Thread: Hunting fails and misfires

Originally Posted by 308

I've got one

Anyone familiar with the Lee Enfield will know that the bolt goes in and clicks onto a rail. Now pardon my ignorance as to the right names of things but the bit that clicks onto the rail only lets the bolt close properly if it is screwed in the correct number of times.

Basically it will look like it is a functioning rifle but won't do the business. Now a couple of roars back me and my mate draw a block in the water catchment area behind Wainuiomata that is one long ridge that leads up to a deer farm. My 308 was out of action for some reason so I grab the open sight 303 and away we go.
Good sign all the way up and we break for lunch at the top on the wee strip of grass up against the deer farm fence. Sitting there with no warning a 12-pointer pops the front half of its body out and roars right at us. Twice. This thing was about two farkin carlengths away and I'm sitting there struggling with my bolt and wondering why the fuck I can't chamber a round.

Longest 5 seconds of my life.

I had a friend did exactly the same thing on his first trip and he had 3 deer standing 20 odd metres away He never did see the funny side of it

Originally Posted by Chop3r

I had a friend did exactly the same thing on his first trip and he had 3 deer standing 20 odd metres away He never did see the funny side of it

I had a problem trying to get the bolt into my rifle. Would have spent a couple of minutes fluffing about turning he bolt face, lining everything up, gently slide it in so nothing gets out of line, ... no go, slide it out check it again, repeat the process, ... scratch the head some more. Finally look at the other end of the bolt abd the bloody handle is on the wrong way round, ... Yes for some reason @TimeRiders left hand bolt doesn't fit my right handed rifle.

Good thing is I did it quietly and I don't think @MattyP noticed me do the old switcheroo and grab the RIGHT one from the bag.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

I had a problem trying to get the bolt into my rifle. Would have spent a couple of minutes fluffing about turning he bolt face, lining everything up, gently slide it in so nothing gets out of line, ... no go, slide it out check it again, repeat the process, ... scratch the head some more. Finally look at the other end of the bolt abd the bloody handle is on the wrong way round, ... Yes for some reason @TimeRiders left hand bolt doesn't fit my right handed rifle.

Good thing is I did it quietly and I don't think @MattyP noticed me do the old switcheroo and grab the RIGHT one from the bag.

Lucky for you it was in the bag... @Pengy could learn from this

Originally Posted by gadgetman

I had a problem trying to get the bolt into my rifle. Would have spent a couple of minutes fluffing about turning he bolt face, lining everything up, gently slide it in so nothing gets out of line, ... no go, slide it out check it again, repeat the process, ... scratch the head some more. Finally look at the other end of the bolt abd the bloody handle is on the wrong way round, ... Yes for some reason @TimeRiders left hand bolt doesn't fit my right handed rifle.

Good thing is I did it quietly and I don't think @MattyP noticed me do the old switcheroo and grab the RIGHT one from the bag.

I did so!! New as I was, I remember watching you look puzzled for a good couple of mins and then a giant lightbulb appear above your head and you grabbed out another plastic bag with the right bolt in it . Hahaha!

Real simple fail recently when I fitted my new Boyds stock on the 6.5. Got her all oiled up and looking good but never tested the action when I assembled her. So I'm at the carpark at the end of the road and the bolt appears to close but I can't fire the action. Course numbnuts me forgot to carve / dremel a groove for the bolt handle...

Real simple fail again when our au pair (young french woman) pulled out of our driveway last weekend and didn't see the dark blue van coming from her right. She wore it right in the drivers door and is not at home here with a pelvis fractured in four places, waiting for her insurance company to fly her home. Of course the win is that she is still alive but instead of running her back to Palmy hospital for xrays today I should be out bush for my first week of leave...

Fail before that was me only taking out 3rd party fire & theft cos we never have crashes...