Youngster shoots bunny with Xmas rifle

[303Guy]

The youngster being my great nephew in my avatar. I modified a single shot rifle for his Christmas gift and we took him out to today (boxing day) to try it out. He can now shoot off-hand and can he shoot! Well, he happened to shoot his first bunny with it and is one happy chap! Ummm .... it's a 22rf which is kinda like a cast boolit.

The youngster is nine.

This is it. It's rather cool and brilliant to shoot with.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/CalebsRiflesmall.jpg


This is how I did the suppressor fitting.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/CalebRifle016-1.jpg

[Norbrat]

Is that an old Lithgow?

Nice rifles, shoot really well and are nice and safe because you gotta pull the firing pin back to cock it after chambering the round.

And congratulations to the young bloke on his first bunny.

[303Guy]

Yup. A Lithgow made Slazenger. Pretty accurate too. This one's cocking piece is a bit of a pain. Not sure what can be done about it. The barrel is 'certified barrel steel' and it is barrel steel. Nice trigger.

[DGV]

I love the fact you are able to own Suppressors in New Zealand. In the U.S. you have to jump through alot of hoops before you can get one. Some states there is a complete ban.

[1kshooter]

long rang high five from Ontario canada to you both....and suppressors will get you five years hard time here in Canada:-(

[RugerFan]

Very nice. Thats a rather lucky nephew!

[Norbrat]

This one's cocking piece is a bit of a pain. Not sure what can be done about it.

What's wrong with the cocking piece? These things are so basic it is hard to imagine that anything can go wrong with them.

Some folks do have a bit of trouble by inadvertently turning the cocking piece to "safe" when they pull it back to cock it.

And when that rifle was made, it was quite legal to own a silencer/suppressor (sold as "sound moderators") in most States of Australia. Now it is a jailable offence!

[SharpsShooter]

That's very cool! Nice little hunting setup.


SS

[Crawdaddy]

Congrats to the youngster. What is boxing day?

[runfiverun]

day after christmas.
where the leftovers are boxed up ,and were given to the servants or the poor.
usually just dropped onto a doorstep and then either left to be discovered or the bell was rung and the ringer just left.
also used for other acts of charitable kindness.

[303Guy]

What's wrong with the cocking piece? It sometimes does not catch. Also, once cocked the bolt cannot be opened - made necessary so it can't be fired with an unlocked bolt. But it makes it difficult for small fingers to make the rifle safe as in unloading it. But it works! It's accurate too. I want one like it.:roll:

Today we went out as a family group with my son. The youngster carried his rifle the whole way. My son shot is his first hare. His first anything in fact. He's a natural shot too although I did teach him some when he was young - he's 25 now (I think[smilie=1:). Christmas day was his first real volume shooting and he got the hang of off-hand shooting pretty quick. His safety awareness is exemplary.

We'll be having the hare for dinner tomorrow night. It was a good day. :drinks:

[Norbrat]

It sometimes does not catch. Also, once cocked the bolt cannot be opened - made necessary so it can't be fired with an unlocked bolt. But it makes it difficult for small fingers to make the rifle safe as in unloading it.

Aah, OK. Yeah, it is a bit fiddly for small fingers.

It's been a few years since I sold the one I had; I can't remember if it is possible to open the bolt with the cocking piece turned to the "safe" position?

[303Guy]

I can't remember if it is possible to open the bolt with the cocking piece turned to the "safe" position?Yes it is. A very simple trick to make it safe is to pull the cocking piece back a bit and turn it anti-clockwise which opens the bolt. Do that part way and the cocking piece can be set down and the bolt can be opened in a controlled way.

[DIRT Farmer]

Congrats on getting the kids out hunting, mine seem to think they have to make a living. My grandson was going to hunt with me over Christmas break. He got called in to work. I have been taking the 10 ga muzzleloader after ducks. I havent been seeing many fly but thats OK I don't have to clean them.

[TXGunNut]

Nicely done, I was just thinking that a suppressed 22 would be nice to have as a 2nd rifle in a deer stand when the rabbits start showing up.

[Euan]

Way to go 303Guy! Getting thse young fellows going with Huntin & shootin. Well Done young fellows.
Cheers and all the best for the New Year, Euan.

[1Shirt]

In a word "Super"! Congrats to the youngster and you!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[JeffinNZ]

I love the fact you are able to own Suppressors in New Zealand. In the U.S. you have to jump through alot of hoops before you can get one. Some states there is a complete ban.

Yeap. Every man and his brother has one. They rock.

You should get the NRA to campaign on the health and safety aspect for preventing hearing loss. There is no good reason not to allow them. Of course that sort of sense never comes into to play with the law makers.

[TXGunNut]

You should get the NRA to campaign on the health and safety aspect for preventing hearing loss. There is no good reason not to allow them. Of course that sort of sense never comes into to play with the law makers. -JeffinNZ


Makes perfect sense but will never happen. TV shows and movies have taught too many folks that only bad guys use silencers and do bad things with them.

[leadman]

The American Rifleman had an article on supressors for hunting this month. I would like to see them made legal. I have to use muzzlebrakes on my hunting rifles 'cuz of my bad neck and these are loud even with plugs and muffs.
I started a thread on speciality pistols on whose State allows silencers for hunting. I will have to write down which States due as there are some.

Glad you are enjoying time in the field with your family. You may have to teach me how to build a silencer. LOL

[303Guy]

This little carbine has now been tested and approved as being superbly accurate. It took my 'new to shooting' niece (mother of the youngster) to shoot one hole groups at 50 meters with it using CCI standard velocity target ammo. Dang - she shoots better than me and her partner put together!

[Norbrat]

You may have to teach me how to build a silencer. LOL

In NZ, .22 suppressors sell for as little as NZ$40 (which is is about USD$32)

Hardly worth the bother to make one.

But as they are now illegal here in Oz, I have seen machined adaptors with 1/2" UNC female thread one end and whatever thread is used on the top of plastic soda bottles at the other end for sale at gun shows. :razz:

[303Guy]

Making a suppressor if you happen to have access to a lathe is quite simple really and for a 22 is a breeze. But we can get cheapo Chinese made 22 suppressors for NZ$40. If I was set up for building them I reckon I could do them in 20 minutes flat. As it is it takes me about an hour. Threading the barrel is a bit tricky. The youngsters one I had to true the barrel OD to the bore first. It was too heavy anyway. I went with a partial over-barrel concept to keep the rifle short and so used a M14x1.25 thread (spark-plug thread) so as to have a little meat on the front bit of barrel. I've done them with a threaded collar too when the barrel is too thin to thread. I use the reduced rear diameter of the collar for the steady when crowning - has to be done after using the muzzle in the tailstock.

[303Guy]

So today the bunny rifle took a pig! Standard velocity 40gr solid right between the eyes! Good thing the boolit was able to penetrate the skull. It wasn't the youngster who shot it though.