I've been wanting a Bradshaw DR in .375 FL for some time, but didn't want to wait in line behind everyone else. So I made arrangements to buy a slightly used 9.3x74 today. It's not well-adorned, but it is a great shooter according to Bailey, and I'm going to hunt with it primarily here the North Georgia and Southeast TN mountains. Bailey is adding a ghost ring to it as well. Very excited.

Mike

Best wishes Mike. Best news is that you have paid the money and received the gun. Hopefully you will report on the gun.

Ooops... Bailey is adding a ghost ring. When will you receive the rifle??

DoubleDon, not sure what kind of crusade you are embarking on against Bradshaw or why you are attempting to discredit his name? I understand you are not even one of us waiting in line...I read in a different thread that some makers are quoting up to four years build time. BB has a lot of orders and some builds are delayed...so what! If he wasn't a serious buisnissman, his reputation as a knifemaker would not be stellar.

Looking forward to seeing your report mdstewart!

No "crusade" at all Norsk. I met Bailey and found him to be a super nice guy and extremely talented. I offered best wishes and hoped for a report as I was unable to get one from Larry (elk88101). Give me a break.

Congrats, Mike!

Don,

I'm sending the money today, and I expect it will ship out on Monday. Bailey said he would get the ghost ring on over the weekend. The ghost ring he's adding is the one that is removable and seats onto the Talley base that is built in. Just a quick release lever takes it on and off.

I'll be hunting with it next week as soon as it arrives, and I will give you all a report.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Norsk:
DoubleDon, not sure what kind of crusade you are embarking on against Bradshaw or why you are attempting to discredit his name? I understand you are not even one of us waiting in line...I read in a different thread that some makers are quoting up to four years build time. BB has a lot of orders and some builds are delayed...so what! If he wasn't a serious buisnissman, his reputation as a knifemaker would not be stellar.

Looking forward to seeing your report mdstewart!

Norsk:

I do not know anything about a Bradshaw rifle. Never even seen one. Would I buy one? Not a chance. I have a friend who is still waiting for a Bradshaw after three years. I have a magnificent little Chapuis .375 flanged fully engraved that was built to my specs in about four months.

quote:

Originally posted by mdstewart:
Don,

I'm sending the money today, and I expect it will ship out on Monday. Bailey said he would get the ghost ring on over the weekend. The ghost ring he's adding is the one that is removable and seats onto the Talley base that is built in. Just a quick release lever takes it on and off.

I'll be hunting with it next week as soon as it arrives, and I will give you all a report.

Mike

Hi Mike, I received your PM this morning. Crazy day. Responded an hour ago. Came back as undeliverable. Could be my lack of internet skills. Long story short, I congratulated you on your purchase. Said Bailey appears to be a super honest guy. Looking forward to a shoot/hunt report. Told you that you were better off with the 9.3 IMO. Further stated that I love the .375 flanged, .240 flanged and the .450 No.2.. That being said, I would never order a new gun in these calibre's. But... when Cal's dumpster shows up, I'll be dumpster diving!

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleDon:
[ But... when Cal's dumpster shows up, I'll be dumpster diving!

He's got a 4-bore DR sticking out of the can right now :-)

I think that is a great rifle. I like the 9.3 better than the 375 flanged. I think Baileys only problem is he has to go from a near hobbyist to full blown manufacturing company in a short time with little backing.
Bill

Sorry if i misunderstood you DoubleDon. May miss some nuances in the english language as it is not my primary.

And Chapuis is produced in a very different fashion than what Bradshaw is doing. Two guys meticiously crafting guns is different than production at the chapuis factory...a different beast altogether. Doesn't mean practical quality has to be very different, just means the small scale products are more "personal" and to me therefore have more "character".. No practical logic, just fuzzy feelings.. Hell why do we mess around with doubles in the first place if we want to be practical?

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Cooley:
I think that is a great rifle. I like the 9.3 better than the 375 flanged. I think Baileys only problem is he has to go from a near hobbyist to full blown manufacturing company in a short time with little backing.
Bill

Yep, or it'll takes years to deliver his custom rifles due to the backlog volume and there'll be continual pissing and moaning by the 'few individuals' who want a pure custom rifle delivered in a 'Henry Ford assembly line' timeframe.

quote:

who want a pure custom rifle delivered in a 'Henry Ford assembly line' timeframe.

