dabluesguy
New member
The crown and elg are the Belgian proof mark. The letter above is supposedly the actual inspector's initial.
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Can I please get a little help identifying this rifle?
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I think that the point, as said by hibc, is the impossibility of acquiring one of them new. Just the stock and checkering on that thing would probably run nearly 1k, and extra to fit the action.
I agree, that does resemble the H&R rifle.
I agree, it sure seems hard to swallow that it would actually be a weatherby, based on lack of logo at least, but it sure has a lot of characteristics that I think would be consistent with an early weatherby. I especially wonder, what does markII mean?
the question isn't so much what it could be bought or sold for, IMO, but just like any other insurance question, what would it cost to replace it? Of course, you could buy one of the top line rifles off the shelf, but a custom of that grade isn't going to be available.
The wood to metal fit is just astounding. I can't understand why the checkering looks like it's only 2 lines per inch. I would have expected MUCH better checkering.
I agree, that does resemble the H&R rifle.
I agree, it sure seems hard to swallow that it would actually be a weatherby, based on lack of logo at least, but it sure has a lot of characteristics that I think would be consistent with an early weatherby. I especially wonder, what does markII mean?
the question isn't so much what it could be bought or sold for, IMO, but just like any other insurance question, what would it cost to replace it? Of course, you could buy one of the top line rifles off the shelf, but a custom of that grade isn't going to be available.
The wood to metal fit is just astounding. I can't understand why the checkering looks like it's only 2 lines per inch. I would have expected MUCH better checkering.
Mike Irwin
Staff
In Weatherby terminology, I'm pretty sure that a Mark II is a .22 rifle.
Marquezj16
New member
I thought Mark XXII was the Weatherby .22?
I've seen the Mark II on other Mauser bolts as well, so I don't think it's a Weatherby specific marking.
I've seen the Mark II on other Mauser bolts as well, so I don't think it's a Weatherby specific marking.
"Mark II" is an American commercial Buehler (sp ?) Mark II safety from the 1960-70's - a drop-in low/scope safety conversion for an issue military Mauser wing safety.
The action is an FN military 98 Mauser, the barrel is a custom featherweight contour, and both appear to have been assembled from new parts in Belgium, proofed in Belgium, then professionally polished/blued w/o disturbing any of the stampings, hole edges, etc. My WAG is that they were ordered/imported by an American gunshop in the 60's - possibly Flaig's of PA.
The stock styling & chambering are definitely American - and some more clues may lie in the barrel channel or under the recoil pad (where I've found many clues).
I would value it @ $800, with the period (60's-70's)Redfield variable scope.
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The action is an FN military 98 Mauser, the barrel is a custom featherweight contour, and both appear to have been assembled from new parts in Belgium, proofed in Belgium, then professionally polished/blued w/o disturbing any of the stampings, hole edges, etc. My WAG is that they were ordered/imported by an American gunshop in the 60's - possibly Flaig's of PA.
The stock styling & chambering are definitely American - and some more clues may lie in the barrel channel or under the recoil pad (where I've found many clues).
I would value it @ $800, with the period (60's-70's)Redfield variable scope.
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Again, thanks so much for all the information folks.
Ok, I spoke with the daughter of the gentleman that I inherited this rifle from and asked her what she knew about it. She said "not much but i remember him making it when I was a kid"(she's 53 years old now). I said what do you mean he made it. She said "I remember him "carving" the wood." But she didnt know much more than that.
So I guess my question is, is it possible that this is the rifle she remembers(this guy literally had hundreds of guns when he passed away), and that this stock was a custom hand made one?
This guy was definitely a master craftsman and a fantastic carpenter
Ok, I spoke with the daughter of the gentleman that I inherited this rifle from and asked her what she knew about it. She said "not much but i remember him making it when I was a kid"(she's 53 years old now). I said what do you mean he made it. She said "I remember him "carving" the wood." But she didnt know much more than that.
