Thread: Walnut and blued steel,

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Mmmm 7x57. Jealous.
And why do get make 22-250s in slower twists than 223s

because traditionally they were for shooting varmits,spin a varmit projectile too fast and it doesnt make it to the target,centrifugal force rips it apart in mid air,slow down the twist and you slow down that centrifugal force...somewhere in vicinaty of 180,000 rpm for a std load 1;12twist doing 3000fps
Im told the extra speed will allow SLIGHTLY heavier projectiles to stabalise but its a case of try n see...

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

because traditionally they were for shooting varmits,spin a varmit projectile too fast and it doesnt make it to the target,centrifugal force rips it apart in mid air,slow down the twist and you slow down that centrifugal force...somewhere in vicinaty of 180,000 rpm for a std load 1;12twist doing 3000fps
Im told the extra speed will allow SLIGHTLY heavier projectiles to stabalise but its a case of try n see...

I hear you but that was back in the day.
Not now. I suppose if they didn't do the heavier military ammo back in the day 223 might not have either.

The new bunny buster, Steyr Zephyr in .17hmr

that Steyr is a thing of beauty very nice hope it shoots well to

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

that Steyr is a thing of beauty very nice hope it shoots well to

Definitely the best looking rifle I own, thanks Barry

That zephyr 2 is stunning! Love the zephyrs

Originally Posted by ElDax

The new bunny buster, Steyr Zephyr in .17hmr

I cant fault your taste in rimfires. I tried most of brands of ammunition and it has a preference for cci vmax with cci 17gr hp a close second. Dosn't like any load on the bipod at all off the bench.

Here is another Mannlicher Shoenauer model 1910 takedown in .375 Rimless Nitro Express (9.5 M-S) - where do I keep finding them...this one is a very old stock but it is not factory original, it was replaced years ago when it was broken in Ceylon. I checkered this one myself.

Once I finished all this work I thought I better go and shoot it. So I loaded 235 grain Speers with some Benchmark for 2300 fps, and she shot to point of aim perfectly at 100 metres with the factory sights, making a 2.5 inch group. I didnt have to touch anything. This doesnt sound a very impressive group nowadays, but in 1924 when this was made this was considered first class accuracy. Anything under three inches would have been considered perfectly adequate for any big game hunting. Even today with the limits of the old iron sights and my 54 year old eyes, this will do anything I need a .375 for.

I know where there is a big stag. Maybe the biggest I have met yet. I hope he's still there next roar.

In this case its Maple and Browned steel...

Flintlock long rifle with a .50 cal. 42 inch barrel. This is a rifle I bought off Akaroa earlier this year. With roundballs and canvas patches with 80 grains of 3F she shoots .480 balls at 1800 fps. For accuracy I can do a three inch group at 100 metres, which is about what you could expect from a .303 or a .30-30, forget about a rifle whose 300 year old ignition system consists of an actual rock.

My latest falling block addition.Winchester 1885 with a Custom NZ walnut stock by Laurie Bradley, in 220 Swift.

Ok, this one is not as nice as some of the rifles posted on here, but there is some history.

I bought this Ruger M77 M2 in 223 with my old man in probably '92 or 93 when I left school. It was in my possession until I went off to the UK when I gave it to my old man in 2000. I don't think that he ever really had it out *.

While in the UK I surrendered my FAL when it came up for renewal. When I came back from the UK I never took up hunting again.

During COVID my old man passed away after a fight with the C, and I got a family friend to look after the firearms. It then took me another 2 years to get my FAL**

So rock around the summer of 2023, I have Dad's rifles back and I have plans to get out and about, then plans fell off the ladder - quite literally. Dislocated shoulder with 3 fractures. Shit.

4 Weeks off work, surgery, another 6 weeks of working from home and no lifting, 4 months of light duties a then finally cleared to start to use it fully.

Back to the plans of last year - get out with this rifle and maybe find a deer...




An hour after these photos I had a tumble on a slippery rock and put a good scrape in the woodwork

* there was still half a box of ammo when I got it back that looked very much like it was the last box I bought.
** it was one of the many that were in limbo during the changeover

Lovely rifle , bit of a soft spot for those , great story and comeback mate , best of luck with the hunting

Originally Posted by Southcity

My latest falling block addition.Winchester 1885 with a Custom NZ walnut stock by Laurie Bradley, in 220 Swift.
Attachment 260721
Attachment 260722

That looks fantastic, but I'm not sure if it's me or the way the photos were taken but that red buttpad looks too thick, I personally think a 1/2" pad would've looked better.
I have a real soft spot for singleshot rifles

OK, here is something we've all seen before, it's a BSA Viscount (also known as a BSA Royal in America) also known to some as a BSA "Hunter", with the early controlled round feed action. It's is chambered in 7x57, which is one of my favourite cartridges, (and an excellent killer on deer with 140 grain bullets at 2900 fps.)

The difference with this one is that it is in such fine condition, in fact its very nearly mint. It has 100% deep lustrous black blueing and the stock doesn't have a mark on it. Actually has pretty nice figure in the walnut for a BSA rifle, which are usually pretty plain. It is like going back in time to 1957 and buying a brand new BSA from A & W McCarthy. The ones I always came across before had been adventuring for years and were beaten up, with silvered barrels and their checkering worn smooth. Barrels cut down and bores dark and pitted. I am too young to have ever seen one new, and its quite amazing. The photos dont really do it justice. Oh, and the bore is immaculate.

I think I have had two BSA Imperials in the past, both with too short a barrel for a .270 so I didnt keep them. (One was ruined by a gunsmith, and I dont want to talk about it.) But I always wanted a 7mm Mauser.

The only thing about it is that the open sights are missing, so I am on the lookout for rear sight and a front bead.

I took it out with a generic load I knocked up just to sight her in with, and fitted with a trusted scope. With 160 grain Speer bullets it put three shots into 0.9 of an inch with ease.

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

OK, here is something we've all seen before, it's a BSA Viscount (also known as a BSA Royal in America) also known to some as a BSA "Hunter", with the early controlled round feed action. It's is chambered in 7x57, which is one of my favourite cartridges, (and an excellent killer on deer with 140 grain bullets at 2900 fps.)

The difference with this one is that it is in such fine condition, in fact its very nearly mint. It has 100% deep lustrous black blueing and the stock doesn't have a mark on it. Actually has pretty nice figure in the walnut for a BSA rifle, which are usually pretty plain. It is like going back in time to 1957 and buying a brand new BSA from A & W McCarthy. The ones I always came across before had been adventuring for years and were beaten up, with silvered barrels and their checkering worn smooth. Barrels cut down and bores dark and pitted. I am too young to have ever seen one new, and its quite amazing. The photos dont really do it justice. Oh, and the bore is immaculate.

I think I have had two BSA Imperials in the past, both with too short a barrel for a .270 so I didnt keep them. (One was ruined by a gunsmith, and I dont want to talk about it.) But I always wanted a 7mm Mauser.

The only thing about it is that the open sights are missing, so I am on the lookout for rear sight and a front bead.

I took it out with a generic load I knocked up just to sight her in with, and fitted with a trusted scope. With 160 grain Speer bullets it put three shots into 0.9 of an inch with ease.

NICE