CRF Question

[RobBrown505]

On my recent buffalo hunt I thought I was well practiced but I was asked to do something that caught me off guard. After the first shots the buff stopped about 20 yds away behind some brush but clearly visible and badly hit. It was then that my PH told me to “top off” my rifle so I cupped my left hand around the action to stop my chambered live round from flying away. As you can guess, the round hit my hand and stayed firmly seated in the controlled feed. So, I spend several frantic moments prying the round out of the bolt. This leads me to a few questions to the group:

Do you believe in “topping off” a CRF rifle or just run it dry and then reload?

If you do top off a CRF what do you do? Let the live round fly or try to catch it?

Is this something we should practice?

Of course, if done after ejecting an empty then it’s a different scenario.

Give me your thoughts.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

On my recent buffalo hunt I thought I was well practiced but I was asked to do something that caught me off guard. After the first shots the buff stopped about 20 yds away behind some brush but clearly visible and badly hit. It was then that my PH told me to “top off” my rifle so I cupped my left hand around the action to stop my chambered live round from flying away. As you can guess, the round hit my hand and stayed firmly seated in the controlled feed. So, I spend several frantic moments prying the round out of the bolt. This leads me to a few questions to the group:

Do you believe in “topping off” a CRF rifle or just run it dry and then reload?

If you do top off a CRF what do you do? Let the live round fly or try to catch it?

Is this something we should practice?

Of course, if done after ejecting an empty then it’s a different scenario.

Give me your thoughts.

Well I'm all about following the PH and his instructions, particularly if it's DG we're talking about. But I don't think I'd want to be playing games topping off my magazine if a wounded buffalo was a mere 20 yards away and still on his feet.

But if I had to I wouldn't run the remaining rounds out, I'd put two rounds in my left hand, fully open the bolt and let the one live round fly. This way you have two rounds close to your right and and can more quickly load the next two or whatever it takes to top off. I think that would actually be quicker than fiddle farting around trying to catch that live round. Well that's what I think I would do.

 

[RobBrown505]

Having relived the moment 100 times, and if given a do-over, I would let it fly. I just never anticipated having to do this. Maybe a good reason to get a double!

 

[BeeMaa]

Hind sight is always 20/20...Having a discussion with your PH prior to the hunt would have been the best course of action.

I agree with @PHOENIX PHIL. IMO - him asking you to top off your magazine with a Buffalo 20 yards away and still moving around is not the best plan.

 

[RobBrown505]

Is this something anyone has done or been asked to do? I talked a lot with my PH. The usual questions, what to do on a follow up, PH backup, etc.. it just never dawned on me to talk about this. Maybe it will help those preparing for the big hunt.

 

[calling4life]

I'd have been too busy running the gun dry to hear the pro-hunter, why did you stop shooting?

Outside of something stupid like someone running out in front of me, or something perhaps more normal like the buffalo's movement causing me to swing to a dangerous area thus obviously having to stop, I'd be running the gun like a scalded dog until the animal was dead.

Heck, it's even something I do on coyotes, I'm not one to do the "one shot and then we'll follow up in an hour," thing...

Even on ducks and geese I do this, until the animal is dead it is being shot.

Nonetheless, on a reload with rounds in said gun, or, at least my CZ 550, you've gotta let the round pulled out, eject, that doesn't mean fully fly out of the action, but let it come loose, then start ramming more down into the mag.

I can do this without losing the round in the bolt face quite easily, but again, depending upon your action and tolerances, perhaps just letting the live round fly would be best...

Practice and see, for me the live round will need some space to jump, but nothing uncontrollable and getting it set back in the mag is straightforward and simple.

 

[baxterb]

There’s no need to fully remove the round from the bolt face. Just push the top round back into the magazine and add more rounds.

i can do this with every CRF rifle I own.

 

[RobBrown505]

It wasn’t for lack of trying. I had 3 in him and then my PH said to hold and reload.

 

[RobBrown505]

I’ll have to try that @baxterb. learn something new everyday!

 

[baxterb]

I’ll have to try that @baxterb. learn something new everyday!

Here - I just made a video doing it with my 9.3:

9.3 Mauser Feeding

 

[crs]

MMM, Technique?
Been shooting pre 64 Winchester Model 70 CRF bolt action for many years and it has always been easy to do :
Raise bolt handle
Place left hand over ejection port
pull bolt handle to rear
Use left hand fingers to push cartridge down into magazine
Use right hand to place another cartridge in magazine.
push bolt forward loading chamber
push bolt handle down to close action

There might be a variation, but this works for me.
l

 

[RobBrown505]

Here - I just made a video doing it with my 9.3:

9.3 Mauser Feeding

Well there ya go.

 

[baxterb]

MMM, Technique?
Been shooting pre 64 Winchester Model 70 CRF bolt action for many years and it has always been easy to do :
Raise bolt handle
Place left hand over ejection port
pull bolt handle to rear
Use left hand fingers to push cartridge down into magazine
Use right hand to place another cartridge in magazine.
push bolt forward loading chamber
push bolt handle down to close action

There might be a variation, but this works for me.
l

Exactly. This is essentially what I do in the video. Spot-on.

 

[RobBrown505]

I knew this was the group to set me straight. Thanks!

 

[Jaegger]

I find that abit odd & especially under the circumstances - the close encounter moment, maybe it was a nervous commitment from the PH like he had to say something!? But no doubt the PH was loaded & covering the Bull while you reloaded.

I’m far from an expert w/ one (1) Buff Cow Hunt under my belt in 2021 & my DG Guide was clear: best to stalk inside 50M, 1st shot goes downrange when the Buff is “clear” - no Buff directly behind, immediately reload & if Buff standing/clear 2nd shot, reload.

It was Pucker Moment … semi-circle around our post w/ +/- 20 buff, 2/Bulls grazing 35-yards to our R, DG had eyes on the close Bulls & my Buff dead-on straight @ 45-yards when 1st shot rang. Cool Cool experience!

Happy Trails.

 

[RobBrown505]

With this newfound knowledge maybe in the future I won’t be slowly inserting my thumb into my nether regions with a pissed off buff yards away!

 

[baxterb]

@RobBrown505

technicalities aside, as to the original question (and I’ve not hunted Buffalo yet), Given any pause in the shooting action, I will absolutely top off my magazine. The PH won’t even have to ask. As I’ve demonstrated in the video, it’s very easy to add rounds quickly. The more = the merrier.

 

[BeeMaa]

@RobBrown505 - a piece of kit you may want to look into from Murray Leather if you don't have something like this already.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I use the same basic technique as in the video, however I use my left hand wrapped around the bottom metal using my finger tips.

 

[baxterb]

I use the same basic technique as in the video, however I use my left hand wrapped around the bottom metal using my finger tips.

i would have done that too, but had to hold a bit awkward to make sure it was in frame. Also, with a scope, the way I did it wouldn’t work.

normally I would do it as you say.