Tools Of The Trade: Rifles & Reliability

[Wyatt Smith]

Great article Major. Your observations are valuable to younger hunters.

 

[Major Khan]

Sounds like some interesting topics! I’m looking forward to it.

I should hope that you enjoy the completed article , Ridge Walker.

 

[Major Khan]

Thanks for another fascinating article. The thoroughness is impressive. I am looking forward to the rest of it. Your friend Brian

Why thank you , Gesch . I should hope that you enjoy the rest of this article. It is complete now.

 

[Major Khan]

Can’t wait for push feed phobia. Personally I believe that is an overblown issue push vs controlled feed.

Thank you Major, your writing, stories, knowledge and silliness to share is much appreciated.

It is complete now , MMAL . I should hope that the finished article is a good 1. I have addressed “ Push Feed Phobia “ as well.

 

[Major Khan]

Thanks Major. This is an interesting article you are writing. I have seen or had every type of rifle (not doubles as had very limited exposure to them) except one, fail in some way, including Mauser 98 and their derivatives fail to extract or double feed. The only rifle-I have had several - that has not failed me is the SMLE. Hell yes there are ones that will fail. Just that I have not had one fail.

That last sentence is, I believe, the key. As you say test the rifle you will use to make as sure as possible it will not fail.

Your observations mirror my own , Rule 303 . I have seen several Mauser 98 actions have their magazine floor plates pop open in the field , due to the shooter’s knuckle striking the magazine floor plate release catch ( which is located INSIDE the trigger guard ), while experiencing recoil .
I have NEVER EVER seen a Lee Enfield bolt rifle ever experience any extraction or feeding issues either , especially during the Bangladesh Liberation War ... where our most abundant weapons were .303 British calibre Lee Enfield bolt rifles . These rifles were extremely reliable, even in our trenches .

 

[Major Khan]

Poton, another excellent article, I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of it.

Well , I only hope that you enjoy the ( recently) finished article , Shootist43. Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement.

 

[Major Khan]

Please continue major Khan, excellent and educational narrative! Thank you for your effort!

Thank you so much for your appreciation , Mark Hunter. I can only hope that you will have found the rest of this article enjoyable as well.

 

[Major Khan]

Mannlicher Schoenauer:

Animation of 'Greek' military (Y1903 and variants) MS. The sporting rifles and stutzen (fullstocked carbine) had turned down 'butterknife' bolt handles and double triggers were available.

The Mannlicher Schoenauer certainly has no 'unscheduled' opening floorplate issue as you've described with some other magazine fed arms. To open the plate, one presses a bullet tip (or other blunt object) into a hole on the plate to release a spring, then rotates the plate 90 degrees to release the magazine assembly which can then be pulled downward. When closed, the plate locks securely in grooves machined into the receiver. To empty the magazine, however, one needs only to press the magazine release button alongside the right receiver rail and any cartridges held therein will cascade into your waiting hand (with practice).

Yes, Mr. Rothhammer . That is exactly what I appreciate so much about the early Mannlicher Schoenaur bolt rifles. They have no floor plates and have the capacity to hold each cartridge individually and safely in their rotary magazines .

 

[Major Khan]

Rule 303 and friend Ponton
I agree rule303 one rifle that I can't get to fail is my old Smelly.
I have both push feed and CRF and both are flawless IF used correctly. Yas the push feed can double feed if SHORT STROKED shooter error not rifle. If well maintained no weapon should malfunction.
The 2 malfunctions I've had were a fail to chamber but that was operated error failure to resize a case properly.
The other time a 12 gauge coach gun I borrowed. Both barrels fired at the same time, a painful lesson of borrowing weapons and trusting the owner that it was a great pig gun. I have no doubts as hit a pig at 15 yards with 9 pellets of buck shot and a solid slug at the same time sure takes the argument out of a pig.
Cheers gentlemen
Bob Nelson
Nice to read your writing a again friend Ponton.

Thank you so much , Bob ! I laugh these days to myself amusingly whenever I hear younger hunters describing push feed rifles , as “ jammers “ .
Also , your 9 pellet buckshot sounds a great deal like Eley Grand Prix 2.5 inch SG cartridges.

