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bipbigbore
.224 member

Reged: 06/10/05
Posts: 42
Loc: USA

Marcel Thys
#63313 - 02/10/06 05:06 AM

All,

I have a chance at a Marcel Thys 470 NE. Does anyone have any experience with them? Also, i have a compact Nightorce scope in 1-4x with red dot. I think that by mounting that scope, i will certainly shoot the rifle better. On the other hand, I know it is certainly not the traditional way to go.

thoughts??

bbb

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mehulkamdar
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: bipbigbore]
#63316 - 02/10/06 06:01 AM

Marcel Thys has retired recently and closed his business. He was certainly among the finest builders of double rifles ever. If the rifle is in good shape, by all means buy it. There will never be any more - Thys' sons are not interested in the business from all accounts.

Fitting a scope on a double would be like putting a roof rack on a Ferrari - a statement by someone who has several double rifles by Trevor Proctor.

That said, if it's your Ferrari, you have every right to have a roof rack if you want one. It is no one else's business what you do with your rifle, though, a mint Thys may lose it's value with modifications if you plan on selling the rifle at a later date.

Do post pictures of the gun here if you buy it.

Cheers!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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500grains
.416 member

Reged: 16/02/04
Posts: 4732
Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah USA

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: mehulkamdar]
#63322 - 02/10/06 07:06 AM

I shot a Thys 470 boxlock recently. It was a nice rifle and shot well. However, the stock fit me poorly and struck my cheekpiece with each shot, resulting a severe sloshing of my brain.

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Double_Trouble
.375 member

Reged: 27/04/06
Posts: 577
Loc: Canada

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: bipbigbore]
#63368 - 02/10/06 09:13 PM

My limited experiance with Thys ,ordered a two barrel set for a customer, and the finish both in the metal and wood was terrible! not even the quality of work expected from an apprentice maker and a far cry from that of a skilled smith. The rifle was not even close to "a best" which it was supposed to have been.

The custom, fitted case which was "to follow after the delivery of the rifle" never happened !

The rifle needed to be repaired before being used and upon receipt ,for the second time, the results weren't any better,and still no fitted case!

I hope the rifle you are looking at is better than the one rec'd here....

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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Grizzly
.333 member

Reged: 05/12/05
Posts: 359
Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: Double_Trouble]
#63370 - 02/10/06 09:50 PM

When was it made?

As I recall, there is a hell of a story involving Thys.

He was going to retire, but apparently there was a good sized theft of some of his inventory. And he had to cover his remaining orders. Not sure how he did it, but it is not beyond the realm of reason that he contracted out the work.

That incident hit him so hard that he was working contract for Griffin & Howe, and that was very recent.

--------------------
SCI Life Member
DSC Life Member
DRSS Member

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Double_Trouble
.375 member

Reged: 27/04/06
Posts: 577
Loc: Canada

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: Grizzly]
#63371 - 02/10/06 10:03 PM

was in the mid 90's ..... I'll check the records and confirm but i would say '94 or '95

he mentioned nothing about contracting the work out and the price was full pop !

I met his glance at a couple of shows after the delivery and non-delivery as it were, and he seemed to always need to go in another direction.....most peculiar!

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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mickey
.416 member

Reged: 05/01/03
Posts: 4647
Loc: Pend Oreille Valley, Idaho

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: Double_Trouble]
#63376 - 02/10/06 11:49 PM

DT

Interesting. I have known Marcel, Diedier, Corrine and Eric for over 20 years and never heard anything like your problems.

I have never seen a rifle or shotgun that wasn't first rate in the fit and finish although his earlier rifles left something to be described in the engraving for my tastes. They seem to be a bit light for caliber at times also.

In the mid nineties he had or was buying the Browning Engravers business from FAL.

Did you see him at SCI?

--------------------
Lovu Zdar
Mick

A Man of Pleasure, Enterprise, Wit and Spirit Rare Books, Big Game Hunting, English Rifles, Fishing, Explosives, Chauvinism, Insensitivity, Public Drunkenness and Sloth, Champion of Lost and Unpopular Causes.

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Double_Trouble
.375 member

Reged: 27/04/06
Posts: 577
Loc: Canada

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: mickey]
#63387 - 03/10/06 02:39 AM

I have seen him at both SCI and IWA

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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pwm
.300 member

Reged: 15/06/04
Posts: 216
Loc: Banana Republik of Germany

Re: Marcel Thys [Re: mehulkamdar]
#63402 - 03/10/06 06:12 AM

Fitting a scope on a double would be like putting a roof rack on a Ferrari - a statement by someone who has several double rifles by Trevor Proctor. That said, if it's your Ferrari, you have every right to have a roof rack if you want one.

liek Wischmeyer, a german philosopher is saying: its not to be rich to drive a ferrari, its rich to burn one

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