Scoping a Rook and rabbit rifle

[barrabruce]

What would you recommend for scoping a rook and rabbit rifle?

It’ll most likely be a martini cadet action with 7a Parkerhale rear peep (which I can whip off) and fine post sight

It will be one of those 30 cal smaller cases yet to be determined.

I’m o.k at 50 yards still with irons but these days wearing multi focal lenses and maybe getting old and slower.(blind and deef)

Things get dim and fuzzy a lot earlier in the afternoon than I remember.

A detachable scope with a little power could be the go.

2x20 Be enough for twilight small game.

I shot lots of stuff with a 4x on Rimfires when I was young but then I could see well.

Go 6x or a variable.

Your thoughts and insights would be most welcome.

[Hickory]

Burris makes several variables in the 2x7 range that I would consider ideal for your needs!

[Stephen Cohen]

If you have not decided on the actual round, may I suggest a 300 Blackout rimmed. The shells are made by simply running 357 magnum shells into a blackout size die, the necks will be about 1mm shorter than the actual blackout which means nothing. I have just made one for my grandsons first rifle. Regards Stephen

[LawrenceA]

If you are only looking to 50-100 yds then a small variable be it 1.5-5 or what Hickory said a 2-7. Or if you had a fixed 2.5 or 4 laying around would be worth a go.
Always wondered how a 30 Herret would go in a martini.

Where up here are there Rabbits???

[wch]

Try a fixed 6 power scope.

[barrabruce]

Mareeba/Atherton has wabbits if you know someone.
I spent my youth and all my early adult hood wasting time and money trapping / shooting wabbits and other small game and fishing the vic/nsw border.
Went to the Qd gulf for two weeks paid work and woke up one day old / busted arsed and married.
[smilie=1:

Wonder how a leupy 2-7 freedom Rimfire reticle scope would shape up.
A straight 6x36 or 4x32 with a cds turret in moa could be useable as they are just still making them.

I have a 6x IDF nimrod scope on me 22lr that is still useable.
I find it great to 300 ydrs plinking at things.

It would seem huge mounted on a thin light rifle though.

[Outpost75]

One of the Unertl small game scopes is appropriate.

This Army & Navy was relined to .32 S&W Long by John Taylor and the exterior restoration by Lucas Geiger.

251629

[John Taylor]

On a cadet, which loads from the top, a pistol scope might be a good idea. I have one set up with a base that allows me to use hose clamps to the barrel for quick testing. My old eyes don't do well with regular sights.

[pertnear]

Select a 2x-7x from the myriad of choices these days. If you are not stuck on .30 cal, look a the .256 Win (think .357 mag necked down to .25).

[dverna]

1.5-5 scope. Not heavy and all the magnification you will need and low power for offhand shots.

The attraction of the rook rifle is a light handy rifle. Putting a smaller scope on it makes sense to me.

The .30 Badger has always intrigued me but the cost of custom reamer and dies makes it a bit expensive in my mind. If cast bullets are in the mix, the .327 Mag would be worth considering. It can be loaded mild to wild. I believe you can also fire .32 S&W Longs in it (a proven accurate cartridge in low power loads). Plus I prefer straight walled cartridges that can be sized with carbide dies.

[Outpost75]

I would not use .327 Federal in soft, iron shotgun frame or in an antique rook rifle.

John Taylor and I had this discussion and .32 H&R Magnum, .32-20, .38 Special +P and .44-40, .45 Colt represent the upper limit for the shotgun and antique actions. The BSA Cadet-Martini is much stronger and if the firing pin is bushed it handles .357 Magnum well, so .327 should not be an issue.

[BigEyeBob]

What would you recommend for scoping a rook and rabbit rifle?

It’ll most likely be a martini cadet action with 7a Parkerhale rear peep (which I can whip off) and fine post sight

It will be one of those 30 cal smaller cases yet to be determined.

I’m o.k at 50 yards still with irons but these days wearing multi focal lenses and maybe getting old and slower.(blind and deef)

Things get dim and fuzzy a lot earlier in the afternoon than I remember.

A detachable scope with a little power could be the go.

2x20 Be enough for twilight small game.

I shot lots of stuff with a 4x on Rimfires when I was young but then I could see well.

Go 6x or a variable.

Your thoughts and insights would be most welcome.251667

This is my custom built Greener in 300 Sherwood ,scope is a period Ziess Jena 4x .in talley or warne (not sure )qd mounts .Base is custom machined and has a dovetail to accept the scope rings . Just for ideas.

[justashooter]

long eye relief 1.5-5X mounted forward of action will be fast and balance well. based on a rail bolted to ring blocks soft soldered or even epoxied on. by ring blocks i mean close fitting barrel bands with a tapped block soldered to the top. could be two rings to single long block. low tech mount easily made and purty if done well

[augercreek]

You can't miss with a RED DOT. Dot on the target , fire. simple as that !

[pietro]

On a cadet, which loads from the top, a pistol scope might be a good idea.





