OK campfire freinds, here is the rifle that got me to sell my 'never to be sold, forever mine' full custom 257WBY. I hope my poor photogoraphy skills capture the full length rib atop the full octagon barrel and the color as well as figure in the wood, and the widows peak checkered buttplate and grip cap and, and, and well here ya go....





[img:left]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a7/safariman416/Mausercustomrifle7mm004.jpg[/img]









[img]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a7/safariman416/Mausercustomrifle7mm007.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a7/safariman416/Mausercustomrifle7mm006.jpg[/img]

Better shots of the wood and the custom buttplate:

Safariman: Now I know what you mean....that is very nice!Really classy rifle!

Hope it all works out for you.

Very nice rifle Mark!

You going with a McMillan swirl or Edge?

AAACCCCKKKKK!!!! Havta admit, that WAS pretty funny. Actually belly laughing out loud here, thanks!

I think you did well Mark! Glad you are going to hunt with her.

RE the scope bases and rings. To those in the know, do these look like Talley's to you? I have never had any Talley stuff, but could like these so that I could actually USE the folding irons in a pinch. I guess that once I get this re chambered I will need to actually verify the zero on the folding leafs. At least the first one or two. I doubt very much that a 400 or 500 yard leaf type iron sight is going to do squat for my 52 year old eyes.

Beautiful rifle. May I ask who built it? It looks like some of Dale Storey's work.

Yes, those are Talley.

Congrats! Nice rig.

safariman,

Congratulations on that superb rifle. The octagon barrel sets it apart and ahead.

The mounts and rings are not Talley but are by Lenard Brownell. The rib and sights look like his as well.

Correction: If it is a Flaig's barrel then the rib is integral but the rings and bases are Brownell

Very nice! The butt plate and grip cap look like the fine work of the Biesen clan. Is the barrel an Lothar Walther? Not to many other making an integrated rib octagon barrel these days unless it was custom milled.

Very nice looking rifle!

nice nice very nice

Nice looking rifle there.

The rib is definately integral, but I have no way of knowing who made it. If it is a FLaigs barrel, are they known or reputed to be accurate? Would be quite wonderful to find out it is a Lothar Walther as well, his barrels are known to be quite good shooters.

To those who have chimed in (Except for Steelhead....), thank you for the kind words and compliments! I am pretty excited as you may well be able to tell.

The grip cap and buttplate match those on my Sako riihimaki 222 which I beleive is an Al Biesen so this stock MIGHT be, but I would not be able to claim that as a fer sher deal at all. AllI know is that it is very beautiful to my eyes, and that I like it a great deal.

What's she weigh?

That's very nice,...I'd leave it in 7 Rem Mag and hunt it,...but that's me.

Very nice Mark.

I'm not "in the know", but I have never seen Talleys like that.

The checkering may be Beisen's. Although he is known more for the Fluer-De-Lis pattern, I know he did some point checkering. I have a pre-64 Model 70 with a point pattern that was supposedly done by Beisen. Looks a lot like it from what I see.

Enjoy your new rifle.

donsm70

Dont know, dont much care, but it does wiegh somewhat less than my 257wby did.

You probably have a 30/06, too. Might even be a closet 270 guy

Very Nice, and I'm happy you ended up with it.

Holy crap that's NICE!!!!

You don't plan on using it, do you...?

OH MY NO! I am going to build a glass box around it and charge people to look at it <G>

Don't expect this rifle to look this nice if you ever see it in person a year or two from now. Ridin on a Rokon is kinda hard on 'em.

Thanks for the nice compliment, now you know why the 257WBY is headin your way. I wish that I could have afforded to keep them both, but such is no longer how my life works. NO complaints however and I sure hope this or any other of my posts never sound like one. I never thought I would ever have a rifle this nice and to manage to obtain it now, while not able to work and pretty darned sick is just amazing.

WOW!!!

I think it's the start of even better things to come!

Congrats on that beautiful rifle and thanks again for selling me your 257 WBY. Win-win!

Eric

You get up this way.....bring it. The beisens are here in town. Nice rig....rough way to get it. I hope it shoots well.

well,..actually I have two 30-06's(a '59 M70 Fwt & a Win M54 from '26) and a 270(1951 Model 70)...:-)

You gonna send it to IT&D for the rechamber?

I hope it can be remarked 7mm Mashburn on the barrel without looking cheesy. That is one beautiful rifle! If it had the shifter on the other side and it were mine I'd forgo the extra 150 fps and leave her as she is but I guess life is too short to settle for less than what you want. Hope you have lots of great hunts with it, safariman!

What a rifle! Defines the word CLASS.

Mark,

That there's one purty rifle. To bad they put the bolt on the wrong side.

Mart

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If this fine rifle were mine I would leave it be chamber wise. First of all something might go wrong with the barrel which is special and fits a custom stock.

Also the 7mm RM is an excellent magnum and it makes far more sense than the odd 7mm Mash. If that rifle were chambered for some odd wildcat that cannot fire standard ammo I would not buy it unless it had a round barrel. Then I could get that stock and action.

Note also that it has no recoil pad. The 7mm RM kicks less than a larger case.



