The One Rifle That's Always Intrigued Me

[Hunter-Habib]

I'm genuinely curious. Have any of you gents (or ladies) ever actually seen a rifle like this ?

WDM Bell's final article (on a 1954 issue of "American Rifleman") illustrates the above rifle.

It's a custom made take down piece built on a Springfield Model 1903 action with a pair of interchangeable barrels- One in .30-06 Springfield and one in .318 Westley Richards.

It seems like something very regal ! I first read this article as a young boy in 1961 and this photo immediately caught my attention. But the last 63 years of hunting worldwide and using a wide plethora of excellent sporting firearms... I've never once actually seen anything like it in any gun store or gun show. The rifle in the illustration has always piqued my interest.

WDM Bell himself appears to have purchased a .318 Westley Richards built on a Springfield Model 1903 action on 17/1/1938. But there is absolutely no mention as to who the actual maker was that had built the rifle.

I'm curious to know all of your thoughts.

Warmest Regards,
Habib

 

[Russ16]

Never seen a two barrel set but have seen several takedown versions in a single caliber.

 

[SaintPanzer]

Dakota (when there was a Dakota) used to sell such a thing, if I recall correctly, the deal was you had to choose ammunition types that used the same cartridge base, so the bolt did not need to be changed. For example, you could have one barrel in .300 H&H magnum, and another in .375 H&H magnum.

I have an FN action kicking around, and was thinking about building such a beast, but I think maybe it would be too difficult to modify the action for a magnum cartridge. This leads me to think a .25-06 barrel for whitetails, and a .30-06 for elk might be a good way to go.

Dakota Model 76 Traveler Bolt-Action Centerfire Takedown Rifle - RifleShooter

The Dakota Model 76 Traveler Bolt-Action Centerfire Takedown rifle borrowed the same design element that made the Mauser 98 and Winchester Model 70 famous: a full-length claw extractor that bites the rim of the cartridge while feeding and retains its hold on the rim throughout the firing, extraction

www.rifleshootermag.com

 

[baxterb]

Yes. Duane Wiebe has built similar take-downs, but as stated above, I cannot remember if any were two-barrel sets. The ones I remember when i worked with him were single-caliber.

 

[cash_tx]

Dakota (when there was a Dakota) used to sell such a thing, if I recall correctly, the deal was you had to choose ammunition types that used the same cartridge base, so the bolt did not need to be changed. For example, you could have one barrel in .300 H&H magnum, and another in .375 H&H magnum.

I have an FN action kicking around, and was thinking about building such a beast, but I think maybe it would be too difficult to modify the action for a magnum cartridge. This leads me to think a .25-06 barrel for whitetails, and a .30-06 for elk might be a good way to go.

Dakota Model 76 Traveler Bolt-Action Centerfire Takedown Rifle - RifleShooter

The Dakota Model 76 Traveler Bolt-Action Centerfire Takedown rifle borrowed the same design element that made the Mauser 98 and Winchester Model 70 famous: a full-length claw extractor that bites the rim of the cartridge while feeding and retains its hold on the rim throughout the firing, extraction

www.rifleshootermag.com

I seem to recall that same Dakota offering as well.

You could use your FN action to make a triple caliber setup: 25-06, 30-06, and 35 Whelen. I'm sure that would make Bob very happy.

 

[uplander01]

Weibe had a very nice 2 barrel set that was on the market for a couple years, I think the last maker to possess it was Martini up in Canada. It was built on a M98 and was in calibers 338 WM, and 416 Rem Mag. It was a dandy, I think went for around 12k

 

[reinwood]

Reimer Johannsen is still making similar take down rifle. I saw one in 416 Rigby + 338 lapua perfection.

Takedown - Modelle - Johannsen-express-rifle.de

johannsen-express-rifle.de

The Mauser 66 were also made with the same take down idea:

Thread 'Mauser -Werke model 66 3 barrel set'

Sep 22, 2022

Has anyone any idea on this? Ran across it today at gunshop.
Mauser Werke model 66
3 barrel set.
7mm Rem Mag, 375 HH, 458 win mag

• Mark Biggerstaff
• Replies: 29
• Forum: Firearms & ammunition

• 
• 
• 

I own 2 of the mauser 66 one in 8x68s one in 338 lapua (customized from a 300 win)
German engineering at its best.

