If you could have any custom built rifle your heart desired, what would it be?

Montana Rifle Co. action, target barrel, european walnut stock, something in the 243 to 7mm-08 class, for target and varmint shooting.

...a Best-Grade Holland & Holland side-by-side ejector riflein .303 British, 28" barrels regulated for 180 grains at 100 yards. Pure Heaven.

Regards from BruceB (aka Bren Mk1)

I have several custom bolt-guns built on Model 70 actions by D'Arcy Echols that are the best I've ever owned, and these certainly qualify as my 'dream' hunting rifles, and I use them accordingly.

The one rifle I don't have that I want very badly is a fine custom .22 LR. I'd like to hire some wizard metalsmith to take a Winchester Model 52 action and turn it into something spectacular with a first-class barrel, new bottom metal, tang safety, custom fixed scope mounts, etc. Scope-only, no open sights, and no worthless barrel-band front sling swivel stud.

I'd then like to have this metalworked stocked in the American Classic style (like Biesen, Goens, Echols, or Miller) on a fine, old piece of quarter-sawn French walnut with a wrap-around point checkering pattern, ebony forend tip, both sling studs on the stock, two-screw Biesen grip cap, and a Biesen trap buttplate with an interior stock recessed cut to house an extra clip.

Finish with a first-class blue job and a Leupold 3-9X Compact scope and this rifle would be good for several generations of use. I've got several secret sage rat locations in central Oregon that I'd love to break a rifle like this in on.

AD

allen,

That rifle sounds unbelievable. I want one!

While we don't have sage rats in New Hampshire I can think of several areas where I'd like to thin out the grey squirrel population.

Who would you hire to do such a job?

Regards,
Dave

Allen I have one being built by Chic as we speak.

It has the old mauser action not the 52 but I think you would approve of it.

Howard, all I can is that you're doing the right thing!

Yours sounds like a SUPER project, and I love the Mauser rimfire action. Talk about class!

AD

[ 10-15-2003, 19:41: Message edited by: allen day ]

I'll take a crack at this...

The rifle would look very much like a pre-64 M70 Supergrade Featherweight, with a few changes for personal preference.

Stock: Walnut of a similar grade (maybe a little higher) to the original supergrades with an ebony tip. Forend: a little more trim that the pre-64 stocks, but similar overall profile. Butt stock: a high comb with cheak piece, made to fit ME (LOP?, castoff?, etc.). The cheak piece would be similar to the supergrade's, but slightly modified for more pleasing lines. Butt stock to be capped off by red rubber pad similar to pre-64 magnums. Checkering would be a wraparound point pattern similar to the supergrade's. Steel grip cap with my initials engraved in an elegant yet tasteful font (maybe some nice English scroll engraving as well, but not overdone). The sling swivel studs would be inletted.

Metal: A top quality 22" barrel turned to a reasonably lightweight contour (but not with the rapid taper near the action of the featherweights), and blued similar to pre-64's. Front sight would have a nice, long, streamlined ramp with a hood. Rear sight would be similar to the semi buckhorn (not folding) sight on the pre-64 standard weight rifles. The caliber would be engraved on the barrel in a font to match the initials on the grip cap. The action (obviously from a pre-64 M70) would be checked, and machined if necessary, to make sure everything is straight, true, and square inside and out. I would retain the matte finish of the pre-64's. Steel bottom metal would have the floorplate release in the triggergaurd. And floorplate would have "Supergrade Featherweight" engraved to match the font on the barrel and grip cap (maybe some English scroll here too). Scope mounts would be something contemporary to the pre-64 rifles (Buehlers?). The scope would be a 4X fixed from the same period as well and would be rebuilt with modern glass and adjustments (I don't even know if anyone does this!).

Final weight with scope would be in the 8-8 1/2 lb range, with proper balance being prioritized over and above light weight. It would either be chambered for .30-06 or .270WCF. From a few feet away the ideal reaction to the rifle would be "That looks a lot like a pre-64 Supergrade Featherweight, but there's something different about it and I can't put my finger on what it is".

Bob

P.S. Like Allen, I've been thinking about this one for a while too .

