Ok who still hunts with them? I did a lot up in the NT with my little Verguerio. But up there in the area I hunted 100m was a long shot. My closest shot was about 3 meters or so.

A long shot of about 30 meters across a creek

Two taken very close,

I have open sights on all my rifles 7mm and above. I learnt to shoot with an aperture.

I hope to use the express sights on my 9.3x62 next November on scrub bulls in FNQ. Took an Impala so configured, but it is time to use them more.

I have apertures on my 7x57 and 404 and have taken animals out to 185 yds and wouldn't feel handicapped inside 200yds. The enhanced carryability of an iron sighted rifle is something those with a scoped rifle can not aproach.

7x57


This was taken at 185yds and with a cast bullet no less.


This was the rest of the days kill from 145 out to 185 yds. (Leica laserd range)



404 has only a 50yd kill so far.


Von Gruff.

What breed of sight is on that 7mm Von Gruff?

Its one of Rusty Marlins Rigby sights. 25 in barrel gives me a 31 in sight radius. Easy to feel confident with one of these on board.

Von Gruff.

Yes, I shoot with open sights. biggest gun I have that has a scope on it is a 375H&H.

At least on all Doubles and most of my big bores
- 450's 500/505 Gibbs etc.

100 yard shots not a problem, beyond that the animal has to be wounded.

.

I like aperture sights and have used them on three rifles, all with sourdoughs up front. My .450/.400 has express sights but in hindsight I think they are likely to shoot high on a quick, second shot. On a big magazine rifle I would prefer a big peep with no disc - and a stock fitted to make it redundant.

Hi,

I have iron sights in all my rifles. I prefer an open peep sight with post front sight or, second, an open U or square rear sight with the post front.

Von Gruff, what trigger do you have in your 7x57?

Regards

PH

quote:

Originally posted by PatagonHunter:
Hi,

Von Gruff, what trigger do you have in your 7x57?

Regards

PH

It was the standard ex mil 98 trigger and I cut the finger piece of and grafted a custom finger piece on to move it back to the rear of the trigger guard. The first stage has been bypassed by spacing the front of the trigger off the base. I did this 30 years ago for a previous build and have re-used it as it is such a good hunting trigger. Have a waist in the TG for good finger fit from the slim wrist.
Most rush to replace the 98 trigger but they are almost indestructable and with a little tweaking are as excellent.

Von Gruff.

I was interested in how you fixed the trigger, Von Gruff. I used to do something similar, Aralditing a bit of old hacksaw blade across the base to hold back the trigger-bow piece. I also shortened the trigger spring a little to lighten the pull.

In case you fancy tarting up the trigger guard more, Jim Carmichel's 'Do-It-Yourself Gunsmithing' recommends rounding off the outside edges to get rid of the slab-sided look. I've done it on a couple of rifles and it works a treat.

Cheers
- Paul

Hi Von G!

Nice shape of the finger piece! I also worked the same in my 7x57! Note the finger piece but converting the two stage military trigger to a sigle stage. I will try to upload a picture of it. Works great without any danger and is, indeed, indestructible!

PH

This is what I did to a standard 98 trigger with liquid steel in 1982 as a trial after reading of this way to get a single stage without grinding off the first stage. It worked so well that I never felt the need to "update".
With a 1/4 turn off the spring at a time as it is tried, a very nice trigger results and IMHO equal to many of the aftermarket offerings and decidedly more robust than most.


Von Gruff.

Yes, Von Gruff, that's what I did. A gunsmith soldered a nut on the front of the trigger bow once for me, to apply a screw adjustment. It was a waste of time - what you show is more reliable.

This is my rifle (7x57) and the trigger job. Very simmilar to Von Gruff`s.

PH

I actually don't mind the plain mil trigger. My 6.5x55 has a Timney job but I've never felt disadvantaged by the trigger on the Verguerio.

Interesting stockwork, too, PatagonHunter. By the quality of the wood and lack of other military touches, I assume it is a sporter, but have never seen one with the bolt-handle hollow before. Is this a South American thing?

- Paul

Not as pretty as Von Gruffs, but -

Husqvarna 1640. As it came from the factory, except that I have added three leaf rear sight 100/200/300 metres. It shoots to POA with these graduations also.
Stock has the drop for using open sights. It's in .30/06.
I have a receiver peep sight that screws into the rear scope mount holes, but I have found I dont loose much with a v and front bead sight and most of my shooting is under 100 metres.
Furthest animal was 200 metres so far and its not particularly difficult shooting out that far with any kind of sight system as long as you have a half decent rest.
I also have a Rossi 92 in .44/40 with a 24 inch octagonal barrel. That has a tang mounted aperture sight.

I hate the handling of a rifle with a scope on it, and am not fully convinced that I should own one. Have been let down three years running during the roar with scope trouble of one kind or another and I will be going with the husky as you see it below, this year.
The scope goes on for tahr or chamois but comes off for the rest of the year for deer I have decided.
During the roar the whole idea if to get them in close anyway...

[/

Hello sambarman338,

The bolt handle is not hollow! May be it seems to be because of the light reflection!!
The wood is the original military 1935!! And is a perfect quarter sawn piece of wood! Perhaps the pre-II W.W. standards of the Mausers....

PH

Sorry PH,
I was referring to the wood under the bolt handle. Your explanation of the military origin explains everything. It is a nice piece of wood and I'm surprised you found one without other cut-outs, flutes etc. Is it walnut or beech? I have sporterised a couple of FN Mausers with good walnut stocks but had heard a lot of the German ones were beech.

Cheers
- Paul

Hello sambarman,

Ah! I understand. That "hollow" in the wood is very common in the Mausers of that era, as you know for sure. The wood is clearly walnut and the layout of the cut and the fibers is as it should be in every rifle! By the way the original rifle was an Argentine Model 1935 in 7,65x54 Mauser. Our Country bought 10.000 of this rifles before WWII and kept them in the arsenals as a reserve guns, unused. The action is clearly German because the proof marks. The original barrel was 56 cm (around 22"). I still have the barrel. The entire rifle was almost a copy of the 1909 Engeniers Carabine but with a K98K magazine floor, instead of the pivoting one present in all our 1909 Mausers.

Best Regards

PH

Open sights? Absolutely. I don't own a scope, actually. I shoot big bores in tropical savannah country.

I was out testing a cast boolit load the other day as I intend to take the 404 out on the hill in a few weeks. A friend is coming to stay for a day or two and he will have use my 7x57. Have plenty of loads in the 19-2400fps with cast although they are all with alloys unsuited for meat so worked up a "soft" in 50/50 ww/Pb and at just under 2000fps it prints right on the top of the front blade. Should do out to 150yds or so.


Von Gruff.

Welcome to the forums Ben. Where about in the NT do yu live? I spent 8 years up there. 5 in Katherine and 3 in Darwin. I miss the hunting and fishing but not the bloody build up heat!

G'day Bakes,

Katherine's home now; been here seven years and love it. Were you at Tindal? Yeah, the build-up can be tough, but is also great for hunting!

Cheers,

Ben

Yep lived in Tindal. Thought it was a great place.

quote:

Originally posted by PatagonHunter:
The wood is clearly walnut and the layout of the cut and the fibers is as it should be in every rifle! By the way the original rifle was an Argentine Model 1935 in 7,65x54 Mauser.

You've certainly done a good job with that stock, PH, esp. the chequering. The 22-inch barrel would be about right for that cartridge.

- Paul