Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters E O'Connor's 7x57 - On Gunbroker?

I discussed the sale of those rifles with Bill Askins, the Col's son. I had contacted him concerning Major Charles Askins, Sr. (his grandfather's) personal 1932 Browning Superposed that I lucked into. Bill is mentioned in the Col's autobiography, Unrepentant Sinner. Bill served with the CIA in Nam, ran a Montagnard army until the fall of Saigon. He took his force into Thailand, commandeered a C-130 and flew as many as he could fit on that plane to safety. Others he put on a commandeered ship, but the Commies eventually caught them.

Bill lives in San Antonio, sells real estate and airplanes. Below is the link to the Shotgunworld thread concerning that old gun. I didn't learn about the provenance until I had gotten it thru a trade with Collectors Firearms in Houston. I did let them know...

Collectors had handled some of the Col's guns. After the Major died, his wife, the Col's mother, sold the guns the Col. had given his Dad. In fact the Col. found out his Dad had died from a friend. Charlie described his mother as a "contentious Irish woman". As his Dad, the Major, was just the opposite, makes one wonder if old Charlie inherited his Mom's disposition. Those two didn't get along, Charlie and his Dad were very close. The Major was a Cavalry officer, fought in the Spanish American War. Bill relates the Major showing him how to handle a saber as a youngster.

The rifles sold thru auction were the ones Bill inherited from his Dad. There was a good number of them, all left handed, in various calibers and rounds. Bill is more into fancy horses, not so much into guns and isn't left handed.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=124719

DF

Because I like the looks of this one.

What's the story?

DF

I always thought that Eleanor's 7X57MM was a M70

I bought Chub eastman’s blowhole express just because it was his and I had read about that very rifle. Not a custom rifle I would of built but that wasn’t the point. The point was it was Chub’s. I am proud to own that rifle. Steve Timm’s has shared some great stories and history of that rifle. I could see the allure of owning a JOC rifle.

I have a rifle of someone famous (in the gun world), but I could never bring myself to ask him what amounted to... "Could you write me a letter so when you die my gun will be worth more?"

I could tell some stories....

Last year I was sorely tempted to pay premium price for a Pre 64, 70 in 270 W
stocked by Mr. Al Biesen..... it was HARD to pass up. The ONLY reason I didn’t
is my age. Pure/Simple

Jerry

I always ask for a letter to go with the rifle if I purchased the rifle directly from the famous person. No disrespect intended, but if you don't get around to asking while they're alive and retaining some degree of mental acuity its pretty damned hard to ask for a letter when they're senile or dead.

Ask.

Don’t look at it as a negative, but as a positive to give credit.

I would gladly give you a letter if I was the famous dude.

Famous dude may feel the same.

DF

I don't know much, but I've never heard of a G 33/40 made by FN.

In their November of 1970 hunt to Iran with Richard Harris, JOC used an M70 in 270, Harris used a borrowed 7x57 and Eleanor used a 7x57 Mauser. It is mentioned in the article 2x. I've always wondered of JOC was referring to a true Mauser rifle or an M70 in 7x57 Mauser. It seems implied in that article that it was a Mauser rifle as in many other articles he names the actual rifle model.

I hope a reader out there can determine the history of that rifle on Gunbroker......could have an interesting story.

Here's what Eldon "Buck" Buckner says about Eleanor's 7x57 in the biography of O'Connor by Robert Anderson. Buck was a long-time friend of the O'Connors and owns several of their rifles:

"In 1951 crack metalsmith Tom Burgess modified a Czech VZ24 Mauser action for O'Connor, fitting a hinged floorplate and 22-inch barrel chambered for the 7x57mm cartridge. Spokane stock maker Russ Leonard then fitted a stock with fleur-de-lis checkering to the barreled action, and Jack had his first 7x57 since he'd traded off the Minar in 1940. Or did he? Eleanor O'Connor tried the little rifle, fell in love with it, and after the stock had been shortened a bit, claimed it as her own. She proceeded to use it on everything from elk to eland for the rest of her hunting career."

I have a custom 7X57 on a Czech VZ24 Mauser action. I guess I have pretty good taste It is my favorite caliber.

I remember reading a JOC article or book regarding having Winchester build him a model 70 with a 7x57 Mauser barrel they had left in stock. I think I it was in the fifties.

John I have an article in the 1974 Gun Digest by JOC, that describes the same rifle you are referring to but states it is a VZ33 action, I believe that is the Czech version of the G33/40.

The rifle is question by the op is not Eleanors main rifle... the pic posted by roundoak appears to be the correct rifle... not saying the rifle wasn't owned by the O'connor's.

I remember reading that as well, pretty sure it was actually the last 7X57 barrel.

The rifle pictured in the first post is not the rifle that the O'Connor museum had on display at the Wild Sheep Foundation Reno Convention in January 2017. Elenor's rifle on display at WSF had a straight comb on it (versus the photo from Gunbroker), and was a Mauser action 7x57. I have a picture of me holding it, as well as Jack's M70 .270. They had a few of his dandy sheep on display as well.

Kurt52,
Did you see the pic Roundoak posted on page 5 of this thread and is that the rifle you held?