So I guess my question is, is it possible that this is the rifle she remembers(this guy literally had hundreds of guns when he passed away), and that this stock was a custom hand made one?
This guy was definitely a master craftsman and a fantastic carpenter
Mike Irwin
Staff
Actually, my guess is that that was a stock blank from one of the suppliers that sprang up after World War II to meet the demand for sporterization products.
To a kid, inletting and final sanding would probably look like carving.
To a kid, inletting and final sanding would probably look like carving.
sigshepardo
New member
It appears to be a Belgan made Mauser, 1930s manufactuer. I am unsure about how to value that custom made stock. Your bolt is military with the exception of that safety, I'm not sure of where that came from. The scope and mounts of course are new too. That gun is the most beautiful Mauser I have ever seen! Don't ever let it leave your hands!!! If I was going to buy it I would pay $1300. Not saying that is its exact value, But that is just what it appears to be worth to me. Great rifle, and good luck!
As some othes have said, this is a smith or hobbyist copy of one of the early German-made Weatherby rifles. The action is military, the barrel is a reworked barrel and has a flange ring installed and turned to give the appearance of a Winchester Featherweight barrel, and the stock is an aftermarket stock very well done. The safety is a Dayton-Traister Mark II, a very common and inexpensive aftermarket addition. The stock is very well done, but the rollover cheekpiece is a clue that this is not a real Weatherby. The checkering is cut to resemble the German Weatherby checkering, including the little diamond-shaped panel at the front edge.
Overall a very nice rifle, but still "just" a military Mauser conversion. value would probably be around $650-ish unless you found someone who just had to have it. Very nice rifle, but Mausers don't command anywhere near the money that it takes to build them anymore.
Overall a very nice rifle, but still "just" a military Mauser conversion. value would probably be around $650-ish unless you found someone who just had to have it. Very nice rifle, but Mausers don't command anywhere near the money that it takes to build them anymore.
warbirdlover
New member
Back in the 70's I built a custom rifle on a new FN Mauser Supreme barreled action and a FAJEN stock. That stock SCREAMS of Fajen! The only difference between that and my stock was the Weatherby style front. The wood grain between this stock and mine was almost identical. Absolutely a beautiful firearm! I wouldn't take that into the woods!
And I was in my early 20's when I did that rifle and it turned out just as beautiful as this. You CAN do a good job if you take the time to learn from those experts and read everything you can on how to do it.
And be assured this rifle is worth much more then $600. Those rifles are where someone took a military action, stuck it in a "carved" up cheapo stock and called it good. Any rifle with obviously this much work put into it and that kind of stock is going to be worth over $1,000 easily and probably much more. Example: To get that kind of look on a stock takes sometimes 100 coats of finish applied and sanding between each coat with paper and then fine steel wool. Then there's the hand checkering.
And I was in my early 20's when I did that rifle and it turned out just as beautiful as this. You CAN do a good job if you take the time to learn from those experts and read everything you can on how to do it.
And be assured this rifle is worth much more then $600. Those rifles are where someone took a military action, stuck it in a "carved" up cheapo stock and called it good. Any rifle with obviously this much work put into it and that kind of stock is going to be worth over $1,000 easily and probably much more. Example: To get that kind of look on a stock takes sometimes 100 coats of finish applied and sanding between each coat with paper and then fine steel wool. Then there's the hand checkering.
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The bolt being reshaped is a pretty dead giveaway for it being a military action, I guess.
I wish I could remember if, or where, I have the fajen catalogs that I used to get. If it wasn't entirely handmade, it might actually be found in the fajen catalog of patterns. They had some really wild california style stocks.
Even in the good old days, I think that there were more commercially made stocks put onto rifles than were done by guys with rasps and planes in their garage. My father made a KY rifle, from a plank. It drove me nuts watching him file for hours. I've restocked 6 firearms with premade stocks. The only thing I've made from wood is an occasional set of handgrips for pistols.
I wish I could remember if, or where, I have the fajen catalogs that I used to get. If it wasn't entirely handmade, it might actually be found in the fajen catalog of patterns. They had some really wild california style stocks.
