Well, i must write about it, I have long wanted a trim light weight 375 that was not too pretty but had that mean and nasty look. The look that said it has been there and done that.

My story began in the bluegrass state on a muggy summer morning...
Like everyone, I want, nope, correction, need at least one 375 H&H in my safe. That fateful morning was a couple years back and I was bouncing across the tables looking for my usual, (bargains on English guns, primarily SxS's of any persuasion, rifles, shotguns, it does not matter).

Half way up a row I did the unexpected; I hooked a hard right to cut the lane short. The flash of bright red polyester cloth covered buy Chinese swords impersonating Japanese bladed artwork caught my wondering eye. In mask of disgust I quickly looked away, least anyone that knows me should see me inspecting those cheap edged ladies sprawled across that horrible man-made material from the 70's. Pretending to look up across distant aisles as if I were looking for someone that had separated from me in the congested freeway of gun-gawkers, my gaze would dart down and up repeatedly in a flash at all those beautiful colors of cheap cutlery. I was imagining the demise of a few weeds along my back fence at home when out of my peripheral vision I noticed the recognizable form of a friend and hunting partner sneaking up to catch me in the naughty act I was about to slip deeper into.
In a flash I spun away in a last ditch effort to convince my stalker that I was in truth looking for someone, anyone. Coming around near 280 degrees I was face to face with Jim. Damn. Fearing I was busted I looked past him as if my gaze had been beyond any object that was within reaching distance....There, my God, I was saved, a couple bolt action rifles looking as if they were aged and of some character....I began to walk past Jim, again to prove I was lost in a search. When I was within a few mere feet of the rifles I was now standing within breathing distance of the up to then unacknowledged Jim. From a crooked smile came his slight chuckle proving he was not buying any of my act....my proverbial goose was cooked.

"Hey Man, where have you been?" I exclaimed in a shocked where-did-you-come-from sort of way.

"Watching you, ogle, and visually molesting those glorified machetes".

Tactfully I spouted, and just loud enough for only Jim to hear,
“Heeeeeeyyy, what have we here�
Reaching for a worn rifle and ignoring Jims’ O so accurate description of his witnessing my wanting desire to walk in the 'Red-Light-Cutlery-District'. There it was......

…a well worn, but not abused, pre-64 (375 H&H) at this bi-yearly gunshow in the bluegrass state. Now midmorning and the old girl was still propped upon her plywood stand, nearly imploring someone to take her home from the humiliation of being offered for sale, and so horribly close to those pop-tin and plastic pretenders of the finest blades ever wielded by a mortal man.
Jim, being the true friend that he is saw through my transparent act, but then again, what true blue blood rifleman would carry on with a ribbing when a rifle like that was just discovered? He wouldn’t!

It was worn and silver in the right places, just the way it should be.....BEAUTIFUL! And just the way I like a gun, some age that shows it was hunted. I did not leave the side of the table upon which she had previously rested.
The guy behind the tawdry veiled table had no clue I was now on the hunt. My prey was sighted and my poker face ON! This pretender of peddlers had no price on this lady in need of rescue, perhaps the reason she was still available, the asking price may be too high.
No matter, the game was on, and this rifle fit my idea of what I suddenly needed, and I could smell a deal brewing. Yep, this gunshow shingle hanger behind the polyester covered table had a look in his eye that said, make me an offer.

However, two problems stood in the way...a pair of BBK-02 barreled actions in great shape and once more, they were clean, not the rough ones that we have seen and heard of. One was also a 375 H&H and the other was a 416 Rem. I could live with all three, and should have made an offer for all three.
However, I kept my eye on the singular prize, the benchmark of American rifle making chambered in one of the cartridges that speak of a bygone era of the dark continent that calls to all of us why revel in the pursuit of adventure and large game.

After some haggling with that weekend weapon vendor, it was done. When the dust settled I was standing and he was down! And I had a witness to my expert exchange of timeless banter between seller and would be buyer.
O' MAN, was I a strutting peacock for the rest of the weekend.
It was LOVE. Well, almost.
Is not love the accepting of ones flaws as well as positives? Ya, well, not with me and guns. I had a vision, a lightning rod that spit projectiles in the diameter of .375.
The barrel was too heavy in my opinion. But it was silver from the hand of the hunters who had carried it over unknown terrain in search of game. It was another struggle, this time within me. Should I rebarrel it and cast away this patina covered barrel of an American Rifle Hallmark?
I REALLY wanted a trim light weight gun. However, I elected to let the rifle range be the deciding factor. Clearly if this gun shot well, I should leave well enough alone. But if it could not steer a factory loaded bullet into say 2 inches at 100 yrds then it is my duty to rebarrel it.
And so there it would be decided.
Well, it shot Big Greens 270 grain load into a defiant inch and a quarter.

