Looking for info on my father's rifle, and found an ad for it!

[Trey Veston]

I inherited my father's rifle collection and one of them is a Ruger #1 custom rifle marked as 375 H&H and built by Roger Biesen. I knew nothing about the rifle since my dad never said anything about it. Since he's been to Africa a few times, I assumed it was one of the rifles he used over there.
I wanted to shoot it this weekend and found some dies, bullets, and empty brass. I also found a couple of boxes of spent shells in .375 Ackley Improved. I posted in the reloading section that I was going to try and create some range loads and had a picture of the components. A sharp-eyed member noticed that the die set was for the Ackley Improved cartridge.

I went online and did a search for 375 AI and up popped an expired ad from Guns International for a Ruger #1 chambered in 375 AI...

Ruger #1 Biesen Custom Rifle 375 Ackley Improved

Ruger #1 Biesen Custom Rifle 375 Ackley Improved for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

I clicked on it and was amazed to discover that it was my father's rifle! The ad stated that it was built by Al Biesen, but the barrel is marked "Roger Biesen". So, it appears that either my father tried to sell this rifle a few years ago on consignment with NW Pony Express, or that he purchased it from them.

Looks like I will be calling them to find out what the story is. In any case, the rifle is apparently chambered in 375 AI, despite the barrel stating it is in 375 H&H.

The ad rifle...



My rifle...

 

[Trey Veston]

Something is really fishy. I looked up this NW Pony Express and everything about it is fake. The address given is in a small business building about 80 miles North of here that shows an out of business Edward D. Jones. The phone number listed for the company goes to an SQM Research Group that apparently has been in business since 1996 and provides software for call centers.

I wonder if my dad's rifle was used in a scam listing on Guns International?

 

[LoonWulf]

There is a yelp listing for a Northwest Pony Express that's closed...last reviews were 7 years ago.

Northwest Pony Express - Coeur D Alene, ID

Specialties: Antique and Modern Firearm, new and used In October of 1953 Pony Express Sports Shop was started by Robert Ellithorpe in Southern California. In 1977 Robert's son Joe Ellithorpe took over the business and in 2006 he opened Northwest Pony Express in Coeur d Alene, Id.

m.yelp.com

 

[stringnut]

Roger Biesen was Al’s son. He worked with his dad and later had his own company. I believe he passed a couple of years ago.

 

[Captcurt]

Something is really fishy.

I wonder if my dad's rifle was used in a scam listing on Guns International?

It is very possible. I had consignment guns on GunBroker that someone listed on another site and had them priced at half price. These were all high dollar collectable guns. Some sharp-eyed buyers saw them on both sites and contacted me to see if I had them listed there. The scammer had used my description and photos.

I also had a man wanting to rent my house. We had it listed for sale through a local realtor. Someone had used the real estate ad and listed it for rent on Craigslist.

 

[Pat Riot]

I have found a few scam guns between Guns International and Armslist. I haven’t bothered with either one in a while now.

Congratulations on a very cool rifle. I hope you get the story behind it ironed out. Regardless, you have a great unique heirloom that was owned by your father.