Good Gun Deals This Week

[ThreeJacks]

Interesting rifle on GunBroker, custom Mauser FN .350 Rigby:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1058986140

 

[Aaron N]

Interesting rifle on GunBroker, custom Mauser FN .350 Rigby:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1058986140

Reto knows what’s he’s doing. I’d like to see where the bids end up

 

[tward1604]

Reto knows what’s he’s doing. I’d like to see where the bids end up

I'd put money this isn't a rifle Reto built. He might have sold it on consignment at some point. It isn't anywhere near his level of quality and honestly it looks to me like someone is using his literature for marketing purposes. The misspelling of his name should raise enough questions as is.

He has posted on his blog recently about people selling guns as his due to them having a Buehler safety on them.

 

[Aaron N]

I'd put money this isn't a rifle Reto built. He might have sold it on consignment at some point. It isn't anywhere near his level of quality and honestly it looks to me like someone is using his literature for marketing purposes. The misspelling of his name should raise enough questions as is.

He has posted on his blog recently about people selling guns as his due to them having a Buehler safety on them.

I’d does seem rather pedestrian, maybe he did a bit of work like the safety, peep sight, and new front sight.

 

[MontanaGrant]

That rifle was on GB by the same seller about 2-3 months ago. Brought around $2500? Seller must have backed out or the seller had a shill bidder running it up.

Nice looking rifle but I've never understood QD scope rings, and then having to install an iron sight to use it.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

You don't see these often. Most of the 360 bores were ruined between 1960 and 1990 by conversion to 9.3x74r when brass and dies weren't available.

Finding a survivor is quite a rarity.

I’ve seen that gun in person and she’s quite beatiful. They also have a pre-war Holland Dominion

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

My 9x56ms 1905 doesn't have a tang sight, or scope mounts. What I don't know is if putting correct claw mounts on it would reduce its value, I have a few period correct scopes.

Tough call.

If a 'scope would make the rifle more practical / useful to you, that clearly has value to you. It's your firearm.

On the other side; nothing can be made 'original' again once permanently altered, though a _properly mounted_ claw 'scope was, indeed, a period correct enhancement.

If one can arrange to have Joel Dorleac or other expert of his caliber (there aren't many) do the work and keep documentation I would think future resale value would be protected if not improved. Such craftsmanship and expertise, however, comes dear.

There is no 'budget' mounting to a pre WW2 MS that would likely produce an acceptable result.

Dorleac 'low mounted' claw on later model MS.

 

[rookhawk]

Tough call.

If a 'scope would make the rifle more practical / useful to you, that clearly has value to you. It's your firearm.

On the other side; nothing can be made 'original' again once permanently altered, though a _properly mounted_ claw 'scope was, indeed, a period correct enhancement.

If one can arrange to have Joel Dorleac or other expert of his caliber (there aren't many) do the work and keep documentation I would think future resale value would be protected if not improved. Such craftsmanship and expertise, however, comes dear.

There is no 'budget' mounting to a pre WW2 MS that would likely produce an acceptable result.


View attachment 621275
Dorleac 'low mounted' claw on later model MS.

It's about $700 for an EAW mount for the MS. Works great. Many were pre-drilled and tapped, those that were not it's a fairly minor penalty to originality.

The bigger issue is that in order to get an excellent low install of an optic, you need to modify the safety. That does erode originality, unless it was already done by a customizer like George Gibbs, Daniel Fraser, or the other British firms building best quality custom MS rifles in the Golden Era.

High scope mounts are an affront to God and civilized man.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Many were pre-drilled and tapped, those that were not it's a fairly minor penalty to originality.

High scope mounts are an affront to God and civilized man.

The 'pre drilled' MS were of post WW2 manufacture, high mounted 'scopes with see through mounts are authentic to pre WW2 models as that is what was installed when ordered 'back in the day'.

Stoeger, 1939:

 

[Boone66]

Tough call.

If a 'scope would make the rifle more practical / useful to you, that clearly has value to you. It's your firearm.

On the other side; nothing can be made 'original' again once permanently altered, though a _properly mounted_ claw 'scope was, indeed, a period correct enhancement.

If one can arrange to have Joel Dorleac or other expert of his caliber (there aren't many) do the work and keep documentation I would think future resale value would be protected if not improved. Such craftsmanship and expertise, however, comes dear.

There is no 'budget' mounting to a pre WW2 MS that would likely produce an acceptable result.


View attachment 621275
Dorleac 'low mounted' claw on later model MS.

That's what I was thinking, the mount and fitting would be around 2 grand. I could do it myself, but like you mentioned, it wouldn't have the prominence of a really known Smith doing it. I may just end up handing it off to my son.

 

[Boone66]

It's about $700 for an EAW mount for the MS. Works great. Many were pre-drilled and tapped, those that were not it's a fairly minor penalty to originality.

The bigger issue is that in order to get an excellent low install of an optic, you need to modify the safety. That does erode originality, unless it was already done by a customizer like George Gibbs, Daniel Fraser, or the other British firms building best quality custom MS rifles in the Golden Era.

High scope mounts are an affront to God and civilized man.

This is a pre ww1 rifle, no holes or marks and in very good condition.

 

[rookhawk]

That's what I was thinking, the mount and fitting would be around 2 grand. I could do it myself, but like you mentioned, it wouldn't have the prominence of a really known Smith doing it. I may just end up handing it off to my son.

I wouldn’t spend $2k on a dorleac mount. It ruins the originality by introducing a barrel saddle. No benefit. EAW pivot moun for mannlicher is $650 and requires 4 holes drilled and tapped, rather than extensive permanent adding of metal parts and rebluing.

To reverse the install, all that remains would be 4 plugged screw holes, just like many mannlichers have and all had in the later iterations.