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Safari Express rifle pic thread

jkingrph

Practically Family
Messages
848
Location
Jacksonville, Tx, West Monroe, La.
View attachment 24420 Top, my new Searcy 470 NE. Yet to shoot it, some of my reloading stuff must be caught in the great back East snow storm hahah
Bottom my 1920 Yohann Springer 9.3X74r. I had great luck in developing a regulating load, second try and it shoots as good as I can hold at 50yds. Hope the 470 goes as smooth.

Nice, probably a bit out of my price range, plus expensive to shoot, but I would love one. Actually I would like a nice sxs double rifle in something like 38-55 or .405 Win., not too small nor too big, just for fun mind you.

A couple of years ago I found a CZ 550 Safari American in .375 H&H and snapped it up. It had extremely pretty wood. They also had two others, a .416 Rigby and a .458 Lott, but neither was nearly as nice looking, plus I figured I could shoot the .375 a lot more, especially considering the cost of .416 brass. The Lott brass would not be too bad, but I already had a Ruger #1 in .458 Win.

As things turned out the one I got fits me so well it is one of my nicest shooting rifles. The size, weight and stock configuration make the recoil much less than some far less powerful calibers and the express sights line up with my eye perfectly.
 

416rigby

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Tucson AZ
A 9.3X74r fits the bill of not too big not too small. Full patch nearly the same ballistics as the .375 H&H and the long slim case can be loaded down as low as Ya want to go. Prvi Partizan jacked bullets are only about .35 ea, and there is always hard cast even cheaper. My 1920s Springer was cheaper than a new made gun, with much more class.
 
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Oldsarge

One Too Many
Messages
1,440
Location
On the banks of the Wilamette
I concur. For the average American (or European, for that matter) desirous of a double rifle, the 9.3x74R is the way to go. Enough power for Africa if backed up by a PH carrying some serious artillery but gentle on the shoulder and a sound caliber on Northern game. I'm not 100% sure that I am in want of a double rifle. At 'pushing 68' I'm expecting to see my hunting future tending more and more towards upland game and waterfowl, especially given my intent to relocate to the PNW. But if a nice Merkel or something similar should come over the horizon, chances are good that I will snap it up. Their numbers make them affordable and the ammunition is not horribly expensive, hard to come by or impossible to reload. A very good choice, indeed, .416.
 

416rigby

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Tucson AZ
mn.jpg

Off to the veldt today for some load testing.
I'm pushing 68 but my VA Doc says not to put off gettin' stuff Ya like, got quite a bit of Dioxin in my old system.
 

Oldsarge

One Too Many
Messages
1,440
Location
On the banks of the Wilamette
Oh, heck yeah. Go for it. My actuarial expectancy is supposed to be another thirty years but I firmly believe one should live ninety miles an hour until you fall off the edge. I've been on safari five times and fully intend to go again. But my .450 Rigby, my .404 and my .318 Westley Richards are all the African battery i can use so I think I'll concentrate on shotguns for a while. I just love shotguns . . .
 

Renault

One Too Many
Messages
1,688
Location
Wilbarger creek bottom
Sarge,
Should have seen The Merkel this kid brought in before I left the shop! He has borrowed it from one of his friends and got mud in one of the barrels at the muzzle.

It wasn't pretty.

And he was in deep ****!
 

Oldsarge

One Too Many
Messages
1,440
Location
On the banks of the Wilamette
Sarge,
Should have seen The Merkel this kid brought in before I left the shop! He has borrowed it from one of his friends and got mud in one of the barrels at the muzzle.

It wasn't pretty.

And he was in deep ****!

God forbid that he had fired it? Replacing a double barrel set ain't cheap! I shudder just to think about it.
 

jkingrph

Practically Family
Messages
848
Location
Jacksonville, Tx, West Monroe, La.
Sarge,
Should have seen The Merkel this kid brought in before I left the shop! He has borrowed it from one of his friends and got mud in one of the barrels at the muzzle.

It wasn't pretty.


It makes you wonder what happened to teaching about watching the muzzle. Personally I do not think I would be loaning a fine gun like that. I just had a small part in my little Darne break and lock up the sliding breech. I was lucky, in that repair and a new "custom" made pin from Kirk Merrington came in at less than $300.
 

416rigby

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Tucson AZ
When I took up Celestial Navigation I learned there are only 2 correct places for one's sextant, in one's own hand and in the case. For my rifles the same rules apply.
 

Renault

One Too Many
Messages
1,688
Location
Wilbarger creek bottom
I have seen just about everything imaginable done to firearms. It's criminal to see how some individuals treat them. Not only criminal but total disregard for their own safety and the safety of those around them.
Low level of tolerance I have for these type of people.
 

WH1

Practically Family
Messages
967
Location
Over hills and far away
Worst I ever saw back in the day was kid with his grandfathers pre war mauser sporting rifle with all the bells and whistles. in the condition it was it was a 98% condition gun...except his buddy had helped him out by rebluing it. it was a lovely plum color.

He almost died when my buddy Turner, a mauser specialist, told him the value pre-blue and post blue. still was a beautiful field gun.
 

Renault

One Too Many
Messages
1,688
Location
Wilbarger creek bottom
Oh I know!!!! I rescued this;




Appears to have been an Oberndorf "B" model in its original form. It's now in my gunsafe. A dang good shooter. For what it is. Do I need to tell its story????
 

Renault

One Too Many
Messages
1,688
Location
Wilbarger creek bottom
Ok. If you insist;

Looks like this now.



Older gentleman came in shop with it. Asking questions. Had a Composite Bell & Carlson stock and an old Redfield Tracker 3 x 9 scope on it. Naturally claw mounts removed and new mounts D & T'ed. He said his dad brought it home from the war. It was some kind of 6.5 ctg they couldn't find ammo for (speculate it was 6.5 x 58). So he said his dad "sent it" to Winchester and had them put a 30/06 barrel on it. (Barrel date of 1956).
Well I suggested to him that Winchester probably did not do the work but a very competent gunsmith did.
So he took it down to showroom and sold it. He came back to gunsmithing and told us he had done this. I mentioned to him that it was a shame the old rifle did not have its original stock, claw mounts and such. He then stated "Ive got all that at home, want me to go get it?"

Naturally I said yes and went down stairs to get the rifle and give it our usual going over when we would buy a used gun. This time I just left it at my bench. Put it all back together. Refitted original Mauser buttplate. It had an add on Pachmayr white outline pad on original wood. And tried to get it back to original as possible.
Stock had been refinished. And I stuck the old Lyman 48 receiver sight on it. I can live withthe pre 64 Model 70 Win barrel on it! And I love 06's!
So there's the rest of the story!
 
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Renault

One Too Many
Messages
1,688
Location
Wilbarger creek bottom
Oh! I will also add this. Look at the top of the first photo I posted. You can see a W & C Scott double there (best I remember it was a Scott). See the wrist wrapped in friction tape???? Like I said, nothing suprised me what people will do to their fine firearms!!!!
 

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