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The Truth
About
BORE
EROSION
$5.99 U.S./Canada
Display until 6/13/15 Printed in USA
On the cover . . . The Limited Edition Remington 700 SF
.223 Remington features a Redfield 3-9x scope; above it Volume 47, Number 3
is a Nosler M48 .28 Nosler with a Leupold variable;
below is a Dakota Arms Sharps .30-40 Krag. ISSN 0162-3593
6 Trajectory
Spotting Scope -
Issue No. 280 May 2015
Dave Scovill
Sportitinng Fi
Firrear
earmms Jour
urnnal
12 Cast Bullets, the
Other Premium Publisher/President Don Polacek
Hunting Bullet Publishing Consultant Mark Harris
Mostly Long Guns -
Brian Pearce
24 .223 Remington
Celebrating 50+ Years
Editor in Chief Dave Scovill
Editor Lee J. Hoots
Managing Editor Roberta Scovill
As a Varmint Cartridge
14 Safety and Safeties
Down Range -
Stan Trzoniec
Senior Art Director Gerald Hudson
Production Director Becky Pinkley
Mike Venturino
30 .28 Nosler
Shooting a New
Contributing Editors
John Haviland John Barsness
16 .300 Remington
Short Action
7mm Magnum
Brian Pearce
Brian Pearce
Clair Rees
Gil Sengel
Stan Trzoniec
Mike Venturino
Ken Waters
Ultra Mag Terry Wieland
Classic Cartridges -
John Haviland
36 Bore Erosion
The Truth About
Advertising
Advertising Director - Tammy Rossi
Shot-Out Barrels tammy@riflemag.com
18 Working on the
Ruger 10/22
John Barsness Advertising Representative - Tom Bowman
bowman.t@sbcglobal.net
22 Scopes, Mounts
and Stock Fit 48 How the Lee-Enfield
Circulation
Circulation Manager Kendra Newell
Saved Paris circ@riflemag.com
A Riflemans Optics - The Star of Mons Subscription Information: 1-800-899-7810
Lee J. Hoots www.riflemagazine.com
Terry Wieland
Rifle (ISSN 0162-3583) is published bimonthly
with one annual special edition by Polacek Publish-
62 Whats New in
the Marketplace
weeks for first issue. Advertising rates furnished on
request. All rights reserved.
Change of address: Please give six weeks notice.
Send both the old and new address, plus mailing
Inside Product News - label if possible, to Circulation Department, Rifle
Magazine, 2180 Gulfstream, Suite A, Prescott, Ari-
Clair Rees zona 86301.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rifle, 2180
object of 72 yards.
scaled points across a clean sheet the relatively parabolic trajectory
of graph paper to see the effect for this cartridge if the shooter
The range corresponding to the
caused by the angle of the barrel simply drops to a prone position,
maximum dangerous space against
as it changes the point of bullet assuming the rifle/carbine has been
infantry is 247 yards. There is a fur-
impact along the trajectory at var- sighted in at the horizontal at the
ther dangerous space beyond the ob-
ious ranges while shooting slightly local range. The same effect may
ject of 55 yards.
up or down from horizontal to rep- be applied by shooting slightly up-
ual I have states flatly, Do not dis- costs nothing just the right price!
assemble the magazine. Also, if the The photo shows it in profile and
magazine seems faulty, Get a new when in place on a magazine.
one. Good heavens! Its just a me-
The final item must be made on
chanical device. There is no rea-
a lathe, but it is simple on even the
son it cant be kept clean inside.
smallest of hobby-type machines.
Before attempting to disassemble
It is a copy of the magazine screw
a magazine, however, a couple of
just mentioned except the head is
simple tools must be made.
left off and the body is extended.
The first item is a means to re- Dimensions? Just put a wrap of
move the screw at the
front of the magazine
that holds it together.
Early screws had what
looks like a common
slot, but it isnt. Its con-
cave with tapered sides.
A common screwdriver
7+>
ii
i
, wont work, so one must
*i
]
<
nx
be ground to fit. This is
easy enough as all gun
RADARCARVE tinkerers have screw-
drivers with broken tips Magazine disassembly begins by
Gunstock Carving lying around. Current magazines installing a retaining clip, removing the
factory magazine screw and inserting
Duplicators use a 964-inch Allen wrench. A
photo shows both of these. a disassembly screw. Pushing on the
disassembly screw separates the rotor
The next piece is a small spring assembly from the magazine body.
retaining clip. It holds the mag-
azine throat (steel part through tape around the magazine above
which cartridges feed) to the front and below the screw, remove it and
plate of the magazine when disas- copy. The threaded end is 8x32 tpi.
sembled. Made by bending a piece Magazine disassembly is now sim-
of .030-inch thick steel banding, it ple, and the spring setting isnt dis-
Thousands of Uses!
Gunstocks Furniture
Decoys Musical Instruments
Pistol Grips Propellers
Incredibly
Accurate!
Tel: 505-948-0571
www.radarcarve.net
When reassembling the rifle, the factory steel bolt stop pin can be replaced with
www.RadarcarveR.com one made of tough plastic, supposedly preventing damage to the aluminum receiver.
20 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
turbed. Slide the retaining clip BLUES BROTHERS
in place. Remove the magazine Firearms Metal Finishing Specialists
screw and replace it with the dis- Blueing: Matte, Satin and Polished
NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA Carbon & Stainless Steel Hot Bath
assembly screw drawn up finger- Moose, Woodland Caribou & Black Bear Hunts Cerakote Coating
Complete General Gunsmithing
tight. Pressing on the protruding Book now for 2015 & 2016 Tel/Fax: (877) 751-1681
Call for information.
dean.wheeler@nf.sympatico.ca www.biggamecanada.com
end of the screw disassembles the P.O. Box 159, York Harbour, NL, Canada A0L 1L0 Jess: 928-308-7732
unit into two pieces: the magazine
body and everything else. Debris
falls out or can be wiped away. Winchester Models 1873, 88, 92, 94 & 95
Reassemble in reverse order. No Repairs to Complete Restorations
lubrication is needed. Be certain NU-LINE GUNS, Inc.
the two pieces are firmly pressed Reline Barrels, Reblue Jobs including Hand 8150 CR 4055, Rhineland, MO 65069
together and the magazine end Polishing Receiver & Octogan Barrels. 573-676-5500 Email: nlg@ktis.net
Rebarreling, Reset Headspace www.nulineguns.com
plate is fully down in its recess
before replacing the disassembly
screw with the factory part. The
design of the factory screw pre-
vents overtightening.
When reassembling the rifle, a
couple of drops of oil on the recoil
spring and wiping the bolt down
with an oily patch is all the lubri-
cation required. There is, how-
ever, one final item that might be
of interest.
Some years back the placing of
small resilient pieces of plastic
called buffers in semiautomatic
handguns became popular. Their
purpose was to cushion the other-
wise violent metal-to-metal contact
that stopped rearward movement
of the slide. This same idea is now
available to Ruger 10/22 owners in
the form of a replacement for the
steel bolt stop pin.
Advertised as preventing bolt
damage, cycling noise, receiver
cracking and bolt-bounce (what-
ever that is), they are available
anywhere Ruger 10/22 accessories
are sold. Some are said to be made
of polyurethane, though I have
long made them from .25-inch di-
ameter black acetal rod available
in some hobby shops or from sup-
pliers like ENCO. Many owners in-
sist the action cycles more quietly
with the new pin installed, but my
hearing is too bad to notice a dif-
ference. As to preventing cracked
receivers, I have personally seen
no such damage, but that may or
may not mean anything.
