Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2016 9:55:46 GMT -7
In the Muzzle Loader section, Missionary asked about Your Favorite Five Muzzleloaders.
I'll endeavor here to inquire about Your Favorite Five Centerfire Rifles, their chamber, and why you prefer them?
My Favorite Five Centerfire Rifles:
1. Winchester Model 43 in .22 Hornet: lightweight, size of the rifle is scaled to the cartridge, excellent for small game (or as a friend in Oregon use to say, "My .22 Hornet Model 43 is good for small game up through elk."), topped off with a Leupold Alaskan 6x scope. It was (still is) handy to pack around in the deep winter interior Alaska snow when out on snowshoes for small game, and now here in the lower-48 as well.
2. Ruger No. 3 in .257 Roberts: a re-bore from P.O. Ackley's shop in the 1982. Light in weight, balances well, excellent for small game with cast loads, while more than adequate up to include elk if you do your part and use a proper bullet placed where it belongs.
3. Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model 1903 6.5x54mm: short/compact-handy-lightweight, has a history from being used on small game up to include elephant (though probably not recommended for elephant I'd say), having been used and relied upon by professionals and explorers around the world since its inception. A true joy to walk the woods and have this carbine as a companion.
4. Model 98 Mauser, a German Guild Gun, a built in the early 1930's in Germany, chamber 7x57: with it's splinter style forearm, European stock shape and overall balance: svelte would best describe this fine rifle. Double-set triggers, claw mount scope setup with an older steel tube Weaver 2.5x, gentle on the recoil and suitable for harvesting small game up through elk. Yes, there is a bit of nostalgia involved when out carrying it afield. I made my longest antelope shot with this rifle. Well ok, the distance was about 22 feet away (I'd hid behind an aspen tree as a band of antelope approached, then made my shot when they came near), but it IS my longest antelope shot!!
5. Peabody Sporting Rifle, custom built, in .45-70 (or it's twin in the same configuration/build, but in .50-70): nice balance, not too heavy for field carry and has a nice large hammer!Both cartridges, for those familiar with them, well, they speak for themselves and their abilities as a hunting round.
The above are Five of my favorites, though there are other favorites as well, and I'm sure if you were to ask me the same question a year from now, there might be one of the above I'd change.....maybe?
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mike
Bullet Hole
Posts: 65 
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Post by mike on Mar 8, 2016 17:12:09 GMT -7
Bear, You asked for five favorite rifles. Tell me if any of these sound familiar...
1. First I'll name the Sharps Model of 1874. (Did that fool you?) At this time the Sharps rifles are what I'm shooting the very most. And if I had to pick just one rifle, it would be my C. Sharps Arms classic in .44/77. That isn't the most powerful or the most accurate but it does turn me on the most. I'll be doing a lot more with that rifle. It has a heavier brother in .44/90 and the .44/90 is what I'll probably take to Quigley this coming June. Yes, that's the rifle I used at Quigley last year but now I've changed my ways a bit in handloading habits and some nice improvements can be seen. So, the .44/90 gets another chance, I think... Of course, I like the .50/70 too as well as the rolling blocks I'm playing with but it's still the Sharps '74 in .44/77 that keeps me coming back the most.
2. It required some thought about what to put in 2nd place but I do think it is my nice old Winchester Model 71 in .348. That's the rifle I show people when they want to see a real hunting rifle. Even though it happened 30 years ago, I got my largest mule deer buck with that gun. The loads used were Peters 200 grain hollow points, I still have the empties. It is strange how you keep and treasure certain items. Holding those empties, just like holding the rifle, seems to put me back in the timber near Winchester, Idaho where that big buck became table fare. That rifle is really some doin's and how I got it is another story, maybe for another time.
3. Now I'll have to list the Savage 99. (Does that sound like me?) My good ol' 99EG in .250/3000 was a fine teacher. And if all of my rifles were to go down the road I think the old .250 would be the last one to leave. I've had that rifle since I was 17 and it is still one of the greatest. I was 14 when my father bought that gun and he used it for two seasons, getting a deer both years. Then he tried to trade it away but I bought him the gun he wanted instead and the .250 has been mine ever since. In 1978 or '79 I added a 99R in .250/3000 to my list and that gun is still with me too. I've had other 99s in other calibers, 300 and .303 Savage being the most prominent, but the .250 has always been the rifle I have fallen back on. It isn't the biggest but it is one of the very best.
