Getting ready for my move south, and finally paid off the new rifle. Quite possibly the last new Barrett Feildcraft long action available anywhere.
First impressions are its worth the money spent.
have just fitted it with a GPO 1.5-9x44 with illuminated drop reticle.
Only thing I will change if I can was that I couldn't get 30mm fieldcraft rings for it, so had to go with a Barrett Piccatinny rail and vortex rings. But Will try source some rings as the rail cuts down on space to load magazine.
all up weight under 6.2 LB

What caliber Shanks?

270 win. Wanted something that wasn't a new fad and that I could get ammo for when all the 6.5 whatevers were out of stock.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
270 win. Wanted something that wasn't a new fad and that I could get ammo for when all the 6.5 whatevers were out of stock.

Yeah I'll stick with my 6.5x55

Thats an honorary 270 anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Thats an honorary 270 anyway.

Can't hunt Sambar with it but!

Despite it raining today, I had to go see how it shoots. I had some factory winchester ammo and was rapt to put 3 rounds into the bull at 100 yards for an 11mm group.

a hacksaw will fix that rail problem in about a minute.

Yes I have considered it. Think Ill try get a set of Barret rings first though.
The old adage you get what you pay for is ringing true with this rifle.
I dont have access to much in the way of reloading components right now, bt TP came through with some arr2209 and one 130gr Speer Hotcore projectiles. It didnt take long to work up too 54grns doing right on 3100 fps and a group of 3/4 Moa. I think there is more in the tank but am happy for now as thats a pretty decent hunting load.

Shanks
I have spare .270W brass if you could use it.
Hornady x 6
S&W x5
RP x 11
Odds & sods but all once fired. Happy to send no charge if you're interested.

Cheers Grant. I have sorted out around 150 federal cases now. So ready to go! Just got too hope that there is going to be another shipment of 2209 in the next 12 months. But I have about 70 rounds of ammo now, so that should do a little damage.

Super rifle!

I have one in 6.5 Creed and it is scary accurate.

I have a set of Talley 30mm rings which I have no use for. If you know how to get them from South Africa to you, you can have them.

Thats awesome MD! Ill do some research.

Cheers.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Thats awesome MD! Ill do some research.

Cheers.

I can post them to you directly, but not sure what’s the regulations on your side

You are a Top man!

It looks like they no longer need any paper work for scopes or mounts, So Ill sen you a personnel message.

Theres been a couple of pigs about so this morning when I got the cows in for milking, i took the rifle for its first walk as the cows were near where the pigs have been.
Sure enough two appeared from a little gully of gorse and paused in the light. Ive never used an illuminated dot before and was pleasantly surprised at how quick it made acquiring the target and first pig went down with a front of shoulder base of neck shot. A quick reload as the other pig was screaming off over a low ridge and again the red dot surprised me at how much focus and time it saved me and he went down with 30 meters as well. Unfortunately he rolled straight into the river and was unrecoverable.

you got lucky! They stopped making those a while back. Military demand was too high for anything else.

I regret not getting the threaded 308 win. My buddy has one, it rocks!

Yes , It actually started because I was saving and planing on buying a new rifle next year. I did my research and found the fieldcraft and decided that it was exactly what i wanted. Then found out they had stopped making them years earlier and in all likelihood I had missed out.
But one of my google searches turned up a new one sitting in a small gun business in AucklandI quickly contacted the guy and put down an immediate deposit on it with the idea of paying it off over the next year. However you know what its like when you are in that situation and I decided I wanted it sooner, so sold a bow and some spare stuff I had around here and payed it off quicker.

Gunworks are showing 270 calibre Federal 130gr Trophy Bonded Tip projectiles in stock at the moment.

I've been watching to see if they restock some 7mm Federal TBT's. I have these projectiles in Federal factory loads for my 7mm WSM and they have performed superbly on two large red deer my son took with the WSM. I think you will need these premium bullets for the big reds you will encounter after your move down to the South Island
Just the ticket for the big tahr bulls too.

