2045

"ONE MAN'S DREAM RIFLE", A FINE, WELL THOUGHT OUT

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
 ONE MAN'S DREAM RIFLE , A FINE, WELL THOUGHT OUT
CUSTOM MADE LEFT HAND BOLT RIFLE BY GENE SIMILLION MADE FOR NOTED GUN WRITER JAMES E. FENDER; THE SUBJECT OF A "GUNS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE WITH TRAVEL CASE, AMMO, DIES, & A LIFETIME'S WORTH OF COMPONENTS. Cal. .425 Express (300 Win Mag. necked up to accept .423 diameter bullets, AKA .425 Ruger). S# 0260. Bbl. 24 1/2". Jim Fender is known to the readers of "The Double Gun Journal" & other magazines for his well-detailed & poignant articles covering a wide variety of subjects. His latest being a synopsis of the life & creations of Jean Samuel Pauley, the inventor of the base fire cartridge & its breech loading gun, forerunner to all modern breech loaders. Jim has been on many African safaris & has done a great amount of hunting in North & South America. He has taken nearly 40 cape buffalo. After years of experience he decided to build his once in a lifetime all-purpose rifle which is for sale here today. An article he wrote for "Guns" magazine in 1990 outlines his previous hunting experience with other rifles as well as the reasons how & why he built this truly fine left handed rifle in .425 Express. He also relates the personal interaction needed to complete the project. The 24 1/2" tapered octagon barrel is fitted with what appear to be integral quarter rib & front sight ramp. Rib is fitted with 1 standing leaf express rear sight with warthog ivory triangle as a sighting aid. An ivory bead is in front sight base. Beads are interchangeable & held in place by a spring loaded button at front of ramp. Top flat of barrel is engraved "Gene Simillion - Gunmaker". Gene's serial number (31) is at right rear & caliber is engraved on left. Dakota Arms "76" left handed action has been fitted with long top tang which extends over comb in H&H fashion. A nonautomatic safety is installed "in the right place" behind bolt on top tang ("SAFE" inlaid in gold) which locks bolt in closed position when engaged. Bolt body & follower are engine turned & knob is checkered in 4 round panels with some engraving at bottom. Standard trigger is retained & drop box bottom metal has hinged floorplate with retaining button in trigger guard bow. Stock of a fine piece of thin shell walnut with good grain flow through grip (that Jim had in possession for a long time) is nicely veined & has some figure in butt. Stock measures 14 3/8" over red Silver type pad & features classically styled shadowline left hand cheekpiece, steel grip cap with trap (spare front sights in trap), recoil bolts with extra recoil lug in barrel channel. Very nicely cut point pattern borderless checkering at grip & around forend & a sling eye in raised portion of stock on toeline along with a gold oval engraved "JEF". Gene Simillion's work in both metal & wood is beyond reproach with clean, sharp lines & attention to detail. Rifle is fitted with Zeiss "Diavari" - C 1.5-4.5x scope with duplex reticle & "Bock" (EAW) QD rings & bases. WEIGHT: 8 lbs. 15 oz. with 0 scope. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: gun is housed in a "Vermont Custom Cases" metal travel case lined in burgundy velvet with space for scope & bolt. Case contains 1 box of A Square "lion loads" & attachable wheels to aid transit as well as 2 keys. Also included are 2 orange "Contico" plastic boxes, 1 containing a large amount of unfired but formed cases, 10 boxes of 25 A-Square "lion load" bullets, Redding loading dies. The other box contains a number of fired cases, some loaded A-Square ammunition with "dead tough" bullets, .425 Ruger express loading dies, 2 boxes of A-Square ammunition loaded with monolithic solids, 16 boxes of A-Square 400 grain "dead tough" bullets, & a partial box of Cor Bon 350 grain spire point bullets. Also included are James E. Fender's notes, issue of "GUNS" magazine containing previously mentioned article, & table display of article. CONDITION: very fine. His notes relate "the rifle is extremely accurate, & has been hunted extensively, but never abused. It has accounted for Arctic grizzly, Dall sheep, & African plains game too numerous to mention." There is some very slight high edge wear to metal parts with a bit of flecking on top tang near comb. There are a few minor marks from handling in wood finish, most notably a 1/2" ding on cheekpiece & an area of small dings & scratches on left side near forend tip & in front of bolt. Scope mounts show marks from considerable mounting & dismounting. Bore is excellent, bright, sharp & shiny throughout. Mechanically excellent. Case is very fine with some marks, interior is excellent. An outstanding, great handling rifle. (20-2400/MGM62). MODERN. $10,000-15,000.