Hey Allen,

for those of us that don't have the high grades, but like to dream, how about starting another thread and posting pictures of all your Echols rifles? If you need a place to put them on the web let me know.

For me, it's a very hard choice, I'll have to give it some more thought and get back to you guys. :-)

Red

Hagn single-shot action, an 26" octagon barrel in 300 H&H, stocked in a knockout piece of French quartersawn walnut. Stock laid out just like Allen's rifle, except for the trap buttplate. Top it with a matte finish Leupold 6X42 with Premier #4 reticle, and I'm a happy guy.

I agree with Rick. My idea of an ultimate custom rifle made by the very best makers would be one by Martin Hagn & Rolf Martini.

Of the rifles I've made or had made over the years, this Brno exceeded my expectations the most. It's a ZG-47 with original 270Win carbine barrel. Stock is Teutonic-style Turkish with side panels, short schnabble forend, lots of heel drop, McFarland furnishings. Unfortunately, pictures don't do it justice:









[ 10-15-2003, 21:20: Message edited by: fla3006 ]

Mannlicher Schoenauer in 9.3x62 with a 23.5" barrel. Iron sights with a Lyman 36 bolt release aperature. Full length pre-war style stock in English walnut.

I'll post pics when it is finished.

gsp
It is not very nice of you to post such questions, now I will have trouble, again

I will not do with one custom rifle....turn the madness loose

I would llike to get a set of four on mauser action modell B or ZG-47. All with nice Turkish wood, cut rifle barrels, Winchester saftey, custom bottom metall. Nice rust blue. Calibers?

7X64 Brenneke
8X68 S
9,3X62
404 Jeffery

allen day, dream shall come true. Yours can be true if you hire Tom Burgess. As a appetizer, I saw a mauser obendorf 22lr today, made in 1932

Sweet dreams
/ JOHAN

[ 10-15-2003, 21:24: Message edited by: JOHAN ]

fla3006,
You have some of the nicest rifles!

My hats off to your collection.

Thank you GSP. I'm lucky to have a very talented friend who does most of the work on my never ending projects. (just bought another project gun off AuctionArms this morning!)

fla3006

I knew you had a couple of Brno's, but this is starting to worry me.. How manny Brno ZG-47 and Brno m-21/22 do you really have?

Don't be shy
/ JOHAN

[ 10-16-2003, 02:06: Message edited by: JOHAN ]

Johan- I've owned 20 ZG's, down to 12 now. As you know, they're hard to come by. Just sent Alf the production data I have on ZG's for his upcoming article in Magnum Magazine. "Only" have 2 M-21's, but I've had a few others.

Pre-64 M-70 300 win mag. Floor plate and bolt shroud would be color cased. 25" barrel, 1/2 octagon, 1/2 round. Chamber would be minimum sized w/ .3085" dia tapered throat set for 165 gr Barnes X. Cold rust blue. Integral scope base/rings. Leupold M8 6X42 w/ 4a reticle.

Well figured walnut stock, ebony forend tip, skeleton pointed grip cap, packmeyer medium 1" old english decelerator. Stock would be classic shape w/ cheek piece, 22 lpi fleur de-lis pattern. Stock would be impregnated w/ epoxy for stability, but finished with oil.

I'd like a Woodland Camo M40A1 clone in 22lr,on a 40X action. The optics would deviate from issue glass and a Leupie M1 3.5-10x would be my choice.

My centerfire itches are largely scratched................

fla3006,
That is one righteous looking rifle. I'm sure it's better looking in person but it sure is a beauty. Jim

Custom 300 H&H built by D'Arcy Echols using a Savage 110 action and keeping the barrel nut! (Sorry Allen, I couldn't resist and gsp did say any custom our heart desired).

Actually, it is a custom 7X57 Mauser built using a G33/40 action fitted with a 3-panel McFarland bolt handle, Dakota bolt shroud with 3-position safety, floorplate assembly and trigger by Blackburn. Barrel is a Pac-Nor #2 contour cut to 21-1/2" and fitted with NECG sights. Nice rust blue applied. As this will be a much used hunting rifle, the stock will be a Borden Rimrock, but I also have my eyes on an extremely nice piece of walnut that my smith has.

