Over the last couple of three years since I’ve retired I’ve devoted a great deal more time to all thing’s hunting and firearms related. This included browsing around overseas forums and watching podcasts of which a number of Kiwis contribute to and are mentioned on.
A number of areas that have stood out is our propensity towards suppressed short guns, use of match bullets for hunting and constant drive to tinker and improve or just generally muck about with anything. When you have the likes of the Vortex Nation podcast lads discussing and salivating at the thought of getting their hands on some of the light weight bipods made here, you know we have been noticed. Jim on the Backfire podcast constantly lamenting the fact that manufacturers are not getting onboard enough with 22” barrels and threading for suppressors.
There are quite a number of threads on this forum devoted to or related to these very subjects.
Perhaps it’s because we don’t have hundreds of years of tradition holding us back and a wide variety of hunting opportunities in a small country so while we very much appreciate,enjoy, and participate in classic firearms and their uses, we’re not held back by them and are more than willing to push the envelope and adapt to our own unique style and environment.
Case in point, while now regretting in a small way selling my Ruger M77, I never thought twice about it at the time. A light weight Remington Mountain rifle in plastic and stainless was the perfect solution to hunting in Fiordland and that was decades ago now. There were certainly a lot of wood/blued steel purists around at the time but not overly so. Nowadays I’m messing about with stocks, chopping and suppressing barrels to my hearts content and reloading with match projectile’s. Whatever suits the intended purpose but not overly specialising. It’s fun just tinkering with shit!!
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