Which rifle do we crown as the best looking ever?

trouble with any blank is you get one shot at it.
if you know and specify it prior, and both parties understand, and the stock maker is competent there should be no problem.
stock layout is all done to measurement, so drop at comb, heel, and toe can be specified, as can pistol grip length.
bruce.
 
too much drop at heel.
bruce.

What if it was made for a taller person with a longer neck? I'm 6'2", tall and thin and if I had a stock made I have thought that I would have it built with more drop to better fit the pocket of my shoulder and to spread put the recoil more. I feel like most of the rifles I own are around 1/2"-3/4" too high and makes the pointy end of the butt dig into my shoulder under recoil a bit more than it should. It isn't so pronounced when I very deliberately shoulder a gun and make a more conscious effort to put my cheek down to the open sights especially but when I do it faster and more instinctively the heel usually sits high.

I understand there needs to be a healthy middle ground but I'm built much different than a stocky 5'6" guy with no neck.

Just my bored ramblings.
 
Some truly beautiful rifles have been shown here; and while this one may not be the,

"prettiest girl at the dance".....

But she still turns heads everywhere she goes, and puts out like THUNDER!

1950 M70 Super Grade .300H&H (forgive the poor pictures) - Someday I hope to see this rifle again in its new home.
u29mD4m.jpg


uH2apxr.jpg
 
If the forend was approx. 1" shorter and the barrel a classic 24," it would be unexceptionable. 22" barrel makes it very Continental. Nothing wrong with that per se, but not those absolutely-perfect WDM Bell proportions. Like a beautiful woman with her shoulders a bit too wide for her hips. ;-)

Rigby back then used to offer a ladies model with 21 or 22 inch barrel...cant remember now....so nothing non original about that barrel length. Sir Wilfred Thesiger carried one of the ladies models on at least one of his exploration trips in the Arabian peninsula...I have had a look at it and it would have been nice to have bought it , but paul was negotiating to buy it at the time and didn't know a price...and as I had just swopped 2 rifles for a WDM Bell replica .275 he had built ...probably just as well... :E Big Grin:
 
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trouble with any blank is you get one shot at it.
if you know and specify it prior, and both parties understand, and the stock maker is competent there should be no problem.
stock layout is all done to measurement, so drop at comb, heel, and toe can be specified, as can pistol grip length.
bruce.

Of course! Reto shares shop space with James Tucker, who I know, and they BOTH worked with me on the fitting to arrive at the recommended dimensions. My only concern is the compromise that must be made between the scope line of sight and the line of sight for the irons. This rifle will have a Jeffery folding aperture sight attached to the rear of the striker as well as express folding leaf sights on the barrel. So there is a variance of perhaps one inch between the scope and the irons. This is the zone where the compromise is needed. I have handled several rifles built by Reto and we used a 'try gun' (magazine rifle) to arrive at the measurements. Reto is classically trained and seems to lean towards fitting for irons... I want to be sure the scope (VX6HD 1-6X) lines up without issues, since I will probably be using the scope most of the time. I have confidence that this rifle will be exceptional in every way. It's a .404 Jeffery on a stretched, small ring, LH Granite Mountain action with. a 23" PacNor barrel.

PS: I shoot left handed. This means that nearly every gun or rifle that comes into my possession requires fitting and modification - if not a total restock. Stock fit, as I learned when I was competing in Int'l Skeet, is critical to successful shooting. Having had quite a few custom rifles and shotguns made I am familiar with the process and requirements. This is my first DG rifle... we can always learn something new, right?
 
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Very plain wood but what great lines with the 26" barrel.

Here is the article to go with the pics:


View attachment 393322
Now, THAT's more like it ;-)
 
Nah, this IS the ultimate for the long barreled look. :)

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Seriously, that '98 production Sporting Best model pictured above, restored in 2010, is no doubt attractive! Too bad it had (has?) some ugly damage to the tang and wood behind the tang. The current production Highland Stalker in magnum model does have a 25" barrel as standard I think.
 
Seriously, that '98 production Sporting Best model pictured above, restored in 2010, is no doubt attractive! Too bad it had (has?) some ugly damage to the tang and wood behind the tang. The current production Highland Stalker in magnum model does have a 25" barrel as standard I think.

Yes, but it has no iron sights and only comes in .300 Win Mag. Boo on both features. GIve it the same sights as the original Stalker, plus the option of .300 H&H and I'll put one on order for myself, like yesterday.
 
Gentlemens, behold my magnificent savage, featuring a hand-chekered stock crafted out of high-end turkish walnut, slim, elegant lines
More seriously, I always find lightly engraved color-case hardened mausers stunnning pieces of art.
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Best looking? Debatable.

But a good looking rifle always looks a little better, with a little blood on it.

I think Kevin nailed it with the first post, however!


Tim

Tim Arbeiter_Eland (7).JPG
 
What i like is a classic design with hand cut checkering. I do not like cheek pieces or forend tips on stock. Control round feed action and nice wood .
 
What i like is a classic design with hand cut checkering. I do not like cheek pieces or forend tips on stock. Control round feed action and nice wood .
I like a nice working rifle myself. Looks like Tanks and I shared the same photography studio. 500 MDM

DSCN0089.jpg
 
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I can make a case for the 1895 Winchester like this one restored by Doug Turnbull. Even unrestored they have great lines and proportions and maybe more to the liking of the single shot guys. An 1895 is probably in my top 3 of favorites of all time.


Before
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After
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@baxterb That would be great thanks. I have a sporterized Chileno Mauser that needs the stock cut down and reshaped a little so I would like to know what an original Rigby actually measures.

Yeah I didn't see that other post. My eyes wandered to all the porn in this thread.

Those measurements are:

LOP 14.375”
Total stock length: 29.5”
Barrel: 24”
Total overall length: 45.75”

Let us see your Mauser once you trim it up!
 
Those measurements are:

LOP 14.375”
Total stock length: 29.5”
Barrel: 24”
Total overall length: 45.75”

Let us see your Mauser once you trim it up!

Thank you very much to yourself and the owner for getting me the measurements.

I'll definitely post pics when it's done.
 

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This is my nominee for the best looking. A .416 Rigby built on an original Oberndorf single square bridge Magnum Mauser action by Dennis Erhardt.


View attachment 393690
I had this rifle made for me! This is the only rifle I regret selling. I actually have some funds set aside in a separate account if the new owner ever decides to part with it.
 

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sgtsabai wrote on Tanks's profile.
Business is the only way to fly. I'm headed to SA August 25. I'm hoping that business isn't an arm and a leg. If you don't mind, what airline and the cost for your trip. Mine will be convoluted. I'll be flying into the states to pick up my 416 Rigby as Thailand doesn't allow firearms (pay no attention to the daily shootings and killings) so I'll have 2 very long trips.
Vonfergus wrote on JamesJ's profile.
I am interested in the Double
Nick BOWKER HUNTING SOUTH AFRICA wrote on EGS-HQ's profile.
Hi EGS

I read your thread with interest. Would you mind sending me that PDF? May I put it on my website?

Rob
85lc wrote on Douglas Johnson's profile.
Please send a list of books and prices.
 
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