I’ve been down the Marlin road to the tune of approx 125 rifles worth and still have a trio now . But I found something a couple months ago that’s light has a scope carries well and reaches far enough for most of the places I might shoot a deer . Mannlicher Schoenauer model 1903 carbine in 6.5x54 MS .

My friend that owns the CZ in 505 asked me to work up a load for it with the Barnes 525 TSX bullet if my memory is correct I load ONE HUNDRED and THIRTY grains of RL-22 in the thing and that’s actually a medium load . Now the knee slapped in this whole thing is he uses it sometimes in AR to shoot feral piggies along with another CZ in 416 Rigby another CZ in 375 H&H a Remington model 7 in 300 SAUM and a host of tacticool stuff with suppressors and thermal imaging stuff . Falls under the “whatever floats your boat” category . When I went I took a Ruger #1 in 7 Mag a 444 lever and a W&C Scott 10 gauge double . My battery was a little lacking in comparison LOL’s !

Rich,

I made deer rifles out of a .375 H&H as well as a .458 Winchester. For the .375 I used the Speer 235 grain bullet and 64 grains of IMR 4064 @ 2300 fps. The .458 load is Speer 405 grain flat nose and 65 grains of IMR 4064 @ 1800 fps. Both very mild loads and you could shoot them all day plus they didn't bruse the meat at those velocities. I took them from an article by Finn Aaggard. Have you thought of paper patching a 40 cal 180 grain lead bullet? I think you would have to use WW 231 or Bullseye to get the velocity low enough to regulate.

Harry

My High Wall in 38-55 is a joy to carry as well. I picked it up the day before deer season and the smith hadn't put sling swivels on it yet. It's not a light rifle but carries and handles well and I think I'll leave the swivels off of it.

Harry I have a reduced load for my 375. I'm using a 225gr Sierra pistol bullet and IMR 4227 IIRC. You can eat right up to the hole. My 500 BPE is using a 365 gr cast bullet and 30gr of Trail Boss. I'm thinking either of these powders will work in the 450-400 with some 300gr Hawk soft points.

My now deceased friend I got the custom stocked Interarms Mark X Whitworth 375 H&H from used the 235 grain Speer in PA for deer but don’t think he ever shot one with he did however plunk a couple groundhogs .

Perfect weapon for groundhogs.

You are absolutely right Bill. I've had to stop a charge more than once from those tenacious little beast.

I recently gave 54 rounds of vintage Winchester factory silvertip ammo to a friend with a mod 71. I found it in a can at a gold mine if you can believe that.

Here are a few of my favorite rifles.

First is my old tang safety Ruger M77 .243 win. I've put a lot of meat in the freezer with this rifle.

https://a4.pbase.com/o12/10/209910/1...KbH.m77243.jpg

Next is this BRNO #5 Deluxe .22 LR. It is a great little shooter.

https://a4.pbase.com/o12/10/209910/1...9.brno5dlx.jpg

This new Ruger M77 Hawkeye African 9.3x62 is rapidly becoming a favorite because it is just so fun to shoot.

https://a4.pbase.com/o12/10/209910/1...72.ruger93.jpg

Winchester .45-90's were designed as an "express rifle" and are rifled to shoot bullets in the 300gr range and shoot straighter with those than with the 400 and up size bullets. And there's no need to push the big cast lead bullets at high velocity to get accuracy or killing power. 1400-1500fps is more than enough. I keep all my loads well below 1600fps. There's no way you could even cycle a 500gr bullet in a Win '86 without stuffing the bullet wayyy down into the case to the point where there was no room for the powder. I have to seat my Lyman 400gr bullets up over the first band at the base of the ogive on the bullet to make them short enough to cycle in my '86. I think they can be a tad longer for the High Wall, but not much. I much prefer the 292-337 gr bullets from Lyman and Saeco moulds.

I'm lusting after a Ruger African in 9.3X62 as well Bill Bates. It would go nicely with the Ruger 275 Rigby.

