BREVEX No. 15 joins my collection of Brevex Magnum Mausers - a Roy Dunlap Custom

[buckstix]

Hello All,

BREVEX No. 15 joins my collection of Brevex Magnum Mausers - a Roy Dunlap Custom.

The listing didn't give a lot of details about this rifle. But, I recognized it as a Brevex Action. Since I have a background in Long Range High Power Rifle Competition, I knew this rifle was for built for such. The 30-378 caliber should be a screamer. It will be arriving next week and I can't wait to get it in hand to test it. I will top it with a 20x Unertl, and a set of Palma iron sights. It will then be ready for "any-rifle-any-sights" and "any-rifle-iron-sights" competition.

As always, your comments are welcome. (pictures: first the rifle - and the 15 collected)

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/30-378-000.jpg

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/brevex15.jpg

 

[AZDAVE]

Sir you do find some interesting rifles. Congratz on the new acquisition.

 

[buckstix]

I got the rifle in hand today and I am super pleased. The Brevex action is case hardened, The barrel is a star-gauge P.O. Ackley. There is a wooden single-shot tray that is signed by Roy Dunlap. The action is glass bedded with the barrel free floating, and there is a Canjar M-2 trigger. I can,t wait to get some ammo ready.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/30-378-0000.jpg

 

[buckstix]

Surprise - Surprise .. ! ! This rifle is NOT a 30-378 ... it's a 30-338 ... see picture ... (The seller said it was a typo, and gave a partial refund for his error.)

The question then is; why wasn't this rifle just made as a 300 win mag? (which actually has 5 grains more case capacity) ... Well, ... It took some digging to find out why ... This rifle must have been built in 1958, when the 338 win mag was first introduced. The 300 win mag wasn't introduced until 5 years later in 1963. So, if you wanted a 30 caliber magnum in a long range match rifle in 1958, you simply necked down a 338 win mag. The only other 30 caliber mag available in 1958 was the 300 H&H mag, which wasn't considered a target cartridge.

Now the next question is; "Why did Dunlap use a Brevex Magnum action for a standard length cartridge?" In 1958 a surplus mauser could be had for about $10, and a Brevex sold for $118.50. That remains a mystery.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/30-338caliber.jpg

 

[buckstix]

Well, I made it out to the range today. I added a 20x Unertl Programmer scope and dialed it in at 100 yds. I was a little taken back by the recoil. I'm not used to shooing from prone where you body doesn't "give" under recoil. Most of my big guns are shot standing, where you body is free to move during recoil. Never=the-less, I'm pretty pleased with the results. Next time I'll try to see if I can improve the group by shooting on the bench.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/30-338-TARG.jpg