23.5" octagon into round, full length rib, one standing leaf and one folding. Butterknife bolt handle, drilled and tapped on the receiver and rear bridge (never used), Jaeger side mounts. Finest checkering I have ever seen on any rifle, must have been 32 per inch, never seen finer. Double set triggers. Stock shaped like a Type B.

Front sight was a piece of copper wire.
Stock had been used, apparently by all of the previous owners, not messed up but used. Someone thought a swivel on the very forend would look good. The next one didn't think so so took it off and filled the holes. Next one removed the fitted Neidner style buttplate and put a regular flat buttplate on it. Some bozo decided the flag safety was no good and put on a Beuhler. The wood appeared to be oak, very light colored and very, very close pores. Rounded grip, no cap.

I was going to buy it even with the total turnoff by the butterknife handle, I think they are obscene.

Then I looked in the bore. It looked like someone had been in there with a jackhammer carving chunks out of it.

I would have had to have it rebored to use it, it was the most serious case of pitting (cratering) I had seen.

Was I a fool to leave it?

It seems like it could be rebored and a good stockmaker can fix alot of screw ups. Horn forend would be approriate.

[ 04-27-2003, 01:43: Message edited by: Mickey1 ]

Roger, the barrel alone, even in that condition, is worth kind of money.

Six or seven years ago I picked up a real pretty (wood and bluing to die for!) pre-war J.P. Sauer that was in really nice shape... except for the bore which was wasted. A trip to Cliff LaBounty for a rebore and viola, my favorite 35 Whelen. The barrel on mine goes around 25" and is octagonal to round with the integral and nicley matted rib and front sight (?). Shoots very well now and I have left it as my one open sighted medium bore rifle. That stock is perfectly layed out for the original sights.

Roger,

If you buy it, I would gladly take the butterknife bolt off your hands, and give you a decent one in exchange to have your own handle put on. I agree with Chic, price a half octagon / half round barrel, and compare with the cost of reboring, it is a huge bargain. 9.3x57 / 62?

Todd

Roger, this was a take off barrel of the same shape that was rebored by Cliff to .338. Maurice Ottmar chambered it for me to .338/06. A barrel like this would cost $1800 to have built on a mill. Rolf Martini donated one for our auction at the ACGG show last year and I believe Forrest bought it for less than $1000. I was bidding on it for some time and thought I was going to get it for $600. Was not to be.

If you let it go you will always remember it.

I went back with the intention of buying it if it were still there. Guess the Lord didn't want me to have it.

Hello Roger - sorry that you missed it.

Don't be too quick to run down butterknife handles. I have a Sauer (9.3x62) with such a "funny looking" bolt handle and also a pre-64 Winchester M 70.

After many hours in Namibian bush you will find out just how often that conventional Winchester bolt handle finds some twig to grab hold of compared to the butterhandle. Not to mention why it's a good idea to remove the sling and pocket it before going walkabout.

Another interesting point is that, due to inertia, the weight of the normal rh bolt causes a rifle to shoot to the left!

cheers edi

Roger Rothschild
I have done the same misstake, you are not alone

I missed a double squarebridge obendorf mauser made in 1932. It was in 9,3X62 and had one of these above mentioned barrels. The price was a joke and a steal

When I came back a F**KING kraut had been there and bought it, even after that I told the shop owner to hold it for a day to get the permit.

Now, I have learned my lesson, no feel of guilt or remorse GET IT!!!

/ JOHAN

I too have a German Guild Gun in 8 x 57, half rib, set triggers, leaf sight, buttewrknife handle, all the usual.

I was wondering what my options are for reboring to a more powerful caliber?

Thanks, Rob

have a good little story for you.

My stepfather went into a local shop probably 25 years ago, and theowner had a rifle on the wall, spectacular stock, customized 7x57, real lightweight, can't remember if it was a 1903 or a mauser. Anyways, the rifle was built by the gunsmith and the towns top stockmaker for the gunsmiths wife.

My stepdad leaves the shop, goes back to work, professional electrician working with his father. Tells his dad and brother about the rifle, and then looks at his finance stuff to see if he can swing it. Turns out he can scrape it together and make it work, goes back that afternoon to get the rifle and the guys say,"sorry, somebody just walked out with it."

He was crestfallen, till the smith said,"don't worry, you'll get to shoot it."

his brother had gone in right after he told him about it and bought it. :-)

The gun is now a .257roberts AI, and still looks as fantastic as back then.

Red
(personally I have been fortunate and taken a couple of opportunities that I have gotten, it was painful though, months of living on 39c hamburgers ;-)