Harry thats one of my favorite calibers. I came close to buying a Ruger #1 just because it was a 275 Rigby.
Here is my custom Rigby built on a VZ 24 action

It does match nicely with the .275 Rigby.

I have one and I like it but it doesn't thrill me. No matter what I try I accuracy is only just okay. The best loads seem to come in at 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch. Some loads pattern more than group. Of course for a big game rifle with a reasonable maximum range of 300 yards or so the accuracy is fine but I sure wish It was better.

https://a4.pbase.com/o12/10/209910/1..._the_world.jpg

Rich, That is one beautiful rifle! WOW!!!

Bill, The last two Lipsey's, 6.5x55 RSI and .275 Rigby, had loose screws. Just a thought.

Harry

Here's another favorite. I have a thing for single shot rifles and the Ruger has a 24 inch tapered octagon barrel, custom quarter rib and is chambered for the 7MM-08. It's nice and handy in a deer blind, light and easy to carry.

Damn, Rich! What a beauty. It's a shame I must continually remind you that I am up for adoption.

I got an email message from a neighbor last night about a pack of wild dogs in the neighborhood. I went to the gun room to select the proper rifle for the job. Three hours later, I came out tired and confused. I have way too many rifles, it seems.

Bill, my father said, "Anyone that doesn't have 30 guns is underprivileged." I took him to mean in each category.

Harry I gravitate to the custom rifles more and more. The new High Wall will quickly become a favorite. It's in 38-55 and I'm searching for load data now to have her in proper trim for next season.

I also have to many rifles but it's a problem I can live with for now anyway:whistle:

Rich, custom rifles are also my weakness, but mine have some age on them. Most, if not all, are prewar. I am the reincarnation of Michael Petrov, but on a much lower knowledge level.

How did we ever let this great thread get away from us? Since we left it to rest, I have scored two great Model 70 Van Orden snipers, one with original Lyman Targetspot, the other with a Marine Corps issue Unertl. Another acquisition is a CSMC Model 21 in .22 Long Rifle, prewar Skeet Grade configuration, straight grip, splinter forend, checkered wood butt, unengraved. Finally, a Model 98 Mauser London Rigby in .375 H&H. Wow, two .375s and I've never shot anything bigger than a groundhog with a center fire.

I collected Winchesters for over 40 years and started with model 70's. You probably already know that you have one of the rarest model 70's made. A 7MM is scarce(Without looking I think its the 4th rarest pre-64 M-70 caliber) but a legit 7MM carbine(20 inch barrel) is almost impossible to find-especially with condition. The 458 and 300 win. mag are late guns and easy to find even though they didn't make a whole lot of them either.

Just an old Weatherby 30-06 Gary

Vintage single shots and custom built .22 varmint caliber rifles. :)

Bill, I used my .50-70 black powder Sharps to take a woodchuck this past summer. With a trigger pull of 11 lb 5 oz, that takes some doing!! :shock:

Weatherby Mark V Southgate 30-06. Bought it used when I was in my late 20's for pretty cheap as someone had put a big ding in the stock and then tried to refinish the wood with some god-awful shellac over the original finish. Took me forever but I stripped all the finish and refinished it with Linseed oil (not the smartest finish for a deer rifle). But I took deer with it and it now sits idle in my safe. And I feel guilty about any firearm that sits idle!

I have a 1974 vintage Remington Model 700 Varmint Special in .222. I shot many a wood chuck when I lived in PA. Also a 1970 vintage Remington Model 700 in 7mm Rem. Mag. i took an elk in Colorado in 1997 at 460 yards. I put together my self a Model 12 Savage in .22/250. I obtained an unfinished thumb hole stock and did all the fitting myself. Worked up a load that shoots the same hole at 300 yds. These are my favorites.

Yeah :)!

https://i.imgur.com/nBlV2L3l.jpg

M 1922 NRA Springfield .22 with a Unertl 15x scope

Two 10 year old M70's in Stainless and synstock. 30-06 and 25-06, both tack drivers. Also a 1969 Steyr Mauser version in 30-06 with set triggers.