These are a few of the easy things
one can do to keep the Ruger 10/22
running smoothly. Next time we
will look at every owners favorite
gripe, the trigger mechanism. R
May-June 2015 www.riflemagazine.com 21
SCOPES, MOUNTS
AND STOCK FIT
A RIFLEMANS OPTICS by Lee J. Hoots
T oday nobody talks about
cheek weld, an integral part
of shooting. Pressing the cheek
bone consistently and snugly
against a rifle stocks comb was
once considered a fundamental
necessity. It still is with open
sights, but scoped rifles are appar-
ently a different story. Perhaps
this new erroneous irrelevancy is
due to the fact that during the past
15 years or so, scopes have be-
come larger, with 50mm objective The Nightforce rail and low rings are too high for a comfortable cheek weld; all
lenses commonly used on hunting that could be seen were the scope mounts. Swapping the NXS 2.5-10x 42mm
rifles. scope to a different rifle with lower rings worked better.
For the average hunter or shooter, ufacturers simply havent kept up having already set ourselves up
mounting a large objective scope with the trend in scopes. On tra- for a headache.
atop any rifle with a traditional ditionally designed walnut or in-
There is no feasible way a com-
stock design is putting the cart be- jection-molded polymer stocks,
mercial rifle manufacturer can
fore the horse. The trouble lies not forget about using oversized
with the quality of large scopes. scopes. Of course, those last two build enough variation into a basic
Some are quite good. Instead, the statements dont take into account product line without derailing its
issue is that many (maybe most) the fact that everyones face is marketing and manufacturing ef-
of them are being used on rifles proportioned differently, and such forts. Confusing consumers with
that arent properly stocked to han- a setup might work for some too many options could be costly,
dle a scope that must sit in high shooters. The rest of us (maybe so there generally are few options
mounts. To see through them, we most of us) may not even consider on a given model. But stock fit, or
must lift our faces from the stocks.
This can lead to undesirable shot This Manners EH6 stock features the highest possible comb without need for inlet-
placement in a variety of ways. ting for bolt removal. The scope is a Sightron Big Sky 3-9x 42mm in low Talley
Lightweight rings.
With the exception of tactical
or long-range hunting stocks that
come with combs that can be low-
ered or elevated as needed, stocks
on most rifles are poorly suited for
high scope mounting. Rifle man-
L
ike all military cartridges that
found civilian success, the Varmint Cartridge
.223 Remington is not without
some interesting history that
actually starts back as far as the .222
Remington in the 1950s. This was the
start of the golden years of cartridge
and rifle development for Remington.
.223
tons Model 722 rifle, the .222 Rem-
ington went on to win benchrest
matches and later moved on to be
a favorite of varmint and small-
game hunters. For me this ver-
satile cartridge became a part of
a Model 700 rifle from the Rem-
Remington
ington Custom Shop; it is still my
favorite woodchuck rifle for sum-
mertime shooting in the fields of
New York state.
The .222 Remington Magnum is a
direct offshoot of the .222 Reming-
ton so similar, in fact, its been
24 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
called the long .222 Remington. with the .224E1 Winchester, re- rifles were sold. That number re-
Shoulder angle and head dimen- worked the case dimensions again mained steady until 1972. In fact,
sions are the same for both, but and came up with the .224E2 Win- in 1967 the Remington catalog
overall length is a bit longer (0.15 chester. The armed forces stan- showcased this varmint rig with
inch) for the magnum, which in dardized on the AR-15 as the two full pages of photographs and
water capacity amounts to about M16 rifle with the now-accepted specifications for multiple car-
11 percent more volume (28.6 .223 Remington being called the tridges to include the .222, .223,
verses 31.8). Using the same pow- 5.56x45mm, allowing the .223 Rem- .22-250 and 6mm Remingtons and
der and bullet weight, with all ington to be commercialized in the .243 Winchester. Because Rem-
things being equal, expect about 1964 as a highly touted varmint ington had visions of hunters using
100 fps more muzzle velocity with cartridge. The Remington Service the .223 Remington as a medium-
the magnum. Rifle cartridge (5.56x45mm, aka to big-game rifle, the BDL version
While the popularity of the .222 .556 NATO) is the same cartridge was introduced in 1983.
Remington Magnum has declined but is loaded with heavier bullets Although the velocity gap be-
quite a bit over the years, I have and is made to be used in rifles tween the .222, .223 and .222 Rem-
both a Model 700 BDL and a cus- with one-in-9-inch twist barrels ington Magnum is small, the .223
tom T/C Encore that get regular and with a slightly longer throat. Remington still ranks as the most
use in the field only because they popular among the top 10 car-
seem to be a rarity to most small- tridges produced by Remington.
game hunters. I have a good stash The .243 Winchester is sixth in a
of new brass purchased from a line of varmint cartridges with the
dealer that really wanted to get .22-250 Remington listed as num-
rid of it for obvious reasons, and ber eight. The .222 or the .222 Rem-
handloading this cartridge does ington Magnum are not even on
bring it up to its full potential. the list, and the .222 Remington
Using H-4895 powder and 45- to Magnum is discontinued.
50-grain bullets, velocities can be
around 3,550 fps with groups cir- The .223 Remington affords hand-
cling under an inch. loaders a more than ample supply
of brass, and with its nominal case
The .222 Magnum was initially capacity, a pound of powder goes
developed as a military cartridge a long way. For example, using a
hopeful in a joint effort between 52-grain bullet over 21.0 grains of
the Springfield Arsenal and Rem- IMR-4198, that equates to about
ington Arms for a new, small-cal- 334 loads per one-pound canister
iber, high-velocity rifle. It was clear of propellant. The cartridge offers
the .222 Remington did not have hundreds of bullet, powder and
enough powder capacity to suit primer combinations. With a 40-
the militarys penetration and ve- grain bullet, for example, veloci-
locity requirements. One of the ties come close to 3,800 fps. The
major players, ArmaLite then con- 45- to 50-grain bullets drop a little
tacted Remington to design some- velocity.
thing similar but with a longer case
body and a shorter neck, which it The floorplate is tastefully etched I prefer 52- to 55-grain bullets for
denoting the 50th anniversary of the small game. They seem to balance
called the .222 Remington Special. .223 Remington.
Earle Harvey at the Springfield Ar- out the cartridge, and hardly a bul-
mory was also working with Rem- let combination will go over a
Interestingly, after all this Rem-
ington on yet another version, the minute of angle regardless of the
ington did not introduce a rifle
.224 Springfield. rifle. Sixty-grain bullets start to
for the .223 Remington until 1967,
drop velocity, which means more
In a rather unconventional twist, a short action fitted to the Varmint
holdover at longer distances, espe-
Springfield dropped out of the tri- Special complete with a heavy
cially around 250 to 300 yards.
als, with the .224 Springfield be- barrel and Remington 40XB target-
coming the commercial version of style scope bases. The walnut Nearly every ammunition manu-
the present-day .222 Remington stock included pressed-in fleur- facturer, including Black Hills, Fed-
Magnum, which later became the de-lis checkering, a black forend eral, Hornady, MidwayUSA, Norma,
.223 Remington, albeit a bit shorter. tip and a Monte Carlo profile and Nosler, Remington and Winches-
Winchester also got into the fray cheekpiece. That year only 470 ter, offers .223. Add in the variety
May-June 2015 www.riflemagazine.com 25
.223
Remington
of bullet weights (over 60 alone
from Black Hills from 36 to 77
grains), the choices become even
more broad. Its hard not to pick
a commercial loading that will Left, the safety lever is located right
next to the bolt shroud. Above, a stock
shoot well. For example, in a Sav- reinforcing bolt is covered by a black
age Model 25 using factory ammu- plug, and a gas vent is located in the
nition, Hornadys 55-grain V-MAX front receiver bridge.
placed three shots into 34 -inch
groups consistently; Remingtons
the finish of which is reminiscent
55-grain hollowpoint produced 78-
of the older oil finish but with a
inch groups and its 60-grain hol- available in two models, ADL and
satin patina, which is smooth to
lowpoint Match grouped an even BDL, in 11 calibers from the .222
1 the touch without any blemishes.
