Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Found a Neat One at My LGS

Another consignment piece that I spotted a week ago. I dropped by again today to give it better look. Fairly high condition. The action dates to 1953. No builder name unless it is hidden. Tomorrow I will take it apart to check. Clearly not the builders first rodeo. Inside the bow bottom metal, two panel checkered bolt, built up and checkered bolt release and it appears to be rust blued. I have wanted a Swede for years and finally found one that ticked the box. Zeiss Diavari-C 1.5-4.5x18 in Leupold QDs's. I have set of sculpted Talley bases that will go on it along with 1-screws QD's. Pretty well priced too. Pretty stoked. Now it's dies, brass and bullets.

Wow, that's gorgeous! A great cartridge too.

Finding a custom rifle without paying for the custom build, you did very well there!

Wow is right . What a beauty!! Congrats

Ed;
Good afternoon sir, I'm going to go out on a limb here and surmise that wonderful find has more than offset other grievous occurrences of late?

Now as you know, my Teutonic heritage both keeps my hat from blowing off in a stiff wind and affects my tastes in stock shape, but Holy Smokes sir that one checks all the boxes for me.

I do love the chambering, the figure of the lumber is wonderful and the little accent carving in front of the front sling swivel is icing on the cake.

I'd agree with your assessment that whomever did this, it wasn't the first attempt.

The checkering and the lines on the stock are very well executed in my opinion.

Absolutely wonderful arm there sir, well done on picking it up.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Dwayne

Edit to add;

We've killed local mulie and whitetail bucks with two different 6.5x55's with a bunch of different bullets. Mostly nowadays our daughter runs 130gr TSX in her 20" barreled '96 and I've been playing with either 120gr TTSX or GMX in my 21" barreled rifle on a 98 action.

But 140's worked too, as have 129gr Hornady.

Any slower powder - say IMR or H4350, RL 19 or either H or IMR 4831 have all given acceptable results.

Excellent find Ed.

Great looking rifle Ed, I really like that stock and I am not a fan of full length stocks!

Sweet!

Beautiful rifle, congratulations.

The stockmaker will most likely be stamped somewhere like the barrel channel or under the buttplate..

Based on the styling details of the buttstock and the Checkering pattern my prediction as to the maker of the stock is one of these three men-


1) Dale Goens

2) Al Bieson

3) Maurice Ottmar

I am almost 90% sure it is a Dale Goens stock as his buttstock architecture was similar to Bieson's and he used that exact ribbon and Fluer de lis pattern quite a bit. As a matter of fact that stock is a near duplicate of a Mannlicher style stock he made out of Oregon Black walnut that was pictured in Monte Kennedys "Gunstock Carving and Checkering" book from the 1950s. That even had the same checkering pattern and the Schnabble carved mid way up the forend..

what a beautiful find, please keep us informed as you explore further...

Thanks gents. JK16 greatly appreciated. I was going to post it on AR and see what the folks say there.

JK16, I think you nailed it with Goens. The bottom metal screws on mine are given a similar checkering and the checkering appears spot on. Do you know if he typically "signed" his work?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/dale-...lis-checkering-3-of--438538082455539188/

REALLY cool Ed...Don't let Patrick see that wood!

Congrats on a very nice rifle. That would have come home with me in a second and I have a custom Mannlicher stocked 6.5X55!!!. You will love the cartridge.

It is sweet Tom. Now if I could find some 6.5 bullets...

If it shoots half as good as it looks it'll be a 1/4'' rifle. Wow! Gorgeous!

Congratulations on a great find. It's simply stunning and I appreciate you sharing photos with us. Please keep us updated as it begins its journey with you.

Very nice-- good snag

Work of art.

Yes sir, that is a neat one. I'm a stainless, coated, synthetic stocked guy for using but I can really appreciate one put together like that. Very nice.

Can’t say much more than has already been said, so I’ll just say that rifle is beautiful. Just perfect in every way.

Beautiful rifle. Congratulations.

I never cared for full-stocked rifles.

But I'd make an exception for that one. It's gorgeous.


Okie John

Very nice rifle. A hell of a find. Thanks for sharing!!

Great find! Congrats!

Ed

I think I got a bargain.

Damn, lotta cool in that package big Ed.👊🏻

WHAT A SCORE!!

Beautiful wood and I love the checkering pattern.