TreeFarmer

Allen

This is close, but I don't know if you would accept the modified 98 action in place of a Win 52. Looks like your choice in scope maker was considered. It does have a mannlicher stock, but I think most could learn to live with that. Probably as near to the ideal custom .22 as any of us are ever likely to see. For just $20 how could you go wrong.

http://www.acgg.org/project19.html

And best of all it could be yours in four months in stead of the usual 3-5 year wait. I say go for it.

Roger

Something in a varmint caliber made by Kenny Jarrett. Nice but not so fancy that I would hesitate to shoot it

My dream rifle would be one built by D'Arcy Echols, in .338WM. It would not have wood, since I would use it to hunt Alaska game in September. This would be my only big game rifle for Alaska, and I would ask him to stamp the words: "The Alaskan," after the caliber.

And if I ever had another "dream rifle," it would be the same type of rifle, but it would be an Echols .416 (any .416 DG).

Double square bridge Brevex Magnum Mauser action with bridges machined for Talley rings. It would be mated to a 25 inch round barrel which would be machined from one piece and have intregal quarter rib, front ramp sight, and front swivel eye. Quarter rib will have three leaf folding sight. Stock made of the best piece of Bastogne Walnut to be found and stocked by Monte Mandirino or Darwin Hensley which probably would be tough to have done now or in the near future. Hey you can always dream!! It would have Europeon flavor complete with trapdoor grip cap to hold a removable hood for the front ramp. Recoil pad would be BLACK, I despise red pads, and checkering would be 22 lines per inch, maximum 24, in a tasteful point pattern. The caliber, 375 H&H. I would like this entire piece to weigh about nine and one-half or ten pounds complete with a Weaver v4.5 steel bodied scope I have laying around and carrying five rounds.

I do hope to have something like this some day but my wants will no doubt be scaled back to what my pocket book will afford.

Idared ;

Maybe we'd get a better deal if we built two of them... ..you just defined MY perfect rifle!

fla3006 and ALF

I got the data over some of the rifles sold in Sweden, caliber, year, serial # etc. if it could be of any help


fla 3006, they are not hard to come by in my back yard I got four right now

/ JOHAN

Johan- why don't you send serial numbers, dates, calibers to ALF. He's compiling a registry and production data by year of manufacture for an article in Man Magnum Magazine (RSA). There are probably more ZG's in Sweden than the USA. They weren't sold here because of cold war politics. Only about 20K were built, most were sold in Canada, Europe, Australia and Africa. Very scarce in the US, most of mine came from Canada and a couple from Sweden.

I'm not sure I still want a custom rifle, but I certainly would like a new Cooper top of the line jobbie for varmints. I've had a couple custom made rifles but find that I use them for hunting very litle since I don't want to risk getting them dinged or scratched. I wonder how many other guys feel the same way? Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

All of my rifles are custom built to my specifications. If I had to dream I guess a 408 Chey-Tac would be my dream.

Here are a couple of pictures of my varmint rifle. Its a 22 CHeetah MK 1 built on a Stolle Panda action with a Jewel trigger, Kelby 30mm aluminum rings, McMillan "Hunter Class" graphite stock, Hart match grade S/S barrel and a Swarovski 6 to 24 X 50 target scope.





My daughter likes purple so I went with a purple and white marble pattern stock.

I managed to kill 74 woodchucks with this rifle this past summer with a personal best at 675 yards. I shoot a 52gr bench rest bullet at 4280 FPS.

Don

I don't know for sure; but how about a Searcy Stainless Steel Double boxlock in 500 NE 3 inch with a little tasteful engraving and strong, good grained well fitted and checkered wood. Regulated to shoot a left and a right into one hole at 50 yards with either solids or softs. Ivory highlighted aperature rear sight and an Ivory insert front sight would well satisfy my old eyes. Did I mention a pair of matching 375 H&H and shotgun barrels?
Fitted Buffalo hide Case; cleaning kit, brass and dies while your at it if you don't mind. Throw in a 28 day Tanzanian tented safari to check it out would about get it just right.

[ 10-19-2003, 03:54: Message edited by: Old & Slow ]