2 inch. Remington to .458 Winchester Mag-
The wood itself looks to be in the
num. For under $140, the BDL
Most rifle companies offer a .223 select grade with straight grain
came with all the trimmings, but
Remington, from economy mod- and no pin knots, and it is cut on
you had to ante up a bit more for
els to custom rifles. The list goes an angle to place the grain in an
on, and last year, in order to cel- the African calibers ($310.00).
upward direction on the forearm
ebrate 50 years of the .223 Rem- Today, the Model 700 has been
toward the black forend tip. Keep-
ington, Remington introduced a chambered in over 50 different
ing with the classic design, there
special Model 700 CDL SF Limited cartridges with an estimated 5 mil-
are no white spacers (as would be
Edition rifle. lion guns sold.
the case on the BDL), and to com-
The Model 700 became available The anniversary .223 Remington plement the stock, a black pistol-
two years before the introduction 700, introduced in 2014, is decked grip cap is located on the base of
of the .223 Remington cartridge. out in an American walnut stock, the grip.
A press release dated January
1962 read in part, The Worlds
Strongest Bolt Action Center Fire
Rifles were ready for shipment to
distributors, and the new Rem-
ington Model 700 is the most sen-
sational bolt action centerfire rifle
ever offered to the American
Sportsman. The new rifles were
26 Rifle 280
plate and trigger
guard assembly.
Specifications
A flared checker- Model: Remington CDL SF Special Edition
ing pattern deco- Action: Model 700, bolt-action rifle
rates both sides Stock: American walnut
of the pistol grip, Cartridge: .223 Remington
allowing a com- Barrel length: 24 inches
fortable position Overall length: 42 inches
to hold the rifle. Sights: none furnished, receiver drilled
A subdued cheek- and tapped
piece is included Weight: 7 pounds, sans ammo, scope
on the stock and or bases
A black forend tip has been installed
at a 90-degree angle to the stock. seems to be a Finish: satin finish on metal and wood
good compromise Options: none
The stock tapers to the rear from to the Monte Carlo design. Finish- Price: $1,226.00
the forend tip and just behind the ing off the stock, Remington has Manufacturer: Remington Arms
installed its proprietary recoil pad Ilion, New York
tip there is more than an ample
www.remington.com
supply of cut checkering. Cut in a with a black spacer.
traditional point pattern, close ex- The rifle features a stainless
amination shows the diamonds a proprietary PVD, which is a mul-
steel, fluted barrel 24 inches in
are sharp, well-formed and with- tilayer coating to protect against
length. Considered a sporting
out run overs. There are twin rust and abrasion, yet its only a
weight, at the muzzle it measures
stock reinforcement pins under fraction of a human hair in thick-
.650 inch complete with a re-
the receiver covered with black ness. For the all-weather, all-sea-
cessed crown. The barrel and re-
fillers. Surrounding the bottom son hunter, this seems to be a
ceiver are treated with a process
metal, the stock widens, giving great feature.
Remington calls the Trinyte Corro-
more than enough support for sion Control System, essentially a The receiver on the Model 700
both the receiver, magazine, floor- mixture of electroless nickel and has always been of machined tu-
Nosler
menting with premium hunting bul-
lets, which ultimately led to the
development and production of the
Nosler Partition bullet in 1948 and
explains why this rifle is appro-
priately known as the Model 48. By
30 www.riflemagazine.com
The Model 48 has earned a reputation for quality and
accuracy. The flagship rifle is the NoslerCustom in a
fancy-grade checkered walnut stock, and it is guaran-
teed to give .5-inch or less groups at 100 yards with
prescribed ammunition. Retail is $4,495. Although there
are many variants, including the Long Range, Expedi-
tion, Brush Country, etc., the Patriot, Outfitter and
Heritage models are production rifles and retail be-
tween $1,795 and $1,895.
All metal is coated with CERAKOTE, which helps re-
duce friction on working parts, is largely scratch re-
sistant and helps prevent rust. Nosler bead blasts the
metal before the CERAKOTE is applied, which is then
baked on and results in a nonglare matte finish.
The Nosler Model 48 action is a push-feed system
with typical countersunk bolt face, plunger ejector
and rotating extractor that measures 1.300 inches in
length and is staked to the bolt body. It resembles the
AR-15/M16 pattern extractor. The bolt features twin
locking lugs and results in a 90-degree lift. The bolt
body is fluted to reduce friction and is generously Left to right: .28 Nosler, 7mm Remington Magnum, 7mm
vented to divert gases down into the magazine and Weatherby Magnum, 7mm STW and 7mm Remington Ultra
away from the shooter in the unlikely event of a rup- Mag.
tured case. The bolt sleeve cap likewise offers protec-
tion from gases. The firing pin is a one-piece design justable and offers a crisp let-off that is factory set at
and is easily removed for cleaning without tools. The around 3 pounds.
bolt stop is constructed of a minimum of materials but
The stock is constructed of a blend of Kevlar and
is nonetheless strong. The bolt handle is gracefully
other synthetic materials that provide lightweight con-
swept back, while the knob is knurled.
struction and strength. It is a classic design with a
The receiver is flattened on each side just below the cheekpiece and is fitted with a black, one-inch Pach-
round top, giving it a unique look, but also serves to mayr Decelerator pad. The base color is gray with a
reduce weight. The action is secured to the stock via dash of green and is painted with a black speckling
two guard screws with Torx heads, and the floorplate overlay. The stock is fitted with aluminum pillars, but
is hinged. The trigger guard and floorplate are con- the receiver and stock are also carefully bedded using
structed of alloy, at least on the Patriot model used MarineTex. The barrel free floats in the forearm chan-
herein. nel and is stainless steel, button rifled and hand-
lapped.
Model 48 variants are offered with two- and three-
position safeties, with the Patriot To evaluate the Model 48 Patriot, a Leupold VX-6
model having the two- 2-12x 42mm CDS-ZL scope (30mm main tube) was in-
position type that stalled using Leupold QR bases and rings. It offers 6x
allows the bolt to optical zoom with a twin bias erector system con-
be opened when structed of beryllium copper alloy leaf springs that are
it is in the ON lightweight and shock-resistant. The 2-12x power
position. Trig- combination allows it to be at home when hunting in
ger options in- the brush and timber or in open country. In addition
clude Timney to being illuminated, it features -MOA finger click ad-
for a three-posi- justments, fast-focus eyepiece and is argon/krypton
tion safety and gas-filled to provide waterproofing. It also features
Rifle Basix for a Leupolds Xtended Twilight coatings to optimize light
two-position safety transmission that is coordinated specifically to match
(standard on the Pa- the human eye, and the ion-assisted coating offers a
triot). Either is fully ad- tough, scratch-resistant finish.
Open-country hunters will appreciate the Leupold
Custom Dial System (CDS) that compensates for bul-
let drop. It was given a thorough workout on a 500-
www.riflemagazine.com 31
.28 Nosler
yard range, and it worked precisely.
As a free service, contact Leupold
with the ballistics of your car-
tridge and load, (bullet, BC, veloc-
ity, average elevation, temperature,
etc.), and the company will send a
customized dial to match. The dial
is available with a one-turn zero
stop or two-turn without the zero
stop.
The .28 Nosler is based on the .26
Nosler case necked to accept 7mm Above, the Nosler Model 48 Patriot
features a two-position safety. Right,
or .284-inch bullets. It is based the Rifle Basix trigger is fully adjustable
loosely on the beltless .404 Jeffery for pull and after-travel.
case or the more familiar Reming-
ton Ultra Mag with the shoulder
RUM or any other commercially
set back to reduce case capacity
available 7mm cartridge, for that
when compared to the 7mm Rem-
matter. Although a number of
ington Ultra Mag.
NoslerCustom factory loads are
By moving the shoulder back, expected to begin appearing by advertised velocities by around
reducing capacity and changing early spring 2015, initially the .28 100 fps and are well below SAAMI
maximum average pressure limits
Below, the classic-styled stock on the Model 48 Patriot features a cheekpiece. (65,000 psi).
Right, it also features an alloy, hinged floorplate.
the shoulder angle to 35 degrees, is advertised to push a 160-grain Maximum overall loaded length
Nosler claims to increase effi- AccuBond Long Range bullet 3,300 for the .28 Nosler is 3.340 inches,
ciency. Advertised velocities for fps or a 175-grain AB LR 3,125 fps. the same as the .30-06, so it can be
the .28 Nosler exceed the 7mm These figures exceed 7mm RUM housed in standard length actions
rather than the .375 H&H mag-
num length required for the 7mm
RUM and 7mm STW cartridges.
