Always wanted one. An original South Gate Weatherby in an FN Mauser Action and Imperial 4X scope of German manufacture. Surprisingly clear for 1957.. Oh in 300 Weatherby. A new contestant as my elk rifle..

Jorge, that's the perfect answer to the "one rifle" thread. "Always wanted one."

Nice rifle.

Nice!

It might outshoot a new one, too...

Dickish remark removed.

Shake?

Jorge,

I swapped into one of those last year, and while I haven't shot it yet am planning to in the next week or so.

Unfortunately, mine didn't come with an Imperial scope, so I'm jealous!

Sweet score Jorge very "old school cool"!!

I plan to shoot it tomorrow and report back

That is very nice looking Jorge. Finding it with the scope just makes it all that much sweeter..

Yours have the genuine silver floorplate?

Wished I'd had seen it! Now don't tell me you're a 700 type>

Sorry, I dissed on the scope a bit.

he manufacturer of the Weatherby "Imperial" and "Imperial Variable" scopes was Hertel & Reuss.

What I could find out about it is that Hertel & Reuss was a German company based in Kassel, which produced different optical instruments (microscopes, telescopic sights, binoculars). Hertel & Reuss existed from 1927 to 1995, when it finally became insolvent and was incorporated into another company. It's still known under the same name and they make opera glasses:
http://www.hertelreuss.com
Looks like they still make good stuff.

From what I found in the Weatherby book, Roy Weatherby went to 4 different optics companies in 1953: "Of these four, [Roy] was most impressed with Hertel & Reuss, which had an excellent reputation as one of the finest optical companies in Germany."

Man, don't you know that rifle won't work?

It's TOO old and the cartridge is 'outdated', not to mention the scope.

Let me have it and RID yourself of such a burden?

Jerry

Wish I had someplace to hunt that warranted getting my 270Wby MKV Dlx out of the back of the safe.

Very retro Cool! Nice snag Jorge!

I have to wonder out loud if that is a Leonard Mews stock(?)

As a matter of fact Bob, according to the Weatherby Collectors it probably is given it's a Mauser and from the 50s/

You have fine taste.. Hope it shoots as good a it looks..

Saaawwwweeetttttt!!

nice score...........

Jorge,

Mas suckage!

Your Best Buddy,

BD

One fine specimen right there.

Very nice catch Jorge! Congrats!

Never been much for Weatherbys, but that is beautiful. It looks well balanced just sitting there.

The scope and mounts match the rifle well. Keep us posted on scope adjustments.

That is definitely a great grab. 24" or 26" bbl.?

John

Nice snag!!!!

What followed you home... I need to find out where you've been hanging out

Nice!

I'd be watching my rear view mirror more closely to make sure that doesn't happen again...

Way to go! Very nice.
Now all you need is a good hunt for a big bull elk!

Jorge, I've always suspected you had a nose for fine rifles. Now, I know you do.
As fine a classic hunting rifle as ever been made. Even beats the famous pre-64 Winchester M70. E

Range day today, rifle held groups fine, after like a rookie, I figured out the mounts were loose. Anyway, the 4X, even w fine X hairs, is tougher to hold tight groups.

Still managed right at under 1" with both my 180 TTSX hand loads and factory 180 Partitions I had leftover from Africa years ago. I must admit though, the scope while clear, was VERY cantankerous to make corrections, particularly after I noticed I ran out of left windage, so I centered the best I could, then went to rough corrections using the base windage screws.

That said, I was disappointed in the fine windage and elevation corrections as I tended to overcompensate and wasted some ammo. At this point i have it shooting 1.5"high at 100, but I'm really tempted to put a new Leopold 2.5X8X36 on it. What do you guys think.

I failed to do that with a 700, ONCE...

That or a Leupold 3.5x10.

My .300 Wby wears a VX3 2.5-8, and I find it to be about perfect. Mounted in Talley LW's, scope and mounts are about as light as you can get in a variable.

What the heck. Those Imperial scopes were "unconditionally guaranteed against all defects in materials or workmanship for the entire lifetime of the scope". Contact Weatherby?

VERY NICE find by the way,jorge.

The scope works ok I guess, just the dials are hard to move. Then again, even if it's German, how good can 57 year old glass compare even with a new budget scope?

Exactly why I quit using the old USA made Weaver,Burris,and Redfield scopes I had. Sold them and upgraded.

Came across this today while digging out my firearms repair books. From 1965-66. 152 page Weatherby Guide.

NIce! amazing how good those rifles are. i would have to put a 2.5-8 or 3.5-10 on it though.

It might wind up with one of those scopes on there eventually.

Strange looking rifle.

What is the stock made out of?




Travis

Disregard, sir. I re-read your initial post and I assume they used stone back then.

Congrats on the purchase.




Travis

I think the $299 deal on the 3.5-10x44 Meopro while Doug is on vacation is the best deal around. I may get one for future use.

Nice rifle. My uncle bought one new from Roy's shop and hunted Alaska extensively with it. He was a commercial fishermen up there for 45 years. I would do the scope replacement you suggest and find some a Bueller mounts.

Nice rifle!

A Leupie VX2 3-9x40 would look more classic IMO.

Very light stone actually sir.

So,you're slightly younger than Ingwe.

I see a Leupold 3.5x-10x in your future.

Or if you want to splurge,a Zeiss 3.5x10.

I have a Zeiss available as well as a Meopta 3.5X10X 44. Problem is, with the large ocular lens I have to go w high rings since this is a Mauser receiver. Looking hard at a Leupold FIXED 6X. Either an FXI2 6X36 or a FX3 6X42.