 

[SaintPanzer]

I seem to recall that same Dakota offering as well.

You could use your FN action to make a triple caliber setup: 25-06, 30-06, and 35 Whelen. I'm sure that would make Bob very happy.

Thought about that, too. Nothing against the .35 Whelen, in fact, I'm generally for it. I just really want an H&H Mag. The old (original) idea was a .275H&H for deer stalking in Scotland, and the .375 for Africa. That's kind of where my brain was... But I think I need a magnum action for that.

 

[CBH Australia]

There were certainly various “Take Down “ Rifles’s in Australian shooting magazines in the 70’s, maybe the 80’s when I was quite young and dreaming of hunting the world.

I don’t recall what ones or a set specifically but there certainly some fine take down rifles shown.

 

[Mekaniks]

I have never seen a 1903 takedown, let alone one with a second barrel.

That rifle really increases the "Thats Cool" factor. I like it

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Friend had a Mauser takedown in 350 rigby, beautiful rifle, he swapped it for a Hepburn that was a piece of shite, I’d offered to by it from him but the allure of another Hepburn was too great
Gumpy

 

[odonata]

Dakota (when there was a Dakota) used to sell such a thing, if I recall correctly, the deal was you had to choose ammunition types that used the same cartridge base, so the bolt did not need to be changed.

A few years ago when this LH Dakota Traveler in 7mm Rem Mag / 458 Win Mag came up for auction, I looked at it long & hard. But someone with much deeper pockets wanted it more than me. That would have been a nice combo.

I wound up buying a left-handed 7mm Rem Mag with a fixed barrel & rebarreling it to 458 Win Mag instead.

 

[odonata]

@Hunter-Habib, I don’t know if this is of any interest since it’s a different rifle, but while surfing around, I stumbled across a takedown 318 WR being auctioned soon so I thought I would share:

Westley Richards Takedown Magazine Rifle with Scope

Westley Richards Takedown Bolt Action Magazine Rifle in .318 Accelerated Express with Scope Fitted with a ramped beaded blade front sight which features a flip up hood, and a four folding leaf 200-500 yard rear sight on the blued steel barrel which is marked "WESTLEY RICHARDS & Co LONDON". The...

www.rockislandauction.com

 

[Boone66]

Dakota (when there was a Dakota) used to sell such a thing, if I recall correctly, the deal was you had to choose ammunition types that used the same cartridge base, so the bolt did not need to be changed. For example, you could have one barrel in .300 H&H magnum, and another in .375 H&H magnum.

I have an FN action kicking around, and was thinking about building such a beast, but I think maybe it would be too difficult to modify the action for a magnum cartridge. This leads me to think a .25-06 barrel for whitetails, and a .30-06 for elk might be a good way to go.

Dakota Model 76 Traveler Bolt-Action Centerfire Takedown Rifle - RifleShooter

The Dakota Model 76 Traveler Bolt-Action Centerfire Takedown rifle borrowed the same design element that made the Mauser 98 and Winchester Model 70 famous: a full-length claw extractor that bites the rim of the cartridge while feeding and retains its hold on the rim throughout the firing, extraction

www.rifleshootermag.com

Any good gunsmith could modify it for magnums. On a side note, I would do 280AI for elk instead of the 06.

 

[Boone66]

I have never seen a 1903 takedown, let alone one with a second barrel.

That rifle really increases the "Thats Cool" factor. I like it

I have seen them and am going to make one in 35 Whelen brown.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Hartmann and Weis does a 2 barrel set takedown, if requested

 

[PerH]

About .318 WR bullets

318 Solid Shank (25 Units) | Rhino Bullets

These are bond-core bullets with a drilled hole in the front part of the bullet and it features a solid copper shank at the rear, which is indestructible. The thick wall jackets attempt to keep petals intact, and expansion gets arrested where the drilled hole stops. The net result is that it...

www.rhinobullets.co.za

 

[Green Chile]

Many years ago, I had a Wiebe takedown in 500 Jeffery. That was one I really regret selling. With the action/magazine mods, I'm not sure that would have been a good candidate for a switch barrel gun but when done to Wiebe, etc levels, they are stunning.