BLACK HILLS Two-Day Range
LONG RANGE RIFLE
SHOOTING SCHOOL
Instruction
1000 yd. and 1250 yd.
The only factory load available at
press time was the NoslerCustom
Shooting Ranges 175-grain AccuBond Long Range,
.223, .308 and .300 which was effectively prototype am-
Lee Ahrlin caliber rifles provided
Cell Phone: 605-390-1090 munition. In checking velocity, five
Increase Shooting shots averaged 3,209 fps (84 fps
531 Fox Run Dr. Rapid City, SD 57701 Distance to 600-800
blackhillslongrangerifleshooting.com yds. and Beyond
faster than advertised) and had an
extreme velocity spread of 38 fps.
32 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
The twin-lug bolt head features a
rotating extractor, plunger ejector
and countersunk face. A variety of bullets and powders was used to develop .28 Nosler handload data.
Nosler guarantees each Model at 65,000 psi. With the right pow- that fall roughly between Alliant
48 Patriot to produce a .75-inch der and bullet combinations, it is Reloder 22 through Hodgdon US
group or less using its premium possible to exceed factory load 869 will probably give the best
ammunition. From a sandbag rest, performance. overall performance. Although a
four, three-shot groups averaged complete handloading feature ar-
To begin developing handload
.68 inch. ticle will eventually be published
data, a sized case was checked
Before discussing specific hand- for water capacity, which was in Handloader magazine, for the
load data, the folks at Nosler indi- 101.6 grains when filled level with purposes of this article, four pow-
cated its factory loads are well the case mouth. With this much ders were selected: IMR-7828,
below industry maximum average case volume, combined with .28 Ramshot Magnum, Alliant Reloder
pressure limits that are established caliber, powders with a burn rate 25 and Hodgdon Retumbo. To as-
semble ammunition, a set of Red- tween 100 and 180 grains, but 140-
ding Deluxe dies was ordered that through 175-grain weights will
included both neck and full-length probably prove most popular and
sizer dies. useful in this cartridge.
There is a huge selection of Using the Barnes 140-grain Tipped
7mm/.284-inch hunting and match TSX pushed with 87.0 grains of
bullets that typically weigh be- IMR-7828, velocity reached over
3,600 fps and groups hovered be-
tween .75 and 1.00 inch. Moving
up to the Sierra 160-grain spitzer
DEM-BART boat-tail, 86.0 grains of Ramshot
GUNSTOCK CHECKERING TOOLS
USED BY MANUFACTURERS, PROFESSIONALS, AND Magnum reached around 3,250
THE BEST GUNSMITH SCHOOLS. OUR TOOLS WILL CUT
CONTROLLABLE, CLEAN LINES.
fps, and groups hovered around
BY NORM B
KW
ORK RO
WN TEL: 360-568-7356 WEB SITE: WWW.DEMBARTCO.COM one inch. Changing the bullet seat-
TOC VICTOR, MONTANA E 1825 Bickford Ave., Snohomish, WA 98290
S ing depth (COAL) to 3.335 inches
34 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
WALNUT GUN STOCK BLANKS
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loads containing Nosler 168-grain
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U
nlike pickup trucks, few
accuracy would still be outstanding to the average
rifles wear out unless really prairie-dog shooter. Most prairie-dog shooters con-
abused. Rifles last longer sider barrels shot out when they cant consistently hit
a one-pound rodent at 300 yards, yet the same level of
because theyre compara- accuracy would be capable of consistently taking deer
tively simple machines with fewer at 500 yards or more.
moving parts, and most arent used Today theres yet another kind of shot out, thanks to
so many rifle loonies owning borescopes. The average
nearly as frequently as pickups. What shooter thinks a borescope will answer every question
does tend to wear out is the barrel. possible about rifle accuracy, including exactly when
Before smokeless powder and non- his barrels are toast. Even the comparatively mild .223
Remington often leaves visible signs of bore erosion
corrosive primers, most rifle barrels within 250 rounds, yet the same barrel will remain ca-
died from rust pitting, the result of hy- pable of prairie-dog accuracy for several thousand
rounds. While there are several valid uses for a
groscopic residue left inside the borescope, predicting accuracy isnt among them. The
bores, but these days barrels normally real test of a shot-out barrel is a target.
get shot out due to erosion. Most shooters depend on common wisdom, more
Bore
Erosion
36
precisely called folklore, since its based on oral and three interrelated causes for bore erosion: chemical,
anecdotal history. Some shooters claim bore erosion mechanical and thermal. Chemical erosion occurs
is primarily caused by heat, though others say its due when the components of smokeless powder gas actu-
to pressure which, if you remember high-school ally alter the surface of barrel steel. Hydrogen and
chemistry, goes hand in hand with heat. Many shoot- oxygen weaken the surface by lowering the melting
ers believe double-based powders cause more erosion point, but nitrogen (a major component of smokeless
than single-based powders, because double-based powder) actually strengthens the surface.
powders burn hotter. Other common beliefs are that Mechanical erosion occurs when the projectile wipes
throat erosion results in lower pressure, since the bul- away or even breaks off parts of the bores surface.
let has a longer jump to the lands. As with most folk- Mechanical wear is exaggerated in a hot bore, but
lore, theres some basis to these beliefs, but the truth some occurs on every shot, primarily resulting in
is more involved. rounding the edges of the lands.
Theres been considerable scientific research on Thermal erosion from high temperatures is indeed
bore erosion, not surprisingly mostly military. The the major factor in modern, high-pressure cartridges.
best condensation Ive come across is a 40-page report The primary heat source is burning powder, not bullet
entitled Understanding and Predicting Gun Barrel friction, so coating bullets with molybdenum disulfide
Erosion, put together in 2005 by Ian A. Johnston for moly doesnt have much effect on erosion.
the Australian Department of Defence (the Common-
Bore temperatures are highest immediately in front
wealth of Australia is a former British colony, so spells
of the chamber, because all the powder thats going to
defense with a c).
burn does so by the time the bullet travels a short dis-
Johnstons report cites 82 research sources and lists tance down the bore. The hot gas continues to expand,
The Truth
About Shot-Out
Barrels
T
he process of chambering
a cartridge, shooting it and
ejecting a fired case is part of
the fun of shooting a rifle. A
recently tested Dakota Arms Sharps lish or Bastogne walnut, a pewter forearm tip, barrel-
band swivel and buttstock stud for attaching a sling,
.30-40 Krag provided lots of such en- comb cartridge trap and double set triggers. A globe
joyment, since a fair amount of time front sight or vintage 6x scope are also options. Tai-
lored engraving and gold inlays add to the aesthetics.
was required to shoot the single-shot
rifle. During two months that started The Dakota Sharps reduced dimensions limit the
size of rimmed cartridges that will fit in its receiver. I
with shooting at targets and cumu- tried the .348 Winchester, but its rim diameter was just
lated in an antelope hunt, the rifle pro- a bit too wide, Spruill said. Still, the Dakota Sharps is
vided plenty of enjoyment.
A Lightweight
.30-40 Krag Facing page, the Dakota Sharps balanced
well on shooting sticks. It is 80 percent the
size of original Sharps 1874 rifles, is made in
Sturgis, South Dakota, and each metal part is
Dakota Arms refers to its scaled-down Model 1874 made from a forging.
Sharps as its Little Sharps. Richard Spruill of Dakota
said it is a lighter rifle than original Sharps 1874 rifles,
which weighed 9 to 16 pounds and heavier. By reduc-
ing the size of the original Sharps 20 percent, he said,
you get a more user-friendly rifle for someone who
does not want a .45-70 or other large-bore cartridge
but still wants the traditional look and handling. The
sample weighed 7 pounds.
