rifles

[thecroweater]

Lots of rich guys on this thread... I would be perfectly happy with an old lee enfield and a reasonably accurate 22.

Second WW vet I knew, old Spin Lewis won medals at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games with a Lee Enfield, not to be sniffed at set up properly

[Prairiepiss]

Nice looking rig you got there. As I gaze upon it with envy, it occurs to me that many people might not appreciate the particulars of scopes until they are confronted with the sticker shock of mounting a decent one.

I know I didn’t until I started shopping for a long range gun. Luckily mine had a nice Vortex mounted to it when I bought it.

The prairie dogs in southern Colorado were usually educated well enough to dodge into a hole once a human got within 200 -300 yards. I had to buy a 22-250 to reach out and touch them. Then when I moved to where I live now, there were closer-uneducated prairie dogs in the fields just behind and to the sides of my house. So I bought a .17 HMR to touch them. After a few years though, other people moved into the area so I stopped shooting around the house. But then the new neighbors themselves began popping at the varmints with .22's. The new neighbors must not be very good shots because I hear 22 pops all summer long but we have no shortage of prairie dogs yet.

A prairie dog when standing up isn't any bigger than a beer can. Hitting one at 400 yards is a challenge. I once had the aspiration of marketing a genetically modified insect, who's sole purpose would be to act as a long range target. Something like a huge orange Lady Bug about the size of half a basketball. Something that moved and was filled with fluorescent bug juice so that you could view the hydro-static spray of a hit from far away. But realistically and as with prairie dogs, the PETA types would be offended and would eventually intrude.

I have been wanting to go prairie doging for a long time now. I might have to setup a trip this year after I get my guns all lined out. I have heard it is a blast.

[jedneck]

I go prairie poodle shootin i aint isin 300wm. Sure bet be needin new barrel. Prairie poodle shootin id take the 244rem built on a mauser. And a 22lr

[Windswept]

Lots of rich guys on this thread... I would be perfectly happy with an old lee enfield and a reasonably accurate 22.

Second WW vet I knew, old Spin Lewis won medals at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games with a Lee Enfield, not to be sniffed at set up properly

Probably with one of these! Who says lee Enfields can’t be expensive!

[nerdybrewer]

Lots of rich guys on this thread... I would be perfectly happy with an old lee enfield and a reasonably accurate 22.

Second WW vet I knew, old Spin Lewis won medals at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games with a Lee Enfield, not to be sniffed at set up properly

87EB6C84-F235-4901-A180-2128914EA3E1.jpeg

Probably with one of these! Who says lee Enfields can’t be expensive!

Hey I have that same rest. I use it when cleaning and working on my rifles and also at the range.

[nerdybrewer]

What guns do you wish you had?

I'd love to find a 22 WMR lever action rifle, that would be so much fun!

[Jstroke]

What guns do you wish you had?

Wish?—whew, man that’s a long list. Pick one, my next build will be 220 Swift. I love tack drivers and that will run roughly 4600 fps if memory serves. Always wanted one.

J

[The Baker]

When I was young I had a .303 Lee Enfield with a sleeve for .22 small bore target shooting.
Also when I started in the CMF (our weekend warriors) they were using the Lee Enfield with that really long bayonet.

Geoff

[Prairiepiss]

What guns do you wish you had?

I'd love to find a 22 WMR lever action rifle, that would be so much fun!

All of the guns. I wish I had all of them. I wish even more I had the ammo to shoot them.

[nerdybrewer]

What guns do you wish you had?

I'd love to find a 22 WMR lever action rifle, that would be so much fun!

All of the guns. I wish I had all of them. I wish even more I had the ammo to shoot them.

I hear that! I just 'bit the bullet' as they say and put in an order for another 480 rounds of 7.62x54R.
Unlike the rest of that caliber in my ammo boxes these have brass cases.
I'm down to my last 2000 primers and just a couple Lbs of powder...

[DRHillier]

I have a 30-40 krag that I love to shoot when I can find the ammo. I couldn't live in Australia. I'm sorry you lost your right to own firearms. That's terrible. I have a concealed pistol license and carry a .45acp anytime I leave the house. Things are getting crazy out there. Legally we are an open carry state, but being Washington state you'd get a lot of unwanted attention from people, and I don't want to be considered a hard target should I ever find myself around someone trying to rob a store or something. They trusted me to drive a tank through Iraq, I'll be really pissed if the government ever decided that I couldn't be trusted with a firearm.

