Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 416 Rigby Custom Project

The last two months have entailed a lot of finish coats for the stock and waiting, waiting, waiting. The metal work went out for some simple engraving a few weeks ago and just arrived back in Duane's shop today.

The engraver, Charles Lee, did a great job of giving me just what I had asked for - a 1930's working rifle look.

Here's a peek at Charles' work:







The stippling and handcut border lines look deceptively simple. It's amazing how many hours are involved in building a rifle that is supposed to look "unadorned".

I absolutely love the stippling. The engraving is subtle and very nice. I'm looking for another piece of wood if you have a spare.
Butch

Looks fantastic!

Butch, I have a bunch of blanks here. Some are earmarked for projects I have in mind but others are not. I'll send you an email and we can talk it over.

Forrest,
You are going to have to bring that on our hunt this winter so I can slobber all over it. Absolutely beautiful.

Wow, that is one fine looking rifle you have there! Thanks for sharing the progress of the build with all of us. Very interesting!

Duane is getting close to being finished with the rifle. The bluing is finished. The stock is now checkered and Duane is putting a leather cover on the recoil pad. Here are some photos of the checkering. It�s very traditional English style flat top checkering. It took a long time for flat top checkering to grow on me. I�ve seen a few rifles with really nice flat top checkering and I liked them a lot but this is the first time I�ve asked for flat top checkering on a rifle of my own.

Here are a few photos that show some detail:







The next set of photos should be of the completed rifle.

Outstanding. How does flattop checkering handle compared to standard checkering?

Like many here, I am anxious to see the finished project. This one will be stunning. Thanks for the updates.

Well, it feels "different". Flat top checkering has a surprising amount of "grip" to it that I think comes from all the crisp edges. I've been told that it was first popular on straight grip shotguns with double triggers because the checkering allowed for easier sliding of the trigger-pulling hand. Flat top checkering probably does release a little quicker than the more common diamond checkering.

Safariman, I'm glad you've enjoyed the photos. I've certainly enjoyed sharing them. No one is more anxious than I am to see the finished product. I'll post the final photos as soon as I can take them.

Forrest,

Thanks for sharing another project. This one is indeed turning into another very fine rifle !

T

Forrest,
I'm like you. The flat top checkering is very nice. I am really looking forward to the finished rifle.
Butch

Forrest,

While I'm not a big fan of flat-topped checkering, done right, the way Duane does it, I must admit that it is attractive. Another wonderful rifle. I'll anxiously await the photos of the finished rifle.

Tom

You and me both, Tom. Duane says another week or so and it'll be ready for shipping.

Do you have a book or other project in the works right now?

Forrest,

I've always got a book or two in some sort of progress. Alas, I don't have anything near finished though. Project wise, I have a few custom projects ongoing, my latest should come in by the end of the week. It has been an interesting project.

It started with an article idea. I thought I'd get a factory rifle, scope it, and take it to the range right out-of-the-box. I figured I'd shoot some groups with it, using factory ammo, and record the results. I'd then sent the rifle off to Hill Country Rifles for their accurizing package. When HCR finished with it, I'd take it back to the range, fires some groups with factory ammo, compare the results and write the story. I did all that. The rifle I used was borrowed from USRAC and was a Model 70 Classic Featherweight in 30-06.

The out-of-the-box results weren't bad at all, averaging about 1.5 MOA. When I got it back from HCR, using Hornady 180 grain factory loads, it was grouping .5 MOA! I was so pleased with it that I decided I couldn't return the rifle, so I bought it from USRAC. Please note for you disbelievers, I said BOUGHT the rifle. I did receive a writers discount, which is just about wholesale.

I took it to Africa twice, once as my plains game rifle on a buffalo hunt in Tanzania, and as my only rifle on a trip to Namibia. I shot eland, gemsbok, springbok, East African impala, warthog, Grant's gazelle, plus a Burchell's and a Hartmann's Mountain zebra with the rifle. As a result, I decided to have the rifle spiffed up a bit.

The factory metal, with the exception of the bottom metal, was retained. I did add a Blackburn bottom metal set for it. Todd Johnson did all the metal polishing and slow rust bluing on the metal. Gary Goudy custom stocked the rifle using a stick of New Zealand walnut that was over twenty-five year old. It is not a flashy stick, but it is a very good piece with perfect grain flow, excellent color, and some nice figure. Gary checkered it in a rendition of Al Biesen's fleur-de-lis pattern at my request. It is finished and in the mail to me as I write this. I should have it Friday or Saturday. I'm anxious.


Tom

Tom,
Please post a teaser photo.
Butch

Butch,

I'd be happy to when it comes in, if I could just figure out how to do so. When I have computer questions, I ask my granddaughter for advice. That tells you how computer literate I am. I have a couple in-process photos here of the stock work. I also have a photo hosting account. I can't seem to get the photos from the host to the site. I can e-mail them to someone who might agree to post them for me.

Cheers,

Tom

Tom,
I'd be happy to do it. It took me 3 years to learn. My Grandson taught me.
Butch
papawlambertstarband.net

TSquare

That is a great story about how you took that new rifle to Africa and shot all of those animals with it. But also kind of sad in a way becasue you have written so much about the Miller Rifle that you basically took everywhere. Is the Miller .270 now officially retired?

As for photos. First thing you want to do is get an account with PHOTOBUCKET. Easy to do, and its FREE.

22WRF,

Actually, semi-retired is more correct. I still take the old Miller on a few hunts each year. Last year, I had it in New Mexico for pronghorn, and in Sonora, Mexico for Coues deer. Alas, I didn't fire a shot on either trip. I didn't get a chance at a good, mature animal on either hunt.

The barrel on that rifle has about had it. Instead of .5 MOA groups like it used to produce, about the best I can get now is 1.5 MOA groups, still good enough for hunting, but failing fast. I'm hesitant to rebarrel it for sentimental reasons, so may fully retire it before too much longer.

I have a Photobucket account, and have photos uploaded to the account. I just can't figure out how to get them from there to the fire.

Tom