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Hello Don,

Thanks for the reply.

I doubt that any re-heat-treat was necessary on this action. The addition of the square bridge to the top of the rear bridge of the receiver would have no affect on the mechanical strength properties of the front bridge, where the bolt lock-up occurs.

Interestingly, a detailed examination of this rifle showed it to be totally "unfired" since its customization and conversion to 416 Rigby caliber back in 1987. Given that fact, and since I wanted to shoot the rifle, my biggest concern was the installation of the iron sites. It didn't look like they had ever been adjusted to "zero-in" the rifle. In fact, it appeared that both the front and rear sites were simply centered on the top of the barrel. They looked good, but would the work?

Well, I had a chance to test fire the rifle today. I used relatively light loads because the rifle is a bit on the light side at 8-3/4 pounds, and I didn't want to pound it, or me, un-necessarily. I just wanted to have some fun shooting it.

My concerns were for not. It seems that Nate knew what he was doing when he installed the sites as well. Here is the first shot from the rifle.

And here are the other 9 shots. I never touched the sites. I fired 2 loads, 350g and 400g. Combined they shot into 2-1/2" with each individual group measuring slightly over 2". That's about as good as my eyes will do these days, although I'll be trying to do better next time out. I think with heavier loads and resulting increased recoil, there will be a slight rise of the group putting "all" the shots surrounding the bull.

I have also obtained some updated information about Nate Bishop from one of the current American Custom Gunmakers Guild. It seems that Nate's father was the well known Company of "E.C. Bishop & Son" in Warsaw Missouri. That makes Nate the "& Son" of that famous Company.

The Company E.C. Bishop & Son originally made wooden railroad ties, and later moved into making gun stock blanks and complete stocks, of which they turned out hundreds of thousands for the U.S. Military during WWII. During WWII, Nate joined the U.S. Air Force and upon his returning 5 years later, he took over the Finishing Department at the Bishop Factory.

Then in the early 1950's, his father sold the family Company, although the name stayed the same. It was at that time that Nate turned to Custom Stock making as a full time Business and later became a member of the Custom Gunmakers Guild.

Nate once commented that it takes up to 150 hours to craft a Custom stock and that the Customer was not just buying a fancy piece of wood, rather, he was buying a piece of the Craftsman's Life.

He went on to say that he could only craft one stock per month that would meet his personal specifications.

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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."