Griffin Howe Springfield 03 Rifle .35 Whelen, $1350.00 shipped!

[Bullthrower338]

Thanks Bob, it was gone before I saw it!

 

[tarbe]

Bad day to be on the road. Would have been my third purchase from this fine member.

 

[Red Leg]

If it's not allready sold, I'll take it.

You done good. Really nice rifle. Were I to guess, I would bet Sedgley with G&H mounts but any of the others @rookhawk mentions could be correct.

 

[TX_GreatPlains]

Caught me sleeping…literally . Great rifle

 

[rookhawk]

FYI. For between $500-$600, a competent gunsmith can call G&H and order a new set of CUSTOM rings to fit the top section of the side mount. They don't want returns so they won't deal with the general public on this topic, but I have done it myself by having my act 100% together when I called.

You pick the perfect optic, you set up your eye relief with an assistant, you spend an hour double checking every measurement, then you order a ring height that will get your 30mm tube .025" above the barrel for a perfect fit. (or whatever the comb height dictates in relation to the barrel)

Net result: a perfect modern weapon emerges.

 

[rookhawk]

I am not an expert on really early Griffin & Howe's, or more likely an early precursor to G&H, however it is missing a couple of things I have seen on all the G&Hs I've handled.

SOME G&Hs have cross hatch scratches on the extractor that appear like diamonds or graph paper, on higher grade and newer (mid-century) models it might have jeweling instead. (engine turning) This specimen has neither.

This has neither, but there were so many storied American gunsmiths in that era, about 1/3rd of them as outworkers to G&H. If I had the rifle in my lap and I had a few hours to inspect every mark on it, I'd give it 50% odds we can assign a maker and probably pinpoint within ten years when it was built.

The answer to the mystery can probably be found in Michael Petrov's American Gun Makers of the 20th century vol 1 and 2, but those books are expensive for someone just trying to solve a single rifle mystery.

Places I'd look for clues: I'd pull the butt plate and grip cap looking for a stock maker's mark...that could give it away. I'd look under the action and barrel when removed from the stock for the same, an S would indicate Sedgley. I'd check the serial number of the action because Sedgley only used low-serial number actions and did his own heat treatment, if its high numbered its probably not his work.

I love that rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

If it's not allready sold, I'll take it.

@ActionBob
Can't have to many Whelens
Ha Ha ha Ha ha
Bob

 

[steve white]

@ActionBob
Can't have to many Whelens
Ha Ha ha Ha ha
Bob

Well, we knew THAT was coming, lol

 

[ActionBob]

IT'S YOURS!!! CONGRATS!!

We finally picked up this rifle the other day. It was at our FFL for a while but we had to get there and pick up two other rifles we were expecting

In any case, the rifle is way better than we expected. I thought the stock would be almost needing to be refinished but we love it as is! A few marks but high quality finish in tact.

More on the other others later

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@ActionBob
Well where's the photos
Bob

We finally picked up this rifle the other day. It was at our FFL for a while but we had to get there and pick up two other rifles we were expecting

In any case, the rifle is way better than we expected. I thought the stock would be almost needing to be refinished but we love it as is! A few marks but high quality finish in tact.

More on the other others later

 

[ActionBob]

@ActionBob
Well where's the photos
Bob

Bob to see the photos, you're going to need to do the following; 1. Go out and just randomly buy some flowers. 2. Present the flowrs to Judy and ask her out for a nice dinner and some dancing. 2. Bring her home to finish a romantic evening followed by a good night's sleep.

Then get up tomorrow morning and while having breakfast come back on here and find your way to this thread and with your head all cleared out.... find your way to post #1 and #3 HAHAHA

 

[ActionBob]

FYI. For between $500-$600, a competent gunsmith can call G&H and order a new set of CUSTOM rings to fit the top section of the side mount. They don't want returns so they won't deal with the general public on this topic, but I have done it myself by having my act 100% together when I called.

You pick the perfect optic, you set up your eye relief with an assistant, you spend an hour double checking every measurement, then you order a ring height that will get your 30mm tube .025" above the barrel for a perfect fit. (or whatever the comb height dictates in relation to the barrel)

Net result: a perfect modern weapon emerges.

