Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Info Needed - Custom "Frank Wells" M70 Win - 458 Lott caliber

The figure on that would is beautiful.

Hello Azar,

Thanks for the reply.

In the sunlight, the figure is even more spectacular than shown in my pictures.

Great story finding someones idea of a perfect rifle. Enjoying the learning. Let us know how the scope pair work out. Also curious about the iron sights and how they function in use. Thanks for posting.

Hello Bob B257

Thanks for the reply.

The scopes worked out just fine. And the iron sites are spot on. All the bullets went into a tight group.

You got a great deal no matter what you paid!

Hello Switch,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I'm pretty happy. I got it for about 1/3 of retail.

Jump back 20 years and take a look through the Gun Digests, .....Frank made rifles for royalty and was among the best of the best. I could go on for an hour on Frank but will just say that he passed on about 12 years ago, .....his wife, Rachel, is still a top engraver and member of the Custom Gunmakers Guild.

Hello Barryt,

Thanks for the reply.

You are talking about "Fred" Wells, the maker of this rifle is "Frank" Wells. You need to read the post I made earlier. "All" the information you reference is about "Fred" - not Frank. Frank Wells is alive and doing good. I spoke with him about this rifle a short while back. He is no relation to Fred.

Great looking rifle, yes Frank is still very much alive, I spent a little time with him a couple years ago at a friends shop, a very nice gentleman with a lot of talent.

Fred Wells - and Frank Wells. Not related - except in gun work. Knew Fred kinda well in Prescott, and not long ago I bought a stock blank from Frank over at the shop where he practices his craft, near Nutrioso, AZ.

Fred was quite a fellow and did help get the gun smithing program rolling at Yavapai College - I was at that College for quite a few years. He once asked if I was interested in putting that gull wing Mercedes 300SL back into shape - it was parked in the yard behind his shop at the time - but simply did not have the time. During those years, Fred's wife Rachel was quickly becoming a well-recognized engraver - had a master's touch and very artistic - and some of their rifles show her skills.

Paul Marquardt, whose shop was around the corner on Grove, was a friend and we worshiped at the same church. You may remember his earlier partnership with Atkinson (A&M) there in Prescott. I loved to visit his shop and watch him craft and mount barrels. Top flight - and I still have here a .338/.375 chambered barrel he made - need to get it shooting. Yes, Paul's fine equipment did go down to So. AZ beyond Sierra Vista. But, doubt that his knowledge and skills went along. He also helped with the program at the college - I miss him.

Frank Wells, very nice fellow, managed to get himself from Tucson up to the AZ high country and he is much sought after - take a look at his work. If I live long enough I will get this 6mm BR put together and take it over there to show him how his blank turned out.

Hello handwerk,

Hello CCCC,

Thanks for the reply.

You mentioned A&M - I have a very special rifle made by them. One of only two complete rifles they built in their 475 A&M calber. Read about it here.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11019597/1

Well, buckstix, you have gathered some very nice rifles.

When working together as A&M, those fellows developed and sold the .17 Javelina, as shown in one of the ads in your other thread. If memory is correct, and after A&M, Atkinson then started up with HS Precision and, I believe, eventually took it up to some place in the northern tier of the US. These fellows were top-drawer gunsmiths/makers. I wonder how much of that individual savvy is at work among today's gunsmiths. A lot, I hope.

Hello CCCC,

Thanks for the reply.

An interesting "twist" about the A&M 475 cal rifles. History has it that A&M only built 3 complete rifles in this caliber... and the 3rd 475 cal rifle "blew-up" during testing. It injured one of the two men, but I don't recall if it was Atkinson or Marquart. After that, they continued to make and sell 475 cal barrels over the years, but never again built another complete rifle in that caliber. My rifle was the second one they built. After cosiderable research, I found the first 475 cal that they built .... and I discovered that it was sold by Wells Sport Shop in Arizona in 2014, about he same time as I purchased my rifle. And here's the surprise! When I called Wells Sport Shop to inquire about the 475 A&M rifle that they sold, I spoke with Rachel Wells, the wife of the late Fred Wells. Rachel confirmed that their rifle sold for $15,000 and that it had a very plain walnut stock, not a fancy carved screw-bean mesquite stock like mine has. What a small World.

Egad - that pictured rear base must be strong, but it is ugly as well - and looks like the scope tube is running downhill a bit. Beautiful rifle and very typical stock for those environs in those days. I have no way to know if it was the .475 that did it, but Paul M. had a badly damaged hand from such an event.

Hello CCCC,

Thanks for the reply.

Mine does not have a scope .... but as much as it kicks ... I can understand the massiave scope base.