Spruill said Dakota designed its Sharps in 1998 and
started making the rifles in 1999. This is a specialized
rifle, and Dakota does not make all that many every
year, he said. Because the rifles are mostly made to
order, the skys the limit for options. The rifle Ive been
shooting was made as a showpiece. Its 29-inch barrel
is octagonal out to the end of the duckbill tip of
the splinter forearm and tapered round to the muzzle.
The stock and forearm are made of maple with flam-
ing fiddleback and a right-side cheekpiece with a
shadow line. The wood is perfectly matched to the chambered in plenty of rimmed cartridges. Rimfires
metal. Spruill said the maple stock blank sat on include .17 HMR, .22 LR and .22 WMR. Cartridges
Dakotas shelf for 2 years before he picked it out for Dakota refers to as turn of the century include .25-
the rifle. The receiver and lever arm are color cased. 20, .32-30 and .44-40 WCFs. There are nine small-game
The crescent buttplate and barrel are what Dakota cartridges from .17 Ackley Bee to .225 Winchester and
calls French grey. The rifles vernier tang sight is handgun cartridges from .38 Special to .45 Colt. Deer
provided by Montana Vintage Arms. The rifle carries cartridges include .25-35 WCF, 7-30 Waters, .30-30
a $7,000 price tag. WCF, .30-40 Krag and .38-55.
More embellishment is available, such as select Eng- The Krag is a practical cartridge for the Sharps.
42 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
Arms Sharps
Plenty of .30-caliber bullets are available for handload- from Sierra 165- and 180-grain SBT GameKing bullets
ers to tailor loads for antelope to elk. The moderate with H-322 powder. Remington factory loads with 180-
powder capacity and long neck of the Krag case make grain Core-Lokt Pointed Soft Point bullets were close
it perfect for shooting inexpensive cast bullets. Recoil behind, although factory loads were, and still are,
from full-power loads is quite mild from the 7-pound scarce on store shelves.
Sharps with its steel buttplate.
Spruill said the rifle shot well with 150-grain bul-
Ive handloaded .30-40 Krag cartridges quite a bit lets, so I started reloading Hornady SST and Sierra
over the years to shoot in a Springfield Armory Model SPT Pro-Hunter 150-grain bullets with a variety of
1898. The old rifles best accuracy and velocity came powders. It was tempting to use loads from the Hodg-
May-June 2015 www.riflemagazine.com 43
Dakota Arms
Sharps
don Data Manual No. 26 (1992)
under the heading .30-40 Krag The .30-40 Krag is a perfect match for
Heavy Loads for Modern Rifles, hunting and target shooting with the shots landed in 1.66 inches. With a
listing powder weights 3 to 8 grains Dakota Sharps. velocity of 1,963 fps, the 200-grain
above standard loads for powders bullet is pretty much a full-power
like H-335, H-4895 and H-414 in Favorite loads for my Springfield load for the .30-40 Krag. The week
order to gain 200 fps of additional Armory Model 1898 also shot great before, I shot the NOE bullets and
velocity. The Dakota Sharps could in the little Sharps. H-322 stacked A-5744 from a .30-06 with a 3-9x
no doubt handle the higher pres- three Sierra SBT 165-grain Game- scope, and the load shot about
sures, but that added velocity King bullets in .84 inch. Two SBT the same size group. The RCBS
wouldnt really provide an advan- 180-grain GameKings cut one hole, 308-165-SIL bullet and BL-C(2)
tage at 200 yards with the iron with the third bullet landing a bit is another favorite load for my
sights. So powder charges re- higher. Three bullets from Rem- Springfield. Turns out it was also
mained relatively light, as sug- ington loads grouped in .80 inch. a good load for the little Sharps
gested in the Hornady and Sierra Maybe that was purely accidental, with three of the bullets grouping
reloading manuals. but after two more bullets landed a smidgen over an inch.
right in with the first three, per-
The first few three-shot groups There is no concern about heat-
haps groups under an inch were
with 150-grain bullets measured ing up the Sharps barrel while
not a fluke.
2 to 3 inches at 100 yards, which shooting. Some time is required to
is not bad shooting with an aper- Several cast bullet loads showed push the lever arm forward to
ture sight and a front bead. One tight groups were definitely not a lower the breechblock, push a car-
group measured .94 inch with Hor- coincidence. The Krags long neck tridge into the chamber with the
nady bullets and W-760. I thought is perfect to hold a 200-grain cast thumb, lift the lever to close the
that was somewhat of a fluke, but bullet, and a bunch of bullets cast breech and cock the hammer.
Sierra bullets and IMR-4350 shot a of wheelweights from an NOE Peering through the narrow aper-
group nearly as tight. Velocities 311299 202Gr. RN mould (as cast, ture of the rear sight to find the
were fast, too, at 2,693 fps with 200 grains) were on hand. The front sight and align it on the tar-
the SSTs and 2,821 fps with the NOE bullets accuracy was better get takes more time. The view was
Pro-Hunters. Surely, the 29-inch than expected when shot with SR- dark through the pinprick diame-
barrel was responsible for those 4759. Accuracy was even better ter of the aperture but sufficient
velocities so close to what the .308 with a 1.62-inch group burning Ac- to see the black aiming circles on
Winchester produces from a 22- curate 5744. To verify the first A- white paper at 100 yards. An aper-
inch barrel. 5744 group wasnt luck, three more ture three times larger would be
Below, the rifle features a maple stock. The .30-40 Krag produces a mild enough
recoil that the steel crescent buttplate was tolerable. Right, the vernier tang sight is
provided by Montana Vintage Arms. Slightly unscrewing the aperture disk loosens
the sight so windage and elevation can be adjusted.
44 www.riflemagazine.com
when the lever arm drops the
breechblock, but it extends below
the interior of the frame, and the
edge of the frame snags the case
rim and blocks a case from sliding
out the channel on the block. At
first I clumsily reached around the
tang sight and fished out cases
with my index finger and thumb
but eventually found it much eas-
ier and faster to turn over the rifle
and shake out the case.
When the Sharps breechblock
rises on closing, it has no cam-
ming power, and cartridges must
freely fit in the chamber. The NOE
cast bullets have a forward sec-
tion .300 inch in diameter. That di-
ameter nose is a snug fit between
the barrels opposing rifling lands,
and thumb pressure on the case
head will push a cartridge fully
into the chamber, but any tighter
Pronghorn were a challenge to hunt fit of a cartridge will not allow the
with the Dakota Sharps .30-40 Krag. block to close.
Hunting antelope is a sport of
much better for hunting. Spruill
walking from one vantage point
said larger diameter apertures are
to the next to search the country
available.
for the white dots of game in the
A cartridge or fired case is par- distance. I watched bands of 10
tially extracted from the chamber and 20 drift with the strong wind
I
n August 1914, the German 1st
diers were allowed unlimited ammuni-
Army 160,000 men under Gen- tion for practice and rewarded well for
eral Alexander von Kluck was demonstrating skill.
swinging through Belgium in a This standard of fire and accuracy
wide arc toward Paris. As the mailed could not be matched by any
army on the continent, and at
fist of the Schlieffen Plan, Germanys the Battle of Mons, it paid off.
blueprint for crushing France in six The battle lasted two days.
The British lost 1,638 men,
weeks, von Klucks force, sweeping the Germans about 5,000.
around the French left, was the key to More importantly, the
victory. stubborn British de-
fense held up von
In front of them, the French 5th Army was pulling Klucks juggernaut
back to avoid being outflanked. The situation was des- for two precious
perate when, on August 23, von Klucks leading units days, allowing
ran into the newly arrived British Expeditionary Force the French to
(BEF) near the Belgian town of Mons.
Von Klucks army outnumbered the British two to
one. With the equally large German 2nd Army advanc-
ing on his left, von Kluck was confident of brushing
the small British force out of his way. He threw his
men against the British lines, only to run into a solid
wall of gunfire.
The Germans later reported they had encountered
massed machine guns, but they were wrong. What
they ran into was the devastating effect of the Lee-En-
field rifle in the hands of men who really knew how to
use it. Although the BEF was small in numbers, it was
comprised of some of the best soldiers in the world.