Ok,this can be solved easily,get a coin and heads is 6x36 and tails is 6x42 or vice-versa.

Thought for sure I was going to see pics of a light 700 for the elk hunt.

just as soon as you saw me voting for a democrat, or accepting females in the combat arms...

Ok, we'll start slow with a 6X.

He's got that same sickness as you though, shooting rifles that maim at both ends.

Yup,birds-of-a-feather.

For the most part on the NBTE we pick/like the same ladies.

OK Jorge. You sent me the new pics, share them with folks and then let me know how much you want for the classic scope!

Tease!

I have stunned multiple bull elk, black and a grizzly with a POS very light Rem 700 rebore 338-06... You?

This elk arms race thing is getting serious. I might just have to slap the 9.3 on you if this keeps up.

Here you go. Had a new MEOPRO in the safe, but I don't like the way it looks so the scope is for sale. 300 bucks OBO. Never been used. Have box, papers, etc. I'm going to use the 4X that is on there for when I find a 22 Weatherby.

What don't you like?

It looks like hell on the rifle. Love the scope and I have two of them on other rifles, but a tried a VX3 2.5X8X36 and it looks perfect, although I must admit, the MEOPTA is more appropriate power-wise to a 300 Weatherby than the Leupold.

You should keep it anyway. I'm sure you'll soon have another rifle where it will be great like the other two.

You're right, as usual.

I really like that rifle, Jorge.

Now if I can get you away from those doggone windage base mounts we'll be getting somewhere.

It was all I had on hand for an FN action. But if you are trying to talk me into "split rings", fugget about it. This and a couple of other Weatherbys came with beautiful, albeit Rube-Goldberg Buehler mounts that were a pain to get right (yes my skills are limited). Anyway, what r U suggesting? Thanks Pat!

I'm suggesting dual dovetails, Weaver type bases, Talley steel bases/rings, anything to get away from those windage screws.

That's what I thought!

A Z3 3-10x42 is sleek and light. It would look good on that gun, IMO. I'd check on reticle options as their duplex is sorta fine for general hunting.

I agree on not using the vintage scope, nostalgia notwithstanding. You gotta see and new optics beat the heck out of vintage glass.

DF

If it was mine, I'd keep everything as is expect the scope.

DF

Another windage base lover.

I'd go vintage as much as possible on that gun.

Starting from scratch, I'd probably go with LW Talleys.

DF

This thread is reminding me I need to work on my .300.

Dust off the 180's and fistfuls of Reloader 23...

Dual dovetails would look vintage enough, and be a good bit stouter.

Ahhh, much betterLeupold 2.5X8X36 with a B&C reticle, my favorite scope, really:



Wish I could have gotten lower, but the Mauser'd bolt throw isn't as good as the MK V's 54 deg...

Looks good to me and I like that scope, too.

Except mine is a duplex with CDS.

DF

Is that the same action that was on the Browning Safaris....looks to be? Its pretty.

Cheek weld should still be good with the high Weatherby comb?

A Leonard Mews stocked Weatherby....Oh Boy! SWEET!

Much much better! Looking forward to seeing it in person.

Well, the probability is high anyway, Bob! IT really balances well and very light!

Looks very clean. I have a Loopey 4.5-14x40 on my Mk5 it looks okay. I still have not found anything that will do better than ~1.75MOA.

On your 300? I have some pretty good loads, very accurate in my 300 Weatherbys and I've owned half a dozen of them. Let me know if you want the recipe.

Nice snag. I gotta start hanging out in better gun stores.

Given the dislike for Bueller's I would go S&K. My original FN Supreme wears them though I do not have the bolt issue you do. Surprised as IME the commercial FN actions have allowed lower mounts.

Ed: the mediums were on there to accommodate the original MEOPTA's much bigger ocular box and I was to lazy to swap out rings. With the Leupold, low rings would be no problem. J

And she shoots! two sets of three shot groups here with final correction about 1.25"high@100. !0gr TTSXs with 80.5gr RL-22 or Norma MRP @ 3240 fps.

Jorge: congrats on that one.

Thats a 'Proper' Weatherby!

DF and I agree. I'm not into retro optics other than collecting which I don't. The Z3 3-10 is a useful power range; its light with very clear glass. I have one on my own 300 Wea.

Chui: It apparent Weatherby took great care and attention to detail with these rifles. The follower is polished to a mirror finish, the trigger is very crisp w no overtravel and overall the rifle is very nice, all steel bottom metal with recessed floorplate. Also, it's considerably lighter than my standard MKV 300, albeit it has a shorter (24") barrel. I'm pretty happy with it.

Saw a few of those when I was in the gun biz.....tough to beat a good rifle built on a Mauser action......

25 yards?

Very nice!

Swampman, is that you, assorifice?

Ho Lee Crap!!!!!, Jorge, that sombuck drips "plains game", congratulations Sir.

jorgeI, enjoy your rifle. I'm older than dirt. Some thirty years ago I snagged a nice Southgate in 7mm with a #2 barrel. As best as I could tell, it had 6/10" of freebore. I loaded a bunch of H4831 in cases with the 160 seated way out. It would hummmmm and it was accurate.

I hunted it one season and traded it off. Try as I might, I could never learn to love the Weatherby style stock. I have an engraved, nicely stocked custom Springfield that I keep only as a piece of art, because the stock closely resembles Weatherby. I haven't shot it in almost twenty years.

I consider the Southgate rifles high quality and good property. For those whom the stocks work for, they are great.

I like your scope choice.

Best,

Jack