Brevex #16 in 416 Rigby - for RCBS founder Fred Huntington - by Burgess / Milliron

Hello All,

I wrote about my recently acquired #16 Brevex in 416 Rigby, here at this post ..... https://forums.accuratereloadi...4711043/m/2401003872

In that post I questioned why the barrel was stamped RCBS - Now I know. I contacted Fred Huntington JR and asked about this rifle and his father, Fred Senior. Fred Huntington Senior was the original founder of RCBS back in the 1940s. Fred Senior was also an avid World-Wide hunter. Fred Jr. confirmed that my recently acquired rifle belonged to his Father. He said it was custom built for him for an upcoming African Safari. Here are the details he told.

RCBS stamped on the barrel
Fred Huntington's custom Big Game rifle in 416 Rigby caliber
Metal work was done by Tom Burgess
Stock was made by Earl Milliron
Stock Blank was obtained from Joe Oakley
Fred Hunted with the rifle only one time on Safari in Africa
He went on that Safari with Jack O'Connor who also had a Brevex 416 Rigby cal. rifle made my Tom Burgess
Barrel by John Buhmiller (update)

Here are some photos of the details of the rifle. They show:

the extra recoil lug added to the bottom of the barrel.
the fully adjustable commercial trigger
Tom Burgess' stampings on the bottom of the extra recoil lug
Earl Milliron's stamp in the barrel channel

10 pounds 11 ounces with scope and 10 pounds 15 ounces with sling.

What a wonderful History. Now I will be diligently searching for pictures of Fred and Jack's Safari in hopes of seeing the rifle in Fred's hands.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/416-RCBS-DETAILS.jpg

This is awesome.

You find the most amazing rifles.

That is a great story!

Very nice! I got two rifles in that auction, both varmint guns.

What an amazing provenance. Great gunmakers too.

Mr Huntington built some great products. Don’t know why they didn’t continue with the Big Max.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:Mr Huntington built some great products. Don’t know why they didn’t continue with the Big Max.

I discovered the barrel on this rifle was built by John Buhmiller. Buhmiller was one of the pioneers of Big Bore rifles. By the way, the Big Max was replaced by the AutoMaster.

www.buckstix.com/buckpics/416-load-data-1.jpg

It’s a beautiful rifle. Another amazing find.

quote:

Originally posted by LongDistanceOperator:
It’s a beautiful rifle. Another amazing find.

I will be taking it to the range this weekend. Range report to follow.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:Mr Huntington built some great products. Don’t know why they didn’t continue with the Big Max.

I discovered the barrel on this rifle was built by John Buhmiller. Buhmiller was one of the pioneers of Big Bore rifles. By the way, the Big Max was replaced by the AutoMaster.

www.buckstix.com/buckpics/416-load-data-1.jpg

So the barrel was stamped on top with RCBS CO but was made by Buhmiller?

quote:

Originally posted by ismith:So the barrel was stamped on top with RCBS CO but was made by Buhmiller?

The barrel is stamped RCBS because the rifle belonged to Fred Huntington Sr. who started the RCBS Company (R ock C huck B ullet S wage) in 1948. He sold the company (with the RCBS name) in 1975 and started the Huntington Sporting Goods Company. Fred Senior was an avid Big Game hunter and commissioned this rifle to be built. Huntington Sporting Goods was continued by his son, Fred Huntington Jr. and continued until for 75 years until closing in Oct. 2023. Fred Junior confirmed the information about this (his Dad's) rifle. By the way, Jack O'Connor had an identical rifle built at the same time as this rifle was built. Fred took this rifle on Safari with Jack O'Connor. see this link about Jack's rifle - http://sportsmanslegacy.com/fi...urgess-metal-brevex/

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:

quote:

Originally posted by ismith:So the barrel was stamped on top with RCBS CO but was made by Buhmiller?

The barrel is stamped RCBS because the rifle belonged to Fred Huntington Sr. who started the RCBS Company (R ock C huck B ullet S wage) in 1948. He sold the company (with the RCBS name) in 1975 and started the Huntington Sporting Goods Company. Fred Senior was an avid Big Game hunter and commissioned this rifle to be built. Huntington Sporting Goods was continued by his son, Fred Huntington Jr. and continued until for 75 years until closing in Oct. 2023. Fred Junior confirmed the information about this (his Dad's) rifle. By the way, Jack O'Connor had an identical rifle built at the same time as this rifle was built. Fred took this rifle on Safari with Jack O'Connor. see this link about Jack's rifle - http://sportsmanslegacy.com/fi...urgess-metal-brevex/

I bought a Shelhamer stocked Mauser in the same sale with a RCBS co marked barrel, I assumed that it was made in the RCBS machine shop but will look for other markings.

WHAT WAS THE LOT NUMBER? DID IT SAY RCBS CO, OR JUST RCBS?

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
WHAT WAS THE LOT NUMBER? DID IT SAY RCBS CO, OR JUST RCBS?

Lot 135.

If its marked R.C.B.S. CO. it was built in their machine shop - Maybe for some customer. If its marked RCBS it was built for Fred Huntington Sr.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
If it’s marked R.C.B.S. CO. it was built in their machine shop - Maybe for some customer. If it’s marked RCBS it was built for Fred Huntington Sr.

All I know is it came out of the Huntington museum. Is that first hand info?

yes

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
yes

Thanks, as I’m sure you understand, every tidbit of info is helpful.

take a look - they closed the doors Oct. 2023. I truly miss them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD_hoD8aKLo

Amazing shop. What a shame it closed.

I have a prototype Big Max, full package swageing etc., but the opening is 90 degrees to what they subsequently went with.

Oops. Sorry about the thread drift.

Stunning rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:
Oops. Sorry about the thread drift.
Stunning rifle.

Not at all .. it all falls within the History of this rifle.