Look what AH made me buy...

[VertigoBE]

And thank you all for your congratulations. It is somewhat strange, that for the most part I am sharing this purchase of a lifetime, with a bunch of friends, that I have never met in real life and most likely will never meet unfortunately. Yet I am very glad to have found this group of friends here online. And hopefully I'll be able to share a drink and a laugh or two sometime in a field in Africa. I'll make sure to have my Heym with me

Cheers!

For those interested in the regulation loads, directly from Heym:

The .375 H6H mag was regulated with Norma PH Woodleigh SP 350 gr
The 7x65R was regulated with RWS KS 10.5 gram

The .375 has a 66 cm barrel length
The 7X65r has a 63.5 cm barrel length

 

[Major Bonkers]

The leather is in dark tan genuine ostrich from an ostrich shot by myself at 560m.

Hmmm.

 

[VertigoBE]

A following observation I made is this:

From the Heym catalog with options I can find three different actions (forms):

the 88b

the 89b (light)

and the 88 PH

Now mine definitely has the last action (form), the 88 PH.

However looking at the calibers, the 88 PH only has the larger calibers from .300 Win Mag and up. There is no "light" or small version within the 88 PH line as is the case for the 88b and 89b. So maybe it might be possible to get .450/400NE barrels for it... Food for thought and speculation

 

[rookhawk]

The leather is in dark tan genuine ostrich from an ostrich shot by myself at 560m.

Hmmm.

The leather is in dark tan genuine ostrich from an ostrich shot by myself at 560m….out of my SR30 in 300 win mag.

<completed the sentence for the fellow>

 

[VertigoBE]

The leather is in dark tan genuine ostrich from an ostrich shot by myself at 560m.

Hmmm.

Indeed, I agree that this also made me go hmmm... but stranger things have been done... it is not impossible, just improbable...

 

[VertigoBE]

The leather is in dark tan genuine ostrich from an ostrich shot by myself at 560m….out of my SR30 in 300 win mag.

<completed the sentence for the fellow>

Indeed, I don't think it was with this double

 

[rookhawk]

@VertigoBE for you to buy a pair of 450/400 barrels for that gun would cost exactly what you paid for the weapon.

About $12,000 for the barrels. About $3000 for the engraving. About $800 for the gold inlays. About $2000 for the ejector/extractor selector switch to match. About $1000 for wood upgrade to match it to your other gun parts. About $1500 for German claw mounts. About $1000 for German claw rings. About $2500 for an optic. So where does that leave us with the math? $23,800 or so?

Why don’t we take that $23,800 and you just buy another one, this time in 470NE, 450-400, and 20 gauge, and with the money left over you fly me over to Belgium to inspect it first hand?

 

[VertigoBE]

@VertigoBE for you to buy a pair of 450/400 barrels for that gun would cost exactly what you paid for the weapon.

About $12,000 for the barrels. About $3000 for the engraving. About $800 for the gold inlays. About $2000 for the ejector/extractor selector switch to match. About $1000 for wood upgrade to match it to your other gun parts. About $1500 for German claw mounts. About $1000 for German claw rings. About $2500 for an optic. So where does that leave us with the math? $23,800 or so?

Why don’t we take that $23,800 and you just buy another one, this time in 470NE, 450-400, and 20 gauge, and with the money left over you fly me over to Belgium to inspect it first hand?

I love it @rookhawk! Keeping my feet on the ground! You are fully right, let's look at what future auctions from Holts give

And yes, if you are serious about visiting Belgium, let me know so I can arrange something. I am serious too.

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

You have come a long way indeed @VertigoBE

We joined AH right around the same time. Even corresponded to each other's intro posts if I'm not mistaken.

Congrats on a fine rifle. Very cool history as well. AH has gotten some money out of me for a gun and a DG hunt, but no double...yet

Enjoy it and put it to use!

 

[Frederik]

A following observation I made is this:

From the Heym catalog with options I can find three different actions (forms):

the 88b
View attachment 426136
the 89b (light)
View attachment 426135
and the 88 PH
View attachment 426134
Now mine definitely has the last action (form), the 88 PH.

However looking at the calibers, the 88 PH only has the larger calibers from .300 Win Mag and up. There is no "light" or small version within the 88 PH line as is the case for the 88b and 89b. So maybe it might be possible to get .450/400NE barrels for it... Food for thought and speculation

With the barrels being regulated with 350gr Woodleigh unless you have plans to shoot 10 DG animals per year I don't see use for a bigger thumper. The 350gr bullet's trajectory will make sure you won't cross the 150 meter mark and it will hit hard enough and penetrate enough for any animal.

Rather spend money on getting ammo, if you can reload in Belgium even better and getting use to the rifle and practising with it. That way you will save money with no wounded game.

