But just something I think we all have in common on this forum. A firearm bargain.

I lost the Bolt for my old BRNO a while back and so far have not been able to find it or a replacement. I now really need a .22 and I was thinking that Id get a CZ457 later in the year after my trip too the states was out of the way.

Anyway I needed something in the meantime and thought Id pop up too the local shop and see if they had a cheapie on the racks that would get me through. They didn't but the owner said he had a couple out back that had just come in that he hadn't checked over or tested for accuracy. we went out back and he handed me a Mauser 201. I didn't know much about these but I could see it was way better quality than I had anticipated and though he was asking a bit more than I had thought to pay when I walked in the door, I told him I think Id regret not buying that and he agreed.

So I payed the money and came home and checked it out. Bloody hell im impressed! No plastic or stamped components, Duel locking lugs, walnut stock with I presume, rosewood tip. Beautiful little palm swell in grip, fully adjustable trigger.

It came with steel mounts and a Weaver K4 scope.

A quick sight in showed it will take the eye out of a cat at 40 meters.

It's in near as new condition as a 40 year old gun could be, just a bit of dust and grease grime on stock from storage in a safe really.

I dont think Ill be buying the 457 now.

All up I spent around 250 USD

Nice find!

Has a superb bolt and excellent trigger. Believe they have pillar bedding and crowning too. Some consider these one of best post-war 22 LRs made.

Exceptional. Especially in these days, exceptional.

Tomorrow I'm going for the day looking for a moose with a friend. During today's conversation we were considering his different rifles and I suggested his -06. He mentioned his ar10 in 308 enough that I agreed that'd work fine. Yuck. I'm going to carry something similar to the Mauser above but in 458.

I just don't have anything anymore for these modern rifles.

I must admit I get really conflicted. There is something intrinsically special about carrying, looking at, and using these older guns, made when no corners were cut.

But there is also the expedience of carbon and stainless steel, and the portability of the new lite weight weapons.

A mix of both is called for I think.

That's right: a man always needs another rifle.

I am not with you two at all.

Modern sporting rifles demonstrate technology, nothing more. The ability to program a machine, a computer to cut precisely is straight up Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator shit, nothing more.

Wood stocks are chosen based on the artistic eye.
Castings become sculpture, engraving becomes art.

There isn't a modern sporting rifle that can perform like a Remington 722 in 257 Roberts, a Winchester model 70 in 375 H&H, or a Mauser 98 in 8×06.

I've got a Zastava LH in 6.5x55 I'd like to give to my little girl that she'd hopefully kill a buck with some day. I wouldn't even consider for a moment passing down to her an AR.

I must say, the only rifle that belongs to another man that I covert is a pre 64, Model 70 in 375 H&H. The perfect marriage of beauty, usability and style.

But when Im high up a mountain in foul, wet, rocky country. Thats damaging to the soul. let alone the stock and blueing of a fine gun. Then I most prefer my Barret fieldcraft rifle/walking stick.

quote:

There isn't a modern sporting rifle that can perform like a Remington 722 in 257 Roberts, a Winchester model 70 in 375 H&H, or a Mauser 98 in 8×06.

I'll take issue with that. I believe most of the newer rifles are more accurate than 90 percent of the old-timers.

I do love wood stocks a lot more than the synthetics. But especially in AK, a synthetic stock is more practical and reliable.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

There isn't a modern sporting rifle that can perform like a Remington 722 in 257 Roberts, a Winchester model 70 in 375 H&H, or a Mauser 98 in 8×06.

I'll take issue with that. I believe most of the newer rifles are more accurate than 90 percent of the old-timers.

I do love wood stocks a lot more than the synthetics. But especially in AK, a synthetic stock is more practical and reliable.

I'm taking a McMillan stock out tomorrow.

But the gun was crafted as a traditional sporting rifle. Straight bolt handle, timney trigger, hold four down and the bolt has been modified to be able to drop one in and close the bolt. Fixed 3x scope. A barrel band sling swivel and a zebra skin rifle sling.

And "more accurate "? What the actual F does that mean? I have a 257 Roberts that will group 3/8" at 100 yds, the 458 cloverleafs 450g TSX's and I had a 25-06 that would one hole 75g Sierras. ( true, blew the primer pockets out of every cartridge, but damn it was a laser!).

I have no interest in a 30 round mag when I can kill it dead with the first shot.

quote:

I have no interest in a 30 round mag when I can kill it dead with the first shot.

