I should be in jail!

[Wyatt Smith]

Beat me to it @krish

 

[krish]

There are few CRF .338's are made on this side of the pond. They are CZ's, Ruger, some winchester model 70's in late 80's I know off. I stand correction.
Krish

 

[meigsbucks]

Great find and deal. Beautiful furniture. Great chambering. It has it all. Now if it was a .243 to make Bob happy.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The title got me.
Like if you away with something it silly to confess later.
But yes even a title like "I stole this!" Will get our attention.

Yes it was a steal but it looks shit hot too.

I still think a .338 would a good Bear gun and it compliment s the 9.3 and .375H&H you have. Keep going you will have a complete collection of medium bore rifles and no use for Lord Nelson's .35 nonsense..

I'm a fan of 7mm-08 but I think every American may as well have a .243 for whitetail.

@CBH Australia
Chris when we go after those mean arse scrubbers when your 375H&H let's you down at least you know you will be backed up by the mighty whelen to finish the job you started.
Even our guide uses a 35 Mitchell Express as his main rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Wyatt,
Listen to Bob on this one. You don’t want him pissed at you! I will gladly send you a 35 Whelen and 1000 cash to keep bob on your good side! I would do some bad shit to have one in a 338!

@Bullthrower338
Cody me thinks young Mr Smith should consider your offer if you throw in a bit more cash especially seeing how bad you want the 338.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Surely it’s better than a 243 @Bob Nelson 35Whelen! I might have to loan it to my dad for a tomato stake if it isn’t.

@Wyatt Smith
I'm sure you would have to do that.
@Bullthwill gladly take it for a good deal pus a decent cash renumeration.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yeah I don’t have much of an argument to make other than I do use all my stuff and I always invite her to go on my hunts. Lol.

@Scott CWO
Just tell us if she borrows your rifles you DON'T borrow her shoes, dresses and hand bags.
I know @CBH does that with his lovely wife that why he bought a 243. Gives him access to Moe clothing for the Broken Heels festival

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CBH Australia
Chris when we go after those mean arse scrubbers when your 375H&H let's you down at least you know you will be backed up by the mighty whelen to finish the job you started.
Even our guide uses a 35 Mitchell Express as his main rifle.

"Even our guide uses a 35 Mitchell Express as his main rifle". @CBH Australia, start running and climbing trees to get in shape NOW! Remember, you don't have to outrun the scrub bull, just Townsend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen. You can shoot the WOUNDED bull from the tree you climbed. LOL
CEH

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Wow, what a beautiful rifle

 

[Scott CWO]

@Scott CWO
Just tell us if she borrows your rifles you DON'T borrow her shoes, dresses and hand bags.
I know @CBH does that with his lovely wife that why he bought a 243. Gives him access to Moe clothing for the Broken Heels festival

Yes, she borrows the rifles when she hunts. So far, I haven't borrowed her shoes, dresses or handbags like @CBH Australia does from his wife. Lol

 

[Scott CWO]

@wyatt Smith.
Young Mr Smith I may have to come over your way just so I can take you down to the wood pile and give you a fatherly lecture on the evils of the 338WM. To top that off you have a 9.3x62 as well as a 375H&H. I am very disappointed in your selection of another useless rife.
Surely you could sell couple f them and get a real rifle in 35 Whelen.
I'm sure some kind person on this forum would swap you a nice Ruger in the Whelen for your new find.
I'm sure young grasshopper @CoElkHunter will try and extoll to you the virtues of that 338WM. DONT LISTEN TO HIM HE SPEAKS WITH A FORKED TOUNGUE. He will try and tell you that the 338 is better than the Whelen.
That's Akin to @CBH try to tell me the 243 is a useful round.
Young Wyatt as Gome Pyle would say SHANE, SHAME, SHAME ON YOU FOR YOUR CHOICE.
Here's me educating, and telling you the benefits of the Whelen all thins time and YOU go and get 338 as second best.
Bob

@Wyatt Smith don't you believe @Bob Nelson 35Whelen for a second that a 35 Whelen (Whining) is better than your new 338 WM! I think he gets a royalty check for ever Whelen that is sold so he's very biased. Besides, the 35 Whelen is known around these parts as the 35 yard Whining because that's the effective range and any critters shot further out than that run away Whining about that mosquito that just bit them.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Wyatt Smith don't you believe @Bob Nelson 35Whelen for a second that a 35 Whelen (Whining) is better than your new 338 WM! I think he gets a royalty check for ever Whelen that is sold so he's very biased. Besides, the 35 Whelen is known around these parts as the 35 yard Whining because that's the effective range and any critters shot further out than that run away Whining about that mosquito that just bit them.

