You are the only other person I've heard mention Charles Danner. He's the guy in TN and I had him do some work for me a while back. I got his name off of a later Jack O'Connor (I think it was O'Connor, might have been something else) book and I believe he blued the rifle on the cover.

Charles has done our bluing for the past 20 years and I have to say his work is awesome. His bluing is always beautiful and his polishing and attention to detail is excellent.

It's done! Pictures at 6!

I would like to thank the following people without whose help this would have been impossible.

Gary Bush: For alerting me to the stock and for supplying the Lyman 48 long-slide as well as the bolt.

Don Wooldridge: For supplying the proper NRA sales rifle.

Barry DeLong: For supplying the Ross Barrel band sling swivel.

John Beard: For making sure I had all the proper parts for the rifle.

John Wills: For help turning the rifle between centers to bevel the front of the receiver, contouring the barrel, making the barrel bushing for the threaded front and for grinding the tang.

Jim White: For checkering the panel on the underside of the bolt.

Monte Mandarino: For repairing the stock and blueing the barreled action.

Simply beautiful.
NIce job to all.

Michael J

That rifle is truly a tribute to Wundhammer. Great work!

This is an amazing journey into yesteryear...I know the workmanship will be appreciated,,,can it be preserved for the future? I think and hope so! Personally, I want to thank all those that have brought this great man's talent fast forward 100 years. Duane

An example of historical preservation and restoration at it's finest!

Thanks for all the kind comments. This rifle now looks like what I thought of when I first saw the stock. I am very happy with the rifle and delighted that it was saved from just another "Old Stock".

I almost hate to tell you this but I just acquired a Fred Adolph stock found at a gunshow for $25. A well known gunmaker from Montana lent my book to a fishing friend who, after reading the book, recognized the stock for what it was.

On these major restorations I need to consider marking them in a place that shows without taking the rifle apart. My friend who does restoration work marks his with a shield & his initials inside. Opinions on this subject welcome.

Michael

That looks like the best handling 'O3' I have ever seen.

Almost like a "British Pre War" O3.

I like the reddish color of the stock as well.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Michael

That looks like the best handling 'O3' I have ever seen.

Almost like a "British Pre War" O3.

It is, I wish everyone here could handle it. For fun it weighs in at 7 pounds 2oz. I had to look at the older pictures to see where the wood had been repaired, can you tell I'm HAPPY!

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
I like the reddish color of the stock as well.

I wish I knew more about the history of this stock. The wood has not been stained, the bare wood under the buttplate and the inletting is just as red. It's one of the things that caught my eye in the beginning.

Mike

beautiful rifle and a great piece of history.

thank
Rich

What a beautiful rifle/stock. I would love to get my hands on a pattern stock, to be duplicated for a couple project rifles that I am working on.

Riverman1 brings up an excellent point. I too am building a sporter in a similar configuration. Mr. Petrov, do you know of a stock pattern in existence that is based on this timeless style?

I have seen at least one company who advertises a Wundhammer type stock but have no idea what stock they used for the pattern. It's has side panels & Wundhammer made less than a dozen that way. I know of about sixteen Wundhammer rifles today, they are not all the same and although they follow about the same lines as this rifle for lack of a better word, this rifle is special. I can supple better and bigger, almost full size, photos and would be happy to work with someone as to the measurements. I'm not sure what else I could do to help.

Looks excellent Petrov

I am picking up my 400/350 rigby here later this week at my gunmakers..
Its a rifle that has been restored aswell...they say it looks great, better then expected, so lets see. I will leave the verdict to all forummembers..

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Petrov:
Thanks for all the kind comments. This rifle now looks like what I thought of when I first saw the stock. I am very happy with the rifle and delighted that it was saved from just another "Old Stock".

I almost hate to tell you this but I just acquired a Fred Adolph stock found at a gunshow for $25. A well known gunmaker from Montana lent my book to a fishing friend who, after reading the book, recognized the stock for what it was.

On these major restorations I need to consider marking them in a place that shows without taking the rifle apart. My friend who does restoration work marks his with a shield & his initials inside. Opinions on this subject welcome.

I hope you have the story of this rifle written down in a form that can be passed along through history with it. Maybe a little book to be accompanied by a jump drive with all the records and photos. As far as marking goes it could be marked as a Petrov et al resurrection project on the floor plate.
Maybe all the conspirators could be listed by engraving the floor plate. If not on the outside they could be laser marked on the sides of the magazine box.
You would almost have a rifle lovers version of the Stanley Cup to record it's history.

quote:

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I’ve given this idea a lot of thought and feel that the information should be recorded for future caretakers of the rifle. I do have a written record but we all know that may or may not get passed beyond the next person. Even if I recorded the information in an article there is no guarantee anyone would have this information years from now. I see no end in sight for restoration work of this kind not counting the ones already done. I think that a simple stamp “MP” in an oval, not unlike the Niedner proof mark, might do the job and tell folks that something was done. I think that this should be done regardless of if I have done the work or not. James V. Howe marked many of his rifles on the inside of the trapdoor of the buttplate.