4. Next comes a rifle that I haven't used very much but I do intend to do a lot of cast bullet shooting with. It's my Winchester Model 64 in .32 Winchester Special. I favor the .32 W.S. for it's 1 in 16" rate of twist for use with cast bullets and the old Ideal/Lyman mold #321297 is just about as good a bullet for the .32s as you can find. The Model 64 was stocked much nicer than the Model 94 and it holds at the shoulder just like a smaller Model 71, too good to pass up. I've got the rifle and plenty of ammo, now I just need to take the time to use it.
5. In fifth place, but not last place, comes a small group of rifles all the same caliber. Rather than mention one kind of rifle with various chamberings, I'll mention one cartridge that I have in various rifles. That cartridge is the .44/40 and I have an old Winchester Model 1892 carbine that I've used for deer, and a couple of the new Uberti copies of the 1873 can be found here, in addition to a new Low-wall by C. Sharps Arms that is chambered for the .44/40. It's that low-wall, as you might guess, that is the real performer. With the 28" barrel and the short-range tang sight, the low-wall is easily the most accurate of my .44/40 rifles. It gets fed with 200 grain cast bullets loaded over 34 grains of Olde Eynsford 2F powder in new nickel plated Star Line cases. (I use nickel plated cases to identify black powder loads.) I've used the Low-wall in some of our local short range black powder matches and it treats me rather well. All of my .44/40 rifles are nice but the low-wall is certainly the sweetest.
Okay, that's the five as I see them at this time. Are there other favorites? Oh, yes!! Narrowing the list down to five left a lot out. Shoot sharp, Mike
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Post by missionary on Mar 9, 2016 8:25:56 GMT -7
Good morning
Have been thinking this one over as I do not see most my rifles for a couple years. Some have not been assembled in 10 years as my shooting time up there is very limited while investigating "new to me" additions.
#1 will probably always be a Marlin / Ballard that originally was a 38 Long. This rifle was assembled in 1879 having the selector firing pin in the breach for rim or center fire. When it got to me it was restamped 38-50. 28" octagon barrel serial #75xx. I added a ice old Lyman tang sight the year the rifle came to us. It best shoots light caliber 38 bullets. The Ideal 37583 was acquired and found to be a winner in this rifle. Casefull of 2F Goex (I grew up with Goex) and that bullet cast of 40-1 makes a fine combination for popping ground hogs while crawling about the ditches and wood edges in East Illinois. A .380 round ball also is a fun load over 3F. It really zips along and is a super bunny load. The 37582 Ideal is another winner for 100 accuracy but until ILLinois trusts us to pop corn crunchers with center fire rifles it has no application to me. I do use a 375 Supermag Dam Wesson Revolver duplicating this load and it does the job !
#2 is a Spencer Carbine that resides at the Vermilion County War Museum while I am here. I work there on Friday's when up north. But the Spencer to me is the first lever gun that really was a repeater that could accomplish the task. The 56-50 cartridge had good power and range. This Carbine is a Burnside and maybe made it to the end of that deadly conflict but more likely served out on the Western open areas. It has the original breach but a center fire breach was added so it can be shot far more. Goex 3F with a 557456 greased with beeswax & oilive oil would be a fine deer popper down in the river bottoms I hunt. The rifle is bumped, bruised and well used. The barrel is lighly pitted but still will produce 4-5 inch groups at 100 yards off cross sticks when the shooter gets the wiggles settled.
#3 A side x side Pieper 38-55 x 12 bore. Some call these a "Cape Gun". But to me this is a bear gun the way I would use it. The barrels are 30 inches. Typical Pieper construction all the way. With 3F Goex and a Ideal 375248 of 40-1 and a 12 gauge brass shell loaded with 120 grains 2F and a .730 greased RB of 40-1 I would not feel under gunned against any black bear I would ever encounter out to 75 yards. I also fancy the idea of maybe one day running into the big cats ILLinois refuses to acknowlegde they turned loose 25 years ago in Kikapoo State Park. They have multiplied and are seen yearly by deer hunters through out the East ILLinois area. I saw one last time north at 100 yards crossing a cut bean field. But the "rifle" would do handsomely whether up close or out to 75 yards. With a receiver sight I do think 100 yards would easily be within "minute of cat".