Will work like a charm on those driven boar hunts.

 

[shark_za]

Beautiful, and what a caliber combo.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Ohhh, thats beyond pretty & matching bbls! The 7X65R would be so sweet.
Congratulations.

 

[CJW]

Is this the same type of engraving? It looks very similar to me. I recently put this gun in my favorites just because I ran across it and love fine engraving.

Here's the link.

Griffin

 

[CJW]

Oh and beautiful rifle. For some reason I sometimes think that people don't actually own and hunt with rifles like this. That thing is just a masterpiece.

My thoughts and prayers the the great grand kids who have to fight over ownership of it. It won't be easy.

 

[VertigoBE]

Is this the same type of engraving? It looks very similar to me. I recently put this gun in my favorites just because I ran across it and love fine engraving.
View attachment 431063
View attachment 431064

Here's the link.

Griffin

That does look like a thistle motief as well. A very fine rifle as well!

 

[VertigoBE]

Oh and beautiful rifle. For some reason I sometimes think that people don't actually own and hunt with rifles like this. That thing is just a masterpiece.

My thoughts and prayers the the great grand kids who have to fight over ownership of it. It won't be easy.

I fully intend to use it, albeit I’ll be avoiding the wet and miserable days.

My first child is still in the making, so still a long time that I do not have to worry about who will inherit

 

[rookhawk]

Oh and beautiful rifle. For some reason I sometimes think that people don't actually own and hunt with rifles like this. That thing is just a masterpiece.

My thoughts and prayers the the great grand kids who have to fight over ownership of it. It won't be easy.

To the contrary, they are durable, easily reconditioned and repaired, and I've seen many beautiful examples like this with plenty of honest wear, yet well cared and attended.

At least 50% of the Griffin & Howe rifles in this style have been on many, many hunts.

This is the problem that most people misunderstand today about best guns. A best gun is made of walnut and has an oil finish. An equal price plastic gun does not. At the end of the season with a best gun, a drop of oil applied and rubbed into the stock until warm, perhaps done 2-3x over a week, will rebuild all finish and conceal many scratches. You cannot do that with plastic and polyurethane. An oil finish breathes, that big old dent you put into it can be steamed out immediately if you want, or with slightly less efficacy, once every 5-10 years during a light servicing by a professional. I cannot fix gouged plastic. As a plastic gun ages, it looks bad, as a best gun ages it burnishes and gets more character. One, wear is bad, the other, wear is good.

And the price of that gun in the picture? No way to tell without more info, but I've seen guns of that quality go for under $4000, less than most of the junk on the rack at the gunstore chain that sells "premium mass produced rifles". (this assuming its in a common caliber like 30-06 or 270 where there is a lot of supply) And in a decade, what's the gun above worth? What you paid or better. And the plastic alternative? $1500 seems to buy any plastic used gun with a $1200 optic attached if you go looking for that guy that went on a sheep hunt once and doesn't want it anymore.

Life is way to short to own and shoot junk. I wish we did a contest for a magazine. Two guys get $5000 and have to buy a 3 gun battery. One guy will buy 3 Rem 700s that will be half value in 3 years, another guy could buy one best gun and two high-grades of vintage quality. Every time these scenarios come up, the guy with the plastic says "I didn't know that was even possible". Hunters can be unimaginative at times.

 

[CJW]

To the contrary, they are durable, easily reconditioned and repaired, and I've seen many beautiful examples like this with plenty of honest wear, yet well cared and attended.

At least 50% of the Griffin & Howe rifles in this style have been on many, many hunts.

This is the problem that most people misunderstand today about best guns. A best gun is made of walnut and has an oil finish. An equal price plastic gun does not. At the end of the season with a best gun, a drop of oil applied and rubbed into the stock until warm, perhaps done 2-3x over a week, will rebuild all finish and conceal many scratches. You cannot do that with plastic and polyurethane. An oil finish breathes, that big old dent you put into it can be steamed out immediately if you want, or with slightly less efficacy, once every 5-10 years during a light servicing by a professional. I cannot fix gouged plastic. As a plastic gun ages, it looks bad, as a best gun ages it burnishes and gets more character. One, wear is bad, the other, wear is good.

And the price of that gun in the picture? No way to tell without more info, but I've seen guns of that quality go for under $4000, less than most of the junk on the rack at the gunstore chain that sells "premium mass produced rifles". (this assuming its in a common caliber like 30-06 or 270 where there is a lot of supply) And in a decade, what's the gun above worth? What you paid or better. And the plastic alternative? $1500 seems to buy any plastic used gun with a $1200 optic attached if you go looking for that guy that went on a sheep hunt once and doesn't want it anymore.