Yes they are a really good projectile, but at $2 each?
I will work up a load wth Hornady ELDX 145gr which will do the job fine I think.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Yes they are a really good projectile, but at $2 each?
I will work up a load wth Hornady ELDX 145gr which will do the job fine I think.

Surely you only need one per deer, that's cheap venison

It is if all i have to spend on in my life is hunting related. But I have a partner, and a step daughter heading to university to study medicine, Two cars that need mainatianance, Rates and mortgage, tax etc. Just like most other people, So in my hunting budget, which is fairly generous, I think deciding to halve the price I pay for 100 projectiles makes sense.

Nice rifle Mate, I got the photos from James of him shooting it and was wondering where it came from.

Reckon Ive nearly got him convinced to look at something other than a sako or Tikka.

Isn't it great when you fluke the last (or first) of some great product? It's not so great that it is the last one, of course.

Its actually the second/third time my brother and I have done it. 28 years ago My brother bought a BRNO600 in 270. It shot so bloody well I went in and bought the other one in the shop 2 days later. Except mine wasn't a BRNO anymore.

His is marked BRNO, Mine is the first of the CZ 600s as that was about the point Czechoslovakia separated and names switched.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
It is if all i have to spend on in my life is hunting related. But I have a partner, and a step daughter heading to university to study medicine, Two cars that need mainatianance, Rates and mortgage, tax etc. Just like most other people, So in my hunting budget, which is fairly generous, I think deciding to halve the price I pay for 100 projectiles makes sense.

Ha ha we are tigers for punishment sometimes. I married when I was 38 with 5 instant step kids ranging from 6 to 16 in age and we went on to have 2 more boys. Three kids through university, the other four kids through poly tech and trades. Helping all out with first cars, guns for those who hunt, mountain bikes, motorbikes, other sports gear and setting them up with flats etc., as they were growing up. Now 5 grandkids from 5 to 22 in age and repeating similar purchases for them as they grow.
My hunting came to a complete halt for an extended period while I worked normal day shift with 7 day a week after hours call out on roster and wife working night shift and some day care work. Got into management later which allowed me to focus on a bit of hunting especially as the kids grew and flew.

Finally retired this time last year at 70. Wouldn't change a thing, enjoy hunting with three of the boys, a daughter in law and a 11yo grandson who both hunt too and also enjoy the other grand kids who do other sports and activities.

Yep you do have to make sacrifices when there are a few dependents

And there are some awesome cup and core projectiles out there. Im hearing very good things about the ELDX from guys who are hunting as a living. In My original rifle I used solely Cor Lokts as they just worked flawlessly. Im actually keen to try the new version to see how it gos.
It also depends on what your mindset is, If you are experienced and not in a rush to fire a shot, then picking a side on shot too the top of the heart means very little bone to go through.
Most of my shooting in last few years has been with a Grendal and a 223. Shot placement beats projectile choice every time and if you can kill with a 223, then you should have no problem with a 130gr 270

I'm interested why Bakes says you can't shoot Sambar with a .270. Do you have some strange laws in OZ about minimum calibre for certain species like they do in Africa for dangerous game? Or do you believe you would in some way be undergunned with a .270 on game that size? Fair enough, like I believe the .222 is a bit light for Red stags despite the hundreds of thousands of Red deer shot in NZ with that calibre. 50 years ago I was considered an over-gunned nutter for culling with a .270 instead a light and handy .222. I've met Native-Americans who claimed to only use a .22LR on Moose.

From memory the cut off is 270, but you cant hunt them with 6.5x55. Which given the number of moose killed with that calibre does seem a little odd. But they are a tough deer to put down from my limited experience.

Yes, the 270 is legal for sambar, and OK if you get them standing at the right angle. They are tough, though, and usually run when hit - a big exit hole can help in following them. One 19thC Indian authority I read of called for the .577 BP express but thought the .500 was enough for tigers. They do grow bigger over there, of course.