Safari Express rifle pic thread

[Oldsarge]

I have always loved the British double rifles, but never could afford one. They felt nice when shouldered and had a great balance. The .470 was the only double I ever fired but I did get to fire three rounds from another gentlemans .505 Gibbs. That was an experience. The only other large bore I had fired prior to the .505 at that time was a custom Model 70 in .458 Lott.

Same here. That's why I got hold of a Brno ZKK square bridge in .458 Win and had it rechambered. When you hit a buff with that bad boy, he goes down!

 

[WH1]

You, sir, are a man of taste and discrimination! I own a .375 Whitworth, custom built by Paul Jaeger. Loaded to 2660 fps., it puts three 300 grain Nosler Partitions into a thumbnail at 100 yards. If I had to get rid of every other rifle I own, that is the one I would retain. I have instructed my wife I wish to be buried with it. You never know when it might come in handy . . .

Good luck in your search. You will be glad you waited.

Search over, I found one from a gentlemans collection. My wife is even now sending him a check for it. A Whitworth Mauser in .375H&H, excellent condition, dark walnut stock, ebony foretip, express sights, and barrel band swivel. The classic safari style bolt gun, just what I have been looking for. Elk hunting in the states with it and eventually a trip or two to Africa with it. I will probably glass it with a Leupold VIII 1.75x5 although I have been looking at the Zeiss Conquerors, very nice scope for the money.
Now if I can find a similar rifle in .30-06 or even a .300H&H, I will have my 2 gun battery. Eventually I will have to make it a 3 gun battery by adding a .416 but don't tell my wife.

 

[Oldsarge]

My all-weather, whole world battery is my Whitworth in a composite stock, black chrome finished with that very Leupold scope on top. I had the safety modified to a Buehler left swing so that as I push it down to SAFE, my thumb continues to grip the stock. It wasn't easy finding the safety but I managed, somehow, to find two and put the other on the companion gun, a 6.5x55 similarly built. It groups under an inch, as well. They're wonderful rifles, both of them. I must post pictures . . .


And congratulations on finding yours! You will probably never part with it.

 

[SGT Rocket]

After reading this thread, I must admit that I am green with envy. I only have two wheel guns, but as soon as I can afford it, I'm gong to get a large caliber rifle.

 

[Oldsarge]

Save up your nickels and get a Kodiak Mk IV double rifle.

You can have fun in Cowboy Action Shooting with it in its original 45/70 caliber and later, when you're really serious, have it re-chambered to .450 NE by McKool's in Tulsa. Good uwindaji, bwana!

 

[1961MJS]

After reading this thread, I must admit that I am green with envy. I only have two wheel guns, but as soon as I can afford it, I'm gong to get a large caliber rifle.

Hi, I don't know how much experience you have shooting rifles, but I'll say this anyway. If your first rifle is a .300 Winchester Magnum (for example), what you'll learn to do is flinch. For a first rifle, buy a .22, or .243 bolt action so that you can learn to shoot inexpensively. I haven't looked at the prices for .375 H&H Mags lately, but they ain't cheap.

(By the way, I AM a 4H and NRA Rifle Instructor AND Rifle Coach)
Later

 

[Doublegun]

After reading this thread, I must admit that I am green with envy. I only have two wheel guns, but as soon as I can afford it, I'm gong to get a large caliber rifle.

If you are looking for a first rifle look for a nice used 30-06. (if you want to go vintage look for a 1903 Springfield that's been "sporterized") There are plenty of used 06's out there and it's without question the most practical caliber in the world. There is no north American game that can't be taken with an appropriate load and well placed shot same is true for all African plains game. Recoil is managable, ammo is available anywhere ammo is sold and is relatively inexpensive.

 

[Doublegun]

Hi, I don't know how much experience you have shooting rifles, but I'll say this anyway. If your first rifle is a .300 Winchester Magnum (for example), what you'll learn to do is flinch. For a first rifle, buy a .22, or .243 bolt action so that you can learn to shoot inexpensively. I haven't looked at the prices for .375 H&H Mags lately, but they ain't cheap.


(By the way, I AM a 4H and NRA Rifle Instructor AND Rifle Coach)
Later

This is excellent advice from someone who knows of what he speaks. A good 22 bolt action rifle and $20 of ammo is a great place to start. Accurate to shoot and inexpensive to feed. I would only add that you start with a .22 with iron sights, not a scope. Open sights will force you to learn how to focus and shoot properly and a scope can almost alwaus be added later. As for a .243, I know a lot of people who have them but I can't say that I find them practical (as if that ever really matters). I think they are a little too big for varmints and small game and a little too light for deer-sized game, but that's only my opinion. The .243 is a sweet shooting round that has little recoil and capable of long range shooting.

 

[Oldsarge]

Hi DG, what are you doing on a clothing site?

And I agree whole heartedly about learning to shoot with a .22 but I would recommend that the "iron sights" be a decent quality peep. Get used to those and you can use them for the rest of your shooting life. Express sights are great for kids but for those of us who have reached the 'vintage stud' point in life they are but a study in frustration.

One thing to note, SGT Rocket, is that the 45/70 rifle I showed weighs about eleven pounds. With its specified cartridges its recoil will also be minimal but it will be a beast to try and shoot offhand. Treat it more like a heavy duty shotgun and life will be easier.

 

[Doublegun]

Hi DG, what are you doing on a clothing site?

And I agree whole heartedly about learning to shoot with a .22 but I would recommend that the "iron sights" be a decent quality peep.

