Among the small (and it should be said, wealthy) group of gun aficionados, the name Duane Wiebe is well known, and justifiably so. Here’s a brief auto-bio of the man — but it must be said, his real bio is in the long guns he has crafted over the past three decades or so. Here are a couple-three, at Steve Barnett’s place (right-click to embiggen):
Argentine Mauser in .375 H&H Magnum
And to the question, “Can an old Mauser handle the .375 H&H?” the answer is a smack upside the head and an “Of course it can, you silly person!”
Here’s another DW special:
Mauser G33/40 in 6.5x55mm Swede
…and if that doesn’t get your drool flowing and trigger-finger itching, then we can’t be friends.
Okay, for those who want something more American and in a more modern chambering [sigh] :
Winchester pre-war Model 70 in .300 Win Mag:
…with Winchester’s typical swept-back Mod 70 bolt.
Okay, none of the above are inexpensive (see the links), because they are each one of a kind, crafted by an expert who not only knows guns, but loves them.
With a decent lottery win, I could find at least two more (along with all three of the above) Wiebe rifles I’d want to buy, and that’s only at Barnett’s.
I don’t just appreciate craftsmen, I venerate them. And Duane Wiebe is all that, and more.