Thread: Calibre Choice in the 1970's

Greetings All,
Reading through the posts on Hermitage's thread I realised how spoilt for choice we are now compared to the time I bought my first new center fire rifle in the mid 1970's. I plunked my money down and bought a Remington 700 ADL in .308 Win at the long gone Carlton Sports in Hastings. It cost $243.00 and I still have it. My other option was a Winchester M70 in .270 Win but it was $30.00 dearer. US made rifles had just become more common with import controls easing. Previously BSA and Parker Hale were the standards of the day, cheaper in .308 Win and, I think, .222 Rem due to less import tax for some reason.
I fished out an old 1979 Shooters Bible from my library and found that the 700 ADL was offered in only nine cartridges. .222 Rem, .22-250 Rem, 6mm Rem, .243 Win, .25-06 Rem, .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win and .30-06. Other models and manufacturers added a few more but didn't widen the choice much. The .223 Rem was only offered in Varmint rifles and all stocks were made out of dead trees. A look in the scope section looked pretty thin as well.
There would not have been much to support an internet debate, not that the internet even existed.
Regards Grandpamac.

I always noticed 308 and 222 rifles were cheaper than other calibres back in the 70’s, often wondered why.


My Finnwolf was the only one available in the local gun shop in 1973 and was luckily in 308 so that’s how I ended up with it.
From memory Finnwolfs only came in 243 and 308.

Almost all the hunting guys had 222, 243, 270 etc etc back then, none of them alphabet cartridges!

Originally Posted by Finnwolf

I always noticed 308 and 222 rifles were cheaper than other calibres back in the 70’s, often wondered why.


My Finnwolf was the only one available in the local gun shop in 1973 and was luckily in 308 so that’s how I ended up with it.
From memory Finnwolfs only came in 243 and 308.

Almost all the hunting guys had 222, 243, 270 etc etc back then, none of them alphabet cartridges!

I think the less duty on 308 and .222 was because a NZ company (CAC) made ammo in those calibers. It was to support local industry. Later CAC added .270 and I think .243 but the duty on those rifles wasn't dropped.

Among others, I carried a portugese mauser in 8x57, fully wooded. these were a refurb, re barreled from 6.5, if I recollect. they looked like new. I've never minded a heavy rifle. Norma made sporting ammo in this caliber.

In 1967 I bought a Sako Forester in that maligned (by a few) chambering of 308W.
I was told by older members of my branch NZDA that I was mad spending that sort of money.
Within the next 10 years (the 70s) most of them had replaced their old 303s.
I paid 59 pound 17/6 for the Sako. Just b4 change to DC. My take home pay as an apprentice was 10 pounds a week.
I still have that rifle. Other safe mate's have come and gone.

Originally Posted by zimmer

In 1967 I bought a Sako Forester in that maligned (by a few) chambering of 308W.
I was told by older members of my branch NZDA that I was mad spending that sort of money.
Within the next 10 years (the 70s) most of them had replaced their old 303s.
I paid 59 pound 17/6 for the Sako. Just b4 change to DC. My take home pay as an apprentice was 10 pounds a week.
I still have that rifle. Other safe mate's have come and gone.

So despite the horrific cost of a Sako hunter now at around $3600 that is only around 4 weeks wages for an apprentice on minimum wage doing 50 hours a week compared to the 6 weeks wages you payed......kids these days dont know how good they got it.😉

Originally Posted by zimmer

In 1967 I bought a Sako Forester ..59 pound 17/6.. My take home pay as an apprentice was 10 pounds a week.
...

Interesting to do the mental arithmetic on prices. I have no real idea but guess a current apprentice might take home $400/week. Multiply that by six weeks and that's nearly $2400. Less than current basic Sakos. I'm probably underestimating what apprentices earn though.

I can't remember what my BSA Monarch .270 cost me in 1973 but do recall the Pecar 4x81 (actually a 4x36) was $105. As a highschool kid working on the neighbour's fishing boat, that rig was a fair few weeks work.

Originally Posted by 6x47

Interesting to do the mental arithmetic on prices. I have no real idea but guess a current apprentice might take home $400/week. Multiply that by six weeks and that's nearly $2400. Less than current basic Sakos. I'm probably underestimating what apprentices earn though.

I can't remember what my BSA Monarch .270 cost me in 1973 but do recall the Pecar 4x81 (actually a 4x36) was $105. As a highschool kid working on the neighbour's fishing boat, that rig was a fair few weeks work.

I bought a 4x81 Pecar around the same time as the rifle. Cost was 26 pounds. Never fitted as I couldn't source 26mm rings at the time. Got a refund and took a Weaver K4 which IIRC was 18 pounds.

Originally Posted by 6x47

Interesting to do the mental arithmetic on prices. I have no real idea but guess a current apprentice might take home $400/week. Multiply that by six weeks and that's nearly $2400. Less than current basic Sakos. I'm probably underestimating what apprentices earn though.

I can't remember what my BSA Monarch .270 cost me in 1973 but do recall the Pecar 4x81 (actually a 4x36) was $105. As a highschool kid working on the neighbour's fishing boat, that rig was a fair few weeks work.

Over 800bucks a week on minimum wage

Back in the 1960's .22 and .308 calibre rifles were given a discounted Duty rate because they were calibres manufactured by CAC in Auckland. Whilst the only.308" bore centrefires granted that status were chambered in .308 Winchester, the .22 exemption was granted to all rifles with a nominal .22" bore diameter (.22 RF, .22 Hornet, .222 Remington, .22/250, etc), even though CAC was only manufacturing .22 rimfire at the time. Illogical but typical bureacracy!
I switched from .303 to .30/06 in 1967 and still use it, although I have taken many animals quite happily with the .308 over the years (and a few other caibres as well).

And back in the 60s the govt of the day protected CAC. When I got my 308 you couldn't buy imported 308 ammo.
The shop I bought my 308 from presented me with a box of 10 rounds of SAKO factory ammo with a statement of "cherish these".
A couple of year later I scored a box of 20 rounds of Winchester factory.
I started handloading very soon after I got my 308. I used Norma Re brass, Hirtenberger primers and Nobels 2. These components from recollection were quite available so the handloading scene must have already been around for a while.

Sorry GPM getting a bit off topic.

A few 7x61 S&H were around then in Schultz and Larsen. Also a very very small sprinkling of Schultz and Larsen in 270.

Originally Posted by zimmer

A few 7x61 S&H were around then in Schultz and Larsen. Also a very very small sprinkling of Schultz and Larsen in 270.

Also the .308 Norma Mag was around at this time. There is no off topic in posts that look back to older times Zimmer. Feel free.
Regards Grandpamac.

I was using my fathers Brno 22 hornet back in those days.

Yep. First was a smle I cut down in 1964. Next a Parker Hale 7*57 which used to skin my thumb on scope ring so went back to 303's. Bought a Shultz and Larsen 7*61 M68DL in 1969 and still use that brand today.