I thought we were talking about real hunting rifles, bolt-actions and single-shots. If you need thirty rounds, you shouldn't be allowed to hunt.

I have a Ruger 77 in .300 WM that shoots three-shot 3/8-inch groups, when I do my part and haven't drunk too much coffee.

I like one-shot kills, but have had to punch moose twice a couple times when they kept walking, not realizing they were dead already.

Yeah! that first shot should be a surprise/shock if it misses.

I am a big fan of the old mantra, beware the man with one gun, he will know how to use it.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

I have no interest in a 30 round mag when I can kill it dead with the first shot.

I thought we were talking about real hunting rifles, bolt-actions and single-shots. If you need thirty rounds, you shouldn't be allowed to hunt.

I have a Ruger 77 in .300 WM that shoots three-shot 3/8-inch groups, when I do my part and haven't drunk too much coffee.

I like one-shot kills, but have had to punch moose twice a couple times when they kept walking, not realizing they were dead already.

I think too much coffee is worse for accuracy than too much beer.

I was respectfully trying to talk another friend here into taking his Model 70 300H&H or Model 70375H&H out this weekend. He kept falling back to one of his 7x61 Sharp and Harts.

I don't get it.

Years ago I took my uncles Model 95 Chilean Mauser in 7x57 out for moose. 175g Hornadays I think. We had a nice big bull step out in front of us and I proceeded to empty the rifle and thumb singles down the pipe. The 7x57 was hitting that bull more like a bow and arrow than a rifle and was just punching holes thru with little shock. The bull went about 150 yards as I pummeled it with Hornadays and finally fell over.
The 7x57 has stayed in the gun safe ever since.

I'm surprised at the poor performance of the 7x57. As I recall, that cartridge is very much like the 7mm-08. I own two of the latter and like the round. My son used a 7mm-08 twice to kill moose. But at 100 yards or less.

What range was the moose you had trouble downing with the 7x57?

Im not conversant with 175gr hornadys. We just dont have the need for such projectiles here, but usually when a cartridge doesn't perform, Its time to look at the projectiles suitability first.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Im not conversant with 175gr hornadys. We just dont have the need for such projectiles here, but usually when a cartridge doesn't perform, Its time to look at the projectiles suitability first.

Good point on the bullets.

Depends on which Hornady bullets he used. They make target to hunting bullets. I've had good accuracy with some of their hunting bullets, but have never hunted with them. They look well-constructed to me.

But I've been satisfied with the performance of Nosler and Swift bullets, and never saw a reason to change.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Im not conversant with 175gr hornadys. We just dont have the need for such projectiles here, but usually when a cartridge doesn't perform, Its time to look at the projectiles suitability first.

Good point on the bullets.

Depends on which Hornady bullets he used. They make target to hunting bullets. I've had good accuracy with some of their hunting bullets, but have never hunted with them. They look well-constructed to me.

But I've been satisfied with the performance of Nosler and Swift bullets, and never saw a reason to change.

As that's the way it was inherited, I shot Hornaday for more than a decade in that rifle. Killed buck deer faithfully. I remember when i branched out to Speer and was shocked that there was another brand that bested Hornaday performance. Shocking!

Today I almost exclusively shoot tsx's. If I bump into a bull moose in the next couple days it'll get a tsx. I'll be back in Emmigrant MT in November and will be shooting tsx's.

I think the 7x57 did what it was supposed to do. We were quite close and some shots were thru and thru. The bullets held together i think, expanded nicely, but there was no Elmer Keith "knock down power". The bull was big and a bit riled up and the 7mm was more like using an arrow. The bullets kept passing thru and doing their job, just with no "shock and awe!".

I like using my 458. When you blink at the shot and get back in the scope there's four feet in the air and when you walk over to him there's not so much as a quiver. No meat loss and no moose deciding to walk a few yards into the lake or river before capitulation.

For moose up here i like the 9.3, -06, my 375 and the 458. All slinging tsx's.

To be fair, If I had moose and any of those cals, they would be my choice too.

When I could still hunt moose in AK, I always took that Ruger 77 .300 WM that I mentioned. Favorite moose load: 180 grain Nosler Partitions, 70 grains of IMR 4350, 3,000 fps.

Scott, I've hunted moose in your neck of the woods. My son shot a young bull on the Nushagak River, north of Dillingham.

And we once floated the Kokwok, which as I'm sure you know, flows into the Nush farther north. There we saw a bull with a huge rack. Easily over seventy inches. The day before the season opened.