 

[Major Khan]

let me tell you a story about what happened on my last trip to Africa, lu and I have been on three hunting trips to Africa together and I have known him for over 20 years. on the third morning we left before sunrise and lu left his rifles soft case on a table and we went on the hunt, when we got back he put his rifle barrel first into the case left on the table and zipped it up and I did the same putting my rifle in its case. the next morning we took our rifles out of their case again before daylight and climmed onto the trucks. we drove for about 3-4 miles looking for game and I looked over at lu and noticed something didn,t look right with muzzle of his cz-550in .375 H&H, I said to lu whats in the muzzle of your rifle and he looked and it was plugged with some thing, we stopped the truck and looked and it was plugged with peacock shit. a peacock shit on lu,s open rifle case on the table and when lu put his rifle the case the peacock turd rolled to the bottom of the case and when the rifle was put in the barrel was jammed it to the turd. thank god I noticed it before lu fired it.

View attachment 333255

I had no idea that Pea Cocks existed in Africa , Leslie Hetrick . Thank you so much for making me aware of that. We used to have pea cocks in India and I often used to shoot 1 for their meat . Pea cock meat makes for very fine eating.
Unfortunately , I must say that the Pea Cock in your case was quite the delinquent ! Using a gun case as a lavatory .

 

[Major Khan]

Great story, thank you, Major Khan.

I hope that you shall enjoy the rest , Bull Hunter.

 

[Major Khan]

Not that it matters a lot, but I do not believe that is precisely how Ian died. Chifuti Safaris released this statement shortly afterward.

Dear Chifuti Safaris clients,

It is with deep sadness to announce the passing of Chifuti Safaris professional hunter Ian Gibson. Ian was tragically killed by an elephant bull earlier today while guiding and elephant hunt in Chewore North (lower Zambezi Valley).

The details are just starting to emerge as we write this. However it appears that Ian and his client had been on the tracks of an elephant bull for approximately 5 hours when they decided to take a break and allow the client to rest. Feeling he was quite close to the elephant, Ian and his tracker Robert continued to follow the tracks in hopes of getting a look at the ivory as the client, stayed with the game scout to rest. Robert indicated the bull was in musk. They eventually caught up to the bull, spotting him at about 50-100 meters. The bull instantly turned and began a full charge. Ian and Robert began shouting in order to stop the charge. At very close range, Ian was able to get off one shot before the bull killed him. The scene was very graphic.

Ian Gibson was a fine man and one of the most experienced professional hunters on the African continent. He will be deeply missed by all...

Dave Fulson provided a bit more that Brickburn was kind enough to post.

"Hunting Community/ Family
The national feeds have kicked in and we are besieged by, and now rejecting interviews from outside the hunting community media. This is not entertainment or news fodder, it is the soul wrenching loss of a great man, friend , and hunter. Indeed our Facebook has been lit up by vicious comments and outright celebration by people with the usual agenda.
The report of stalking lion is incorrect, Ian and his tracker Robert were approaching a elephant bull in thick cover to judge ivory size when the wind shifted and brought a immediate charge from a determined bull.
Our position is that the folks we, and Ian would have wanted to know, now do. The AH AR family is on that list.
GOD BLESS for your prayers, calls, and support you have so generously shared. It will all be passed on.

Dave Fulson"

Everyone with an agenda tried to take advantage of this fine man's untimely death - to include infiltrating this forum. I am unaware of any investigation that indicated there was a failure to extract issue. What is more likely is that Ian was doing everything in his power to not have to shoot that charging elephant

Thank you so much for correcting me , with the accurate information about Mr. Gibson’s unfortunate demise , sir. I have addressed the correct information in the conclusion of my article.

 

[Major Khan]

There is another CRF system which in this, and earlier discussions, to my observation may possible have been omitted. (?)

If the intention is to load additional round in a chamber over fully loaded mag, (to get +1) there is also an option of removable magazine on m98 action. Then, it would allow closing the bolt over loaded magazine and chambering a round, then removing a magazine and topping up with additional cartridge. This will give "+1" round feature, in technically acceptable manner.

When rifle CZ550 was still produced in medium calibers, they had also option for a rifle with removable magazine. However, a step back in this system is that removable mag will have one round less capacity then fixed magazine.
For Zastava m70, also m98 system with fixed mag, also, there are available removable magazines on back market, to be fitted by gunsmith, but they suffer the same quality - one round less, in removable mag.

For other models, brands of CRF system/m98, I am not sure.
But considering the fact that some DG bolt action rifles have magazine capacity of only 3 rounds, this may be worthy looking into, if "+1" is desired option in CRF systems.