There was no conscription in England, and its men
were professionals, veterans of the small colonial
wars Britain was constantly fighting around the world.
Since the harsh lessons of the Boer War in South
Africa a decade earlier, the British Army had empha-
sized rifle skills what they still quaintly called mus-
48 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
The Star
of Mons
several distinct models, differenti-
ated by number, but dozens of var-
the Lee-Enfield, the British infantry iations designated by asterisks.
rifle in various forms for 65 years, This resulted in serious confusion
was as fine a bolt-action combat among all but the most demented
arm as anyone came up with be- Lee-Enfield lovers, who regard the
tween 1880 and 1945. confusion as just one more lovable
Adopted in 1888 as the Lee-Met- trait.
ford, and finally retired in 1954, it Critics argue that these variations
was the British infantry rifle in the were a result of never getting it
Boer War, two world wars, Korea right, but in fact they were an early
Savior of Paris: and dozens of colonial brushfires. version of the later continuous
the Lee-Enfield It lasted from the black-powder improvement theory of industrial
No. 1, Mk. III, aka, era into the age of the atomic bomb. production. The British War Office
the Short, Magazine, A contemporary of the Mauser 98,
Lee-Enfield (SMLE).
was constantly involved in wars,
Springfield, Mannlicher and Mosin- large and small, with ever-chang-
Nagant, the Lee-Enfield outlived ing requirements for infantry small
them all. arms. As well, it needed to equip
Of the group, the Lee-Enfield was different fighting arms, including
unique in one way: Over the course the army, Royal Marines and Royal
of its life, it underwent endless up- Navy. As newer weapons altered
regroup. The BEFs des- dating and modifying to meet new tactics, the Lee-Enfield evolved to
perate fight at Mons requirements. Not only were there keep pace.
saved the French 5th
Army, and Paris, and pos- The Lee-Metford, a direct ancestor of the Lee-Enfield, was adopted in 1888.
sibly the entire war.
As with virtually every
event between 1914 and
1918, opinions are mixed.
This is the British view-
point. The French were less
laudatory, and the Germans
dispute the casualty numbers,
but on one point, military his-
torians agree: The battle was
critical in delaying the German
offensive, and the Lee-Enfield
was a key element.
It is often said the Germans went
to war armed with a hunting rifle,
and the Americans with a target
rifle, but the British had a battle
rifle. Although some might argue
the fine points of that statement,
its essentially true. For all its faults,
May-June 2015 www.riflemagazine.com 49
The Star
of Mons
When a change was considered,
prototypes were distributed for
testing under field conditions. Field
reports were studied and acted
upon. In at least two instances,
major changes were the result of
lessons learned in full-scale wars
the Boer War (1899-1902) and
the Great War (1914-18).
When the Lee-Metford was
adopted in 1888, it was a bolt ac-
tion designed by James Paris Lee,
a Scottish-Canadian-American who
finally settled in New England.
Its barrel used Metford rifling.
When the shallow Metford rifling The No. 1, Mk. III (top) and the No. 4, Mk. I are the two most famous models of
worked poorly with jacketed bul- the Lee-Enfield. The No. 1 was used in the Great War, 1914-18, but both saw
lets, it was replaced by Enfield service in the Second World War.
rifling, and the name changed ac-
cordingly.
ahead of its time it was retained Essentially, anything that any
Early models reflected the con- through every variation. If you of the others could do, the Lee-
cerns of infantry officers of the look at the Lee-Enfields competi- Enfield could do better. An in-
day. For example, they had maga- tors, you see how its detachable fantryman could carry spare,
zine cut-offs that allowed the rifles box magazine provided a huge ad- loaded magazines; he could reload
to be used as single shots. Military vantage. First was the sheer num- his magazine one round at a time
theoreticians were afraid that, ber of rounds. The others had five- while it was in the rifle, or five
with the Lee-Enfield 10-round box or six-round integral box maga- at a time using stripper clips,
magazine, troops would waste am- zines that had to be loaded, one or switch magazines altogether.
munition by firing wildly. It also way or another. The Mauser used Spare magazines could be easily
allows all 10 rounds to be kept in stripper clips, while the Mannlicher topped up.
reserve, but immediately available.
used the packet-clip dropped in- Another early Lee feature that
The Lee box magazine was so far tact into the magazine well. survived to the end was the ability
Left, a major
improvement to
the No. 4, Mk. I
was a ladder-
type, receiver
aperture sight.
Right, the
Lee-Metford,
and early models
of the Lee-Enfield,
had a magazine
cut-off for single
loading, allowing
the 10 rounds in
the magazine to
be held in reserve.
50 Rifle 280
dling and marksmanship. After
1902, rifle clubs sprang up all over
England, and rifle matches be-
came widely popular. In the army
itself, cash rewards were given to
soldiers who demonstrated skill
with their rifles a powerful in-
centive for underpaid infantrymen
and this paid off a decade later
at Mons.
In some ways, however, the War
Office hardly appreciated what a
fine battle rifle it really had. The
annual matches at Bisley, featur-
ing both service and match rifles,
with teams from all over the world,
was a showcase for modern rifle
development. The triumph of the
.280 Ross in 1908, and its con-
tinued domination of long-range
matches for the next five years, in-
The Lee-Enfields detachable, 10-round magazine, augmented by five-round stripper fluenced War Office thinking. It
clips, was so far ahead of its time that it was retained through all the Lee-Enfield
iterations.
began to look at a new .280 mili-
tary round, similar to the Ross,
that would give infantrymen more
to place the bolt on half-cock, ren- The great lesson of the Boer War accurate fire and killing power out
dering it safe while locking the for the British infantry was in em- to 1,000 yards. Such a cartridge re-
bolt in place. This was in addition phasizing rifle practice, both han- quired a larger action, and to this
to the rocker safety on the left
side of the action, which had the
usual drawbacks of a safety; acci-
www.
dentally knocked off (although
this was unlikely), it allowed the Rim Rock Bullets .net
rifle to be fired or the bolt to pop Premium Cast Lead Bullets
open. The Lee-Enfields half-cock
position made either virtually im-
possible.
Cowboy Standard Gas-Check
Half-cock was a holdover from .25 85 GR. RNFP/500 $28.00 .32 Keith125 GR. SWC /500 $46.00 .38 158 GR. SWC-HP/100 $21.50
early hammer rifles. Such a sys- .32 78 GR. RNFP/500 $25.00 .380 95 GR. RN /500 $30.00 .357 180 GR. LBT-WFN/100 $24.00
.38 120 GR. TC /500 $32.00 9mm 115 GR. RN /500 $31.50 .41 230 GR. SWC /100 $26.00
tem is still the safest way of carry- .38 125 GR. RNFP/500 $33.00 9mm 125 GR. RN /500 $33.00 .44 240 GR. SWC-HP /100 $32.00
ing any rifle with a round in the .38 130 GR. RNFP/500 $34.00 .38 148 GR. DEWC/500 $34.50 .44 240 GR. SWC /100 $32.00
.38-40 180 GR. RNFP/500 $42.00 .38 158 GR. SWC /500 $35.00 .44 305 GR. LBT-WFN/100 $39.00
chamber. The longer you use a .44-40 180 GR. RNFP/500 $42.00 .40 180 GR. RNFP /500 $41.00 .45LC 260 GR. SWC-HP/100 $37.00
Lee-Enfield, the more you appre- .45LC 160 GR. RNFP/500 $44.00 .45ACP 200 GR. SWC /500 $42.50 .45LC 325 GR. LBT-LWN/100 $41.00
.45LC 200 GR. RNFP/500 $44.50 .45ACP 230 GR. RN /500 $46.00 .458 430 GR. LBT-LWN/100 $49.00
ciate it. .458 350 GR. RNFP/100 $26.00 .45LC 255 GR. SWC /500 $55.00 .500 440 GR. LBT-WFN/100 $61.00
L
ike most American students
was Mauser. According to Balls book, Mauser design
of military history, Ive always rifles were made in numbers exceeding 100 million.
looked east or west but sel- Between 1891 and roughly until about 1950 when
autoloaders began succeeding them, most South
dom south. In fact, it came as American nations equipped their military forces with
a surprise that the South American Mauser rifles. At least two countries undertook to pro-
nations fought so many wars of such duce their own Mausers Argentina and Brazil.
ferocity. For example, according to Other South American countries purchased their
Mauser rifles from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia,
the book Military Mauser Rifles of Belgium and Spain. Speaking very generally, smoke-
the World by Robert W. D. Ball, in the less powder, bolt-action Mauser rifles came in three
1865 to 1870 War of the Triple Alliance, varieties. The early ones (circa 1889) made for Bel-
with Paraguay fighting against Brazil, The vast majority of South American Mausers were cham-
Argentina and Uruguay, over 95 per- bered for 7x57mm or 7.65x53mm. Front is an Argentine
Model 1909 carbine with a turned-down bolt handle. Rear
cent of Paraguays males perished. is a Chilean Model 1912 rifle with a straight handle.