Two months later I got it back from getting it rebarreled! It now weighed two pounds LESS!!! And I was one step closer to my goal.

Now where to get a stock in time for an impending trip to Alaska. I know where to get the wood! But I did not have time to get the blank turned and finished. So I called up a family member who recently procured a recently turned stock from me! After repo-ing the stock…I quickly shaped and polished into my vision of what it should be.

A gun is born….a slight bit over 8 pounds scoped and loaded for battle. Yes it does kick..kinda like a mule getting a colon exam, butt, it also shoots better than it did before the barrel swap! And after all, you do Not notice recoil when fur is in the scope.

Here are my proud Papa pictures.

Great story and nice job!!!
excllent looking rifle.. I hope to do something similar in 376 steyr (or 375 ruger) one day soon.

jeffe

jeffeosso,
Thanks.

Jim Kobe,
I started this new thread rather than keeping that old one going. Thanks for the offer on the checkering...if i only would have known. I spoke with and worked something out with Pat Taylor. Many thanks though.

Hey Adam,

Nice rifle with lots of character. Would be interested in seeing the blank before it was turned if you happen to have a picture. What did you take it to Alaska for?

Josh,
Thank you.
Character is what i was wanting and hoping for...after all i was taking character away when i ditched the aged factory barrel and stock.
It has not gone to Alaska, yet. The timeline on my story does not divulge the fact that the gun sat in my safe for nearly two years because i could not bring myself to change out the barrel. And of course i was not going to restock it until i decided what to do with the barrel.
Then when i decided to do it the whole thing has been a rush trying to get it finished for this upcoming hunt. It is all fini except for checkering, sling swivels and blueing.
This impending Alaskan trip was my motivating factor in finishing this project. The reason(s)...
Brown Bear and Moose is on the menu. The original hunt was to be for Black bear and caribou as well, but time being crucial we decided to cut the trip back a week, making the hunt around 16 days.
The gun is a great deal more trim than the photos suggest. The reason is that it is slimmer from the top or bottom. Kept the profile in such a way that suits my taste. It does feel real nice and fast in hand.

As for the blank...



It was not much to talk about, however, it is a flat-sawn blank and the rear and top were loaded with nice black lines, even marblecake.

I love to see a blank turned, it is very fun to see what happens. I tried to sell this blank as a high grade but then went ahead and sent it out to get turned along with another. I was going to keep the best of the two for myself and sell the other one already turned for a pre 64.

Long story short, i sold them both. Then things got thrown into high gear for this gun/hunt and i was in a time cruch and had no time to send a blank to get turned. Very lucky for me it happened to be a family member who bought this stock after it was turned. Yet another deal was struck.

Anyway, here it is turned before shaping and finishing.

Just showed my wife the blank and the stock...

WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW was her reply.

She's a keeper!!

jeffe

Definitely a Beauty and I am sure that she handles very well but I bet the recoil REALLY gets your attention! What would you say it is comparable to?

Anyway, good luck in AK... Where exactly will you be hunting?

AFreeman,

WOW is right! What a beautiful stock and nice rifle. Kudos to you. I love the shortened forend. It has a very late 1890's British look to it, though I don't think I've seen one of that era with such a highly figured blank. Nice job.

Thanks again guys.

jeffeosso,
have you been showing your wife my wood?

Josh,
recoil? YEP, it has recoil! I do not know what i would compare it to. I have shot 416 Rem's that are much more pleasant. it is a very sharp fast and somewhat violent recoil. She is rather spicy!
thanks for the good luck wish. We are hunting somewhere up against or next to Lake Clarke National Park.

Brian,
It does have a short forend. It balances well with the barrel length which is just shy of 22 inches. It has some American lines with a mixture of English. I prefer English style stocks but the more recent American stock lines have their purpose as well. crossbreeds like this are a good compromise, to/for me.

Very nice work!