Nene's back, with a new Jerry Fisher 300 Win Mag

[Barry Lee Hands]

Jerry Fisher dropped off a piece I have had on order for a few years.
A Mauser 98 American Classic style Sporter in 300 Winchester Magnum.

Nene, my assistant, could not help taking the Rifle into the field for a once over.

The grand old man of the american classic stock, Jerry Fisher, has hit a home run with this piece!

I am really happy with it. I almost took it to bed, but was afraid I might scratch it.

All the best,

 

[Weldon47]

B,

That should look pretty sweet once you get 'er done!

WL

 

[fegarex]

OK Barry,
I will probably show my stupidity here which is not uncommon but I have a question.
Isn't the forearm a little short on that? Surely, if ANYONE knows how to build a stock it is Jerry but maybe its the photo or something but it looks like a whole lot of barrel hanging out of the stock.
Rex

 

[ED DELORGE]

Hello Lee, thanks for sharing the photos, Jerry looks a little different than in the picture in monty Kennedy's book on checkering. How about some closer pictures of the butt stock, is that claro or american? The fit and finish on that gun looks like some of my work. It does bring joy to my old heart to see a mauser like that all polished out ready to engrave. Tell Jerry I said hello.

Ed DeLorge

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

No stupid questions Rex, just stupid answers, hehe.
As you may know I guide Elk hunters, and this is built as a guides Rifle.
The barrel is twenty three inch.
The rifle has a 14.5 inch length of pull, which I prefer. As you know that is a little longer than most.
The forend tip is eight and one half inches to the front of the action, which is about right for a guides gun. Any longer, and it catches on everything that comes along, and I kick the heck out of it with my spurs when it is mounted butt forward in the scabbard.
Those three dimensions together with the angle of the pics is what gives you that impression.

You are very welcome Ed, the stock is a very dark and dense piece of english, Jerry said its one of the hardest blanks he has seen. I will pass along your regards.

All the best

 

[fegarex]

Thanks Barry,
That gives me some answers. Like in engraving there are some sort of guidelines and rules you go on and they can be broken if you know what you are doing. Of course if anyone can break the rules well it would be Jerry. I too would like to see some closer pictures of both the metal and wood. I am a 98 lover myself. Somewhere in my shop is a nice 1909 that is going to be my rifle.. I said that about 20 years ago anyhow...
Rex

 

[KCSteve]

Nice looking gun!

I'm also looking forward to seeing how you dress it up.

Rex if you look at the second picture (first one of Nene holding it) you can see that the barrel's only a little longer looking than usual. But boy, once you add in some perspective distortion that thing looks huge! Those last two shots, you wonder how she's able to keep from tipping forward.

 

[eastslope]

We've got a few M98's around here, and cherrish every one of them. They are the only rifle I hunt with, and the one I have been using the last 5 years is built into a 338 with a lilja stainless barrel, which I am very happy with.

That is a beautiful rifle for sure, and I am certian you will put alot of miles on that rifle. Thanks for showing, Seth

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Yes, I agree Rex, I will post some wood pics in the near future.

Thank you Seth.

Rex if you look at the second picture (first one of Nene holding it) you can see that the barrel's only a little longer looking than usual. But boy, once you add in some perspective distortion that thing looks huge! Those last two shots, you wonder how she's able to keep from tipping forward.

Yes Steve, Thats correct.
What Rex was seeing more than anything I believe was the 14.5 inch length of pull, which is long for the USA, I prefer a long LOP.
Twentythree inches for a barrel on a 300 is good, and eight and one half inches from the face of the action to the forend tip is typical these days, at least with some of the Gunmakers.
These three dimensions and the camera angle, do make for a long appearance.
Lee Helgeland , an American Custom Gunmakers Guild member, who is one of the best at the moment, builds at that dimension,or any other that the client prefers.
He recently built a 9.3 x 64, which is almost equivalent of the 375 Holland and Holland, 9.3 being a .366.
Lee's built it with a twenty two inch barrel and an eight and three sixteenth action face to forend, and a lop of around fourteen if I remember.
If I had the same built by Gary Goudy, action face to forend might be longer. I have a Goudy Winchester model 70 here he built for me that has a face to forend length of about ten inches.
In the old days face of the action to forend was usually around ten inches, and length of pull thirteen and a half .

Its really up to the Gunmaker and client to decide the dimensions when you are building a custom stock.

When I ordered the Fisher 300, I specified the following:
300 Winchester Magnum.
Length of pull fourteen and one half inches.
Quarter rib, with one standing one folding sight.
Built in the Jerry Fisher style.

It is still difficult to put it in the safe at night, hehe.

All the best

 

[Glenn]

Hi Barry,
Now I'm confused. I thought the 9.3X64 was equivalent to the 375 and the 9.3X74 was a flanged cartridge for a double rifle. I don't want to start a debate, but I am, as I said, a little confused.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks Glenn, you are correct, My mistake, Lee's is a 9.3x64.
I corrected my typo.
You are keeping me in line here, hehe.