If you just got why are the pictures dated 2008?

Because I NEVER adjust the dates on my camera's!
I never even look at the dates, and would not have noticed that one if it had not been pointed out.

LEAVE it in a standard chambering? you have not read much of this or the other thread about my being a total, unadulterated and completely unrepentant velocity whore, did you?

Surely you jest!

MARK

PS it might be a bit tough to get an octagon barrel with a full length integral rib and sight straight into a chuck for a re chamber.

To each his own.

Long ago I 'designed' a cartridge and had a rifle so chambered. What a waste but it seemed like fun at the time. I still have it however mine will fire standard 375 H&H ammo.


If you can try to find out who made that barrel?

That's one beautiful rifle. Leave it alone and take it out hunting.

I hate to take the rifle apart but know it much come apart for the barrel to come off and for normal cleaning etc someday anyway so will separate the stock and action later today and look for makers marks or other signs of who made this thing. I do, of course, have good guns specific hollow ground screwdrivers etc but I am afraid of big 'ol stupid hand slipping. Got to get over that, I know. <G>

Just located a couple of different gunsmiths who are happy to take on the project and have no cncerns. First guy I talked to acted like I had asked him to re build a working replica of the space shuttle when he heard of the octagon ribbed barrel. Interesting to say the least. All gunsmiths are NOT created equal! That much is painfully clear.

Rick beat me to it...not to differ with Karnis,but it is a fact that Brownell designed that mount/ring style a long time before Talley.

Matter of fact, I may go out on a limb here.....I am not so sure but that the whole rifle may be a Lenard Brownell.....there is something familiar about the styling.

THAT could be cool, but how would one tell, or know? For sure?

You might be on to something there Bob. It does look like something Lenard would have built. I will have to check some of my old gunsmithing books I inherited. They have some of his work in them.

Really shouldn't be any worries with the full rib and a lathe chuck. If they are doing it correctly, they should be using a 4 jaw anyway to dial things in.

I dunno for sure....his Sheridan rifles were marked on the barrel, and numbered....but not sure of his earlier stuff.The butt stock "looks" like it could be one of his because it is very classic,although he could build a tasteful Monte Carlo,but he was very good at incorporating some roccoco styling into an otherwise classic design....or schnabels for example. He was very versatile and not tied to a style.

I can spot a Biesen across a room, or a Goens, but a Brownell is a LOT harder to spot.The other thing is he did more point pattern checkering than he did fleur di lis....that rifle has a simple pattern,but looks well done.Brownell was a creative guy,equally adept at metal and wood...he was a rifle "builder"; not just a stockmaker.A barrel like that would not be out of character on a Brownell rifle.

Just a WAG on my part but it would be pretty neat if it were a Brownell...if I'm wrong then ignore everything I just said....

With that octagon barrel and express sights, it looks very similar to Elmer Keiths CH .338/378KT.

Are you going to have anything done besides the rechamber job?

Very nice looking rifle.

Dave93,

Thank you so much for the kind words, cannot theink of anything else to do besides firelap the barrel, then re chamber, then UBC duracoat the inside of the bbl, mount my Loopy 4.5-14x40 Gloss scope atop and carry on.

BobinNH,

OK, I can't STAND it any longer I am taking the plunge! Removing the stock and barreled action from one another to look for markings! Pears requested....

OK! I found a marking! First off the whole rifle has been glass bedded form stem to stern. Tang tip to forend tip so was a little tight and stiff getting apart.

The mark on the bottom of the barrel looks like a flaming capitol D or maybe a backwards E and a D together, sharing the same straigth line that makes the main straight part of both letters. Is this any kind of help or clue to anyone here? I sure do appreciate eveyones kind words and interest in this piece.

MARK

It also could be, and this might be more accurate, a D with an integral crown.

I hope to get some intel or clues now.

Mark it ain't ringing a bell....have no idea. Oh well....

How is the inletting, nicely done?

Looks good, better job of glassing than I have ever done. Inletting VS glassing looks to both be nicely executed.

I believe I can tell you if it is a Lenard Brownell but need full length pics of both sides as well as one from the bottom

If anyone can tell by looking,Rick can.

I will get on that in a bit! Thanks!

OK, and thank you in advance to Rick and the other 24hrcf custom rifle experts, truly. More pics with the requested detail and other views on this rifle.

Full view facinig left



Full view facing right



Bottom views, various.....









So, do the pro's here think this to be an L. Brownell piece? The only marking I can find is on the underside of the barrel, and it is a D (I think) with an integral crown or flames coming off of its backside.

MARK

That is some high quality work there! Absolutely beautiful.

Thank you, deerhunter. I am sure liking it being in the safe, to stay! (except for a brief trip to a smithy for the re chamber soon....)

Mark,

Freakin' FANTASTIC rifle! I love it; so many crazy cool ubber-custom accouterments!

I admit I thought you were a little off letting go of that Roy, but I can really understand why now!

Every pic I see of that rifle gets better and better. What a sharp, classy build! I'm curious who did it!

Eric

If you'd have paid attention to the last 'new rifle for Mark' thread you'd know he is more of a Butler Creek kind of guy ...