[Corn Cracker]

My cost efficient Mossberg ATR 100 in .308 is my go to hunting rifle, walking the woods in the off season i carry the Tavor x-95 in. 556, the rifle i want is the Tavor 7 in .308.

[TheAlchemist]

obviously it depends what it’s for, but my go to hunting rifle is chambered in .308. chose it as my first cuz i’m paranoid and ammo is plentiful and cheap (and let’s not forget, it works in the ar-10 i built the next year [emoji1]) works fine for any shot i feel ethically justified taking when it comes to hunting. that being said, for most of my firearms i went for caliber parity so i could easily build up a stockpile of 3-4 calibers and be good to go.

[subbrew]

My logic was very similar - versatile caliber, easy to find, when I started buying rifles 40 years ago. But I went with the 30-06. Since then I have moved to more .308s, fortunately powders and bullets most interchange. More power to you if you can keep in a 3 or 4 cartridge limit. My brain says it makes sense but then I find a pretty #1 with nice wood which happens to be in 45-70. Now that I have cracked that cartridge there was that really pretty 1885 chambered for it. Oh, I can use the same bullets and build a .458 SOCOM, oops so much for 3 or 4 cartridges. things grow for me. Sort of like getting bees to improve tree pollination led to making mead, led to brewing beer, led to making cider, led me this forum.

[TheAlchemist]

yeah, fair enough. you’re a bit further in than me, bought my first rifle about 7 years ago, for what it’s worth. i expect i’ll get to a similar place eventually. i’m already headed there, as i now have 4 calibers (but one i have no intention of ever getting another firearm in, it’s my edc for summer clothes, so i only keep 20 rounds or so on hand). i’m sure more things like that will pop up (single use case, or just too cool to resist - but i will probably never keep significant ammo stores for any of them), especially if vintage rifles ever come down in price and become more available again [emoji28]

[Dancing4dan]

I have a old Parker Hale 7 mm mag with a variable scope and bipod. It is a Mauser action and only holds three rounds. But if you are on target it will drop anything in North America. Fast and flat bullet. But OMG ammo is getting pricey!

Family member just gave me a Lee Enfield! Updated stock. Looks good. Needs a clean. Love these old rifles. Have not fired this yet.Stores are just about cleaned out of every type of ammunition out there but lots of British 303 on the shelves.

22 single shot Cooey. Will hit a four inch disk at 80 yard. The bead sight just covers the disk at that distance. Taught the kids to shoot with this gun. Take 500 rounds and shoot all day long.

I just bought a Mosberg ShockWave 12 gauge this summer. 12 gauge has always been my choice for bear defensive weapon. Prefer triple 000 if I can find it, or double 00 with a couple slugs behind that. This is my favourite gun! I used to have a pistol grip Winchester defender but sold it years ago.

[contrahead]

Prefer triple 000 if I can find it, or double 00 with a couple slugs behind that.

That reminds me: that back in the day as a kid, when watching a TV show or a movie or reading a book that – you'd occasionally hear someone blurb out the term “Double Ought Buck”. Never “single ought buck” or “tripple ought” or any other buckshot size (there are more than a dozen buckshot sizes starting with “B” or ".17” or "4.49mm" ).

I'm not saying that “000” wouldn't make a bigger impression on a bear. But the reason double ought was considered 'the bad boy load' and was so common in western vernacular, was because it was the densest most efficient compaction of lead into a 12 gauge shotgun hull. “00 size” simply stacked better. Nine heavy #00 Buckshot pellets are commonly placed in a 2 ¾” – 12g shell, and 12 or even 15 will fit in a 3” shell. Sometimes that 3” stuff will put a bruise on your shoulder.

[Dancing4dan]

Prefer triple 000 if I can find it, or double 00 with a couple slugs behind that.

That reminds me: that back in the day as a kid, when watching a TV show or a movie or reading a book that – you'd occasionally hear someone blurb out the term “Double Ought Buck”. Never “single ought buck” or “tripple ought” or any other buckshot size (there are more than a dozen buckshot sizes starting with “B” or ".17” or "4.49mm" ).

I'm not saying that “000” wouldn't make a bigger impression on a bear. But the reason double ought was considered 'the bad boy load' and was so common in western vernacular, was because it was the densest most efficient compaction of lead into a 12 gauge shotgun hull. “00 size” simply stacked better. Nine heavy #00 Buckshot pellets are commonly placed in a 2 ¾” – 12g shell, and 12 or even 15 will fit in a 3” shell. Sometimes that 3” stuff will put a bruise on your shoulder.