Well, I consider myself somewhat of a Renaissance man and if you saw the contents of my gun safe I think you would understand. I am a big fan of peep sights but these days there are few who even know what they are. I have Lyman 48's on a couple of my rifles, including a 1933 Griffin and Howe "Sporter" in 7mm Mauser, and I have a couple of lever guns fitted with peeps from Williams. Not to preach but too many sports rely on too much glass to shoot. An old timer once told me it’s the Indian, not the arrow, that makes the shot.

 

[Oldsarge]

Succinctly put. And dead accurate!

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

We teach using Daisy 499 BB-Guns and Avanti (imported by Daisy) 888's and 887's. These both have aperture sights front and back. For targets, I love peeps. For hunting, I like to be able to see what it is first.

Sarge, I like your signature, but I think Holland's has two L's?

Later

 

[Oldsarge]

Mike, check your image size. My monitor shows two of them. They are a little close together . . .

 

[1961MJS]

Mike, check your image size. My monitor shows two of them. They are a little close together . . .

O.K., it IS time to go to "see" the eye doctor. I got to bring my 1911 with me to get a special shooting lens made for the front sight. I'm only 50, Gordon (who is at least 70) was wearing 3 pair of glasses, reading, distance, and for the front sight.

Gettin' old ain't for sissies.

 

[Rathdown]

After reading this thread, I must admit that I am green with envy. I only have two wheel guns, but as soon as I can afford it, I'm gong to get a large caliber rifle.

You've received some excellent advice about rifles, to which I will add my own two cents.

I'd strongly advise buying a bolt-action CZ Model 513 in .22LR or a bolt-action Winchester "Wildcat" in .22 (which is made in Russia) and sticking with the open sights. Both are accurate, well made, will last a life time, and can be had for under $350 new-in-the-box. Do not buy an automatic if it is you intent to ultimately move up to a hunting rifle.

The most versatile caliber in the world is the .30-'06. Your first hunting rifle should be based on a Mauser action, and like your .22 rifle, it should have open sights, not a scope. I would suggest buying a used rifle, and the best buy out there right now would be an early 1950s FN, as were imported by Browning. These rifles display superb, old world, craftsmanship, and can usually be picked up for around $350-$500.

If you want a heavy game rifle, then I'd recommend nothing less than a bolt action rifle in .375 H&H; depending on the type of game you are after, you might want to consider moving up to .416 Rigby, or .458 Lott. If shooting Cape buffalo my preference would be for a double rifle, probably a Merkel or Krieghoff, either of which would probably cost around $12-$15,000 used.

I've never shot a Kodiak double rifle so I can't speak to their quality or accuracy; however, for serious hunting I don't think I'd be comfortable taking to the field with a hammer gun. There's a reason why gun makers have dropped the double hammer rifle-- internal hammers provide faster shots, and are less prone to damage in the field.

 

[Oldsarge]

And hammer guns remain the choice of a few select hunters who realize that hammers can be safely carried in the half-cock position and then cocked silently when you are ready to make the shot. It's not for nothing that they have been referred to as 'stalking rifles'. Remember that a hammerless double is always cocked and that safeties are mechanical devices that occasionally (though rarely) fail.

It's like the preference for Mauser or Winchester M70 bolt actions. I will never carry a rifle that has a trigger block safety. If I'm maneuvering through the mopane jess or crawling through low grass in a Mozambique swamp after buffalo, the pucker factor is way too high for me to be able to keep track of my professional hunter, my hunting partner and four to six trackers. Sure, we travel with the chambers empty but once we sight game, the round goes up the chute and the striker block safety goes on. It stays on until I am ready to squeeze the trigger because I know it will work and the gun will not fire until I'm ready. There is a level of safety inherent in the hammered double rifle that I, personally, prefer. But since I stick to my bolt guns, it is a theoretical preference. For others, it is a practical one.

 

[SGT Rocket]

Hi, I don't know how much experience you have shooting rifles, but I'll say this anyway. If your first rifle is a .300 Winchester Magnum (for example), what you'll learn to do is flinch. For a first rifle, buy a .22, or .243 bolt action so that you can learn to shoot inexpensively. I haven't looked at the prices for .375 H&H Mags lately, but they ain't cheap.

(By the way, I AM a 4H and NRA Rifle Instructor AND Rifle Coach)
Later

Sounds like good advice to me. Especially, in these tough economic times (using the 22 to putter around with). I've only hunted small game back home in Texas when I was a kid. I've shot skeet with shotguns, and shot a lot of military rifles/weapons (only at people, not at game, so no animals were hurt).

In the next couple of years, I'd like to do some traveling and hunting in North and South America, and perhaps Africa (depending on how the finances go).

 

[SGT Rocket]

If you are looking for a first rifle look for a nice used 30-06. (if you want to go vintage look for a 1903 Springfield that's been "sporterized") There are plenty of used 06's out there and it's without question the most practical caliber in the world. There is no north American game that can't be taken with an appropriate load and well placed shot same is true for all African plains game. Recoil is managable, ammo is available anywhere ammo is sold and is relatively inexpensive.

The 1903 Springfield that's been "sporterized" sounds very interesting. I may have to look into that. I love the idea of history and action...

 

[SGT Rocket]

Hi


Sarge, I like your signature, but I think Holland's has two L's?

Later

You are probably right :eusa_doh:. I'm a victim of the Texas Public School System! Seriously...

Man, I really need to figure out the quote multiple posts feature.

 

[Doublegun]

The 1903 Springfield that's been "sporterized" sounds very interesting. I may have to look into that. I love the idea of history and action...

Post #26 has two pictures of my 7mm "Sporter." That rifle was built in 1933 by Griffin and Howe using a Springfield 1903 action. There are similar rifles built off of Mauser actions. To me, this type of rifle exemplifies the classic American rifle.