For Sale Whitworth Express .458

[Thomas G. Vogt]

Whitworth Express Rifle .458 Mag, CRF Mauser action.
Serial # B100033, 24" barrel has a 3 leaf flip up rear sight. 100-200-300
This rifle is Stamped Whitworth Express Rifle on the left side of the receive and Interarms Alexandria VA on the right of the front receiver ring.
The barrel is stamped Whitworth Rifle Company Manchester England on the top of the barrel in front of the rear sight. No CZ stampings anywhere on the rifle. The rear receiver ring is stamped 0774 just in front of the bolt handle. 1974? The long extractor and the bolt face have some tarnish spots that should polish out nicely.
The Bluing on the barrel, receiver and bottom metal is 99% but there are a few small spots on the bottom of the barrel just behind the front sight ramp and between the front swivel band and the forend tip.
It looks as though there were some small rust spots developing when the previous owner discovered them. You can feel them with your fingernail but they do not jump out at you.
The stock looks like it was never carried. One light small (1/4") pressure mark on the right side next to the trigger guard and an even smaller one (pin head) on the left in front of the rear checkering panel. The checkering is as crisp and sharp as the day it left the factory. Factory front barrel band and rear swivel studs with the factory Brown recoil pad stamped Whitworth in the center. Rifle comes with the Leupold base and rings. 3 day non firing inspection period.
I will send the Imgur link for more close up pictures.

$1,025.00

Price is plus actual USPS Priority shipping/Ins to your FFL. US sales Only

Money order or personal check accepted. . I will ship after payment clears.
PLEASE make sure the FFL will accept from a non licensee.​

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

Sorry I didn't add my email for questions

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Sorry I didn't add my email for questions

Hi Thomas, I edited your post and removed your email address, members can PM you if interested.

As per our posting guidelines:

• It is not okay to post your own personal information or post links to your personal information, including but not limited to email addresses, telephone numbers, mailing addresses or identification numbers. If you want to provide someone else your personal information please do so in the Conversation/Private Message (PM) system.

 

[sestoppelman]

That may in fact be a first year of production rifle with that date code. I have read that they started the Whitworth in 1974. What is odd is the 3 folding leaves on the rear sight. That is usually seen on later rifles whereas most have one fixed and two folding. Mine is from 1983 and has that style. Good luck with the sale.

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

If someone is interested they can make an offer. I have a little "wiggle room"

 

[Timbo]

What a lovely rifle!! Methinks it needs to be partnered asap with a keen hunter, bent on taking his 1st DG!

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

SPF

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

The rifle will be back up shortly.

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

The rifle was returned to me because it had a "short" follower and a small crack inside the stock inletting in front of the rear bolt hole.

After doing a lot of research and having the rifle looked at by two different sources familiar with these early 1974 guns I'm putting the rifle back up for sale. The one source for information came from Chris in the retail store of E.R. Shaw now known as Shaw Precision Guns. He told me they provided the barrels to Birmingham for these 1974 guns.

He also said, " ALL the .375's and .458's had the same length mag box with the shorter follower. They lengthened the boxes but didn't want to add cost for longer followers for the .375. In this way they could put the same actions on both calibers."

The other source was R.M. Crevar Gunsmith here in PA. He was a factory repair smith for Winchester, Remington and Krieghoff over his 48 years as a top smith and builder. Mike has been close friend for all those years and usually talks to me in a way he wouldn't talk to a "customer".
"Hey dummy, what do you think they were going to do? Spend more money on different followers? ALL those rifles had the standard followers and when they lengthened the boxes they just left them all that way. Remember, that rifle is an early one before the Mark X."

After looking at the small crack in front of the rear bolt hole he said,
"Look, that crack isn't going to go anywhere. Did you see the sleeve that goes around that bolt? THAT is like having a pillar there. I wouldn't put any glass in the crack because it wouldn't help anything."

I have taken more pictures of the barrel and action out of the stock and added them to my Imgur link.

Even though the rifle is an early one with the Birmingham proof marks I'm keeping the price the same as when I first listed it.

$1,025.00 plus shipping/Ins.

Sorry for the long explanation but I want people to know what I found out. I can send the Imgur link to any interested parties.

 

[sestoppelman]

I seriously doubt the accuracy of the claim that Shaw made these barrels, ever. Highly unlikely. For one thing they weren't built in Birmingham, but Manchester.
Actions and barrels were from Yugoslavia, the CZ company, not to be confused with CZ Brno.
Those stocks and many similar stocks always crack in the trigger well area. I have fixed mine twice over the years. Common affliction with all Mausers and many bolt guns.
Never heard of the followers being an issue, that's a new one on me. Mine always fed just fine, still does.

