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Thanks, Bob. You're very kind. Both rifles are pseudo-Scouts but I like them. (FWIW, there is actually no 10 round magazine criteria requirement for a Scout rifle.) I took the second rifle (the one with the walnut stock) to the Sconce and showed it to Jeff Cooper and he was okay with it as a...

I have a couple of 35 Whelens. Here's one: I like 250 grain Partitions with W748 because it meters beautifully, shoots well and gives me a little over 2500 fps in both my Whelens, but I've found most powders to work well with most bullets in both. For unleaded, I like the 200 grain Barnes...

USMA84DAB Nice article and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I agree with a bunch of it but not all. I knew Jeff Cooper well and I spent a goodly amount of time discussing the Scout rifle with him. I even took several of my Scout attempts to him for his critique/eval/input. I’ve gone back and forth...

The Lee-Enfields make into really nice, albeit pudgy (as in overweight), pseudo-Scout rifles. I’ve built up several. Even showed one of my earlier ones to uncle Jeff (Jeff Cooper). He like it (I didn’t present it as a Scout, strictly a pseudo-Scout). Unless you’re planning to run a can...

Question: Have you checked the headspace with a headspace or feeler gauge*? The reason I ask is because case stretching in the Lee-Enfields is usually a chamber issue, not a headspace issue. Early on in WWI (1914 from what I understand), Lee-Enfields were supposedly intentionally chambered...

"Standing in my own shoes I can criticize the Japs for the changes they wrought in the Mauser firing pin mechanism, but if I happened to be one of the 'experts' who developed the action of our own M1903 modification of the Mauser, I would keep awfully quiet about the whole thing. Because...

Check Brophy’s Springfield book. I believe the info is in there (not at home so I can’t reference my copy). The 1903 Springfield was designed with a two-piece firing pin specifically for the dream of cost reduction. They had/have a habit of breaking. Soldiers and Marines dry-fired their 1903s...

The info I have is the 6,5x55 SKAN was developed for Biathlon which correlates to the shooting sports mentioned and it has a longer case/chamber length than the 6,5x55 SE. The SE normally gets trimmed right at 54,7 to 54,8mm but the SKAN is a bit longer and is usually trimmed to 55,0mm or a wee...

For many decades after it's development, the 6.5x55 was simply known as the 6.5x55. It's development started in 1890/91and the cartridge was designed by a joint Norwegian and Swedish commission (at the time, both countries shared the same king). It was not a Mauser design or development. Norway...

Sure. I've attached a .pdf complete with a few pictures that tells the story (condensed version) for those interested. CB

The standard 35 Whelen chambering is quite sufficient. I have two 35 Whelens and standard is the way to go IMO. Going AI takes out most of the case taper which can create issues (e.g. - the feed ramps/lips will probably have to be tuned) and the AI most likely will not feed quite as slickly as...

The Martini is actually a decent action and I really like mine. Accuracy with a Martini is actually more a barrel issue than an action issue. My experience is that a lot of the barrels installed on Martinis were/are just not capable of producing good accuracy no matter the action. My...

The Martini is actually a decent action and I really like mine. Accuracy with a Martini is actually more a barrel issue than an action issue. My experience is that a lot of the barrels installed on Martinis were/are just not capable of producing good accuracy no matter the action. My...

Waste from an application perspective? No. The Martini is actually a decent action and I really like mine. Accuracy with a Martini is actually more a barrel issue than an action issue. My experience is that a lot of the barrels installed on Martinis were/are just not capable of producing good...

This has been covered ad naseum over the years in the gun rags...and probably on forums too. In a nutshell, for instance, the 270 Winchester bore starts out a bit under 7mm when the hole is drilled and it ends up right at 7mm - or about .276” - when the barrel grooves are cut and, therefore...

I used the 6.5x55 a fair bit and with great success in South Africa on game up to kudu in size hunting with Chumlet Safaris. On the same hunt, my buddy used his 6.5x55 to cleanly kill the usual antelopes at various ranges along with a zebra at a bit over 100 yards. That said, I wouldn't choose a...

I have experience with the 358 Winchester in Africa on game. I've taken a dozen or so "plains game" with it ranging from bushbuck at about 10 yards to zebra right at 300 - most all were one shot DRT except a warthog at about 30 yards who refused to believe it (required a second, but unnecessary...

I have experience with the 358 Winchester in Africa on game. I've taken a dozen or so "plains game" with it ranging from bushbuck at about 10 yards to zebra right at 300 - most all were one shot DRT except a warthog at about 30 yards who refused to believe it (required a second, but unnecessary...

Barrel length is 20" and it weighs right at 8 lbs. - a bit heavy but it balances nicely. I don't know if the article can be found on the net. CB

Preface: I'm assuming you're talking 358 Winchester and not 358 Norma Magnum. Yes, I have experience with the 358 Winchester in Africa on game. I've taken a dozen or so "plains game" with it ranging from bushbuck at about 10 yards to zebra right at 300 - most all were one shot DRT except a...

The two gray stocks are MPI Kevlar/carbon fiber stocks - excellent stocks! The tan stock in the middle pictures is a High Tech Specialties stock - also a very good stock. I buy stock blanks and fit, bed and finish them myself. +1 on the 8mm Mauser/8x57/7.92x57 - it's one of my favorite...

375 H&H muscle-Scout built on a VZ.24 action with custom bottom metal (5+1 capacity).

The VZ.24 is a fine action and I've converted many of them into sporting rifles. Those with the Rampant Lion crest are my personal favorite. That said, converting one into a decent sporter - even if, like me, you can do all of the work yourself - means lots more money, time and effort. It also...

