| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 08/09/19 11:16 AM |
458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Gentlemen,
yesterday I had the privilege of looking at and handling the famous 458 MS that Joel Dorleac made for Mike Bailey several years ago. In case some of you have forgotten:
http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=287223&an=0&page=7#Post287223
The rifle came up for auction at Holts about a year ago and one of the BGRC members was lucky enough to be the winner. It arrived here about month ago and he brought it to our September shoot yesterday.
Let me say it this way. If you think it looks fantastic in the photos, it is nothing compared to seeing and handling it in real. I think that anyone would be hard pressed to find a slicker and more svelte perfect handling well balanced 458 WM in existence. It is dimensionally perfect and the finish is magnificent.
That modified bolt handle is a dream to use and makes me wonder why more gunmakers didn't opt to do that conversion themselves. It makes bolt handle manipulation so much easier.
Another difference which may have been done by Joel is the detent cam behind the root of the bolt handle is not the standard 90 degree vee but rather a rounded cam on the right hand side and a flat on the left which makes bolt operation much smoother. This may have been factory on that model, maybe Joel could let us know. If you look closely in the photos you can see what I mean.
Interestingly when the rifle arrived here in Australia it appears to have been almost un-fired and certainly not used, even the bolt had not really been manipulated.
Unfortunately the owner had not as yet worked up any loaded rounds so I could not get to shoot it but he should have same by the next meeting, I will then report back.
Why Mike Bailey sold it so soon after having received it is a bit of a mystery, although I note that he has not posted on here for some time and my attempts to contact him over another matter have proved fruitless, does anybody know what has happened to Mike?
Anyway, it was a joy to handle and certainly worth every cent.
I should mention here that there is no point of any members getting their hopes up about owning the rifle should the current owner choose to sell it as I am already next in line and he assures me that he won't be selling it any time soon.
Matt.
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 10/09/19 04:05 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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By the lack of responses obviously nobody was as impressed as I was !!!
Matt.
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 10/09/19 04:59 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Quote:
By the lack of responses obviously nobody was as impressed as I was !!!
Matt.
It's gorgeous.
Perhaps we're speechless.
| Viking338 |
| (.333 member) |
| 10/09/19 06:41 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Sorry mate, I commented back then. But yes, still stunning
NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 10/09/19 07:50 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Matt.
I fear very much that before I can one day acquire a Joel Dorleac creation, his works of rifle art will be beyond my means.
I hope he remembers small people like me. 
One day I do hope to commission a Dorleac rifle. It would be a great treasure. That Mannlicher was very lovely. Have to absorb your comments. I mentioned the bolt handle previously, and it is good it works as well as it looks it would. Spoon handles in my opinion are awful to use. Good to look at.
Mike Bailey is still around. I will look when he was last on NE. I seem him online from time to time. As for why he sold the rifle, you would have to ask him. I am sure it was reluctant.
Possibly in the end a .458 owned, needs to have a use oneday, otherwise perhaps better use for the funds.
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 10/09/19 09:10 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Matt, congratulations for handling this master piece and glad to know that the rifle is in good hands down under!
Louis
| Ash |
| (.400 member) |
| 11/09/19 06:55 AM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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I still remember seeing a 458 MS sell here for $500.. shoulda made the call..
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 12/09/19 07:28 AM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Thanks Louis, I am looking forward to shooting it. I don't think that it will be leaving Australia anytime soon.
Matt.
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 12/09/19 07:38 AM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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John, the rifle sold at auction for a modest amount relative to the amount of work that went into it, still expensive but not unaffordable if one went and sold quite a few things.
You say that Mike is still around, I did send him a PM a while ago regarding a question that I wanted to ask him regarding another MS that he had made however I did not get a response.
Do you think that you might be able to get hold of him for me, any help would be appreciated.
Matt.
| 12tar |
| (.224 member) |
| 02/10/19 06:16 AM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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it may be of interest to learn that the Mannlicher Schoenauer in 458 was purchased by a friend from the Bud Haynes auction in Red Deer. alberta, Canada about 20 years ago- cost was $1500 Canadian. I acquired it from him in trade, and subsequently sold it to the former owner in the UK, who had Dorleac completely rework it. It was practically unused
don
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 02/10/19 03:27 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Quote:
John, the rifle sold at auction for a modest amount relative to the amount of work that went into it, still expensive but not unaffordable if one went and sold quite a few things.
You say that Mike is still around, I did send him a PM a while ago regarding a question that I wanted to ask him regarding another MS that he had made however I did not get a response.
Do you think that you might be able to get hold of him for me, any help would be appreciated.
Matt.
I checked his profile and he has not been on NE for a year or two. I have contact with him on another platform. I will send him a message about your query and he might re-connect here with you on NE. I will let you know. Remind me, by PM, if I forget!
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 02/10/19 07:00 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Thanks for that John, appreciated.
Matt.
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 02/10/19 10:28 PM |
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Re: 458 Wm Mannlicher Schoenauer by Dorleac
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Thanks Don, that is very interesting. I will pass on this information to the current owner this Saturday as we are having a shoot.
Matt.