I had the good fortune to have a friend of mine drop by for a few days the holiday weekend. Rube and Todd Well from Prescott, Arizona.wonderful gentlemen they were. We spoke for hours about custom rifles and various makers. We went through my gun safes and looked at various original Mauser rifles in various calibers, many custom rifles I have from various custom makers. We visited my reloading room/man cave where I have a lifetime of collecting parts from Winchester, Mauser, etc. We discussed the creation of my new rifle. A Kurz pre-war action with a couple of extra holes in the receiver bridges, Jerry Fisher round action bottom metal, and a classic style. We picked over 30-40 sticks of wood and settled on two possibilities all of which I sent home with him to study. I was able to set him up with a few actions he had been looking for for a while for other projects. Mainly the hours of discussing Mauser Werk, Orberndorf and the various permutations of great was amazing. Both of those gentlemen really have vast amounts of knowledge to share. I was sorry to see them leave but made plans to visit them later in the summer in Prescott.
The final treat was their sharing with me their last completed project which they were to deliver to a customer. A full tilt boogie Springfield rifle in the Griffin and Howe style with full engraving by Fred Well's wife, Rachael. I now have a true appreciation for engraving. In total that rifle was working art. Amazing!
square shooter
Posts: 2608 | Location: Moore, Oklahoma, USA | Registered: 28 December 2003
Nice read - its so good when a professional still has an infectious enthusiasm for his/her craft, or a friend (thats the best class of customer) is able to rekindle the passion to create something special.
I have a couple of completed Kurz projects, one of which is shootable abut really requires a lot more work to get it to a truly worthwhile state. I hope you will treat us to pictures so that the inspiration is shared !!
Posts: 605 | Location: Southland, New Zealand | Registered: 11 February 2005
My Kurz action was for 6,5 h.p. The front receiver ring has a dove tail and was born in 1912-1913. Dove tail has been plugged and contoured. drilled and taped for bases. Bolt handle is original but ground for low scope mounting. double triggers and lever release floor plate that is not hinged. Those are the basics to start. Very good overall condition. First decision, is caliber. Have quality barrels in 25 and 26 caliber. I thought of classic calibers of 250 Savage, 257 Roberts or a new 6.5 in the 6.5x47 Lapua.We can not decide caliber. I have Jerry Fisher round bottom trigger guard and floor plate and an original Mauser emblem target modified standard trigger for it. I would like the rifle to be a real classic design. Could be a version of a Hoffman or Griffin in look.Would also like to consider a style similar to the English express rifle with trap but plate like Al Biesen used to make, and trap grip cap but not a overly heavy affair. I think barrel band front sight and sling swivel with island rear sight. Of course there will be milled bases for a double square bridge look. Not trying to cheat and create something it isn't. I sent three sticks of quality walnut from Turkey. None of that Exotic wood, just picture perfect lay out and flow with great contrast nose to tail. Rube is a little worried about the 6.5x47 Lapua and its higher breech pressure compared to the other options. There will be some engraving but I think only a modest amount.. I can say for sure that after seeing some of Rachael Wells engraving on a Springfield sporter, that I could be convinced to do more!
Any Suggestions?
square shooter
Posts: 2608 | Location: Moore, Oklahoma, USA | Registered: 28 December 2003
I seem to recall a discussion about this before . . mine is a 6.5x47 (I already had a Kurz in 250-3000) and functions just fine, and so would a 6.5 Creedmore, nothing had to be altered to have it feed. Here in NZ 6.5x47 is not common, so the chances of coming across factory ammo at really high pressure is very unlikely, hence I felt safe that future owners would be unlikely to "get it wrong". I think that with an action as rare as a Kurz future owners are going to "do their homework" anyway, chambering a common 98 of unknown quality in a high intensity cartridge may well end differently.
Posts: 605 | Location: Southland, New Zealand | Registered: 11 February 2005
Originally posted by katiesguns: leonard do know where I saw the girl shooting in prone position and butt jiggles I cant find it now and even tho im 68 sure did enjoy watching