I agree. 00 was the military round for the trench gun. It is easier to source as well. 12 gauge 00 is still used by law enforcement and military forces I believe. In WW1 the Germans complained the trench gun was an unfair advantage. Close up and personal defence it still dominates in my opinion.

A black bear can cover 45 feet per second… ish when charging. They go from comfortable distance to nose to nose pretty quick. 99 times out of 100 they are not going to be an issue. But when they are grumpy they are pretty determined. A three inch magnum 000 round hits like a freight train and has the same effect as a flash bang. Make a guy deaf for a few minutes.

[Stonecutter]

Prefer triple 000 if I can find it, or double 00 with a couple slugs behind that.

That reminds me: that back in the day as a kid, when watching a TV show or a movie or reading a book that – you'd occasionally hear someone blurb out the term “Double Ought Buck”. Never “single ought buck” or “tripple ought” or any other buckshot size (there are more than a dozen buckshot sizes starting with “B” or ".17” or "4.49mm" ).

I'm not saying that “000” wouldn't make a bigger impression on a bear. But the reason double ought was considered 'the bad boy load' and was so common in western vernacular, was because it was the densest most efficient compaction of lead into a 12 gauge shotgun hull. “00 size” simply stacked better. Nine heavy #00 Buckshot pellets are commonly placed in a 2 ¾” – 12g shell, and 12 or even 15 will fit in a 3” shell. Sometimes that 3” stuff will put a bruise on your shoulder.

I agree. 00 was the military round for the trench gun. It is easier to source as well. 12 gauge 00 is still used by law enforcement and military forces I believe. In WW1 the Germans complained the trench gun was an unfair advantage. Close up and personal defence it still dominates in my opinion.

A black bear can cover 45 feet per second… ish when charging. They go from comfortable distance to nose to nose pretty quick. 99 times out of 100 they are not going to be an issue. But when they are grumpy they are pretty determined. A three inch magnum 000 round hits like a freight train and has the same effect as a flash bang. Make a guy deaf for a few minutes.

An added bonus is that you can then give the bear your shoulder as a consolation prize!

[Dancing4dan]

Prefer triple 000 if I can find it, or double 00 with a couple slugs behind that.

That reminds me: that back in the day as a kid, when watching a TV show or a movie or reading a book that – you'd occasionally hear someone blurb out the term “Double Ought Buck”. Never “single ought buck” or “tripple ought” or any other buckshot size (there are more than a dozen buckshot sizes starting with “B” or ".17” or "4.49mm" ).

I'm not saying that “000” wouldn't make a bigger impression on a bear. But the reason double ought was considered 'the bad boy load' and was so common in western vernacular, was because it was the densest most efficient compaction of lead into a 12 gauge shotgun hull. “00 size” simply stacked better. Nine heavy #00 Buckshot pellets are commonly placed in a 2 ¾” – 12g shell, and 12 or even 15 will fit in a 3” shell. Sometimes that 3” stuff will put a bruise on your shoulder.

I agree. 00 was the military round for the trench gun. It is easier to source as well. 12 gauge 00 is still used by law enforcement and military forces I believe. In WW1 the Germans complained the trench gun was an unfair advantage. Close up and personal defence it still dominates in my opinion.

A black bear can cover 45 feet per second… ish when charging. They go from comfortable distance to nose to nose pretty quick. 99 times out of 100 they are not going to be an issue. But when they are grumpy they are pretty determined. A three inch magnum 000 round hits like a freight train and has the same effect as a flash bang. Make a guy deaf for a few minutes.

An added bonus is that you can then give the bear your shoulder as a consolation prize!

Lol. Look up the Mossberg ShockWave. It is essentially an old coach gun. No shoulder bruise to be had. I wrapped the grip with silicone tape and added a recoil strap. It isn’t for duck hunting just close quarters boom stick. Once you get used to firing from the hip and instinctual aim it’s a lot of fun.

[Stonecutter]

I’ve seen the shockwave. Would be a nice addition to the collection. If I get another shotgun it would be the Benelli M4. But I think a S&W classic .44 is the next purchase. As for rifles. I’m proud of my AR-10 build. Monolithic upper, carbon fiber barrel, geissele trigger, g10 grip, magpul furniture, coated bcg. Eventually I’ll put a vortex on her.