@Scott CWO
Now, now Scott I dont get a royalty but I do get enjoyment out of seeing people load the Whelen to its FULL potential.
All I can say about the mozzies down your way is shit they must be like the 338, big and useless.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

Yes, she borrows the rifles when she hunts. So far, I haven't borrowed her shoes, dresses or handbags like @CBH Australia does from his wife. Lol

Scott,
It was Bob who first mentioned his find memories of The Palace Hotel, same one as seen in the movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Bob hasn't been out of late due to Wu Flu restrictions but he will need his Ballet flats if he tackles anything more than a Whelen, or he might lose his balance.

His mate Ted designed and named the .358Mitchell express, them old fellas are smitten with there .35's but that's for another time.

 

[ActionBob]

I don’t mean to threadjack, but I do have questions and want to learn. Ruger 77s are not something I’ve ever owned outside of 77/17s.

Was this the first “ultra premium” Model 77 that Ruger made? Did they make the same gun in larger calibers like 375/458 too?

I know they made tang safeties on early 77s, did they ever make a gun of this quality and finish with a tang safety?

Truly, a dazzling gun I did not expect from a mass-producer.

The express and RSM were not made with tang safty. They were made with quarter rib and investment casting. Xpress were made up to .338 cal. RSM 's were made in .375, .416, .458 Lott. Lott was made at the tail end. Some .404 were thought to have been made. I am not sure. Total express made including all calibers were below 2 or 3k. All calibers below .338.

Somebody please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the Ruger RSM is the magnum actioned counterpart to this rifle. It has the same quarter rib, and was available in 375 H&H, 416 Rigby, and 458 Lott.

I've responded on AH with the pieces of the following several times in various threads so pardon me while I repeat myself

Bill Ruger had a number of guns in mind that he always wanted to build but he was a great business man who listened to his bean counters. That is until after he returned from his World cruise on his yacht. He decided to go ahead and build the guns he had dreamt of building, profits be damned.

Some reports are that he bought one complete, I think 400 year old Circassion Walnut, tree and that is where all those beautiful stocks came from.

Of course the RSM line which do include 375 H&H, 416 Rigby (which i believe to be one of very few models designed around the 416 Rigby), and the 458 Lott. There were reportedly some 404 Jeffrey rifles made but destroyed because they had bored them to the old measurements rather than the current .423 404 Jeffrey specs, I believe)

There were 5 very well done custom made 505 Gibbs rifles made from 5 new 416's by an Alaska shop. I bought one from the Anchorage Cabela's a few years back. There is video on here someplace of one being shot at large wooden blocks along with doubles. One was reported pretty much destroyed and I don't k own where the other two are. I shot my rhino and giraffe with that 505. There is a series of the RSM with inlaid engraving of a lion on the 375, buffalo on the 416, and elephant on the 458. Maybe someone else knows for sure but I was told this was a special run for Cabela's. Older RSM'S have the 780- serial number. Newer ones start with 750- .

The Express rifles have this same DNA. Same wood, same ebony fore end, same integrally machined quarter rib, barrel band sling swivel and front sight. Rear sight on the Express has one standing and one flip up sight rather than the two flip ups on the RSM. Express rifle serial numbers start with 760-, Ruger made some Executive guns where said Executive was assigned his own number. Such as 760-00200. So the 00200 is the Executive's number. I purchased an Express in 30-06 with that number a few years ago The Express rifles were chambered in 270 win, 30-06, 7mm rem mag, 300 win mag, 338 win mag, and 6 of them in 25-06 of which a husband and wife own 4! They each have a keeper and a hunting one and refuse to sell any of them! I tried There was one listed on Gunbroker a couple years ago but all attempts to contact her seller were fruitless so I'm sure it was a scam.

All RSM and Express rifles are 77 Mark II models with the Ruger 3 position reciever mounted safety. I think the Mark II is the finest line of rifles they've made. Although many prefer the old original tang two position safety.

