Hey there 4seventy-

I've done numerous rigorous shake-downs of the web for information on these too. I've seen what's likely most or all of your web-present conversations on the line of rifles and appreciate your tenacity on the search.

My gun's a B30.... which has me thinking it's a Manchester-assembled gun as I've seen guns noted as being Manchester guns in the mid-high 2's that were fitted out nearly the same as my gun is. The fellow who had the rifle noted that it'd been in his stock for somewhere around fifteen years. I think he dug it up out of back stock recently while prepping for the big show out in Vegas.
The rifle still has the factory sticky-grease residue in the mag box and on the bolt. The bore is a house of mirrors and the exterior wood finish is 'factory fresh' -- nobody has gone at it with true oil or stain or anything to that nature, all supports the notion that it's what he claims, a brand spanking new Whitworth Express.
Oh, and as another note for you, if I recall this one has the side-plunger magazine floorplate catch instead of the little bumper inside the triggerguard, the 100 yard blade is fixed not folding, and the forward sling swivel stud is in the forend, not on the barrel.
The gun's in his vault at this time as we get to wait for ten days to pick up our hunting rifles out here in California. Don't want to hurry things now do we...

I didn't get a photo of the roll-stamped text on the left side of the barrel and reciever, but for your notice the gun is stamped with 'Whitworth Express' in stylized font on the left side -- I think that's on the barrel, and at the serial number on the right side of the gun there's the somewhat oval-round punchmark near the serial number like I've seen on other .458 Whitworth guns of similar serial number range. Couldn't quite tell what the characters were within the oval either, but I think you know what I'm talking about there. Would that be cz?

I got out to the ranch yesterday to pick up some gear and was handed a packet of unfired brass, ten rounds of 300gr JSP/2400fps loaded ammo, and three boxes of bullets. There are a couple of eucalyptus trees on a hillside that have needed to go, we're thinking that box of 500grFMJ Hornady bullets will do a good job of taking her down.

My plan is to go through the underbelly of the action and do the much recommended bedding and relieving, and double-checking of the recoil lug inletting and bedding before I let go with the heavier bullets and full house loads.
From there it's tree-cutting time! I think the old eucalyptus trees are the only game in the state worthy of the 500grFMJ loads.

This reminds me that I also have a box of 350grSNRN Woodleighs that I'd gotten for the Tolley *and then* realized that they were the tough jacket model designed for the .458WM and not the BPE-friendly thin jacket model, they'll do very nicely in the Whitworth I'm sure...

--Tinker