I took a few more pictures trying to show how slim the rifle is. I also took the time to clean up the photos this time, I was in a rush with the last ones.

man oh man does that have some drop.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
man oh man does that have some drop.
Rich

It’s all in ones point of reference, I think that the modern rifle built for scope use looks odd. For an iron sighted rifle this one is about as good as it gets.

Good-looking certainly, but unfortunately when I shoulder most rifles I'm looking directly at the rear of the bolt. I personally need (shotgun) stock dimensions of 1 1/4" DAC and 1 3/4" DAH at a maximum and actually a little straighter than that is even better, so you can see that this stock wouldn't fit me very well.

But it certainly is beautiful, congratulations!
Regards, Joe

Michael, I keep coming back to look at your rifle.

It's really a classic American Springfield sporter, made by a German immigrant no less! The Germans really were the first great bolt rifle gunsmiths.

Seeing your rifle reminded me of one that I had handled recently at my local gunshop. It was a low numbered (174XXX) Springfield sporter similar to yours in overall concept, but different in styling details.

So, I went back to the shop on Tuesday to look at it again.

It has a long slide Lyman 48 sight on it.

The stock is a reddish, somewhat roughly finished, but well-proportioned, stick of walnut. It has some cast off, a beaded oval cheekpiece, an ebony grip cap and fore end tip and good point patterned checkering.

It also has an ancient, smashed and hardened red rubber recoil pad.

The bolt and extractor are jeweled. The barrel has the NRA type front sight and looks to have been turned down to a slim profile.

No maker's name anywhere.

It handles like a dream.

My dealer told me that it had just sold for $1,629.00.

I kind of wish I had bought it.

MR, Sounds interesting, there are still many bargains out there IMO on early 1903 custom sporters without a makers name on them. The next time you, or anyone else, are faced with this type of decision call or email and if I can help, I will. There were many fine makers before WWI and most did not mark their work. A lot of folks avoid the low-numbers rifle so that helps as well.

Here is an example of another maker who did not mark his work. Ross C. King, who worked for Wundhammer and took over the business after Wundhammer died. This one is marked by the barrel maker, some guy named Pope.

More on this rifle at,
http://www.doublegunshop.com/f...25&page=4#Post132725

Very funny, Michael. Some guy named Pope!

I'm a member of the MRA and shoot at Walnut Hill on the same grounds where Pope, Niedner and Mann used to shoot their Scheutzen rifles. Also where Patridge called home when he invented his famous sights.

The clubhouse was built in 1891.

Walnut Hill??? That kind of rings a bell somewhere.

From the looks of that Club House, I'd say those guys knew how to live right back then, when people were honored for their rifle ownership. Today, we're demonized.

Don

Great photo, Michael. Thanks.

I know you are well aware of the place. I have read your book, you know.

The clubhouse hasn't changed much.

There's a parking lot in front now, and the windows on the right side of the building have been closed off. There's a 25 yard indoor range on that side of the building now.

There are also outdoor 50, 100 and 200 yard ranges, as well as an outdoor 35 yard pistol range and an indoor 50 foot range for .22s and air guns. There are trap and sporting clays ranges and an archery range as well.

All within ten miles of Boston.

I wish I lived closer, it would be fun to shoot one of Mr. Niedner's rifles at Walnut Hill.

I think you would wake up some ghosts if you did that!

But send me a PM if you're planning a trip to Boston, and we will do it!

Thanks for another great photo, too.

The $25 Fred Adolph is done, for now.

I would like to thank Bryndon, Joe and Larry for the sling swivels, it took three sets to make one set that would work. Anyone needing europen swivel parts let me know. Also thanks to Bob who blued the barrel and action for me.

Wow, Michael...that turned into a fantastic looking rifle! Great to see such things given new life!

Regards,

Jeff

Womack used to mark his rifles with a stamp that looked like the Mauser cartouch with his name in it. I have an 03 he shortened to 16" modified the bolt (by forging,his speciality)and mounted a Lyman Alaskan in a G&H mount. Even has a small compass mounted in the buttstock about where a cheekpiece would be. All hardware has been remounted and the upper handguard shortened as has the stock. Just looks like a 16" barrel issue rifle. I understand it was built as a fishing rifle for a gunwriter in Alaska. Actually shoots well but is a LITTLE noisy but maybe that would scare the bears. Womack stamped the root of the bolt with his stamp. Looks neat.

Another classic beauty!

Thanks guys, it brings me a lot of pleasure to see these brought back to life.

I'm going to mark them somehow and when I decide the what and were of it I'll post so it becomes common knowledge.