Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters JB 03 Grail Article

JB, I certainly appreciate your recent article in Rifle Magazine, loved it, well done! For me, the subject of Townsend Whelen especially, and the old G&H Springfields, and all the Custom 06s, are by far my favorite reading, inspiration! I have 3 of Whelens books, and I copied the Petrov article of the "Whelen Wundhammer Rifle" long ago, I believe before Petrov died?? But I still enjoy very much SDH Site!
But to me, the most interesting time period & subject of American guns & hunting, are exactly those of your article, and so many others of that time!

Not a gunwriter but my understanding is that one of the requirements for saami approval is that the developer release any claim for royalties/ip

Great article as all you write are JB

Mike

Thanks!

Am still planning on take the G&H Springfield on my local cow moose hunt this fall--partly because it's also grizzly country, and a 220-grain Nosler Partition wouldn't be inappropriate just in case....

I somehow have missed this article, and going back three issues in my online subscription, can't seem to find it. In which issue is it featured?

Thanks,
Rex

September 2022 RIFLE magazine.

Thanks John - that explains that. On the website, July/August 2022 is still shown as the latest issue. Hopefully it'll update any day now. Looking forward to reading it.
Rex

Thanks, Rex!

I hunted with someone back in the 80's that had two of the Griffin & Howe 1903's. I always liked them , but at that time they were not as rare or desirable as they are now. I have often thought I should have purchased one.

JB`s articles that he writes about with all the history are very special and some of these things in this article on Griffin & Howe i have kinda overlooked too. i might even have a old Griffin & Howe mount on my 300 Newton yet. another very good article JB !

I haven't received my issue yet but certainly look forward to it. The early 20th century rifles are a facination of mine as well

Great article. I really hope he uses the rifle on his moose hunt.

I do as well. Like John, I learn a lot using old classics. Last year I carried a nice vintage 1903 Rigby 7x57

Phil,

I found some interesting info while researching the article! Suspect you'll like it--and also still plan to use the G&H on my cow moose hunt, partly because it's in grizzly country....

John

I'd love to see a photo of that, if you haven't posted it elsewhere.

Rigby used it in one of their newsletters, although I don't know how many folks here get those .
And I think the upcoming 2023 Gun Digest might have a photo as I did a feature on using early 20th Century bolt actions.

Well, I'm going to buy just about anything that has an article in by you, sir. I look forward to it.

Going to use Ramshot Hunter in your handloads?

41

Nope, am going to use some handloads I worked up for another 1903 Springfield .30-06 over 20 years ago--when Brian Pearce and I were scheduled to go to Zimbabwe to mini-recreate Theodore Roosevelt's nearly year-long safari made after his second term as president ended. The rifle that inspired that planned trip was the then recently introduced reproduction of the 1895 Winchester in .405 WCF, which Brian was planning on bringing.

But Roosevelt also brought a 1903 that was "sporterized" by Springfield Armory, along with a big-bore double rifle given to him by some of his British friends, who were alarmed that he planned to use the .405 on thick-skinned game. I put together an iron-sighted 1903 with a Shilen barrel and a piece of European walnut purchased from a friend. This was back when I was doing a lot of stock work, and after D'Arcy Echols pre-turned the blank for me it turned out pretty well, and I worked up a load with 220 Partitions and H4831 that shot pretty well. (A friend loaned me a nice old British double, which I also worked up loads for.)

But the safari got cancelled, because the day Brian and I were scheduled to take off for Zim was September 11, 2001. I was in the air between Montana and Salt Lake City when the attacks happened, but Brian never got off the ground in Boise. By the time the safari could be rescheduled the Model 95 .405 was old news, so the whole project was scrapped.

I'd loaded sixty rounds of 220 Partitions, and they sat on my shelves amid a bunch of other .30-06 ammo until I "discovered" them again after buying the G&H. Turned out I had to seat the bullets slightly deeper, due to the shorter throat in the National Match barrel on the G&H, but they also turned out to be the most accurate ammo tested in the rifle. They seemed to be just about perfect for a moose hunt, especially since most of the area I drew the tag for is also grizzly country, with an increasing population.

Than would have a great safari. And, a great story.