This is a project which has been waiting its turn at the smiths for quite a while.
I'm on one side of the globe and the gunsmith is on the other, but M 98 here was able to snap some photos for me (Cheers Daniel!). Thought I'd get them posted.
The gunsmith is Bob de Vries of Melbourne, Australia. It is currently with the stocker, Ross Waghorn, also of Melbourne.
Rifle is chambered for the 7x65R. We might get her finished by mid next year.
cheers, - stu
Posts: 1210 | Location: Zurich | Registered: 02 January 2002
I really like the wedding band barrel. I started a #1 about a year ago but I'm stuck on what barrel design I want to go with. I know I want it in 6.5x55. Thanks for posting, may be the kick start I needed!
_____________________ Steve Traxson
Posts: 1641 | Location: Green Country Oklahoma | Registered: 03 August 2007
Wedding band? I thought that was one of those vibration dampeners.
Posts: 8352 | Location: Jennings Louisiana, Arkansas by way of Alabama by way of South Carloina by way of County Antrim Irland by way of Lanarkshire Scotland. | Registered: 02 November 2001
To be clear, this is the same rifle in both sets of pictures. We had a new rib made to fit a shorter tubed scope. It works well now.
It's had less than a box of factory RWS ammo through it. The only time I shot for a group I had 3 shots almost touching at 100 metres. I'll be developing some handloads over the rest of the Summer and any results similar to the RWS factory loads will be eminently agreeable.
The barrel is a half octagon from Badger barrels, with extra profiling by the metal smith, Bob de Vries. It has a Kepplinger single-set trigger. The wood came from Roger Vardy and is his typical hard and dense Australian-grown English walnut. The forearm tip is buffalo horn.
Yes, I did notice the left hand stock and the wandering rear sight!
Here's one more shot of the forearm escutcheon
- stu
Posts: 1210 | Location: Zurich | Registered: 02 January 2002
Originally posted by zhaba: Hey Stu, did you supply the action or did Bob come up with one? cheers jonno
Ross Waghorn had the action, new in-the-white. Said it belonged to a customer who never got around to using it, so it became available. The project took five years from when I paid for the action to picking up the rifle last year. Sometimes frustrating, but the end result was pretty worthwhile.
- stu
Posts: 1210 | Location: Zurich | Registered: 02 January 2002
Stu, Wonderful rifle and beautifully done. Only problem is the cheekpiece on the wrong side but if I remember right it being made in the southern hemisphere and toilet water going down the other way, it all makes sense. Hope you and the family are well. Take care.
STU You miserable sod, you for got to mention that you missed a sambar stag on your first trip with this rifle.... i saw this rifle in real life when stu picked it up , its real magic, the attention to detail is unreal in both metal work and wood Daniel
Posts: 1495 | Location: AUSTRALIA | Registered: 07 August 2001