Ok I just threw up in my mouth !!!!

You guys are NEVER going to let me live down my Fraankenstein rifle, are ya.... <G>

I am afraid to put that rifle and this one in the same safe. Might be time for old Frankie to go bye bye.

thank you, Eric.

I am hoping to find out who the builder was, myself. Hopefully with the new pics RinB will have enough intel to make a call on that. If nnot, I am STILL going to treasure it and hopefully hunt the HAIL outta it, as my health allows.

I'd add a pad and go forth. I actually like that rig, sans the metal ass.

Aesthetics don't trump functionality

Glad you like it! RE Recoil, compared to my 340 Tyrannosaur and 416 Rigby, this one will be a cupcake. BUT, I Wont be setting it atop any rocks, butt down though, as I think I see your more practical point. Metal can slip around some.

Can I see some detail of the cheekpiece? At ninety degrees or slightly from the top? It is a nice rifle no matter who is the maker.

On its way, sir!

Cheekpiece pics...






Shadowline looks to be further away from the main cheekpiece than most. Maybe that is part of the clues looked for?

I hope my phtography non skills are sufficient for a good looksee.

MARK

Beautiful rifle Mark, I would be proud to take that Walnut and Steel killer to the woods and work real hard on keepin every knife I owned in need of a good sharpening.

Gunner

Thanks Gunner!

I just heard via PM form our freind RinB and he cannot poitively state that this is, or is not, a Lenard Brownell piece so that mystery remains. Quite allright with me as it ain't gonna look quite this nice once the hunting seasons arrive anyway! It is going to be hunted and hopefully, bloodied up a bit.

thanks to all who have commented and helped.

MARK

Nice rifle.

And when people ask what it is, they gonna [bleep] when ya say........

"Mashburn Super Magnum"

That's right, not a regular magnum, a Mashburn Super Magnum.

Just sounds cool!

THAT is what I was and am thinkin....

I set up at 600 yards with mine and the match/target shooters asked my friend (who is VERY Italian),what I was shooting....Joe said ".... dat's a 7mm Mashburn SOOPER Magnum....and it's like.... Fuggettaboutit!"

Got to put the em PHAS is on the right Syll all a BLE! Love the itlians.... Language is an art in thier world.

I just got of the phone with Bud Morrow..... <G>

I am still in mourning over your beloved 257 as I just built one and it is fantastic.......BUT you did get a nice peice in return.

Always gotta be SOME could in a silver lining I guess. Bumping this one up to 7MAshburn and getting all of my speed back is gonna help a lot, though <G>

You've caused a brother to stumble... 10th commandment type violations going on in this heart of mine yet I can't stay away from these photos!

It sure would come close to redeeming you if sent franken-six my way !

It could happen.... what is the offer? Cash, trade bait, I am open to ideas for the ugly but great shootin little toughie.

I really was joking. I've got a 6mm in the works right now on a Mauser... dropping it into that JRS that Karnis messed with.

I'd keep it... call 'em beauty & the beast!

I could do that... At leaast the beaastie one isn't a loust push feed.....

True dat ma brotha; true dat!!!

Cool rifle. It's already chambered in my farvorite deer/elk cartridge, I'd leave it as is and use the rechamber money to pay for a hunt.

Some time, some where down the road someone will own that rifle and be infatuated with its beauty.... and rifle will be admired by friends who will will say, "Tis a damned shame that it at some point was rechambered".

Nice rifle gun Mark!

Thank you for the compliment my freind.

Re chamber is $159.00. If you know of a guided hunt for that amount in total I am very interested!

And thanks to you as well for the kind words. I am pretty enamored with it!

The chambering is actually more correct for the era this rifle was likely built or the era that rifles of this class and with these features were more popular.

And if the future purchaser is a rifle looney and not just an admirer or collector of nice rifles he will like it better. Besides, if I have any say in the matter the rifle will no longer look like a museum piece in a hunting season or two. With that in mind, an hier or fellow rifle nut will be (hopefully) the next handlers and users.

final word is this. I like the Mashburn much better and at this point in the rifles life it is mine, so it shall be punched out. future owners or users not being a factor

Good on you. Not only have I walked a mile in your moccasins, I stand in them at this very moment

Time to grab for the gusto.... [bleep] or get off the pot, fish or cut bait, run with the big dogs or stay on the porch...

You enjoy your new rifle any way you want. I'll be cheering for ya

I do my best to share my outlook on life with you as well!

g

Exactly.....we build wildcats for ourselves...not for their value after we're gone.

I've got a McMillan (black) that should bolt right on....seriously. Would allow you to keep the wood stock pristine....and allow you to experience the vast superiority of plastic over wood.

I have owned and hunted with synthetic stocks. I even have one on my mega ugly motorcycle scabbard gun, having a pretty rifle with good wood adds to the hunting experience for me.

My pretty Mashburn has spent more than a bit of time in a scabbard.

Dober

All this talk is making me want to build a "pretty" one now. Might have to find a stock.

I say go for it

Dober

Well said sir. Thats a bea-u-tiful piece you got there!!! I can't weight to see some groups!