What walk-in said. I used the 35 Whelen quite a bit when I lived in Alaska (250 gr Nosler Partition mostly). Excellent cartridge that's good out to 300+ yards. CB

I've used the .303 on several hunts (No. 4 Mk 1 converted to pseudo-Scout - see the January 2016 issue of Man Magnum magazine) in a few places around the globe. My favorite bullet for the .303 is the 215 gr CLAW Bonded-Core. With this bullet in the .303, I have taken dozens of head of game up...

Personal story about the Sako extractor. My partner and I were hunting kafue lechwe and where many miles from the vehicle when the chance for a shot on a good bull finally happened for my partner. He was using a Sako chambered for 270 Winchester. He bought the rifle new and had used it on many...

What Clodo Ferreira said is true - the Mauser 98 extractor has a bevel in it which corresponds to a bevel in the bolt so that the harder one pulls on the bolt the harder the extractor bites into the cartridge case rim. The 1917 Enfield extractors do not have this feature. I have two 1917s and...

If it were indeed “fact” it would be documented and substianted yet I haven’t been able to find any substantiation other than one case: the infamous blowup from a super high pressure handload. I’ve seen correspondence from Blaser pertaining to this and it’s the only case I know about or Blaser...

Thanks. The Blaser R93 had an issue with a few rifles way back in 2002/2003. Blaser issued a recall and fixed the problem. I haven't heard of any problems since and a quick search on the net didn't show anything. If anyone knows of any, please let us know. Thanks. This is from...

Was unaware of PHs having horror stories about the Blaser 93. What horror stories? Are there any PHs here on this site with insight to this? Much appreciated. Regardless, the Steyr Scout would be my first choice for an over-the-counter caliber .30 rifle. DVC is Latin for Diligentia, Vis...

Interesting. I wonder how much experience the German hunter had with a Blaser 93? Did he mention actually having any experience with the 93? Mine is fairly limited, but it's enough to know it's a great rifle and I have friends who have used them a lot. CB

Steyr Scout Move the price range up a bit and the Blaser 93 comes into play. CB

Okay gang, having lived in the UAE for several years, and having had many interactions with the police and Emirate officials there (including having a minor car accident and being stopped multiple times for having an almost expired old style license plate on my car), I am throwing a BS flag on...

Can you substantiate this? Wildcatters in the U.S.A. have been using the 7mm-08 since at least the middle 1950s and it was already popular as a benchrest round in the U.S.A. in the 1970s when I first learned about it, so I'm wondering how this could be. I worked in Mexico for a couple of years...

As already mentioned, McMillan are good although I don't know if they have one for your exact action. However, I can recommend a blank from MPI Stocks - I have used many of their stocks on various projects with excellent results and my own personal 375 H&H (built on a Mauser 98) wears one of...

I have sporterized a few 1917s. The one you have chambered for 7mm Rem Mag would, to me, be the most likely candidate for conversion to 375 H&H Magnum. To answer your first question: The one chambered for .30-06 could just be rechambered to 300 H&H (and the bolt face opened up, the magazine box...

My experiences with both: I just purchased a semi-finish (as in inletting and shaping are about 75% so final fitting and shaping is up to the purchaser) stock for a 98 Krag from Richards - told them what I wanted and they did it. No complaints. On the other hand, I've bought three stocks from...

My wife decided to go with a Mossberg Patriot Youth Super Bantam - a surprisingly nice, dependable and versatile rifle. Richard Mann has written some informative articles about the Patriot. e.g. http://empty-cases.com/blog/an-unlikley-african-rifle-mossbergs-patriot/ Video...

The "ghost-ring" (the term coined by Jeff Cooper for this type of sight). Some of what Jeff had to say about the ghost-ring: "The proper rear iron sight is the ghost-ring, first brought to my attention almost simultaneously by Townsend Whelen and Karamojo Bell, though they did not use that...

You came to a solid conclusion as far as I’m concerned. When I lived in Alaska, I initially used a 338 Win Mag and it was okay, but not really all that much better than my trusty 30-06. Later, I got the hankering for a 35 Whelen and built one. Once I had the 35 Whelen, the 338 Win Mag was...

My 375 H&H - custom built on a VZ.24 action (pictured below) - has a 20" barrel, is well balance and very handy in the bush, isn't any louder than the 375s with longer barrels I've been around, still gets right at 2500 fps with 300 grain bullets with factory loads (a bit more with handloads...

I say: go for it! Don't let the naysayers discourage you. My 375 H&H - custom built on a VZ.24 action (pictured below) - has a 20" barrel, is well balance and very handy in the bush, isn't any louder than the 375s with longer barrels I've been around, still gets right at 2500 fps with 300 grain...

Easiest to just do a web search for "Mauser bolt lapping tools" for info. You can buy or rent them, but I've made several from old worn out Mauser barrels - just need a lathe, a rod, a spring and a retainer (clip or pin, etc.). Easy really. What is does is put constant pressure on the bolt face...

Depending on the 98 bolt type installed, the ejector guide slot face/tip/end-to-barrel or extractor-to-barrel gap should be zero or minimal - ideally the guide slot end or extractor should almost (or even just barely) touch the barrel face. Closer is better. From here on I'll just call this the...

I used the 6.5x55 Norwegian on a PG hunt in SA (140 grain Nosler Partitions) and its performance was exemplary on game up to the size of black wildebeest. A buddy used his rifle in the same 6.5x55 chambering (160 gr Hornady) on the same hunt with outstanding results. ...although his using it on...