Even in the good old days, I think that there were more commercially made stocks put onto rifles than were done by guys with rasps and planes in their garage. My father made a KY rifle, from a plank. It drove me nuts watching him file for hours. I've restocked 6 firearms with premade stocks. The only thing I've made from wood is an occasional set of handgrips for pistols.
Well, anyway, if you ever decide to sell it, I've got a genuine pre 63 springfield break action in 30-30. I'll give you that and a couple of C notes in trade, and you'll have a rifle that you won't be afraid of getting a little scratched up. Gimme an email if you're ever feeling that stupid.
And be assured this rifle is worth much more then $600. Those rifles are where someone took a military action, stuck it in a "carved" up cheapo stock and called it good. Any rifle with obviously this much work put into it and that kind of stock is going to be worth over $1,000 easily and probably much more.
Not if he tries to sell it (which I know he doesn't want too), sure there is well over $1K worth of parts and labor in that rifle by todays standards. However, it is terribly hard to sell a Mil-Surp sporter unless it was done by a famous guild level smith and has documentation to prove it. I love a good sporter as much as anybody but like Scorch said unless someone has to have it, it is very hard to get more than $600 out of it no matter how finely it is crafted. All you need to do is go to gunbroker.com and watch what people are asking for rifles like this one and then search the ones that actually sell and you will see a huge disparity in prices.
The best way to get a true cost for insurance purposes is to take it to an appraiser that specializes in firearms. Not one who will just pull out a blue book of gun values and make a determination. A person really needs to have the rifle in hand to make a good approximation of value.
I don't disagree with you there; nowadays very few people seem to value the aesthetics of a fine piece of work like that. That used rifle will sell for less than the brand new carbon fiber one on the table next to it, partly because it will never go into the field. People who want a rifle like that may be more inclined to have it made.
I read a long article about the fajen stockworks, and one of the stories he told was about a collector. the guy bought 50-80 or so mauser actions, identical other than caliber. He had them delivered to the factory. He would collect a blank here and there, and send the blank in with instructions and they would send him the finished rifle.
I read a long article about the fajen stockworks, and one of the stories he told was about a collector. the guy bought 50-80 or so mauser actions, identical other than caliber. He had them delivered to the factory. He would collect a blank here and there, and send the blank in with instructions and they would send him the finished rifle.
black mamba
New member
A very nice looking rifle because of the AA walnut, but the quality of the checkering is factory equivalent, subpar for a custom. Diamonds are flat or rounded, many runovers into the border, low lpi, etc.
My guess would be a 90%+ inletted, fully finished factory replacement stock on the FN Mauser barreled action, with the replacement wing safety for scope use. I would value it at from $600 to $800 as is.
If the checkering was hand recut by a competent craftsman, plus a 3-position model 70 style safety added, the value would increase greatly, but maybe not more than the cost of the improvements.
Custom anything seldom brings a return on investment. People willing to go custom usually like to pick their own poison.
My guess would be a 90%+ inletted, fully finished factory replacement stock on the FN Mauser barreled action, with the replacement wing safety for scope use. I would value it at from $600 to $800 as is.
If the checkering was hand recut by a competent craftsman, plus a 3-position model 70 style safety added, the value would increase greatly, but maybe not more than the cost of the improvements.
Custom anything seldom brings a return on investment. People willing to go custom usually like to pick their own poison.
The wood is 90% of the value to me.
http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Right side is an o3-a3. Center and left are 700s. left is factory stock, center is custom. Both stocks actually seem to have equal or better figure and color on the off side. One I have was downgraded to the base level because it had no figure in the stock, but from the pistol grip forward, the walnut was tiger striped.
http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Right side is an o3-a3. Center and left are 700s. left is factory stock, center is custom. Both stocks actually seem to have equal or better figure and color on the off side. One I have was downgraded to the base level because it had no figure in the stock, but from the pistol grip forward, the walnut was tiger striped.