I bid on this one because I see something I like in four pictures.
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/570887863 It was really a complete gamble and won't be in hand until next week. I'm curious if anyone recognizes the craftsmanship, I see some buffing wheel rounding on the extractor, otherwise it seems like too much effort to create a pile of junk. It's speculation, but this rifle may have belonged to someone from Cape Cod, the residents are probably upscale.
Congratulations and welcome to the forum. I think you
got a great deal on this rifle, I don't think the seller's pictures were very good. I hope that you will post some better
pictures when you get it.
There is also a German & Austrian Sporting Guns section to this
forum, they are amazingly knowledgeable.
Tschinke,
When you have the rifle "in-hand", post photos of all the markings, including the ones under the barrel. We can then tell you more about it. BTW, that is "Krupp Laufstahl", which means "Krupp barrel steel".
Mike
Judging from the asking price on the "Griffin & how" sporter the seller also has listed, he has delusions of grandeur. His photography also leaves a great deal to be desired. I will be curious to see how this transaction plays out. The description of the caliber as "8X50 7JRS" doesn't give me a lot of confidence in the seller's knowledge of what he is actually selling. Let's hope for the best!
Thanks for the welcome. Presently my computer skills are near zero, I'm no scholar either, so most anything I attempt to write won't be easy to read. There is something curious about my "legally blind" gamble, the stock is plain, but the rifle appears desirable somehow, I can't be sure, but after looking a while, the engraving on the floorplate and trigger guard doesn't seem crisp. The starting bid for unknown 98 was lowered three hundred from a month ago, the price tag on the G&H hasn't changed, I don't know much, but thought it was beyond the pale. I let two rifles I wanted get away from me a few months ago and it might be causing questionable decisions.
Hi Tschinke
I took another look at the images of the rifle, I blew them up a bit and saw that the bolt knob appears to be checkered and that the rifle has a Greener side safety. As for the engraving on the trigger guard and floorplate not looking crisp, that could easily be due to insufficient resolution of the sellers digital camera. One thing that is lacking is a picture of the butt plate. Maybe it will be a nice trapdoor butt plate or maybe horn like the grip cap appears to be.
I have paid more, for less..... ;-)
Eastham- Westham Northham Southham- they sure don't know the German language or spelling very well- Thanks to Mike, he hait "correct" Krupp Lauf Stahl--I have an idea where Framingham MA might be- a blacksmith there circa 1846 developed the first framing square, a key tool in accurate construction layout work, as vital as a level.. I'd pass on this puppy-- all fluff but no substance--like a Hollywood bimbo. If you want a real G&H sporter, whether on a Mauser 98 or a Springfield 1903, go to G&H-- simple as that.
I added my location, most smart people don't live here year round, the local gun shows aren't much either. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised next week when I look at it in good light wearing glasses. Something doesn't quite add up, a plain cut of walnut with fine checkering, full octagon or hex barrel, can't be sure of all or how much engraving, color case too, hope the receiver isn't warped, is that shadow or gap , timed screws maybe. I hope to be able post good pictures sometime this year.
The maker's name is on both the barrel and receiver, CHR. FRIEDR. TRIEBEL on the barrel and CHR. FRIED R. TRIEBEL, SUHL on the receiver. The European walnut stock isn't exactly plain, horn butt-plate, full rib half round octagon barrel, heavy indexed or regulated rear sight dovetailed into the rib. The used military receiver put me off some because the bolt wobbles more than I like when retracted, eagle over N commercial proof, but there might be more to this rifle than I first thought. I'm not sure how old it is or if many were ever imported.
I guess that one question that perhaps matters the most is: Are you happy with your purchase?
Hi PhysDoc, I spent more for a new iMac and the Nikon camera won't be cheap either, but maybe I'll be able to post a good photo soon. It must have been the old growth European walnut that made my eyeballs bug out, the grain seems curiously dense, checkering appears to be 24 lpi. "Frankencustom" isn't really custom is it, but actually a production rifle created by old world craftsmen, don't you think? At first I thought it might be some sort of glorified guild rifle, but I believe your initial call is correct, the barrel alone is a puzzlement, it's all one piece, full rib, ramp front sight, half round octagon too. Did I mention that the rifle seems to be in very near as when crafted condition, although not much is available for comparison, I've really only found three guns that might be related, one bolt and two drillings, the bolt has sold and the photos are intentionally degraded, it's a Hi-Power 22. I saw another rifle with the same barrel by a more well known maker at x4 dollars somewhere. I'm happy with my purchase, the stock to barreled action fit is very fine.
Good point, you can often resell a gun for what you paid for it or more, but you can't do that with a computer or digital camera.
You mentioned in an earlier post that the photographs on the auction site gave the impression that the engraving wasn't crisp.
What is your impression, now that you have the rifle in hand?
And how do you like the other rifle you bought?
The engraving looks as it should, it's a light type and almost every thing is case hardened. I read somewhere that case hardening isn't a very durable finish and rubs off easily, the floorplate is a little shiny, maybe not all kinds of steel take it well either. What really has me flabbergasted is that "The Thing" almost looks like it's been in a time capsule. There is a Simon Heim rifle in the Sedley thread that has the same barrel, express rear sight and slant cut fore-end. I don't know enough to have an opinion of build quality between the two, stock cleaning was the subject in the thread, one of those orange oil products worked well on a Remington 81, for removing a layer of grubby stock finish with a coarse paper towel. It looks like the separate slant cut fore-end piece might be easily removable, for barrel cleaning maybe? I have the correct bits, if the screws aren't tight I might remove it to see if information is printed on the barrel. The M-S Premier doesn't appeal to me that much, I'll try to write a more complete story in another post. I paid more for the iMac partly because it might be easier for me to use, since I don't really have any computer skills, six years from now it may prove to be worth it.