Remington 511 .22 with Alaskan 2 1/2 scope, plain fun blinking

Marlin 1893 38-55 octagon barrel

Sold my Stevens 44 1/2 heavy barrelled 25-21 with original Winchester scope several years ago and owner called last night and sold it back to me. January at the range will be FUN!!!

Mike, Rich, and Craig are speaking my language. I have a rather large covey of customs, varmint rifles, single shots, and my favorite .22 is an over the top prewar custom M2 that looks like it came from Griffin and Howe. I get to the range about twice a year. My last trip was to the 200 yard range at Fairfax Rod and Gun club to break in one of my Van Orden snipers. Things were going great and into one hole at 100 when my Unertl mount screws came loose. My fun was over for the day. I have a 100 yard range about 12 minutes from my house, but its on hilly ground, not suited to my debilitated condition. I'm looking forward to shooting the .375s, the next project on my list. I'm especially eager to try the iron sighted four digit Super Grade Model 70, stocked by John Oberlies in 1937.

Favorite Rifles
 

My first high power rifle in 1973, when I turned 21, was a Belgian Browning Safari Grade Mauser in 30.06 with a beautiful stock that resembled tigers eye. At that age, I could put 5 shots in the same hole, prone at 100 yards. Browning marketed to 'The Browning Man' with the slogan, "It must be flawless." And they were: beautiful wood, deep blue, superb machining and finish, total reliability with controlled round feeding, and superb accuracy. Since then, I have added Belgian Brownings in .270, 7mm Mag, .308, .458 Win Mag, and .243 (Finland) to my collection.

For today's choice for foul-weather, deep woods hunting, I prefer Tikka (owned by Beretta) T3's made in Finland, push-feed, synthetic stocks (no worries about dinging walnut in the woods), stainless fluted barrels, guaranteed 1 MOA, light weight and regarded by some as, "The Modern Model 70."

Old World Brownings for collecting, admiring, and shooting under controlled circumstances, Tikkas for hunting under any conditions. How could you go wrong?

Love my Winchester 71's in 348. Just heard an old bear guide on Kodiak Island say he tells his clients to bring whatever gun they want as long as it is a 375. He carries a pre war model 70, of course 375. I hope to own one of those one day but for now my 7 mag built by Sako on an AV action is a poor mans tack driver.

My favorites are Ruger #1's. I have them as follows: Lilja barreled 17 Fire ball, 22 PPC, 6mm Bench Rest, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 338 Winchester. I also have a Browning single shot in .270 Winchester. I really want to add a 1A in 275 Rigby and a 416 Rigby.

.17 Fireball! Now you're diggin' where the taters are!! :clap:

I am late to the game as usual. Going with the varmint theme, I picked up this Ruger #1 in .218 Bee with a 26” barrel that has just been a dream to shoot. It is my first #1 and gosh I like it…and want more!

My other passion is Sharps rifles with a mix of reproductions and originals. I really enjoy paper/percussion Sharps. I have a few originals in this category along with a Shiloh. I have a 45-70 in a Shiloh sharps that is wonderful and a 40-70ss on the way. What I need to find here near Rhode Island is a shooting range that is longer than 100 yards to really have fun with these rifles.

.218 Bee!! That was a heck of a find in a #1 action. Jay, I like the Sharps rifle too. See my post in the Off Topic forum. :)

Mike, that was a great hunt with your 50-70. I agree if only that gun could talk. From the Civil War to putting meat on the table. Did you ever look up the serial# to see if there is information on it?

I bought a conversion Sharps early this year and the barrel was just too rough, but everything else on it is pretty nice. I am having it re-barreled in 50-70(which is a new caliber for me).

Rhode Island? Isn't that one of those states where 100 yard ranges have to be built on a side hill to stay within the state boundaries? :rotf::rotf: