.380 rook takes bunnies.

[JeffinNZ]

Team.

Just got back from a rabbit shooting trip. The farm we visited was crawling in bunnies and all up I bowled about 140 over the weekend.

First day we arrived I got to blood the .380 rook rifle I have been working on. The CBE 134gr RN heel bullet travelling at 1100fps leveled bunnies nicely. I was running at 4 from 4 then horror of horrors I missed number five.

Here are the first 3. 20, 5, 35 yards.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Rook%20rifle%20project/Hunt3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Rook%20rifle%20project/Hunt1.jpg

Great weekend and just absolutely thrilled to breath life back into the old rifle.

[acemedic13]

I am glad you put up the pics along with the thread.I have found the same rifle in a gunstore but did not know what it was. It is a nice little gun. The guy in the shop does not even know much about it. It just says...made in belgium... It looks identical to the rifle you have pictured here. Could you give me an estimate at one of those rifles are worth? The one I am looking at is in about 40% shape. Thank you. Joel

[JeffinNZ]

I am glad you put up the pics along with the thread.I have found the same rifle in a gunstore but did not know what it was. It is a nice little gun. The guy in the shop does not even know much about it. It just says...made in belgium... It looks identical to the rifle you have pictured here. Could you give me an estimate at one of those rifles are worth? The one I am looking at is in about 40% shape. Thank you. Joel

I paid about USD100.00 for mine.

[dubber123]

Very cool, Jeff! Nice pics too. I found a Flobert 32 rimfire, and was wondering if a centerfire conversion would produce a useable rook rifle. They sure look fun.

[Bigjohn]

Jeff, Good job on the rabbits; looks like you had a good weekend.

After taking the rabbits, do you feel as if the rifle is capable of taking larger game?

John

[leftiye]

5 yards?

[Hang Fire]

Very nice rifle and good shooting, congrats.

[JeffinNZ]

JOHN - Wallabies close in but I wouldn't push it.
LEFTIYE - Yes, he stopped nearly at my feet. Seemed rude not to shoot it.

[3rptr]

Looks like a nice little rifle and you've proven it's effective and fun!

Best
3rptr

[Euan]

Great Stuff.
Euan.

[docone31]

That is a sweet little rifle!
Wowser indeed.
I Had never seen an heeled centerfire before.
Way cool.

[Bigjohn]

Over on usedguns.com.au in the section centrefire above .270" they have two rook rifle of .38 cal.

One is a Cowles Dunn & Co. on a Martini 'Cadet' sized action $1,000.00 AUD and the other is a I. Hollis & Sons, Martini action $1,500.00 AUD.

Pic's on the site aren't too good for detail but they both look nice.

Do I really need them?

John

[snaggdit]

Hey Bigjohn, ask an addict if he needs another fix...

[NoDakJak]

Great shooting Jeff. I'm certainly happy to see you have done very well in rescuing this lovely old Rook Rifle. I recently purchased a similar firearm for a very good price. It is in sorry condition with the stock missing and the hammer spur broken. It was barreled to what appears to have been a 32 gauge shotgun. The front half of the barrel is split but I intend to trim it back to a stub and install a barrel chambered to 32 S&W Long. It is covered with a brown patina but no rust. I hope that it comes out looking somewhere near as well as yours. Neil

[Willbird]

I have a martini cadet rook rifle...it is a 360 as I recall, I have shot it a bit with 38 special cases and hollow base wadcutters. The 38 is not an exact fit, they swell up a bit after several firings, but it seems to shoot minute of beer can at 50 yards or so. The gun has a multi leaf express rear sight on it.

[Bigjohn]

I have a martini cadet rook rifle...it is a 360 as I recall, I have shot it a bit with 38 special cases and hollow base wadcutters. The 38 is not an exact fit, they swell up a bit after several firings, but it seems to shoot minute of beer can at 50 yards or so. The gun has a multi leaf express rear sight on it.

I enjoy shooting these Ol'timers when I can get hold of them and some ammunition. It makes me happy to know that I am not the only one. The Ol'timer shelf in my local gunshop is the first place I look when I visit. You never know when one of these is going to turn up and need rescuing.

John.

[JeffinNZ]

These rifles fall into the "too hard" basket for most shooters so it's only fruitcakes like John and I that buy them.........ah John?

[Bigjohn]

These rifles fall into the "too hard" basket for most shooters so it's only fruitcakes like John and I that buy them.........ah John?

Good morning Jeff, How are things in Kiwi Land?

There is a 297/230 Morris Martini Francotte Actioned rifle on the shelf at the dealers. Someone put the dollars down before I saw it but has not picked it up. Been there two years; trying to find the buyer to make him an offer.

Cartridges can be made from .22 Hornet cases.

John.

[Shiloh]

Outstanding!!

Thanks for the pics!!

Shiloh

[Tokarev]

Jeff, mind me asking what do you use for crimping? And what bullet design did you use for your mold?

[JeffinNZ]

Jeff, mind me asking what do you use for crimping? And what bullet design did you use for your mold?

I don't and can't crimp which is a shame. Have to been very gentle with the ammo as the bullet is slip fit only which is why they are stashed in the .17HMR plastic box in .38 foam.

The bullet is a CBE out of AU and a duplicate of the original bullet from the .380 Long ammo by Kynoch.

[Tokarev]

I make my own crimping tool that anyone with basic metalworking skills can reproduce. It is based on Lee 356/358 Win collet crimping die, where the bottleneck portion of the collet is removed almost entirely leaving only a small rib. You will need a riser to rest your cases on while crimping. You can make one out of 308 or 300 Savage case shortened to the proper length and filled with putty or epoxy. I am not sure at the moment what Rook length is as mine is for 380 long/short revolver which I shoot out of antique German polizei-revolver (the 1st in the gallery 'Antiques') in 380 long and Kaufmann Gerard (the 1st in the gallery 'More antiques') in 380 short.

Sorry, what are CBE and AU? Guess AU = Australia?

[JeffinNZ]

Cast Bullet Engineering - yes, Australia.

www.castbulletengineering.bigpondhosting.com

I have thought about having Lee make me a custom collet die but 1) there is no crimp groove on the bullet and I am concerned about damage to the projectile and 2) our dollar has taken a nose dive on the Green Back so it will be pricey right now.

[Tokarev]

I asked Lee for that years ago. They refused saying that they tried collet straight wall crimping and failed.

Jeff, I found your other topic with the mold and bullit pictures, but I could not find any info on what the cartridge specs would be!
There is 360 Rook No 5 at Municion.org: http://www.municion.org/360/360No5.htm
Is that the same round or a different one?

Your bullets look wonderful! I'd loved a mold like that too.

[ChrisBNZ]

Just recently took my first kill with my reborn 380 Rook. The possums round our place are quite used to being prodded with a .22 and laughing it off so it was quite a surprise to him to cop the 38 slug in the chest - very emphatic!
180843

[richhodg66]

Great thread!

I like the whole Rook rifle concept, small, easy carrying centerfire that points well and hits harder than a .22.

I need to get that Savage 219 I plan to have sleeved to .32 S&W Long going.

[Mk42gunner]

I think your possums look better than ours.

I like seeing older guns put to use, instead of just stored away.

Robert

[Reg]

So far no one has mentioned the rabbits. Lots of good eating there.

[Victor N TN]

Thanks for the photos. I had never seen a rifle just like that.