THE OTHER
Mausers
56 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
The Brazil-
South America had
ian crest on
the Model
1908 was
its own variations.
made by
DWM in gium had single-column, five-round less of exact model. The most com-
Germnany. magazines extending beneath their mon from the 1890s into the early
wooden stocks directly in front of years of the twentieth century
the trigger guard. Very slightly were rifles usually with barrels 29
changed, the Belgian Model 1889s inches long, give or take a fraction.
became the Argentine Model 1891. Most countries had carbine ver-
They were also used by Bolivia, sions with the same model number
The Chilean
Columbia and Peru. for their cavalry and engineering
crest on Four years later the Spanish units. These generally had barrels
the Model Model 1893 appeared. (There was 18 to 22 inches in length. Then in
1912 was the 1920s and 1930s, the trend de-
produced
also a short-lived Spanish Model
1892.) Spanish-speaking nations veloped for short rifles. Usually
in Austria. these were simply the earlier rifles
of South America tended to fol-
low the mother country in many with barrels shortened to about 23
trends, and the Model 1893 Mauser to 24 inches. It seems here that the
was one of them. This new Mauser South Americans were simply fol-
variant was also fitted with a five- lowing the trend started by the
Produced round magazine but had the new Czechs with their VZ24 and Ger-
by Mauser- staggered column type contained many with its Standard Modell,
Werke in within the stock. With minor vari- which was the basis for the K98ks
Oberndorf, of World War II.
ations, the Model 1893 was adopted
the Chilean
Model by several South American armies, Military organizations of South
1935 was such as the Brazilian Model 1894 America seemed to have open
stamped and Chilean Model 1895. That lat- minds concerning updating their
with this ter version was also adopted in bolt-action rifles as new develop-
logo. identical form, except for its iden- ments occurred, but they were
tifying crest on the front receiver certainly stuck on two cartridges.
ring, by Paraguay and Uruguay. The very first smallbore, smoke-
Next arrived Mausers rifle that less powder round introduced by
On its rear set most of the worlds armies on the Mauser firm for bolt-action
receiver ring, their ears the Model 1898. Very rifles was the 7.65mm Mauser. Be-
the Chilean quickly many Mauser-equipped cause of the nations that adopted
Model 1935 militaries around the world la- it, todays reloading manuals var-
was stamped iously describe it as 7.65x53mm
beled theirs with only two locking
with the Belgian (Hornady Handbook of
Mauser lugs and the firing pin cocking
Banner. upon bolt closing as obsolete. Cartridge Reloading 8th Edition)
They began transitioning to Model or 7.65x53mm Argentine (Lyman
1898s with three locking lugs and Reloading Handbook 49th Edition).
the firing pin cocking on the bolt Other South American countries
opening. Brazils was the Model to adopt this round at one time
1908. Argentinas was the extremely or the other were Bolivia, Peru,
This
Argentine well regarded Model 1909. Chiles Paraguay, Ecuador and Columbia.
crest is was the lesser known Model 1912. It is hard to find fault with the
on its Most other South American coun-
domestically
7.65x53mm, either as a military
tries followed suit.
produced cartridge or for sport. According
Model 1909 In a study of Balls book, it quickly to Lymans book, military loads
carbines. becomes evident that South Amer- (circa 1889) used 215-grain bullets
ican military thinkers liked three at about 2,000 fps, but around the
basic versions of Mausers regard- turn of the nineteenth/twentieth cen-
May-June 2015 www.riflemagazine.com 57
THE OTHER These three rifles were built in Europe for the Chilean government over a
40-year period. Top to bottom: Model 1895, Model 1912 and Model 1935.
Mausers
These two rifles are a Brazilian Model 1908 (top) made in Germany and the
Argentine Model 1909 carbine made domestically.
South American nations using Brazilian Model 1909 7x57mm 29.25 140 Federal spitzer 2,840 20
Mausers transitioned to it. The Chilean Model 1935 7x57mm 21.50 | 2,639 63
Chileans did so with their Model Argentine Model 1909 7.65x53mm 21.50 150 Hornady spitzer 2,861 42
1912, which was produced for them Notes: Chronograph readings taken with start screen at approximately 6 feet. Readings are for five shots
by Osterrereochische Waffensfab- per load.
rik-Gessellschaft but marked more
simply Waffen Fabrik Steyr of the tangent type graduated to the blue, except the receiver was left
Austria. The Chilean Model 1912 usual 20 for a long-barreled rifle in the white.
had a 28.75-inch barrel with a pis- with battle zero at 3. The bolt han-
tol-grip stock. The rear sight was Heres an interesting bit of Chil-
dle was straight and finish was
ean Model 1912 trivia. Not long
after Chile adopted them, Austria-
Hungary was instrumental in set-
PRESLIKS ting off what became World War
GUNSTOCKS I. Short of armaments, it stopped
- California Claro & English -
- Imported French, Bastogne - shipments of finished Model 1912s
- Turkish Circassian & Maple - to Chile and issued them to its own
James Preslik - 4245 Keith Ln.
Chico, CA 95973 (530) 891-8236 troops. I have read that Model
1912s with documentation as used
by Austrian troops bring premium
prices.
As far as my own South Ameri-
can Mauser rifles go, Ive saved
the best for last. It also came last
chronologically and was not actu-
ally used by an army but instead
was a type for a border patrol/
paramilitary organization. It is the
Chilean Model 1935 Carabineros
Carbine. It has a 21.50-inch barrel,
pistol-grip stock and is stamped
Mauser-Werke AG Oberndorf.
It is rare: According to one source,
60 www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 280
only about 10,000 were made. That Ed LaPour Gunsmithing FINE CUSTOM RIFLES
is something of which I was totally 3-Position Safeties for: Custom Rifles Built to Order
unaware when buying it. My at- M-98, CZ 550 & BRNO ZKK 600 Highly Efficient Muzzle Brakes
Win. 70,54 - Spgfd. 1903, 1922, - Enf. 1917
traction was merely its fine condi- Swedish Mauser 94, 96 - Rem. M30 Barrel Lining for Accuracy Restoration
tion. Incidentally, as opposed to Sako Pre Model 75
Dennis E. Olson Gunsmithing
Sako Vixen
the Chilean Model 1912, the Model P.O. Box 337 - Plains, MT 59859 - (406) 826-3790
1935 has a full blue finish. It has Send $2.00 for information:
sling fixtures on the bottom of the 908 Hayward Ave. - Bremerton, WA 98310
Tel: (360) 479-4966 Fax: (360) 479-3902 Custom, odd, obsolete and specialty
rifle and its left side. I was disap- www.edlapourgunsmithing.com cartridge cases
Wildcat cartridge development
pointed at first that the swivels Manufacturing OVER 450 calibers
themselves were missing but took
comfort that at least the original PMA Innovative
Reloading
Correct headstamped wildcat brass
www.qual-cart.com
sling was still on the left side. TOOL Equipment
P.O. Box 445, Hollywood, MD 20636 (301) 373-3719
for the
Then I noticed in Balls book that Precision
Accurate
Rifleman!
the Model 1935s photographed Made
American WORLDS FINEST PRODUCTION
there also show rifles with no bot- Reloading
PMA
Micro Die
Tools Adjuster RIFLE BARRELS
tom swivels.
