie with a specified handload of yours, or a specified factory load.
It will make a great addition to THE MISSION.

Rip ...

I shot it today with some 350g reduced loads using IMR 4198. Even with its 19-7/8" barrel, the chronographed showed those loads to be only about 60fps slower than when fired in a rifle with a 24" barrel. That's about 15fps/inch slower.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
If ever looking to re-stock,
consider a milsurp Mauser M98 stock with the handguard like Harold Wolf did: JUNGLE CARBINE
Just as an accessory for fun.
The current stock is as cool as the fins on a 1959 Cadillac.

Rip ...

I'm kind of happy with the "look" of this one. It reminds me of my 600 Remingtons; in 6.5 Mag, and 350 Rem Mag. I just might add a rib and a dog-leg bolt handle.



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As much as I liked the Gold Bead front sight, it was much too small for decent sighting, so I replaced it with a Buhmiller Gold-Tip Square blade.

Nice find, I would have bought it too! Lol

I also have a pair of Remingtons (660s) in 6.5mm and .350 Rem Mag. I always loved the classic 1960s look of that laminated stock.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
I shot it today with some 350g reduced loads using IMR 4198. Even with its 19-7/8" barrel, the chronographed showed those loads to be only about 60fps slower than when fired in a rifle with a 24" barrel. That's about 15fps/inch slower.

Thanks for that material for THE MISSION. I will make use of it.

As much as I liked the Gold Bead front sight, it was much too small for decent sighting, so I replaced it with a Buhmiller Gold-Tip Square blade.

What is your source for the "Buhmiller Gold-Tip Blade" front sight?
I need some of those, will start looking around for them.

Rip ...

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
What is your source for the "Buhmiller Gold-Tip Blade" front sight?
I need some of those, will start looking around for them.

Rip ...

Hello RIP

Thanks for the reply

Well, my source was my Front Sight "Junk Drawer". I didn't have a source. But if you find one, I could use a few more.

Here's my shooting results. A Rear Peep Sight sure works good for old eyes.

OK, if I find them will let you know.
Your .458 WIN load is no slouch.
What was that velocity from the 20" barrel?

Rip ...

buckstix,

Sure would be nice if you would give the actual chronograph velocity of the 20"-incher.
For inclusion as MISSION SUPPORT, an actual velocity 'twould be a bit better than the stray anecdote of only 60 fps slower than a 24-incher.

Marble called it a "patridge" but NECG and ERA call it a "partridge"
so let's just call it the "Buhmiller":



The only place I can find the "Buhmiller" Patridge is a 1991 edition of the Marble Arms catalog/flyer.
Cannot find it currently offered at the Marble website.
The spare parts bins or eBay may be only way to go.

Rip ...

If, as mentioned, this FN Mauser was originally .458 from the factory, you may have one of the most reliable dangerous-game magazine rifles, according to the Zimbabwe PH trainers. The standard-length action also limits the possibility of short-stroking.

I like RIP's idea of putting a sporterized military stock on it. If you find one made by FN it should not only be walnut rather than beech but lack all the crap and cut-outs the Germans inflicted on theirs.

I've sporterized two of those stocks and found there is so much meat on the them you can sculpt a nice shadow-line cheekpiece and a roundy pistol hand redolent of the post-war FN sporters. Add some good, cross-over chequering and it may feel like one, too.

Saeed, when this thread runs its course, could we have it all transferred to the 458 Winchester Magnum one? It would really help things along

sambarman338,

If buckstix will tell us the velocity of his 20-incher's load that was only 60 fps slower than his 24-incher shot it,
that would be some great info to add to THE MISSION.





Either one will do nicely in the jungle.

Rip ...

Hello RIP,

Hello sambarman338,

Thanks for the reply.

This is my "plinking" load for the 458WM and it chrono'd 1700fps in the 19-7/8" barrel. My records show a velocity of 1765fps in my Browning Safari with a 24" barrel. I'll be testing some "full house" loads next week.

Although I like the "Military Look" of the pictured rifle, I also like the "look" of mine "as-is".

I think I solved the mystery of how this rifle came to be. Someone, (likely R.C.P.) "assembled" this rifle in the late 1960's to early 1970's through components from Herters in Waseca, Minn., or they special ordered the rifle direct from Herters with its current configuration. A 1966 Herters catalog shows all the components, and information contained in the catalog indicates that they offer services to build complete rifles.

buckstix,

Great stuff there, thanks, your rifle will soon be featured on THE MISSION.

I had a Herter's .30-06 FN actioned rifle that became a .500 Bateleur (.510/.338 Lapua Magnum).
COL is limited to 3.5" with the Duane Wiebe bottom metal designed for a .500 Jeffery.

Working the rails a little more and re-chambering to .500 Jeffery is a possibility,
if Bubba ever gets drunk enough for long enough to get the highly skilled Gunsmith to do it.

This is a Bubba Gunwerkes project gun, conceived by Bubba and contracted out to a highly skilled Gunsmith.
Bubba was thinking about which iron sights to put on it.
He now knows he needs only a gold-tipped "Buhmiller" patridge and the receiver sight like on your Jungle Carbine.

Hello RIP

What is "THE MISSION"?

Mr. Buckstix,

THE MISSION is a public service message designed to counteract all the fake news about the .458 Winchester Magnum.
The malicious propaganda campaign against the .458 WIN was a conspiracy of the Munitions Industrial Complex, hereafter designated as MIC.

After the .458 WIN took the world by storm, MIC realized it was bad for business to have riflemen satisfied they had enough gun.
So the evil cabal set about sabotaging factory ammo production, killed the Pre-'64 M70 African rifle production, and spread malicious gossip
about how bad the .458 WIN was, to any gullible ears.

The .458 WIN is now better than ever, new powders, new bullets, same incredible rifle chambering.

THE MISSION includes getting over 458 pages of replies on this thread:

Only up to page 77 ...

Thank you for your support of THE MISSION.

Rip ...

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Mr. Buckstix,

THE MISSION is a public service message designed to counteract all the fake news about the .458 Winchester Magnum.

Hello RIP,

Now that's really grand. Keep it up.

I used to drool of the Herters catalog

George Lenard sure had a way with words.

There used to be a Herters store not far from me. Lots of cool stuff not available in most other sporting good stores. Most of which I couldn't afford at the time. I did buy a few traps from them though.

quote:

I did buy a few traps from them though

My brother brought a couple dozen No.1s Herter brand traps about 1967.

Buy the end of the first week of use 90% of them broke their springs at the bend.

I learn a lot of Herter's quality.