On Blaser 08:
It is new (and modern) kid in the block. Not typical push feed, because in addition to push feed, it is also straight pull, push feed action, modular concept with interchangeable parts.

Obviously, many have been using it successfully, world wide and in Africa, and including on DG. I have even seen those rifles at range at local matches and they have undisputed accuracy, less then 1 moa. That I have seen.

However, when compared to the other systems discussed herewith, this is only new rifle, and I will keep my reservation till some more time passes by, as the best judge of rifles (as anything else) is the trial of history and time. Like more then 100 years of mauser 98 history, and still in use, while other models come and go.
Is Blaser R8 here to stay?
I dont know. We are yet to see.

Note, Blaser R93 is already phased out from production, even rarely spoken about today (inlcuding this forum). Maybe we are yet to see Blaser R 22, or R29.... if the R8 phases out? Who knows? Lets give R8 some time to establish it self.

Thanking you so much for raising this very excellent point , Mark Hunter. Even I noticed that on these Forums ... little mention is made of rifles with detachable magazines . There are quite a few around , these days :
> Schultz & Larsen Ambassador
> Steyr Mannlicher CL II
> Hambrusch Mega Magnum Mauser
> Sako Model 85

During our time , we had the Colt Sauer as well.

 

[Major Khan]

On split stocks:
A while ago, I posted a piece from a Jack Lott article in Gun Digest 1984: The Bolt Action Stopper Stock.

View attachment 333697

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/mauser-rifle-repair-vs-restock.53469/page-2#post-584513

Apparently, the sides of a stock will flex where they are thinnest around the magazine. A thin web of wood between magazine and trigger can be very vulnerable.

I have read this name “ Jack Lott “ before , Pert Time . Did he not create the .458 Lott cartridge?

 

[perttime]

I have read this name “ Jack Lott “ before , Pert Time . Did he not create the .458 Lott cartridge?

The same.
Wikipedia says:
"Jacques P. Lott (July 15, 1920 – August 12, 1993), best known as Jack Lott, was a big game hunter, writer, historian, and inventor of the .458 Lott, a renowned .458 caliber belted hunting cartridge."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Lott

Apparently, he committed suicide when his health deteriorated severely.

 

[DieJager]

Thank you, sir. Enjoyed every letter

 

[DieJager]

If I may ask a question, why do you dislike Kenneth Anderson? Tried googling it but could not find an obvious reason.

 

[Major Khan]

If I may ask a question, why do you dislike Kenneth Anderson? Tried googling it but could not find an obvious reason.

I am really glad that you enjoyed this article , Die Jager .
Every pro hunting person in India will have a great hatred for Kenneth Anderson , and with good reason . His last few books after he became a so called " conservationist " ( with their false anti hunting propaganda ) was partially responsible leading to the ban on all hunting in India in 1972 . They formed a great deal of wrong views about hunting in the minds of his readers .
He also ( at least since l first knew him in 1962 ) was opposed to ordinary people hunting and in all his writings , makes hunters look irresponsible and incompetent and makes it look as if hunters are responsible for destroying the ecosystem . He found deer hunting " cruel " and l actually got into a debate about this , with Mr. Anderson once .
I was close personal friends with his son , Don .
He was completely opposed to the eating of venison . He wrote about Caucasian males in ways which makes Democrats look innocent by comparison . Every problem faced by Indians ( even those caused by Indians themselves ) , he was somehow finding a way to blame it on white men in his books . In his writings , he made Indians look altruistic and white men look inherently evil .
The irony is that , despite all his " ass kissing " of the anti hunting Indian government , it is those very people who took all of his land and property away and caused his son to spend his final days in poverty. Their excuse for confiscating all of a man's wealth ? That it was acquired through " Colonial exploitation " .
Kenneth's son was reduced to living in a single room in the out house of an Indian land lady . Towards the end of his life , he did not even have money to pay for his medication .

 

[DieJager]

Thank you for elaborating me on this topic. Seems like an elitest prick this Anderson fellow

 

[Major Khan]

Thank you for elaborating me on this topic. Seems like an elitest prick this Anderson fellow

Here is 1 more thing which might interest you . Kawshik actually guided Kenneth's son , Don on a gaur shikar in 1964.

Don is in the centre . Kawshik is in the far right , with the Indian Ordinance Factories 12 Bore DBBL gun slung on his back . I last met Don in 1979 .