Any info on this Gunsmith??

[jnelson]

Have obtained the worlds ugliest 404 jeffery. Anyone heard of this gunsmith?? The receipt is from the build in 1987!! The stock is a miserable looking thing!! But the action is a 1949 build pre 64 model 70!!

 

[Josh P]

Seen better, seen worse. Shoot the snot out of it! If it offends your senses, I'm sure we can offload it for you.

 

[JimP]

Looks like a good functional rifle, who cares what the stock looks like if it shoots.

 

[USMA84DAB]

Looks like a nice, professional, full length bedding - assuming it has clearance for the float, but can't tell from here.

It looks like it is from the 1960s
- you can replace the recoil pad if it has hardened
- the wood looks almost as if the stock was painted, or very darkly stained - no grain to be seen - you could fix that also

Looks like a restoration in the making!

But does it shoot?

 

[geoff rath]

One simple question? Does the existing stock fit you? If so, it's a keeper!!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

The action has been buggered majorly. Note that there's no floor plate! Looks like the guy sawed off half the bottom metal so he could extend the magazine box into the stock to make it 4+1. I suggest tossing that stock and find a factory trigger guard and floor plate. With restock it will become a normal looking 3+1 gun again. Well worth the money. This clearly was a non-magnum (e.g. 30-06) converted to 404. Nothing wrong with that IF the gunsmith got the feeding rails and ramp correct. Model 70 standard action should be plenty strong enough for 404. I suggest you try cycling some ammo through it first. If it cycles fine then make the above changes and you'll have a gun worth something.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Hmmm. On second glance it looks like this was not a standard action. The box on a standard would not be long enough for 404. If it was a standard action, the end of the box would be cut away. Must have been a magnum action of some sort. Apparently the "gunsmith" removed the floorplate and made a custom stock with magazine extention inside the wood so the gun would hold more shells. Again, try cycling some rounds. If they feed and eject, I say throw away that butt ugly stock, buy a new one (or good used one), and find a floorplate and trigger guard. I'm sure there are aftermarket ones available. This could EASILY become a very attractive rifle worth some money ... IF it cycles properly. Also, I strongly recommend having a gunsmith check the chamber with go/no-go gauges. You can probably order the gauges yourself fairly cheap. They are not rocket science. A child could check a gun with them. I'm a little concerned a gunsmith who would cobble together bottom metal and stock like that maybe didn't mate receiver and 404 barrel correctly.

I suspect you picked it up cheap because it's a sow's ear to look at. For a couple hundred bucks (at most) it will be a silk purse! I'll give you what you've got in it!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

This has been a learning process. Thanks. I see from the purchase order that the request was for a "blind trigger guard" (and magazine). Now I know what a "blind magazine" is - floor plate removed. Purpose is solely for "cleaner lines." Definitely not achieved here! I think I'm probably correct in assuming the gunsmith attempted to extend the blind magazine for an additional cartridge (even though client did not order it). Load it up and see how many it holds. Should be easy to change it back to conventional hinged floorplate. Lots of parts are available for Model 70.

 

[JimP]

I have read that on heaver recoiling rifles that a hinged floor plate s frowned upon simply because they may open up and dump all your extra rounds into the dirt at the wrong moment in time.

I personally would just use it as it is as long as it suits your needs. On a working rifle I could care less what a stock looks like as long as it is functional.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I just installed new Blackburn-Swift bottom metal on the Czech Mauser I'm building into 404 Jeffery. It almost requires a tire iron to trip the floorplate. I cannot see how any amount of recoil could knock it open. And it is either closed tight or open. The original BRNO floorplate was even harder to open.

 

[jnelson]

Action is a Group VII for 300HH or 375HH, Mag well dimension is spot on at 3.700 inches. Gun runs and drives!!!! I knew the prior owner of the rifle. I have obtained 5 model 70 rifles all with the same builder "PEARCE" in Casa Grande. Note the build receipt is 1987. The latest build receipt on any of the 5 was 1991. Anyway, barrel is a little unusual contour but plan is to bring it back to more normal looking rifle. Im thinking get rid of the slotted brake and put a NEGC front sight and a Winchester classic rear sight. Mcmillan will make me a pre 64 rough inletted stock and Long Rifles INC. in South Dakota can lazer inlet the stock for the action and normal bottom metal.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Action is a Group VII for 300HH or 375HH, Mag well dimension is spot on at 3.700 inches. Gun runs and drives!!!! I knew the prior owner of the rifle. I have obtained 5 model 70 rifles all with the same builder "PEARCE" in Casa Grande. Note the build receipt is 1987. The latest build receipt on any of the 5 was 1991. Anyway, barrel is a little unusual contour but plan is to bring it back to more normal looking rifle. Im thinking get rid of the slotted brake and put a NEGC front sight and a Winchester classic rear sight. Mcmillan will make me a pre 64 rough inletted stock and Long Rifles INC. in South Dakota can lazer inlet the stock for the action and normal bottom metal.

Good plan and you can peddle the fiberglass stock to someone who doesn't want to ding their original.

 

[Doug3006]

Looks like a good functional rifle, who cares what the stock looks like if it shoots.

Uhhhhh….I do!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Action is a Group VII for 300HH or 375HH, Mag well dimension is spot on at 3.700 inches. Gun runs and drives!!!! I knew the prior owner of the rifle. I have obtained 5 model 70 rifles all with the same builder "PEARCE" in Casa Grande. Note the build receipt is 1987. The latest build receipt on any of the 5 was 1991. Anyway, barrel is a little unusual contour but plan is to bring it back to more normal looking rifle. Im thinking get rid of the slotted brake and put a NEGC front sight and a Winchester classic rear sight. Mcmillan will make me a pre 64 rough inletted stock and Long Rifles INC. in South Dakota can lazer inlet the stock for the action and normal bottom metal.

Sounds great. On blowing up the image I can see the mag box has not been messed with. I presume most gunsmiths who change to blind box would cut some of the box off to maintain original stock contour. Otherwise there likely would not be enough wood in the bottom. It would crack. Fortunately, this guy kept the box intact. I guess the artificial stock was designed for that. Can't imagine it was ever a hot selling design. Blech!

I second your vote to get rid of the brake. I found 1990s Winchester Safari Express sights for both my Springfield and this Mauser. Great choice.