Well, I guess I was correct.

Tell me Ed. ,was the LGS you bought that rifle from located in Texas or Idaho?

Just curious.

Beautiful rifle Ed.

I looked at it but didn’t have the cash.

My son was drooling over the wood also.

Enjoy
Dave

Nice find!

What a score. Nice grab. That looks like a handy lil son of a gun.

Texas, about 15 miles from my house.

Yep. They dropped the price to $2600 and I was done. Nice little custom laminated Mauser there as well.

Boom!!! Ed you had the buy of the month and maybe next month as well.

Super good on you. Hope you bring it to the hog hunt cause I want to fondel it.

Also please bring your .41 SPC since I've got one also so we could compare. You bought an awesome fire stick.

Very Very Nice . Beautiful wood.

Nice find. That’s a beauty 😁

Dam that's pretty! Great find!

That rifle is a piece of art!! I'd be happy to hunt with it if it were mine!! Congrats

That is a pretty rifle!

Dang, you did really good! What a beautiful rifle!

Ed,

Beautiful rifle, congratulations. I'm to old to be a son, but I'd be happy to be your long lost brother when you are assigning this one in your will.

I don't know what you're going to be looking for in regards to ammo or components, but quite of few of us last year bought Norma 6.5x55 Professional Hunter ammo loaded with 140gr. Nosler Partitions. At $24.95 a box, it almost doesn't make sense to buy components.

It's listed velocity is 2690 fps and out of my Tikka got 2670 fps with .75 inch accuracy. Rivertown Munitions still has a good supply of it. I bought two cases and may by another. Link below for your convenience.

https://rivertownmunitions.com/prod...40-grain-partition-soft-point-20-rd-box/

I received your PM. Thanks and an order is in.

Well, I have to congratulate the campfire. Before I posted the link for EdM last night, I checked the company's inventory to make sure they still had that ammo.

Since last night, ya'll have managed to buy 26 cases of great 6.5x55 ammo.

Almost missed it! Only 5 were available according to the website so that's all I could get.

Gorgeous, Ed, just gorgeous.

That is a nice pick up Ed.

I’m not a European fan or a fan of full stock rifles but I do appreciate beauty and that is most definitely a beauty Ed.

That will look good in the field or in the rack and I hope you begin creating memories with her soon!

Wow! Great grab!

Beautiful. Neat find indeed. Congrats Ed.




Edit to add:

Good campfire thread on Dale Goens:

Dale Goens Rifle - Ask the Gunwriters _ 11-03-2011

Obituary for GOENS

Yes I found that 'fire link soon after I bought the rifle. I was fortunate enough to meet most of those now deceased in that thread.

Very cool.

JK16 - amazing call on the stock maker

Just now seeing this thread Ed, and had to surface to congratulate you on such a great find, and at a real bargain price!

Thanks, but I am a victim of a very selective photographic memory. I saw this in Monte Kennedy's book in the mid 1970s and never forgot what that stock looked like.

With the exception of that Al Biesen-esque recurve to the back of the cheekpiece shadow line. The stock Ed snagged is a near dead ring for this one . Me-thinks Mr. Goens got MORE than a few orders from that book. I am sure many folks said "build me a Mannlicher style stock JUST like that one".

Brad,

It really is a neat rifle chambered in a round I have wanted to own for years and really a fitting combo in rifle style and chambering in my mind. So much so that it is sitting with me in my hotel room in Ogden as we head to north Idaho for the summer just so I can shoot it.

What a beauty !

Wow. That rifle is gorgeous, I am a fan of Mannlicher stocked rifles. Great snag Ed.

Beautiful rifle and great snag Ed. It is amazing to me that the dealer would make no effort to figure out what he had before offering it for sale. At any rate enjoy..mb

Congrats on your new to you Dale Goens. What a great find.

good Lord! what a beauty!
i was all set to cry if you had found that at a shop up here Ed.
world class action.
world class chambering.
world class wood
world class builder
world class checkering.
combined that is out of this world!

Sadly, it's been my experience that many dealers do not have the time, the interest or inclination to go gaga over wonderful rifles like these. It is only the true aficionados such as inhabit this forum that really care for them. "It looks nice, let's price it at X" is the common attitude. A shame in some respects but it can often prove fortunate for others including the OP who got what can only be termed 'the deal of a lifetime.' Congratulations on a gorgeous rifle.