The Model 1935 is almost a dupli-
cate for Mausers Standard Mod-
ell of the same time frame, right
www.pmatool.com
Catalog: 260-246-5860 or support@pmatool.com DOUGLAS
down to the Mauser logo stamped C. Sharps Arms, Inc. ULTRARIFLED
on the receiver, which collectors BARRELS IN MOST SIZES,
refer to as the Mauser Banner. An- Highwalls SHAPES AND CALIBERS.
other deviation from usual Mauser Lowwalls Stainless Steel or Chrome Moly
features is the front sight. It has Sharps AFFORDABLE QUALITY
protective wings, but instead of Hepburns Write for free information to:
In Stock or to Build (120 Days) DOUGLAS BARRELS, INC.
5504 Big Tyler Rd., RM5
the sight blade being in a dovetail,
Charleston, WV 25313
it sits in a slot slanting from left to WWW.CSHARPSARMS.COM
304-776-1341 FAX 304-776-8560
MADE IN
Phone 1-406-932-4353 U.S.A.
right. Windage can be changed by
moving the sight blade fore and aft
in the slot. The rear tangent sight
is graduated to 14, and its lowest
setting is 1.
WEVE GOT YOUR
NUMBER!
A visiting friend looking over my
South American Mausers asked
why the new interest. I replied,
I bought these rifles for no other
reason than their fine quality.
They are all wood and steel. All
parts are well machined with no
stampings. Metal finish is of a
quality seldom seen today.
How do they shoot? With my Subscribe to the Ultimate
Medicare-aged eyesight and their
open rear notches, I get about 2 12-
Online Loading Manual
to 312 -inch groups at 100 yards Access over 293,000 loads with a
with factory loads. I am in the powerful search engine referenced
process of obtaining brass and
dies for the 7.65x53mm but do
by calibers, bullets and powders.
handload the 7x57mm. So I zeroed
the Brazilian Model 1909 and Chil-
LOADDATA.com
ean Model 1935 and spent an after- also features exclusive articles by
noon banging away at steel targets noted writers and online shopping
at 100, 200 and 300 yards. After
just a few shots for familiarization,
for your favorite products!
I seldom missed, even at 300 yards.
Thats saying something consider-
ing military sights and my aging
eyesight. R
Caldwell
CrossWind
Professional
Wind Meter
they are clumsy and get in the thing else, like a pack or binocu-
way. They are no aid to shooting lar. This is typical of many of the
whatever, unless you can wrap highly specialized shooting slings
them around your arm hasty-sling now on the market. They may
style. Many of these things now work as advertised, but its either
have pouches and cartridge loops, that way, or no way.
and makers names embossed on A great advantage of the old
the wide part, becoming little military, Whelen or Latigo slings
more than movable billboards. is that they can be lengthened
Practically speaking, the whole to allow carrying the rifle across
tribe can be dismissed as useless. your back, Cossack-style, or on
Other sling makers have gen- the shoulder in the usual position.
uinely tried to come up with de- This is of immeasurable value
signs that serve a useful purpose when trying to drag a dead deer,
but usually without much success.
At a hunting show in the 1980s, I
or carry a backpack, or any of the
other hundred things a hunter REBORING by
came across a sling called the does that the armchair sling de-
signers never take into considera-
JES Rifle Reboring
Viper, which was designed to
carry the rifle across your body in tion. We specialize in the reboring of
such a way that it could simply be Since the cobra sling has degen- Lever-Action, Single-Shot, Pump,
flipped around and up to your erated into a fashion statement, Bolt-Action and selected Semi-
cheek, and the sling would auto- when you walk into a hunting camp Auto rifles. 338-50 calibers.
matically assume a shooting posi- and look at the rifles on the rack, www.35caliber.com
tion to steady your arm. Being you can tell instantly whos done a
younger and more gullible, I lot of hunting and who hasnt. An
541-942-1342
bought one, tried it a couple of elaborate cobra sling is almost in-
times, then put it away and forgot variably the mark of a hunter who
about it. doesnt get out much. R
AD I NDEX
4D Reamer Rentals, Ltd..........................................60 Ed LaPour Gunsmithing..........................................61 Quality Cartridge .....................................................61
Americase, Inc. .......................................................39 Gamaliel Shooting Supply.......................................28 Radarcarve .............................................................20
Battenfeld Technologies..........................................34 Gebhardt Machine Company...................................40 Redding Reloading Equipment .........................23, 35
Berger Bullets .........................................................45 Hagstrom Gunsmithing ..........................................11 Rigel Products ........................................................41
Black Hills Ammunition.............................................9 Harry Lawson LLC ..................................................15 Rim Rock Bullets ....................................................51
Black Hills Long Range Rifle Shooting School........32 Hatsan USA, Inc......................................................13 RMS Custom Gunsmithing .....................................41
Blues Brothers ........................................................21 High Plains Reboring & Barrels, LLC ......................29 S & K Scope Mounts, LLC ......................................10
Boyds Gunstock Industries, Inc. ............................72 Hill Country Rifle, Inc..............................................29 Score High Gunsmithing.........................................10
Buffalo Arms Company...........................................29 Hollands Shooters Supply, Inc. ..............................53 Sheep River Hunting Camps ...................................62
Bunduki Publishing.................................................66 IMR Powder Company..............................................3 Shilen Rifles, Inc.....................................................66
C. Sharps Arms Co. ................................................61 James Calhoon Mfg. ...............................................41 Shotgun Sports ......................................................68
Claro Walnut Gunstock Co......................................35 JES Rifle Reboring..................................................69 Sierra Bullets ..........................................................21
Classic Barrel & Gun Works....................................41 Johnson Design Specialties ....................................68 Skinner Sights ........................................................16
Classic Checkering..................................................40 Jon Trammels Gunsmithing ...................................34 SouWester Outfitting .............................................21
Colorado Shooters Supply .....................................65 K & M Precision Shooting Products .......................12 Spec-Tech Industries ..............................................69
Conetrol Scope Mounts ....................................35, 53 Leadheads Bullets...................................................15 SSK Industries........................................................65
Cooper Firearms of Montana, Inc. ..........................47 Levergun Leather Works.........................................10 Stockys, LLC ..........................................................52
CTK Precision .........................................................68 Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels, Inc. ...............................6 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. ..........................................7
Custom Brass and Bullets.......................................11 Little Crow Gunworks, LLC ...............................15, 53 Sunny Hill Enterprises, Inc. ....................................14
D & B Supply ..........................................................15 LRK Mechanical, LLC..............................................34 Swift Bullet Company ...............................................5
Dale Fricke Holsters ................................................70 McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, Inc. ............................46 Talley Manufacturing, Inc........................................41
Dave Manson Precision Reamers ...........................60 Midsouth Shooters Supply Co. ...............................66 Timney Triggers, LLC..............................................20
David Christman (gunmaker)..................................40 New England Custom Gun Service .........................11 Turnbull Restoration & Manufacturing Co. .............19
Dayton Traister Trigger Co. .....................................53 Nosler .......................................................................2 Vais Arms, Inc. .......................................................63
Dem-Bart Checkering Tools, Inc. ............................34 Nu-Line Guns, Inc...................................................21 Western Powders .................................17, 27, 33, 67
Dennis Erhardt, Custom Guns ................................35 Optical Services Co., Inc.........................................40 Williams Gun Sight Company .................................10
Dennis Olson, Gunsmithing ....................................61 Pacific Tool & Gauge, Inc........................................11 Wineland Walnut.....................................................65
Douglas Barrels, Inc. ..............................................61 PMA Tool ................................................................61 Wolfe Publishing Company...................54, 55, 61, 71
Ebonex Corporation ................................................29 Presliks Gunstocks ................................................60 Yavapai College.......................................................69
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