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In the early 1980's I wandered into a Sydney Gun Shop and purchased a 500 Jeffery Rimless by Giles Whittome. I still own this rifle.

Just recently I decided to find out more about Giles Whittome and the Rifle. Thanks to the www I dicovered I could contact the man himself. So I sent him an email:

Sir,

I am in possession of a rifle made by you – I believe, in the early 1960’s, chambered in 500 Jeffery Rimless, the serial number is on the trigger guard strap: # 1002. The Rifle has been proofed for the 84gn Cordite, 570gn Ball.
I attach a link to some photos of the rifle and hope you can provide some history of this rifle.
I hope the pictures give you enough information to assist me.
The rifle was obviously built for a very tall man and is a right hand Mauser bolt action stocked for a left handed user.

I purchased this rifle in Sydney, NSW Australia in 1979 or 80. The rifle was ‘on consignment’ in a gun shop.

Any assistance you could provide my with the providence of my rifle would be appreciated.

Mr Whittome replied within 10 hours of my email:

Dear Mr. Manchee; many thanks for the email, and I was fascinated to see pictures of the rifle I hadn't seen for a long time. I had bought a .500 Jeffery barrelled action and made it up into a rifle for use in Africa; I spent years going after elephants on control in Tanganyika with the Elephant Control Department, back in the sixties, and wanted something more powerful than my .375, so I built this when I went back to England. However, although I am right-handed I am left-master-eyed and shoot from the left shoulder, so the bolt action didn't really work for me and I changed to a double .500/3 1/4. You are right about the very tall man:- I am 6ft 5in! I sold it at Christie's and the purchaser came up to talk to me after the sale and he was Australian, so that explains how it went down under. I am married to an Aussie, so your letter was all the more interesting.

All good wishes,

Giles Whittome.

P.S. The entry in my manufacturer's register states:-
25" barrel, left-hand stock, semi-Monte Carlo.
Rigby-type cocking-piece peep-sight.
Magazine extension, 4 shots.
Full pistol grip, beavertail fore-end.
Weight 11 lbs 6 oz.
Gold name (Gothic script) by Ken Hunt on barrel.
Floral scroll engraving by Don Simmons.
Completed December 1979.
Sold at Christie's March 1981.

Ken Hunt is acknowledged as the finest firearms engraver that has ever lived, and was a friend of mine, and Don Simmons is also top-rank, so those two names will not do the value any harm.

Here are some of the photos I sent to Mr. Whittome:

I managed to get B.E.L.L to make me some cases for the rifle and Woodleigh made me some 535gn projectiles, just as the business was getting under way. I obtained a set of loading dies from a gunsmith in Victoria.
However the cases arrived to late for me to use in the NT in the early '80's so the old girl has only seen shots at the range.
It seems BELL was in production of a large order for the US Govt at the time and he made my brass out of some 577 NE cases he had at the time. He ran them through a ring die and turned a rim on the cases. These cases do perform well.

Edited by CptCurl (29/12/08 12:05 AM)

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