[Stonecutter]

63CD50FB-5057-44D1-A203-98F0C58B9779.png

Old pic but there she is

[Dancing4dan]

I’ve seen the shockwave. Would be a nice addition to the collection. If I get another shotgun it would be the Benelli M4. But I think a S&W classic .44 is the next purchase. As for rifles. I’m proud of my AR-10 build. Monolithic upper, carbon fiber barrel, geissele trigger, g10 grip, magpul furniture, coated bcg. Eventually I’ll put a vortex on her.

The carbon fibre barrels are interesting technology. I have never seen one in person.

[Stonecutter]

Without a scope I haven’t reached out too far yet, but she’ll blow the balls off a gnat at 100 yards.

[Truckinbutch]

Recently bought SOH a Ruger PC CHARGER 9mm . Added folding arm brace and single point sling . Hung a red/green dot on it and that old fat broad loves it ! Slipped in the Glock mag well for cheaper mags and different mag caps . We like the 17 rd the best for sbr home defense utility .

[Toxxyc]

I currently own a Lee Enfield No4 Mk2 .303 British rifle. I fitted a scope to the bridge and used it for hunting for a short while, before its common issues showed up. Terrible trigger and headspace issues meant I would have spent more on the rifle than I would have cared to, so I removed the scope and bought a new rifle about 2 years ago.

Remington 700 SPS. Got it for an absolute steal, brand new, and in .30-06 Springfield. I could have had it in .270 Winchester as well, but the .30-06 just appealed more to me, keeping in mind what we hunt here in South Africa.

The rifle from the box though, was horrible. HORRIBLE. First thing to go on was the scope. Burris Fullfield II in 3-9x40. It worked fine until I started reloading and found I shoot better than the scope allows. In the meantime I fitted a nice stock to it - a Stocky's AccuBlock Heritage Classic, in Granite Laminate.

I also started tweaking the factory trigger, even taking it off the rifle and breaking seals to try and get it to perform better. I turned all the screws in all directions until I got the trigger as light as possible while still being safe, but it still wasn't acceptable. It's pull weight varied greatly and it made precision shooting a nightmare.

In the meantime I also bought a suppressor for the rifle, had the barrel threaded and the suppressor (a heavy cheapie) works like a charm. Recoil is down low and I can now hunt without ear protection.

After the suppressor the scope was the next upgrade, based on the above problems. Shooting past around 400m proved difficult for me with the old scope, and I bought a Athlon Talos BTR 4-14x44 scope with the APLR2 reticle (Christmas tree reticle, illuminated), in first focal plane. Works great for closer shooting as the crosshair doesn't disappear at 4x, and at 14x it's a joy to shoot at distance.

About a year ago I came into some PayPal dollars for some work I do on the side (not for pay, but I was paid anyway) and considering few things in SA can be bought with PayPal, I opted to order a trigger. I got a trigger from Brownells, imported it to South Africa and the rifle now sports a TriggerTech Primary, tuned to perfection. The trigger is light, safe and absolutely crisp and immediately made a difference in my shooting.

I also polished up my loads with the new, better shooting rifle, and I can now comfortably shoot 1/2" groups at 100m all day long with my hunting loads. The rifle also drew first blood this year and I shot an Impala at 260m, Texas heart shot. The Federal Fusion 180gr bullet opened up like a textbook description and entered the buck on the right buttock, breaking the spine, liver, lungs, heart and coming to a stop in the left front shoulder blade. The Impala was dead before she hit the ground, just a white puff of hair dangling in the wind.

I need to find a pic or two to post as the rifle is now, but damn it shoots well. I have the load and setup calibrated on my Strelok Plus app and so far I've been able to hit all (even cold bore) shots up to 500m by simply ranging and dialing the scope. Works like a charm.

[subbrew]

He got me. I was just looking at the new Kimber polymer 9mm.

[Truckinbutch]

Got me , too . Been contemplating a .50BMG . Like I really need that .

[subbrew]

Got me , too . Been contemplating a .50BMG . Like I really need that .

50 BMG when you absolutely, positively have to reach out and touch someone

[Deplorable]

Got me , too . Been contemplating a .50BMG . Like I really need that .

Think of all the money you could spend on grain that you're gonna shoot up on range day at over $8 a round. That should quell the urge for a 50BMG.