 

[Wheels]

I seriously doubt the accuracy of the claim that Shaw made these barrels, ever. Highly unlikely. For one thing they weren't built in Birmingham, but Manchester.
Actions and barrels were from Yugoslavia, the CZ company, not to be confused with CZ Brno.
Those stocks and many similar stocks always crack in the trigger well area. I have fixed mine twice over the years. Common affliction with all Mausers and many bolt guns.
Never heard of the followers being an issue, that's a new one on me. Mine always fed just fine, still does.

Sestoppelman

I have a question for you since I don't know much about Whitworth. The Whitworth action looks a lot like the post war FN actions and also like the FN made Browning actions. I have never really thought about it, but assumed that Whitworth was using FN actions.

Did Whitworth ever use FN actions or did the actions all come from CZ?

 

[sestoppelman]

To the best of my knowledge the Yugo company CZ (ZASTAVA) made all of the actions and barrels for Mark X and Whitworth rifles, as well as the Remington versions and perhaps one or two others. The actions are very similar in appearance to the FN.

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

I seriously doubt the accuracy of the claim that Shaw made these barrels, ever. Highly unlikely. For one thing they weren't built in Birmingham, but Manchester.
Actions and barrels were from Yugoslavia, the CZ company, not to be confused with CZ Brno.
Those stocks and many similar stocks always crack in the trigger well area. I have fixed mine twice over the years. Common affliction with all Mausers and many bolt guns.
Never heard of the followers being an issue, that's a new one on me. Mine always fed just fine, still does.

Thanks

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

I seriously doubt the accuracy of the claim that Shaw made these barrels, ever. Highly unlikely. For one thing they weren't built in Birmingham, but Manchester.
Actions and barrels were from Yugoslavia, the CZ company, not to be confused with CZ Brno.
Those stocks and many similar stocks always crack in the trigger well area. I have fixed mine twice over the years. Common affliction with all Mausers and many bolt guns.
Never heard of the followers being an issue, that's a new one on me. Mine always fed just fine, still does.

This rifle has the British Proof stamps. Would the barrels Shaw produced have gone straight to Manchester? Or would they have gone to Birmingham first to be proofed?

If that is the case that probably is the reason Chris said they sent barrels to Birmingham.

I think Birmingham was where barrels were proofed wasn't it?

Just asking....
​

 

[sestoppelman]

Barrels could have been proofed in other places as well. Nothing is impossible, maybe Shaw did make barrels for them, I just think its doubtful especially considering the info came from a retail clork at Shaw. I would need to see some provenance to put any credence to the claim. Like I say, its not impossible... just unlikely. If they did make those barrels, they were the best barrels Shaw ever made, because at least in years past their reputation was somewhat spotty. Every Mark X rifle gone thru my hands has been very good.

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

That "retail clerk" worked in the barrel manufacturing department for years before the owner passed away and the uncle/ nephew took over the operation. I didn't ask if they made barrels for the later Mark X rifles, only about his early 1974 Manchester rifle.

And actually, it is very likely.

Thanks

 

[sestoppelman]

Lets see some evidence besides hearsay... thanks. I used clork purposely btw.

If you are saying that his one rifle had a Shaw barrel on it, sure no argument. I just would want some real evidence that Shaw supplies barrels to CZ to make their rifles with.

 

[gizmo]

That is a fantastic rifle. I’d love a 458 Lott. I wonder if it would be feasible to convert this one?

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

I understand you have 6,390 more posts than I do on this site but at 67 years old this isn't my first rodeo either. As you can see from the included picture I too have a few I've collected over the years.

I posted what an employee that worked in the barrel department told me. This wasn't some pimple faced kid but someone with enough time with the company that he was asked to manage all sales for the retail and on line business.

To be clear, I am not saying "this one rifle" has a Shaw barrel. That would imply that it was rebarreled. It has the factory barrel and I was told it came from E.R. Shaw. Why in the world would he tell me that? He has nothing to gain by telling me that.

As far as "evidence"? If the owner was still alive I might ask him but I am not going to ask the current owners for a signed affidavit to prove it. Sorry, but that is the best I'm going to be able to do.

If you are interested in purchasing this fine Manchester made rifle please let me know.

Thanks

 

[Thomas G. Vogt]

I GUESS the barrels could have proofed somewhere other then the Birmingham facility.

Anyone know what this stamp stands for?