Hello, everyone. Thanks for replys. I usually don't ask strangers what guns to buy..but with the economy and all..Just a bit off my feed. But I appreciate all your input! I know this fellow..custom smith..top notch work! In fact I purchased another rifle from him early this spring..that kind of depleted my mad money. But after much discussion..and sleeping on it..until nearly the end of show..We came to a mutual agreement...at quite a bit reduction in price!
Now that I can inspect it at leasure..It has a Douglas Premium 26" 1/2 oct. .950"dia. at muzzle..breech width as action...This baby is heavy! Yet holding offhand..it just seems to hang there suspended..That is until my arms give out! The wood is outstanding English! The show lighting wasn't bad..but the sun was very bright when I got home..opened up case on lawn..Man that curly grain just jumped out. Nice hand rubbed semi-gloss oil finish.
He machined a custom 1/4 rib, with fancy tapered & rounded tip. Talley mounts slip on..even has neat semi-round headed pins for recoil stops. Rib color-cased. Lever is also color-cased. Action/barrel rust blued.
Pachmeir recoil pad. Keplinger set trigger. Jet black ebony forend & pistol grip cap.
Forend & buttstock completely glass bedded. Has Leupold 6.5X20 scope.
It is match-reamer chambered in .38-55 Win.
The reason he didn't checker forend was it is set up as a bench gun..Something I have always wanted in this caliber. I also found out it is nearly new..only built about 4-5 years ago.
I have an original Win. High-Wall with 30" #4 full oct. brl. in this caliber...However, it has a .379 groove dia. and chamber will not alloy seating a .379 or .380 dia. bullet..old black powder Winchesters depended on a .375-.376 soft lead bullet to "slug up" to fit..something smokeless doesn't do very well.
With it's .375 groove, I will no longer have to hand ream cases. And with it's faster twist, I can experiment with heaver bullets.
He told me if he didn't sell it, he was going to run a 9.5 X?? JDJ magnum reamer in there, checker forend, and have a big game rifle..I'm kind of glad he didn't..this is a favorite caliber of mine. We talked it over, and decided in the near future to have a NECG English style front ramp with dovetail slot for interchangeable ivory or brass bead/blade installed. The NECG peep will slip right on the quarter rib dovetail. He said he has shot nothing but cast thru it..it prints tiny cloverleafs at 100yds. Looking thru bore it's dazzling..I plan on doing the same. I am looking forward to playing with this big gun!