Not all gun dealers are gun people.

DF

I’d hunt that rifle in a heartbeat, good find!

That is a truly incredible rifle Ed! Thank you so much for sharing, I've enjoyed seeing people's input into this beautiful rifle.

Not all gun dealers are gun people.

DF[/quote]
Gee DF that's a fact for sure but it is a perfect example of the fact that idiots are everywhere. Well Ed had some luck but he is an engineer and they are used to dealing with idiots so he came out on top as one would expect.. Good job.Ed.

Gee DF that's a fact for sure but it is a perfect example of the fact that idiots are everywhere. Well Ed had some luck but he is an engineer and they are used to dealing with idiots so he came out on top as one would expect.. Good job.Ed.[/quote]
I’m sure Ed’s glad the dealer didn’t research this rifle. That stamp in the stock greatly enhances the value.

Great find, super deal.

DF

Eye candy that goes BANG!

Veeerrrryyy nice.

How does it shoot?

I just spent five days getting from my place in Texas to my place in north Idaho and brought it with me. I should get it out in a week or two.

Ran across this thread today Ed. Wow, what a find and great deal.
Best of luck with it. Do you plan to hunt with it ?

That scope is a good one. I found one to put on my Len Brownell built 7RM on a Champlin and Haskins action. The way he positioned the rings, which he made, not many scope would work due to wide spacing.

It looks good on your rifle. I found the glass to be exceptional.

DF

Man that was a dandy Brownell. Very nice one DF

Thanks, it was a bit fancy for me; I ultimately sold it to a Fire contributor who bought it for his son. At least he's trying to educate the younger generation about finer firearms.

I posted these pictures to let EdM know what I think of that scope. They're hard to find and aren't cheap when you do find one.

I think he'll like it. Agree with him changing those rings and bases; those don't do much for me. Evidently they don't do much for him and I like his replacement choice.

Ed snagged a really fine rifle. I guess it takes ole farts like us to appreciate that kinda vintage workmanship. The younger crowd seems more into black rifles and such.

DF


Edited to add, everyone needs at least one Swede. I really like mine, and although I do have a manbun, a 6.5-284 and a 26 Nos, the Swede is an appreciated classic, proudly holding it's own in my safe.

That's a beautiful Goens that you'll enjoy the remainder of your days. Congratulations on finding such a beautiful creation by a top shelf artisan!

That’s a beautiful rifle!

That book arrived today. About identical.

Amazing rifle.

JK16 knows his high end vintage rifle makers. Kudos; I'm impressed.

EdM, let us know how it shoots, probably about as good as it looks.

DF

Give me a week or two. Talley sent me the wrong ring levers and my son and DIL are up here for the week beginning tomorrow. It should time nicely.

Curious about your North Idaho digs. Bet it’s nice. Have you ever posted pictures of the scenery, etc? Beautiful country up there. Bet it’s cooler in summer than TX.

Some don’t like to post pictures of their property. Not sure your thoughts on such.

DF

No worries.



Winters were fun. I just picked up my youngest shown here and his pregnant wife today for a week up here without their near 1 year old son. Her birthday was today, 25...





We are well back in the mountains shown.



That's Schweitzer Ski Resort on the off mountain.

Ed-

Hope you found some ammo. Lapua ready rolled 139 gr and 123 gr scenars are killer in my rifle. Pricy but you have great brass for reloading. I can't reload better than those shoot. Bought some off the fire here several years ago and gosh did they shoot in my rifle. Let us know when you get time how she does.

Thanks for sharing pics of a classic!

Razorhog

Ed, thanks for posting those pictures. Nice set up, beautiful area.

You guys have a great Father’s Day.

DF

Lake Pend Oreille (Ponderay) is one gorgeous place to vacation, much less live in residence!

Very nice rifle you have their Ed. I hope you had a great Father's Day.

Somehow I missed this thread.

Ed... Can I hang with you when you're hitting the gun shops?

I may have missed it, but what is the name of the book mentioned on page 4?

Checkering and Carving of Gunstocks by Monty Kennedy.

Thank you kindly.

Sorry I'm late on the string, but that is one darn fine looking rifle. As others have said, it checks the boxes! It moves into what I consider the perfect looking rifle.