Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters I found a real SLEEPER - unidentified 416 Rigby - real cheap

Beautiful Grab! Looks like the perfect rifle to sit by the chair while you read a safari book.

Hello Dirtfarmer,

Thank you for your reply.

Although Les Bauska is mostly known for his premium barrels, there is a possibility that he is the one that built the complete rifle. I will continue researching.

I'll also look for early examples of laminated stocks made in the late 50's and early 60's in hopes of finding something similar that might give a clue to the builder. The overall quality of the work looks too good to be a home project.

Buckstix- great find on a great rifle. Enjoyed the story and empathize with you on bladder size...

Dirtfarmer- Maybe the best line I've heard in a while. "Don't mess with a Dodge owner, he's already mad". I'm stealing it.

Hello OSU_Sig,

Thanks for the reply.

As many of you already know. BREVEX Actions are highly collectable. They were made in Suresnes, France by M. Polonsky. (an engineer from the Radom plant in Poland) They were amde from 1955-1965) using captured German machinery taken from Oberndorf by the French Troops (Gal. Leclerc 2nd DB) and delivered by the M.A.S. (Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne) before being sold to Polonsky circa 1951.

This was the only true Magnum Mauser length action available to the trade in the years folowing WWII. They were imported and sold exclusively by Tradewinds. Here is a 1955 GUNS Magazine ad from Tradewinds.






Here's my rifle with the compact 2x-7x Burris Scope.

Buckstix,

I think the stock is one built by the late Merlin "Mel" Smart. He and Les B. worked together on projects such as yours when both were alive here in the Flathead Valley in NW MT.

Mel's laminated stock design is the precursor to what Kilimanjaro Rifles now makes http://kilimanjarorifles.com/history.html

And yes, that is one hell of a find.
I hate you!

I just ran two different inflation calculations on the sum of $118.00 in 1955.

That's more than $1,040.00 in 2014/2015 dollars.

Hello SBTCO,

Thanks for the reply. I had not heard of Merlin Smart and his stock building. Do you have any additional info on him, or examples of his stocks? Also, I had not seen the "Stealth" Laminate stock that you referenced from Kilimanjaro Rifle makers. You might be right about my stocks roots. I hope to find more info.

Hello tjm10025,

Interesting caluculation.

I'd take a couple a dozen Brevex Mausers actions at that $1040 price if you find any. Its my undestanding that less than 450 BREVEX Mauser actions were ever made.

Great find and great story

Article in the Missoulian from 2000: http://missoulian.com/art-of-the-gun/article_6b309c62-7ddd-5d54-9d09-5999c9144173.html

Could also be that Mel did the gunsmithing on your rifle, as well as the stock.

WOW! You ARE lucky.

If one compares the today price of the Brevex to today's custom actions it is close. However the cost of manufacture would not be even close.

Hello all,

If any of you have rifles built on BREVEX Mauser actions, I'd like to hear from you. Please chime in with what you have and give the serial number of the action. So far I personally know of action numbers from 42 thru 455.

Nice find.I kind of like that stock!!!

I think I'd lose that scope mount, I've never liked the one-piece mounts and rotating ring system, and go with a Weaver-style two-piece set-up, to free up more room under the scope, and for a more-solid mount, otherwise, congrats on a nice rig!

Wonderful, I share your nightly issues and can't usually sleep after 04:00 so I often check the net. I have many fine rifles now and still find pieces I lust after....my wife is super and never whines about buying things like my second Dakota 76-.338WM, but, we are pensioners and so........

Anyway, that seems one NICE piece, lots of luck with it!

Hello SNAP,

Thanks for the reply,

WOW! are you lucky to have a wife like that! Do you mind giving her my name in case you die?

Tell her I will quickly dump mine.

+2. Here.

Easy there guys...

I may have been a bit hasty in my zeal to reshape that stock, not realizing how nicely it was made. If it was a home project, maybe. But as the history unfolds, leaving it as is makes more and more sense.

So, in the spirit of maintaining the vintage look, maybe that old base with suitable rings may compliment the 60's motif...

Just saying...

DF

D F -

You've seen the light!!

Late beats never...

DF