#4 is actually two of the same kind... sort of. 15 years (maybe more) came across a Winchester 1876 in 45-60. My heart raced and when the price was revealed I started reaching for the wallet. The owner stopped me by saying.. it is relined. But for $1000 cash (well check) there was still no leaving with out it. 28 Inch barrel. Perfect relined .458 groove barrel. The rest of the rifle is faded, brown and some nice blue finish on those low wear areas. I call it "Ol clank and rattle" as that is exactly it sounds like when working the action as a Winchester works best. The dust cover is loose. The inerds well seated from the 120 some tears of work. Made brass from some well shot 45-70. Annealed the necks and commenced loading 2F Goex with a 240 grain Ideal 457195 .460 bullets cast from 40-1. Mold has been lapped. One cereal box wad under that soft bullet. In that heavy ol beast recoil was on par with a 30-30 with 10 grains of Unique. Off cross sticks it is a meer push. But 50 yard accuracy was clover leafs (touching bullet edges). Well decided it was way to anemic so swapped powder to 3F. Bingo. The ol rattle trap spoke like a caliber 45 should. 50 yard accuracy improved to real clover leafs. 100 yard 6 inch gong is easy off cross sticks. Lyman 457191 gives the same accuracy most likely due to the nice near new .458 groove. With 3F it is a joy to shoot. Then 4 years ago CDNN Sports ran a special on some Chiappa 1876 caliber 50-95 (plus other calibers). I jumped once I found out the serial #s were above 1500. Mine is in the 4000 plus. What a fine shooter ! 3F and a 350 grainer will cook out at 1465 fps. I would tackle any North American critter with it. Mean or nasty beasties would be from 50 yards. Bush eaters out to 100.
#5. Springfield model 1903 30-06 in well used but ready to go back to the trenches condition. Went through arsenal barrel upgrade 7-44. Since then probably was shot little with those older corrosive ball loads as the barrel is not badly pitted. It gets fed a diet when I am up north there of a RCBS 180 grain FNGC with enough powder to get along at 2200. 4350 works nicely for that. Yes I know about all the "brittle receiver" warnings. So why a 1903 ? This is the rifle that was well used to introduce that marvelous 30-06 cartridge to the rest of the military world. 50 years of duty is hard to ignore. Plus I much enjoy shooting this fine, scared warrior. With the mentioned 180 grain cast bullet bowling pins at 100 yards are easy prey off cross sticks. I would much enjoy popping a corn cruncher one day down along the North Fork but I have little encouragement from my present home state. So I will continue trying to call a yote and mash it well with the 1903. It was a tough choice this #5... a 1896 Krag, a 1943 Springfield M1 Garand and a 1866 Trapdoor all wanted this spot. But the 1903 is just so much fun to load for and clip feed.
Mike in Peru
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Post by Bullshop on Mar 9, 2016 9:00:16 GMT -7
Wow, This hard!!!! I don't know if I can do it. I will have to think on it.
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Post by Junior on Mar 10, 2016 23:43:33 GMT -7
Well, this won't be so hard, I only own 3 rifles.
#1 - Nothing special. Turkish Mauser with a rethreaded Remington barrel, and a cheap butler creek stock. Currently has a falcon optics 4-14 scope on it. Still had the 2 stage trigger, but it's a good truck gun, and shoots quite well. I hand chambered this rifle and the chamber is quite a bit on the tight side.
#2 - Ruger M77 mk2 left handed 270.
#3 - My dads old Interarms Mauser, which currently has a over chambered and shotout barrel on it. Probably getting rebarreled this summer to a 224 Clark.
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mike
Bullet Hole
Posts: 65
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Post by mike on Mar 11, 2016 11:14:24 GMT -7
I sort'a remember when I owned three rifles, back when I was nine... Shoot sharp, Mike
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