NRA Sporter in .35 Whelen on GunBroker

[Peconga]

A friend of mine asked my opinion of this rifle currently on GunBroker (it has been on there for awhile): http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=133818510

It is described as a 1903 NRA Sporter in 99+% condition, rebored to .35 Whelen caliber, purportedly the former personal property of Col. Townsend Whelen himself. According to my SRS book of DCM Rifle Sales, the serial number of 134400x falls right in the middle of a block of NRA Sporters, so at least that checks out.

But what about the rest of the story? Your opinions, please!

Cheers,
Peconga in Boise, Idaho

Information

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[Johnny Peppers]

Nothing that I see other than his story ties it to Col. Whelen. For $50 a letter from SRS will tell who it was shipped to, and if the information existed showing shipment to Col. Whelen, the rifle would have that letter.

"Bolt is not serialized, only national match rifles were,"

Something else suspect as in that serial number range the bolts were numbered.

[Chuckindenver]

im with Johnny on this, though the rifle is nice, id want to see the serial number, and some better pics, maybe of the bolt , receiver ring edge, stock, barrel dates, ect..
always buy the rifle, not the story.
example. i own a NRA sporter that has a hit on SRS, that i personally rebarreld to .257R imp.
it wasnt built for anyone special, and has no history, other then owned and rebarreled by me.
and if i wanted to , i could date and mark the barrel and nobody would be able to tell. and make up some BS story to go with it.
good thing thats not my style..
i would be a bit gunshy of any seller who lists his rifle along with a bad additude.

[Herschel]

The seller is mistaken in saying the NRA Sporter did not have the serial number on the bolt. Those made prior to 1924 did not have the bolt numbered but this is a much later NRA Sporter. The bolt sn on a rifle in this serial number range would normally be on the BOTTOM of the bolt. This would require rotating the extractor 90 degrees to to see the number if the bolt is out of the rifle I advised the seller of this but I doubt if he even looked under the extractor. He seems to be very confident that he is correct. It would be interesting to see if the original barrel was bored out to .35 or if it is an aftermarket barrel. Pictures would help.

[Michael Petrov]

Did Townsend Whelen ever have a .35-Whelen and if so, when?

[Griff Murphey]

As he was the inventor of the cartridge, or at least it was named after him; he must have had one. His book MISTER RIFLEMAN has pictures of many of his guns and histories and stories about them. Unfortunately my copy is in storage. It's fun to read about guns being shipped to Springfield Armory to be worked on. As a competitive shooter of long standing, as well as a Colonel of Ordnance, "Rank had its privileges..."

[Dollar Bill]

always buy the rifle, not the story.

With no known history of a Sporter being produced in 35 Whelen, and no documentation from the seller, it's value is less than an original. Plus, it seems, this guy does have an attitude problem, probably because he was the guy who bought the story!

[Chuckindenver]

i have met this seller in person once before, and yes, he has an additude.
though for some strang reason, he was real nice to me.
and asked why i didnt buy the H T 22 that was being offered for sale at that show.
i said, cuz it aint a Hoffer Thompson 22. thats why.
rifle wasnt marked right, and the job was pourly done as well. i belive he has the rifle with a scope on it for sale right now.
iv never traded or delt with the guy, and he was nice to me, i still say,
buy the gun, not the story.

[m1903rifle]

I bought a 1927NM off Gunbroker about 2 years ago. The seller also had a NRA Sporter in 35 Whelen that he was trying to sell. The rifle had a bad bore when he bought it , and he had it bored out and chambered in 35 Whelen. Not the same fellow..........he was located in Texas. Might be the same rifle?

[218bee]

Up to $1350.00 with 2 minutes to go....reserve not met yet.......not my cup of tea....



218bee