vtmarmot
P Magoon, Livin' Free NH
I realize that Alinwa likes to emphasize that this is primarily a benchrest site, and I appreciate most of his technical opinions. However, like many who converse on this site, and like the gun writer Terry Weiland, I am interested in just about anything that shoots.
One category of firearm that interests me greatly is the so-called “stalking rifle”. As Craig Boddington pointed out recently in “Guns and Ammo” magazine, this can be a pretty broad category. This often refers to a handy sort of rifle used when stalking red deer in the Scottish highlands.
Some day before I croak I hope to be able to stalk red deer and fallow deer in one of the many places where they live, such as Spain or Austria or Argentina. Until then, I’ll have to content myself with stalking whitetails, which is my favorite way to hunt them.
Spinal stenosis put a crimp on that this year, so while awaiting surgery, I have worked on my collection of “stalking rifles”.
As readers of this space are aware, I have been interested in an engraved mauser in 8x57 J or JS. I spotted one at a local auction site, but upon closer inspection, it had a few issues that I was not equipped to deal with. Someone got it for $650 and I wish them luck.
While at the preview, I noticed a minty Thompson Center TCR 83 Aristocrat in 7mm-08 with set triggers and gorgeous wood. A tad on the heavy side with a 26 inch barrel, it is very reminiscent of a Merkel K3 break-action. I won that auction and have mounted a Sightron 4-12x44 scope on it.
At the same preview, I spied an unmarked mauser in 6.5x54 MS (not Kurz) in great shape with a receiver sight and double-set triggers. Having another rifle in the same caliber and thus plenty of brass and dies, I bid on and won that one too.
Obviously I’m not disappointed to come away with two rifles instead of one. An engraved mauser may or may not show up in the safe someday. In the interim, I am happy to have two new (to me) rifles to load for and play with. I’ll be working up some test loads this winter and will report on them in the spring.
They join other “stalking rifles” in the safe such as a Kimber .308 with gorgeous wood (6 lbs. including a Leupold M8 4X), a Ruger No. 1 in .250 Savage, a Browning Micro-Medallion in .257 Roberts, a Winchester 1885 Low Wall in .243, a Remington Model Seven SS in .308, a Model 700 Mountain Rifle in .260 and a Steyr SBS in 6.5x54 MS.
The stenosis gets operated on Thursday, so I expect I’ll be back to stalking next fall. If any of you wonder why you’re constantly getting “hamstring pulls” get checked for spinal stenosis. It may be the cause.
One category of firearm that interests me greatly is the so-called “stalking rifle”. As Craig Boddington pointed out recently in “Guns and Ammo” magazine, this can be a pretty broad category. This often refers to a handy sort of rifle used when stalking red deer in the Scottish highlands.
Some day before I croak I hope to be able to stalk red deer and fallow deer in one of the many places where they live, such as Spain or Austria or Argentina. Until then, I’ll have to content myself with stalking whitetails, which is my favorite way to hunt them.
Spinal stenosis put a crimp on that this year, so while awaiting surgery, I have worked on my collection of “stalking rifles”.
As readers of this space are aware, I have been interested in an engraved mauser in 8x57 J or JS. I spotted one at a local auction site, but upon closer inspection, it had a few issues that I was not equipped to deal with. Someone got it for $650 and I wish them luck.
While at the preview, I noticed a minty Thompson Center TCR 83 Aristocrat in 7mm-08 with set triggers and gorgeous wood. A tad on the heavy side with a 26 inch barrel, it is very reminiscent of a Merkel K3 break-action. I won that auction and have mounted a Sightron 4-12x44 scope on it.
At the same preview, I spied an unmarked mauser in 6.5x54 MS (not Kurz) in great shape with a receiver sight and double-set triggers. Having another rifle in the same caliber and thus plenty of brass and dies, I bid on and won that one too.
Obviously I’m not disappointed to come away with two rifles instead of one. An engraved mauser may or may not show up in the safe someday. In the interim, I am happy to have two new (to me) rifles to load for and play with. I’ll be working up some test loads this winter and will report on them in the spring.
They join other “stalking rifles” in the safe such as a Kimber .308 with gorgeous wood (6 lbs. including a Leupold M8 4X), a Ruger No. 1 in .250 Savage, a Browning Micro-Medallion in .257 Roberts, a Winchester 1885 Low Wall in .243, a Remington Model Seven SS in .308, a Model 700 Mountain Rifle in .260 and a Steyr SBS in 6.5x54 MS.
The stenosis gets operated on Thursday, so I expect I’ll be back to stalking next fall. If any of you wonder why you’re constantly getting “hamstring pulls” get checked for spinal stenosis. It may be the cause.
