Joined: Mar 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 12 Location: Queensland Australia Karma: 0
Got my new Hunting Rifle - she's a beauty ! « Thread Started on Sept 30, 2009, 1:47am »
Well folks a few months back I announced to all that would listen I was in the market for a Ruger No 1 in 45.70 and would be saving until Christmas time . Come into a bit of cash sooner than I thought so it burned a hole in my pocket .
I was very sorely tempted by a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun , talk about a sweet handling little carbine however I passed up a beautifull No 1 and the Guide Gun after sitting down and crunching some numbers . If I buy a Rifle I want to shoot the thing other than a few warm up shots the week before one of the rare hunts I do get out on and a 45.70 coupled with the rising cost of reloading components was just too expensive to shoot regularly .
I looked long and hard at a Ruger Number 1 in 460 S & W mag and 475 Linebaugh as well but the cases etc cost as much as or more than the 45.70 . I have no interest in high velocity loudenboomers or .308 , .338 etc so I opted for a Mini Guide Gun of sort's "a Marlin 1894 .44 magnum" . I will keep on dreaming of a Ruger No 1 big bore for when the kids are grown , another 5 years and the horizon should open up . The 1894 wont hold value like a Ruger No 1 thats for sure . I'm a working class fella so it seems are my rifles .
I've picked up 200 new Remington cases , a set of near new .44 mag dies for 1/2 full retail price , 1000 240 gr Westcast projectiles and a box of Hornady 265 gr JSP , 60 rounds of Winchester Super X 240 gr JHP and 6000 CCI magnum primers so I'm good to go for a couple of years I reckon and for about 1/2 the total cost of a similar quanity of 45.70 reloading components .
Another advantage of the .44 magnum for me is that I can use the same powder as for my .357 mag Rossi . At the moment I have some development loads using W296 waiting for a trip to the range latter this week . A tip off from a firearm sales rep aquantence as well as the same tip off from a wholesaler that imported reloading components prices are set to soar come Christmas due to the panic buying in the USA just now and other factors causing supply problems for Australia . I will buy Australian made ADI AR2205 next pay which I'm hoping as a local product should be readily available if the tip offs prove correct . I have some ADI AP70N which should make for some great plinking loads .
Im very happy with the 1894 , nice deep blueing , reasonable stock and forend timber that don't quite match but hey it don't bother me none , pretty short about 38" long , 6 1/2 pounds which will be lively under recoil with full power loads but I'll only notice that on the bench . I have fitted a Williams FP336 peep sight using the front scope mount holes so I don't need to use the hammer spur so I'm good to go . Hoping for a pig hunt in November , can't wait to thump a few porkers with the .44 - stay posted
Re: Got my new Hunting Rifle - she's a beauty ! « Reply #2 on Nov 5, 2009, 1:49am »
Real pretty gun Jacko. I got my first 18894 back in the 70's and its shot its fair share of hogs and feral sheep. Is that an Axis Deer pelt the gun is resting on?
Joined: Mar 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 12 Location: Queensland Australia Karma: 0
Re: Got my new Hunting Rifle - she's a beauty ! « Reply #3 on Nov 5, 2009, 2:24am »
Yes mate that is the rear half of an Axis or Chital deer skin . Just under the forend of the rifle you can see the entrance wound from the arrow that killed this stag .
I can not lay claim to killing it , that honour fell to a good mate about 7 years ago on a guided hunt with Bill Baker - Rest his soul . A true legend of Bowhunting in Australia .
My mate clipped the unlucky beast's femoral arterary as the Deer jumped the string , he tells everyone it was a one shot kill behind the shoulder My mate feed us BBQ Chital every sunday for 3 months .
I've had this 1894 a couple of months now and developed some good handloads with 265 GR jsp bullets and am working up some good cast bullet loads now . It's good for 1 1/2" groups off a wobbly rest and is very sweet to shoot .
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My mate feed us BBQ Chital every sunday for 3 months .