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It’s a 1950 model confirmed by stamp on underside of barrel. Gun is in good condition. Seller described it as 90%, my gunsmith said he could agree with that. Gunsmith also believes it is factory original. Previous owner said he never had the gun apart and I can believe that.
It is a 1950 model so the lyman sight could have been a special order, it certainly looks factory installed to me. I have seen many that looked the oposite. Louis asked me to look at the top of the barrel to see if it looked like a a double leaf sight had ever been installed. Not that I can see.
The wood appears to be original finishe to me, I see no signs of sanding, nor are there scratches or dings that look like they have been refinished over. The gun is in good shape. Not an immaculate collector, but I can see it as a solid 90% gun.
Fired 3 300 gr nosler partitions from federal through it in about 90 seconds or so and while it lets you know you shot something, and I wouldn’t want to put 100 rounds on paper, it isn’t painful just loud and forceful. 2 minutes later driving in the truck I didn’t even feel any discomfort in my shoulder. Now this was standing not at a bench.
- Anyway, I like it, the price was agreeable with the 300 H&H throw in I should be getting in the next couple of weeks. I also got a dual folding leaf sight thrown invwith the gun. Pics below.
Beautiful rifle. I’ve been looking for the same gun with no luck. Many of the examples I come across have cracked stocks from recoil. I would not use any bench device recoil reducers such as Lead Sleds, etc. for fear of cracking the nearly 70 year old wood. New production Model 70 Safari and Alaskans have dual cross bolts for rigidity. A sore shoulder is a small price to pay for such a beautiful gun!!
Hi King-
From the photos it looks like a nice gun. Congrats… 
I cannot attest to the originality of the metal and wood finishes w/o having the gun in-hand, but no complaints from the photos.
Some general comments:
– The factory Lyman 48WJS option (with unique catalog symbols) was last cataloged in 1949. But I would not quibble much about a 1950 gun with a correct Lyman 48WJS. Your rifle appears to have a period correct “half-block” 48 WJS (no stock cut, leaf spring on the left side of the block, 60-point slide, target knobs). So whether it was added outside the factory or not, it looks like a sight that would have been available when the gun was new.
– Back in the pre-war/transition period the factory seems to have tried to put barrels without provision for a rear sight onto 375 MAGNUMs with factory receiver sights (both the 24″ medium heavy straight taper barrels and the C-1 barrels like your gun). The attached photo (c/o Amoskeag Auction) is of a 1947 transition standard 375 MAGNUM (SN 77043) that does not have a D&T barrel (I have this gun – photo looks a little funny but the gun is legit). This was NOT special order, but I’m sure there are plenty of legit guns with C-1 barrels and factory receiver sights with D&T barrels. By 1950, when the caliber stamp changed to “375 H&H MAGNUM” and the receiver sight option was dropped from the catalogs, I’m pretty sure all the barrels were D&T for the sight block (two 6-48 holes on top of the barrel). If the blue finish on your gun looks factory and there are no marks from a removed sight base, I would leave it alone!!!
I agree with foxfire that I’d not put the gun into a “recoil absorbing” device like a Lead Sled to shoot. From the shoulder it should be fine. Embrace the pain!!!
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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