Quote Originally Posted by mr humble View Post
Well let's start with the basics.
1. Chuck in Denver has never met me nor seen my Hoffer as I have never had it for sale at any gunshow. As for his "expert opinion" I'm sure he can tell us how much more he knows than J.C. Harrison about Hoffers.
2. Any fool who thinks SRS has correct data on every 03 is wrong. Can anyone really suggest that andy government agency (the aresenals) had complete accurate records on every gun that went through?
3. The former owner of the 35 Whelen had a step-father who was a barrel maker at Springfield. Any of you have that kind of connection?
4. When a seller offers a COA and a 100% purchase price refund given an affidavit from a recognized 03 expert saying it is wrong, I find it hard to be so paranoid.
5. I raised the price to shut up the "experts" who think they know something about 03s' and SA production.
6. Col Whelen owned a lot more rifles than pictured (with all the photos printed backwards) (any of you experts catch that?) in Mr. Rifleman.
7. As for the 27 books published.... well DUH, you could look at my other auctions and you would see the ones that are still in print all for sale there.
8. Outside of Petrov (whose writeup on the myth of the 400 Whelen is featured in the latest book I published), the rest of you sound like you're repeating the mantra's put out by other "experts".
9. Rick, you might want to catch up with facts. York's family has stated in print that he used an 03'. Or are they liars too? Proving the 35 is not right should be a piece of cake for a published expert on 03s' such as yourself.
10. You bet I have an attitude. It is confined to wannabes who waste the time of those of us who have been serious 03 collectors for decades, in my case five.
It's easy to crap on someone else'd stuff when you have nothing but hot air to offer in support.
You all have a wonderful, smug day.
Since it was my post that reignited this issue I feel I should take my share of the heat. Here is the way I see it:
1.After you sort through through all the puffing above, there is not one actual piece of REAL provenance to prove the TW ownership of this rifle. [e.g. A photo of TW with the rifle or a mention of the rifle and the SA barrel maker and his connection to TW in his writing.] Absolutely nothing identifiable or concrete to prove this rifle ever belonged to TW! The only thing we have is your word and your C.O.A. If the barrel maker was the key to the provenance, why is there no statement from him, so that he can be identified as a SA employee? Saying something does not make it so, just because you once wrote a book(s). You also purchased it from the alledged step-son and not the barrel maker, another layer away from verifiable information.

2. I myself would question just what 03 expert's word you would accept to obtain a refund,when it is obviously clear to me, that you don't believe anyone to have greater knowledge than you on this topic or any, for that matter. We are talking about thousands of dollars,that once you get it, you will be the final arbiter of whether or not someone has proven to your satisfaction if you should have to give back the money on a rifle ,now proven to be a fraud! That's like the fox guarding the chicken coop!

3.Your assertion that you raised the price up to $16,000 to "shut up the experts" is what we in the 25th. I.D. in the R.V.N. called " Ben Tre Logic" or "We had to destroy the village. in order to save it". I believe instead, you became a practitioner of "the big lie". Once it became known among the auction regulars about the "Questionable N.R.A. / TW Rifle on AA" you knew your potential market would have to be the uninformed. So you thought $16,000 would make it seem more authentic to them.

4.I don't know Rick or Chuck personally,nor have I done business with them. That being said I read their posts and I like them! I believe if we ever met, I would like them in person as well. They seem to be like my friends here at home, that I shoot and hunt with and yes occasionally drink a beer or two with. The main reason I like them though, is they take their time, day in and day out to help answer question for guys with problems with their 03's! I mean a lot of time, more time than I have to give, even if I had the knowledge. I like Michael Petrov don't even collect military 03's, but instead collect pre-war 03 custom sporter's. However I still read and learn everyday from these guys and I've never met them. I grew up in a gunstore and I am on my 48th. year working on these things. So don't be so quick to ridicule these guys on this blog, for our failure to have 27 books published [after looking at your auction it appears you may own a printing house and just maybe, published 27 books,not authored 27 books!] after all, WE WERE SMART ENOUGH TO CATCH ON TO THE TW SCAM YOU'RE RUNNING. THEREFORE...

I'VE COME TO REALIZE ...IT'S NOT YOUR ATTITUDE THAT'S THE PROBLEM...IT REALLY IS YOU!