Action: Granite Mountain Arms
Caliber: 416 Rigby
BBL: Ralf Martini w/ integral q-rib
Wood: Luxus
Engraving: Roger Kehr
Gunsmith: Duane Wiebe
Scope: Leupold VX3 1.5-5x w/ German #4

I know you guys like a lot of detail, so here it is in picture format.




































And I'm just as happy as this little guy on the left!

A real gem! Nice barrel profile,and stock shape.The wood is ok.Is that a Krieger barrel? This is one of the best bolt action rifles I've seen so far...everything came perfect together.

That really is a gem! Looks like you may have problems with that front ring though.

That is a beautiful classic functional rifle.

Can't be faulted. Love the 1/4 rib.

Thanks for sharing

quote:

Originally posted by Pegleg:
That really is a gem! Looks like you may have problems with that front ring though.

What kind of "problems" does your crystal ball foretell

I wish I could own a rifle like that and hunt Africa. Thanks for posting.

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:

quote:

Originally posted by Pegleg:
That really is a gem! Looks like you may have problems with that front ring though.

What kind of "problems" does your crystal ball foretell

No problem with the ring.
The owner of the rifle needs to loosen the ring tops and slide the scope forward so that he is not crushing the objective lens housing.
There is plenty of scope tube for that.
The scope will last longer, and he will be less likely to get a scope bite that way too.

Beautiful rifle, I like the baboon too.

Great rifle Mike. I was lucky enough to see it in Reno, and no offense meant, but your pictures don't do it justice.

The quarter rib is just exquisite.

gorgeous!!!

Beautiful rifle!

What a nice rifle! I really like everything about it but the wrap around checkering on the grip is the icing on the cake.

My compliments to you, Duane and Ralph! The components and workmanship have come together perfectly.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Terry

If you don't mind, tell us a little about the wood. It's beautiful and the layout looks perfect.

Terry

Congratulations MHX.

Many compliments to you, for having a good tast and to the gunmakers for their "excellence par non" work.

Charley,

I started thinking about this 416 project after seeing the one Duane built for you. You are right, in that I suck at taking pictures of guns. One thing you will never see in the photo's "is" how well this gun handles.

Shootaway,

The bbl is a Krieger.

Terry,

Not much to tell on the wood, other than I bought it from Adam Freeman at Luxus. The grain layout was perfect for a bigbore and the blank had some pretty wild marbling. I was kind of worried that it was going to be to wild and crazy for a big bore, but I think it turned out perfect.....and pictures just don't do it justice.

Here are some before and after pictures of the blank that was used.

Very Nice Indeed! Love everything about the rifle except the scope. Wish S&B would build one in a 1 inch tube like that!

Hope mine will be at the show next year---it is in process right now 416 Rigby on a Fred Wells action SN 001 using a very sick stick from Luxus. Speedy almost has the barrel finished and Chuck Grace will be doing the rest of the rifle with Lee Griffiths doing the engraving.

Let us know how it shoots! Had PTG build a reamer to Speedy's specs so the Krieger should make the big boy shoot like a match rifle (fingers crossed)..

I even like the scope

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:

quote:

Originally posted by Pegleg:
That really is a gem! Looks like you may have problems with that front ring though.

What kind of "problems" does your crystal ball foretell

No problem with the ring.
The owner of the rifle needs to loosen the ring tops and slide the scope forward so that he is not crushing the objective lens housing.
There is plenty of scope tube for that.
The scope will last longer, and he will be less likely to get a scope bite that way too.

Beautiful rifle, I like the baboon too.

This is an anatomy lesson in Leupold scopes!! The lens is actually an inch aft of the front of the tube. To move the scope forward WOULD place a crush on the lens. No...the ring belongs where it's at.

Nice rifle!!! and a well planned out group of artist to complete such a project!

Mike,

Your rifle is just a beauty, well thought out, and excuted. My congrats to you, Duwane, and Ralph.

When you have a chance we love to know a few more details.

1) Barrel length and wieght of the rifle.
2) The quarter ribb is just fantasic, is it integral to the barrel.
3) What size Granite Mountain Action was used.
4) Claw mounts? who made them?
5) What action work did Duwane do to the action?

Your rifle looks balanced all the way around...just fantasic!