Or I could use these rings that came with

 

[rookhawk]

Or I could use these rings that came with
View attachment 743954

You completely missed the point of my post @ActionBob . A new, installed G&H mount is $2000 these days and nobody wants to spend that unless they are putting a $3000 optic on it. Math doesn't work.

You can get a custom ring made by G&H for reasonable money that will have the height offset that gives the appearance it is original, as in that the tolerances and alignment with the comb is still perfection. 1" or 30mm, etc.

When originally installed, they drilled the action so the original optic was set for perfection. A replacement optic will never be correct because the OD height of the next scope will be different.

There is a way forward if you want perfection.

 

[ActionBob]

You completely missed the point of my post @ActionBob . A new, installed G&H mount is $2000 these days and nobody wants to spend that unless they are putting a $3000 optic on it. Math doesn't work.

You can get a custom ring made by G&H for reasonable money that will have the height offset that gives the appearance it is original, as in that the tolerances and alignment with the comb is still perfection. 1" or 30mm, etc.

When originally installed, they drilled the action so the original optic was set for perfection. A replacement optic will never be correct because the OD height of the next scope will be different.

There is a way forward if you want perfection.

Yup, completely missed that

 

[TX_GreatPlains]

Salt in the wound, missed this one . Glad it went to a great guy. I could tell it was special. Look forward to the shooting report!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob to see the photos, you're going to need to do the following; 1. Go out and just randomly buy some flowers. 2. Present the flowrs to Judy and ask her out for a nice dinner and some dancing. 2. Bring her home to finish a romantic evening followed by a good night's sleep.

Then get up tomorrow morning and while having breakfast come back on here and find your way to this thread and with your head all cleared out.... find your way to post #1 and #3 HAHAHA

@ActionBob
You know I suffer from old timers disease and KRAFT disease
Kant
Remember
A
Fucking
Thing
Bob

 

[Wildcatter]

I was thinking that mount looks just like the one on my Paul Jaeger 30-06. Did Jaeger make those mounts for G&H?

Yank the stock off that thing and take copious photos of every mark, symbol, and the craftsmanship of how the mount was applied, the barrel band installed, etc.

Get the photos to Paul at G&H and be VERY polite because they don't authenticate any longer with Bob Beach's retirement. If they can affirm its a G&H, you REALLY have something special.

If it isn't authentic, you still got a hell of a deal on a very nice sporter.

It could also be a Sedgley, or a Paul Jager, or a Shelhammer, or a Hoffman.

 

[ActionBob]

You completely missed the point of my post @ActionBob . A new, installed G&H mount is $2000 these days and nobody wants to spend that unless they are putting a $3000 optic on it. Math doesn't work.

You can get a custom ring made by G&H for reasonable money that will have the height offset that gives the appearance it is original, as in that the tolerances and alignment with the comb is still perfection. 1" or 30mm, etc.

When originally installed, they drilled the action so the original optic was set for perfection. A replacement optic will never be correct because the OD height of the next scope will be different.

There is a way forward if you want perfection.

Well, it's a nice rifle with a nice peep sight that actuallyfits me, so far I love the trigger. The side mount and rings look good and I have a few scopes on hand to try including some older ones. So I think I'll just see how it comes together but first I'm going to shoot it with the peep

However the big wind storms we had blew my Texas target stand over and my Bobcat and post hole auger is in Minnesota. And I'm not too excited about shooting in Minnesota right now.

Then to complicate matters more, I just bought a super cool JD 4020 with an awesome 6-53 Detroit conversion that I need to pick up this next trip so the Bobcat will have to wait. I'm going to be distracted by that and a couple other tractors.

And we just got year end Financials so work duties and taxing matters are pressing.

Plus the new set of Rigby 250ths that arrived at yhe same time

Then there is that pesky month of hunting in RSA and Zim for several of the Dangerous 7 that is on the horizon.

So G & H will be waiting a while

 

[rookhawk]

I was thinking that mount looks just like the one on my Paul Jaeger 30-06. Did Jaeger make those mounts for G&H?

He made his own that are similar.

 

[Deep Six]

Very nice rifle!