The rifle recently went out to Lon Paul, who verified that it suffered from insufficient headspace: the bolt would not close on a SAAMI Go gauge, nor on recently manufactured ammunition. However, he determined that it would chamber a round of Kynoch .404, which indicates to him and me that the rifle was chambered by someone who used a cartridge as a headspace gauge, or perhaps chambered the barrel before SAAMI standards were adopted.

Not only has the rifle been out of the stock (no markings anywhere on the barrel or stock), but the grip cap has been removed and examined, all without results. The bolt will now close on a SAAMI headspace gauge and on a fresh round of ammunition. This trip to the west coast and corrective gunsmithing was financed, incidentally, by Cabela's.

The list of stock makers and gunsmiths who have been eliminated as possibly responsible continues to grow. Among those eliminated are Gary Goudy, Jerry Fisher, Winston Elrod, Dennis Erhardt, Sterling Davenport and Griffin & Howe. I have attempted to contact Champlin about Maurice Ottmar, since he once worked for them, but so far no response. A friend who has had dealings with Tom Burgess and owns several rifles built by him agrees that the metal work is almost certainly his.

I continue to hope for a breakthrough, but even if none occurs, everyone seems to agree that I have a fine rifle.

This has been an interesting exercise, and I have been privileged to talk to a whole list of prominent stock makers. I found them without exception to be real gentlemen and very cooperative in dealing with a total stranger, who is not even a prospective customer.