Harry Selby’s Weatherby Mark V .300 Weatherby Magnum, 1967, engraved, gold initials, scoped, superb provenance and condition

Weatherby Mark V factory custom .300 Weatherby Magnum. Made in 1967 by special order for a satisfied safari client and presented to renowned African professional hunter Harry Selby, serial number P134412 stands tall among the most important and desirable West German Weatherby rifles ever created. Basic features include a 24-inch barrel, jeweled bolt body, two-panel checkered bolt knob, rosewood forend tip and pistol grip cap with double spacers, intricate skip-line checkering pattern, Buehler mounts and a Weatherby 2-7x scope with fine crosshair reticle. CONFIGURATION: The rifle has a right hand bolt and a left hand (right side) cheek rest, as was Selby’s preference. ENGRAVING: The floorplate presents initials “JHS” (for John Henry Selby – “Harry” was his nickname) in gold relief. The entirety of the action as well as the Buehler mounts wear full-coverage scroll intertwined with flowing grasses, the pattern continuing along the top of the barrel to the middle of the forend tip. PROVENANCE: Dated 2nd August, 2017, a letter with Mr. Selby’s original signature recounts his time with the rifle. MARKINGS: In addition to the standard Weatherby markings, a small “Griffin & Howe, Andover NJ” rides the bottom of the barrel just forward of the forend tip and “181529” shows on the bottom of the trigger guard, these both required as a condition of the recent repatriation from Africa. DIMENSIONS: Weight, with scope, is 8.8 pounds and the length-of-pull is 13.5 inches. CONDITION: The bore is strong and bright. Engraving is flawless. The barrel blue is approximately 95 percent, with some thinning on the muzzle face and a highlight line along the top between the muzzle and forend tip (no doubt from riding the rack in a safari truck). One small freckle appears on the right side of the barrel a few inches aft of the muzzle. The action finish is 100 percent, with slight thinning on the bolt knob and some thinning following the edges of the floorplate. Even the gold plate on the trigger rates near 95 percent. The stock is also approximately 95 percent overall. The varnish has some light crazing and checkering is tack sharp. One minor impression appears on the left side of the barrel channel, some faint impressions show on the grip cap and along the toe line, and one small area of missing varnish tops the Monte Carlo hump. The scope is optically clear, with lenses and coatings in fine condition. The rubber “bumper” ring on the ocular housing has cracked from pressure of the included covers. HARRY SELBY (1925-2018) is one of the most famous and respected professional hunters who ever swung a rifle onto his shoulder and took up the track. By greatest fortune, he gained the both the respect and admiration of Robert Ruark, becoming internationally famous through Ruark’s writings. Selby served as the inspiration for Ruark’s hero Peter McKenzie in Something of Value and Ruark dedicated what many believe is the finest book ever written about safari life, Horn of the Hunter, to Selby. On a personal level, Ruark was honored to become Godfather to Harry’s son, Mark Selby. The price is firm and layaway is available. Trades for fine sporting rifles (particularly customs, rimfires and dangerous game calibers) and handguns will be respectfully considered. $30,000 plus shipping.