African Outfitter is an international monthly publication promoting
fair hunting and ethical business practices within the hunting industry.
From a hunting perspective, the preservation of biodiversity on the
African continent is the first and foremost priority. The emphasis
is however also on the sustainable utilisation of wildlife.
In Search of Perfection - Dieter Ochsenbein
The story behind this masterpiece of gunmaking is far simpler than the complex problems Danie Joubert encountered as he made this little jewel.
Single-shot rifles have always fascinated me. The elegant, slim appearance and easy, superb handling add a different dimension to these weapons. But why a side-lever opening system? Very easy – I once used a side-by-side shotgun made by the famous London gunmaker Steven Grant and the side-lever brake action remained engraved on my mind.
Then, years later I saw an advert for a single-shot rifle built in Austria by a Mr Ollendorf. Fortunately the rifle was photographed from both sides, showing my beloved side-lever brake action. I was very excited and made up my mind there and then.
The fact that the rifle was going to be made in Austria held little appeal. I wanted to be part of it and actually see the whole process of this fantasy becoming reality, step by step.
There was only one person to talk to, namely Danie Joubert. In my opinion, Danie is the most competent, conscientious gunmaker I have ever met. He takes pride in his precision work and every engineering “problem” is a challenge to be solved, a rare characteristic these days indeed.
However, I don’t think that Danie fully comprehended what he had gotten himself into when he told me, “I can do it”.
The licence procedure was “painful” but three years after handing in the application, the little card was finally in my hands.
The stock blank I managed to secure in the USA at the SCI Convention in Reno. I added the last finishes to my annual display booth and strolled through the halls where most exhibitors were still getting ready for the next day’s action.
One of the stands caught my attention. The exhibitor was still busy with boxes, chairs and tables but some gunstock blanks were lying on the floor in the passage, waiting to be put on display. Never have I seen wood like this – rich deep red or black in colour and a bird’s eye figure with straight grain through the pistol grip, very rare indeed.
We finally agreed on the price. I hid the blank with my name on it under the table and first thing the next morning, as the show opened, I took possession of it. I just made it in time as he was sold out within the first hour of the show opening. The buyers were well-known British gunmakers. They offered me double what I had paid but the piece travelled home with me.
Now for Danie Joubert’s own words on this matter.
The lure of the single-shot rifle, whether it is of the falling block or breakneck type, will always be of interest to me. These guns are just so elegant and handle so well. If the opportunity arises to build one of these guns I will always be willing to oblige.
This is exactly what happened one day in July 2003. I was commissioned to build a single-shot, breakneck sidelock with a side-lever rifle in 7x57 rimmed cartridge.
Now just as the description is a mouthful, the construction was even more so, as I had no formal training in the building of these types of firearms. It was difficult as the customer only supplied us with a photo of such a firearm from an overseas magazine advertisement.
To my knowledge nobody has attempted such a project in South Africa. I therefore had no one to turn to for help, but as fate would have it I met up with a very talented designer and machinist by the name of Bjinse Visser. Many a night was spent to design the rifle’s mechanism and overall appearance.
The complete rifle, down to the last screw and spring, was first drawn on a CAD system and its working checked before we started making the components. Bjinse did a really thorough job of the design, so much so that on the day the assembly was at such a stage that we could fit the sidelock to check if it would cock when the action was opened, it did so the first time.
Some people may not like the use of a side lever for the opening of a rifle, but it leaves the top line very neat. And as the rifle only had one lock plate, the side lever was a very nice way of balancing the opposite side.
The stock was made by Faan de Vos, one of the very few who can be trusted with the stocking of fine firearms in the country at present. The engraving was done by Armin Winkler who truly outdid himself.
As can be seen the making of a true custom rifle is a team effort with each individual contributing his best so that the end product is truly magnificent.