Life is way to short to own and shoot junk. I wish we did a contest for a magazine. Two guys get $5000 and have to buy a 3 gun battery. One guy will buy 3 Rem 700s that will be half value in 3 years, another guy could buy one best gun and two high-grades of vintage quality. Every time these scenarios come up, the guy with the plastic says "I didn't know that was even possible". Hunters can be unimaginative at times.

I was just saying that it's nice to see a gun so nice used for hunting, or at least it will be. Also for me just owning a gun like that is unrealistic, let alone being able to hunt with it, but kudos to those who do, especially if you can get it for a song. Buying guns is like buying cars, let the first guy take the hit. It gives those craftsman a reason to keep producing art.

I also understand about cheap guns and cheap plastic finishes. That's the reason I would like another stock for my Browning Safari. It has what must be a plastic type finish that looks like garbage when used heavy. The wood on this one is too nice to lose to cracking and cloudy finish.

Anyways, I won't hijack the thread anymore.

Post lots of pics when you receive it.

 

[rookhawk]

I was just saying that it's nice to see a gun so nice used for hunting, or at least it will be. Also for me just owning a gun like that is unrealistic, let alone being able to hunt with it, but kudos to those who do, especially if you can get it for a song. Buying guns is like buying cars, let the first guy take the hit. It gives those craftsman a reason to keep producing art.

I also understand about cheap guns and cheap plastic finishes. That's the reason I would like another stock for my Browning Safari. It has what must be a plastic type finish that looks like garbage when used heavy. The wood on this one is too nice to lose to cracking and cloudy finish.

Anyways, I won't hijack the thread anymore.

Post lots of pics when you receive it.

Indeed. A browning a-bolt or x-bolt has a plastic finish on the wood and if you take the gun out of the stock you'll note that the fire control group is plastic too. One of the absolute worst guns to work on in the "medium cost" category for these reasons. Trigger jobs are nearly impossible to accomplish and are done by putting lighter springs into the plastic trigger bits. You can dip-strip the stock, hand sand, grain fill, touch up the checkering borders, and do some rottonstone and slacum grain fill. Looks a ton better and won't show wear. It's still plastic inside and will not be a functional firearm in 30-40 years, unfortunately. (whatever the longevity is of the internal plastic firearm components)

Not a threadjack that you brought it up, but definitely be like @VertigoBE and bargain hunt for a great used piece if you can in the future. You'll get a lot more gun for your money. I saw a gorgeous mid-grade, hand built German mauser with lots of great features, probably from around 1930, for around $500 at a Cabelas a couple weeks back. Great guns of high quality don't have to cost a lot. Obviously when you're willing to spend $20k-ish like Vertigo you can buy a gun that was worth many times that if you bargain hunt.

 

[CJW]

Indeed. A browning a-bolt or x-bolt has a plastic finish on the wood and if you take the gun out of the stock you'll note that the fire control group is plastic too. One of the absolute worst guns to work on in the "medium cost" category for these reasons. Trigger jobs are nearly impossible to accomplish and are done by putting lighter springs into the plastic trigger bits. You can dip-strip the stock, hand sand, grain fill, touch up the checkering borders, and do some rottonstone and slacum grain fill. Looks a ton better and won't show wear. It's still plastic inside and will not be a functional firearm in 30-40 years, unfortunately. (whatever the longevity is of the internal plastic firearm components)

Not a threadjack that you brought it up, but definitely be like @VertigoBE and bargain hunt for a great used piece if you can in the future. You'll get a lot more gun for your money. I saw a gorgeous mid-grade, hand built German mauser with lots of great features, probably from around 1930, for around $500 at a Cabelas a couple weeks back. Great guns of high quality don't have to cost a lot. Obviously when you're willing to spend $20k-ish like Vertigo you can buy a gun that was worth many times that if you bargain hunt.

Mine is an early 1960's safari that I got for a very reasonable price. There's no plastic on the inside of that baby. Let's just say it's nice enough that a Safari collector I know of around here saw it at a gunsmith's when I had it in and I'm guessing he would pay me double for what I paid. He walked out when the GS told him I probably wouldn't sell it. The finish though perfect now is the only let down. I've seen others from the period that have been used and out in the sun and the finish clouds and spiderweb cracks on a good number of them. It's a dilemma to have it refinished now or just have it refinished if it does ever look like garbage.

I would love a type b mauser or something equivalent like you saw of the period but online sellers want a kings ransom for anything nice and I have never seen one on a used rack around here. I got ahead of myself a couple months back and bought one for too much money but with nice features but a cracked stock. Luckily I got my money back. I have my eye on a couple nice rifles online but I just feel like they're too much money.