You may have seen this rifle on the gunsmithing forum about 6 months ago. It's a Whitworth .375 H&H John Ricks built for me some time ago. When it was built, I just had him put it in the original Whitworth factory stock. It was ok, but there is something about that stock that just didn't do the rifle justice. I had a GAG rough turned stock in a British stalker pattern that I was going to use on another rifle project. But, now that Jeffeosso is turning blanks I figured I'd go with him on the other rifle.

Here is a picture of how the rifle looked when I got it back from John Ricks. The metal work is very nice, but the wood is ho-hum at best.


Here is the blank I had sitting in the closet that needed a rifle.


I've got too much going on right now, so I sent it all off to Henry at GAG and told him to send it back finished. Here's what I got.









I think it turned out very nice. Henry did a great job on the stock. I still need to get the cross bolts, grip cap swivel base blued, but that'll come in time.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

Terry

P.S. Before I get a 100 PM's. The Whitworth stock is gone.

TC1,

Fantastic rifle! Congratulations and I hope you have a wonderful experience hunting with it.

Terry, you've had better experience with them than I have. Did they do the checkering too? Nice.

Yes, they checkered it.

Terry

Thats a good looking rifle TC1.

That is a beauty of a rifle and may it's career win you fame and fortune. Apply it well, and frequently!

Nice rifle Terry..

Very Lovely.
Please elaborate a little on the safety and the conversion from the Interarms thumb safety to the flag.
FRank

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Martinez:
Very Lovely.
Please elaborate a little on the safety and the conversion from the Interarms thumb safety to the flag.
FRank

It wasn't that big of a deal. I just changed the factory trigger to a Timney sportsman, put the new bolt shroud on and cut and polished the cocking piece so the safety would engage. I always put a little copper based anti-sieze compound on both pieces to smooth everything out.

Terry

The wood is lovely TC1. Rod Henrickson

TC1,
At first I couldn't believe that was the same piece of wood you sent to GAG. But after a lot of comparing the before and after in the first two photos I'm convinced it's the same. Wow ! what a Fine job.
I've seen some disparigment of GAG here, but this shows me what they are capable of. Thanks.

Nifty!
- mike

Terry-

These kinds of images make me ignore my work.

Anyway, jeffeosso is inclined to let me slide on a few issues because I'm new here, and I hope you will too.

Because I have a million questions.

I've been looking around for a new pattern, and inclined towards the stalker, because I like the look of the open grip. Still, there's not much drop in the comb for iron sights.

Have you shot it without the scope? How does your eye line up?

I may be using iron sights exclusively.

And, like Frank, I'm wondering about the new safety. Is that just an original '98 bolt shroud? If so, which aftermarket safety. Is that the Timney Buehler?

I've been reluctant to try modifications to the cocking piece, as it seems so critical.

Yours looks great, though.

I've been looking for a receiver for the new project, and would prefer to go to the trouble to use an old '09.

But... I have a line on an old, but NIB Interarms Mark X action, and if in your judgement the Whitworth was appropriate for such a nice rifle, perhaps the Mark X would be also.

Finally, do you know which red recoil pad they used?

This is a must on my next project.

Well done, Terry, by you and GAGs.

flaco

And thanks for posting all the photographs. I love photographs. LOL.

Really beautiful.

Very very nice

Congratulations and good hunting,
Roland

TC1,
nice rig, can you tell us what the muzzle dia. is??

Hey flaco,The safety is an old FN unit I bought from Dago Red. They still can be found, but they are scarce.

The stock lines up good with the iron sights, but I would want a little more drop if I wasn't going to use a scope.

It's a Timney sportsman trigger.

Pacmayer Decelerator pad (SP?)

Yes the MarkX action will work. It'll save you a lot of cash over an 09 action, but it won't be nearly as classy IMO

I'm working with one of Jeffe's stocks right now. Together we are making making a pattern for another project. Jeffe's work comes out of the machine 10X nicer than GAG's!

Terry

Woodjack, The muzzle DIA is .690

Terry

Terry,
man, that rifle just looks so bad... you need to go ahead and box it up to me, just to hide your shame

It really looks great, Terry. You should be very pleased!! I'll call you later today


For those that are thinking "wow, gag can do a good job" you need to realize the stock he sent to them was also turned by them in the first place.

I've had a series of good interactions with gag, then it went way wrong, way fast... and my years of being a good customer meant JACK to henry when he totally screwed up. I ordered a select plain walnut express rifle OLD (means too much wood) stock, with 1" extra wood for drop box.

I received a MYRTLEWOOD (read white as tallow) cracked, heavily chipped (chunks missing, including all around the edge of the cheekpiece), out of alingment.. top was dead straight, bottom was ~10d out, and bottom was .220 OFF center.... with about 1/4" "extra" wood on the bottom and is was the new SKINNY express rifle.

So, other than using a mauser inlet, all possible items on the stock were wrong...

Took 4 months to get my money back.


jeffe