The Gold Label side by side shotguns and Red Label OU shotguns are also part of "Bill always wanted to make" series. There are also a few others including hand guns, I believe, but would need to research as my memory is a bit foggy on those.

Hope this helps!

 

[ActionBob]

I should add, I never bought any of these guns new. I believe the rifles listed in the $1900 range. It is said that Ruger essentially stuffed $100 bills down the barrel of every one that left the factory. In other words, lost considerable money building them. But to that point, I don't believe Bill Ruger cared. He did what he wanted to do, simply because that's what he wanted to do Cheers to him!

 

[krish]

I've responded on AH with the pieces of the following several times in various threads so pardon me while I repeat myself

Bill Ruger had a number of guns in mind that he always wanted to build but he was a great business man who listened to his bean counters. That is until after he returned from his World cruise on his yacht. He decided to go ahead and build the guns he had dreamt of building, profits be damned.

Some reports are that he bought one complete, I think 400 year old Circassion Walnut, tree and that is where all those beautiful stocks came from.

Of course the RSM line which do include 375 H&H, 416 Rigby (which i believe to be one of very few models designed around the 416 Rigby), and the 458 Lott. There were reportedly some 404 Jeffrey rifles made but destroyed because they had bored them to the old measurements rather than the current .423 404 Jeffrey specs, I believe)

There were 5 very well done custom made 505 Gibbs rifles made from 5 new 416's by an Alaska shop. I bought one from the Anchorage Cabela's a few years back. There is video on here someplace of one being shot at large wooden blocks along with doubles. One was reported pretty much destroyed and I don't k own where the other two are. I shot my rhino and giraffe with that 505. There is a series of the RSM with inlaid engraving of a lion on the 375, buffalo on the 416, and elephant on the 458. Maybe someone else knows for sure but I was told this was a special run for Cabela's. Older RSM'S have the 780- serial number. Newer ones start with 750- .

The Express rifles have this same DNA. Same wood, same ebony fore end, same integrally machined quarter rib, barrel band sling swivel and front sight. Rear sight on the Express has one standing and one flip up sight rather than the two flip ups on the RSM. Express rifle serial numbers start with 760-, Ruger made some Executive guns where said Executive was assigned his own number. Such as 760-00200. So the 00200 is the Executive's number. I purchased an Express in 30-06 with that number a few years ago The Express rifles were chambered in 270 win, 30-06, 7mm rem mag, 300 win mag, 338 win mag, and 6 of them in 25-06 of which a husband and wife own 4! They each have a keeper and a hunting one and refuse to sell any of them! I tried There was one listed on Gunbroker a couple years ago but all attempts to contact her seller were fruitless so I'm sure it was a scam.

All RSM and Express rifles are 77 Mark II models with the Ruger 3 position reciever mounted safety. I think the Mark II is the finest line of rifles they've made. Although many prefer the old original tang two position safety.

The Gold Label side by side shotguns and Red Label OU shotguns are also part of "Bill always wanted to make" series. There are also a few others including hand guns, I believe, but would need to research as my memory is a bit foggy on those.

Hope this helps!

Ruger did make about 205 Rsm rifle for private distributions
Those were marked SAVE ON THE BOX. WHICH went to collectors and employees. They were 750 series.
Krish

 

[CJW]

It's not an -06 but at least it's not a Whelen. Regardless, you did well.



Sorry, just stirring up the local bees nest some more. Sweet grab, love the wood and 1/4 rib.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Scott,
It was Bob who first mentioned his find memories of The Palace Hotel, same one as seen in the movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Bob hasn't been out of late due to Wu Flu restrictions but he will need his Ballet flats if he tackles anything more than a Whelen, or he might lose his balance.

His mate Ted designed and named the .358Mitchell express, them old fellas are smitten with there .35's but that's for another time.

@CBH Australia
Chris we may be old fella but with age comes wisdom hence the understanding of the efficiency and effectiveness of the 35 cals.
Mate a six and a half foot I tend to were flat shoes.

 

[gprippers]

Holy mackerel! FANTASTIC deal on a beautiful HARD TO FIND in any condition rifle! WOW! I would have snagged it up at $1300 and been hap hap happy! CONGRATS on that find!!!

 

[Mike in BV]

Very nice