Thanks for your feedback on Masiland. I booked a hunt for December this year!

Best,

Jim

Friends-

That is one drop dead gorgeous rifle!! Congratulations!!!!!

Jim,

The barrel is 24 inch

I don't know what the gun weight is and we don't have any scales in the house. The gun has perfect balance. It feels like a real light quail gun and the iron sights line up perfect for me. I'm guessing that it probably weighs 10lbs with scope and a full magazine.

The GMA action (I believe it is the 2nd to the largest) was worked over pretty good: all markings were removed, the receiver was broached, so a round could be fed from the top of the stack; edges were rounded off and all excess weight was removed......wanted a "TRIM" 416 Rigby.

Duane makes those claw mounts....I think the proper name is Shuler or something like that. They are hell for stout and repeatable. You press a button on the left side of the rear bridge and lift up on the back of the scope. The scope rotates forward on the front two claws and you lift it off. Look at the photo I posted in the 1st group....you can see the claw mounts there.

This isn't the best angle, but you can see the button (from the top) on the left side of the rear bridge....push this in to release the scope.

Here are some pictures of the Martini barrel in the white. The q-rib is integral and there is a integral recoil lug, as well.

What is it going to be used for? Is there an African trip in its near future?

That rifle is as good as it gets. Beautiful in every respect.

Mike,

If I was to start over on mine, the only thing I would change would be to use one of Ralf's barrels with the integral quarter rib.

You are right about the handling, you just have to xperience it to appreciate how well they point and how light they feel in your hands.

A very nice rifle indeed.

quote:

Originally posted by SDH:
Beautiful rifle!
Would love to see a target, did you shoot it Duane?

Yes, but only to regulate iron sights

Very nice, congratulations. A beautiful rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
This is an anatomy lesson in Leupold scopes!! The lens is actually an inch aft of the front of the tube. To move the scope forward WOULD place a crush on the lens. No...the ring belongs where it's at.

Clamping the maintube effects the lens?...
..what does Leupold say about this problem?

OUTSTANDING!! it just doesn't get any better than that!

quote:

Originally posted by Trax:

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
This is an anatomy lesson in Leupold scopes!! The lens is actually an inch aft of the front of the tube. To move the scope forward WOULD place a crush on the lens. No...the ring belongs where it's at.

Clamping the maintube effects the lens?...
..what does Leupold say about this problem?

I called the technical dept at Leupold and they advised that there is indeed a potential for cracking the (glass) lens if the ring is placed direcly over said lens.

Great rifle, perfect except for one small issue.



The bolt's on the wrong side.

Very well done! A classic big bore built the the right way!

what is the setback distance of the banded front sight from the muzzle?

Mike, that's a beautiful rifle. The stockblank is absolutely flawless.

It looks like Duane shortened the depth of your GMA action at the rear tang. If so, it's a nice improvement to the rifle. On my 416, the depth of the rear tang is GMA factory standard and it leaves the grip a little slab sided for my taste. It's all a matter of splitting hairs but I'm anxious to get your rifle and mine side by side to compare the finished products.

Forrest,

I think Duane did shorten the depth of the rear tang.....I remember talking to him about it, in that I still wanted the magazine to be able to hold 4 rounds down. Maybe Duane can chime in and tell us what he did.

I will send you a email RE: shooting.



jsl3170,

Are you wanting to know the distance from the end of the barrel to the front of the band?

actually from the muzzle end to the barrel banded front sight. my guess was about a 1/3 of an inch? see pic 2

quote:

Originally posted by jsl3170:
actually from the muzzle end to the barrel banded front sight. my guess was about a 1/3 of an inch? see pic 2

that measurment = 1/2 inch.

thanks! btw, is the stock design what would fall under the heading of american classic?

I don't thinbk so...the so called American clasic is usually the swept cheeck piece, closer grip, heavier fore end, both swivels on the stock and probably some Fluer de Lis checkering.....generally...

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
I don't thinbk so...the so called American clasic is usually the swept cheeck piece, closer grip, heavier fore end, both swivels on the stock and probably some Fluer de Lis checkering.....generally...

When I see Fluer de Lis checkering on a "Big Bore"........I want to PUKE, but hey that's just me, too each their own.