My "Model T" is nearing the end of the assembly line! 500 NE and 450/400 2-barrel set with 100% deep relief engraving, casehardened action 27" barrels, red pad, long top and bottom tangs, and a $4,000 piece of wood. Should be the cat's meow :-)

It'll be for sale in 2 weeks afterwards for $19.95 with the blue light special.

Mike, you'd need to move the decimal point over a few spaces :-)

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Mike, you'd need to move the decimal point over a few spaces :-)

Cool!! $00.1995! Can I round it up to an even two cents? Just call it a tip!

I'll take it now!

Done!!! Shipping will be $22,000 :-)

Your freight rates are a touch too high! Nah I'll slide by and pick it up.

quote:

I'll slide by and pick it up.

Thanks for the warning :-)

Highest Congratulations to MDSTEWART on the purchase
of a wonderful, super useful, new rifle! May it provide
endless enjoyment!!!!

So I picked up my Bradshaw 9.3x74R this morning. I called Bailey to ask what my sight picture needed to be, as I was hunting with it this afternoon without having ever shot it.

The ghost ring he added is super sexy and very functional. I was most concerned about the quality of the wood on a gun of this price, but I was very pleased, pleasantly surprised, as it is straight grain with nice figure and very attractive.

The gun fits me perfect for a gun that was a bespoke for Subsailor. The DAC is 1.5", DAH is 2.5", and LOP is 14.5", with less than 1/8th cast. No check piece. It throws up perfect for my eyes with either the irons sights or the ghost ring.

According to the serial number, this was the 3rd double rifle Bailey built. For the most part fit and finish are outstanding; there are some wood fitting issues around the bottom of the action, but I can live with it.

This is definitely the best balanced and easiest to carry DR I've owned or shot, and that has been many. It comes in at 9 lbs for a 9.3x74, which I see as perfect.

I will shoot it on the range in the morning with my handloads that use Hornady brass, 53gr of Varget, Winchester Magnum primers, and 286gr Barnes TSX. I will then hunt with it again tomorrow afternoon in hopes of getting it bloodied.

I will take pictures, along with range results as soon as I get some time away from the woods.

Mike

I thought X-bullets were bad juju in doubles, have I missed something?


BTW, congrats on the rifle, we're all waiting to see it!

quote:

Originally posted by AK_Stick:
I thought X-bullets were bad juju in doubles, have I missed something?


BTW, congrats on the rifle, we're all waiting to see it!

I believe that concern is with vintage doubles for the most part. Bailey built this gun, regulated it with these loads, and doesn't seem to have a problem with using these bullets in the gun.

How does she shoot?

quote:

Originally posted by Norsk:
How does she shoot?

I've only shot her 10 times between morning and evening hunt, and didn't take pictures to give a range report. The gun is extremely accurate with the iron sights. The ghost ring appears to be shooting 6-8" high at 50 yards.

I flew up to Philly this morning for tomorrow's Army / Navy football game. My daughter's in her 3rd year at Westpoint, so we make this an annual event.

Next week I'll get some range work in and post pictures of both the targets and the gun itself.

My only complaint so far, is the action is so tight that it is very hard to open for extraction. I may have to get Bailey to loosen it up a little more.???

Definitely is as well balanced and feels as good in my hands as any DR I've handled. And that ghost ring is installed in a matter that makes it really sexy.

Thanks for asking.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by AK_Stick:
I thought X-bullets were bad juju in doubles, have I missed something?


BTW, congrats on the rifle, we're all waiting to see it!

AK-stick, some mono-metal bullets ARE harmful to double rifles, but not the new ones made with proper driving bands to allow the displaced metal by the rifling engraving a place to go in between the driving bands (Also called pressure rings).

The damage was done by the first attempt to make mono-metal solids that were too hard, and with a long shank with no grooves between thin pressure rings.

With the New ones that are properly made there is no problem!

Add my congratulations on the new rifle as well!
......................................................................

Mike, a couple of boxes may loosen it up enough to function more easily. I believe that Dave said he was getting 1 1/2" horizontal groups at 50 yards, so it should be a shooter.

This rifle?

http://forums.accuratereloadin...351058681#7351058681

Looks nice.
Have fun!

That's the one :-)

A new gun should be really tight imo. It will settle in with use. If it is too tight you can apply grained paste to the surface that is touching and grind it down to fit that way...

Strange it shoots so high 6-8 inches at 50 yards. Sounds like it is well regulated so only minor adjustments to the sight (taller front sigh) needs to be made...

Please give me more info!

Congrats.

Are you happy with the gun?