+1

https://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server1000/53b35/products/42623/images/1646158/26039A__92813.1565304430.1280.1280.jpg?c=2

[blackbahart]

when using a new barrel there are choices for the bases and ring for detachable as you can take them into consideration when profiling the barrel .I am partial to the tally and to me they are a clean look
I have not set up my martinis for using both scope and iron sights .The base adds apron .200 to the top of the receiver so that will work with PH7 tang sight ,but would require a sight about .200 taller on the front or mill a grove down the middle of the sight at .100 to split the difference ,but do able and the front sight should look presentable and not out of proportion and the height could be added to a front ramp ?


251731

[barrabruce]

Well I’ve had a play and a bit of a think about things.
Thanks blackbahard for the dimensions seems a feasible solution.
And everyone else’s comments and suggestions as well.
Ten brains are better than one.

One option.
Well a scout scope with 6" eye relief would end up pretty much like this.
251799

Maybe even slightly more refined.
Be able to use the irons as well then.

That would be 16 1/2 inch barrell.
Probably pretty loud even with mild loads.. but handi , and comes up to target well even though it’s looking through a straw with the conventionaldead 4x on it as a mock up.

Maybe I should do two guns.
One with a longest barrel say 26" +
And a shorty.
See which would be more pleasant to carry and shoot.

The only problem I see with conventional scopes is the height and fiddle factor to load ammo.
Most likely ending in a chin instead of a cheek weld while using the scope.

I played with trying to shoot a 3" swinger at the range yesterday with various rifles pretending it was a rabbits head.
Given a small plague I may have got a couple of feeds.
4x seemed a nice balance to me at 75 yards off hand for power and definition.
6x could be doable but the scope would end up too big I think.
Without standing and some sort of rest I didn’t seem handicapped besides the ability to define things at range.
There will be no more jumping up from a sitting position and scooting off to get my quarry any more.
More like a slow fumble tumble with ooh and ahhh’ s to get in the vertical position is more the battle than hitting any target.
Ha
Maybe an English shooting staff maybe in order.

I’m sure things were bigger and stood out more when I was young.....and I hardly ...ever..missed.hahahaaaaa.

Thnx

[richhodg66]

My "Rook Rifle" is a Savage 219 in .22 Hornet and wears a very small Burris fixed 4X. Works great for sniping squirrels and is a small scope so doesn't negatively affect the handling of a slim and trim rifle.

[richhodg66]

+1

https://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server1000/53b35/products/42623/images/1646158/26039A__92813.1565304430.1280.1280.jpg?c=2

That looks like one of the "baby Redfields" they used to sell. I have a long eye relief one around here somewhere.

[barrabruce]

If you have not decided on the actual round, may I suggest a 300 Blackout rimmed. The shells are made by simply running 357 magnum shells into a blackout size die, the necks will be about 1mm shorter than the actual blackout which means nothing. I have just made one for my grandsons first rifle. Regards Stephen

How does it do with short brass and cast bullets?

[barrabruce]

Always wondered how a 30 Herret would go in a martini??

Me too.
I’m kicking myself because I saw a reamer and complete die set for sale reasonble-ish priced and never bought it.

I’ve wondered how much quieter a say 32s&w with a 26 inch barrel would be compared to a 310 cadet or 32-20 or such at moderate speed.

Are the larger bores quieter with the same weight projectile.

Just thinking of what IS the quietest out there with in reasonable limits?

Maybe a bull pup with a long barrel or would it still make ones ears ring.

A 16" barrel and 29.5" long is minimum I think in all states over here.

Take 30" barrel and add 6" for a stock it would be still handy..
Maybe heavy thou.hmmmmm
Scope wouldn’t be in the way of loading and I could use the peep and post creed more style.
Ha
Just laying under a tree shooting bunnies.

[steve urquell]

Me too.
I’m kicking myself because I saw a reamer and complete die set for sale reasonble-ish priced and never bought it.

I’ve wondered how much quieter a say 32s&w with a 26 inch barrel would be compared to a 310 cadet or 32-20 or such at moderate speed.

Are the larger bores quieter with the same weight projectile.

Just thinking of what IS the quietest out there with in reasonable limits?

Maybe a bull pup with a long barrel or would it still make ones ears ring.

A 16" barrel and 29.5" long is minimum I think in all states over here.

Take 30" barrel and add 6" for a stock it would be still handy..
Maybe heavy thou.hmmmmm
Scope wouldn’t be in the way of loading and I could use the peep and post creed more style.
Ha
Just laying under a tree shooting bunnies.

I shoot a suppressed 16.5"bbl .300BLK CVA V2 single shot and have loaded a bunch of powders and bullet weights looking for the quietest load.

I found that light weight bullets loaded with very fast shotgun powder will give the quietest load. I ended up using tiny charges of TiteWad (not titegroup) and slippery shaped .30 carbine bullets to come up with my quietest load. Hearing safe unsuppressed and air rifle quiet suppressed. Also very cheap.

[barrabruce]

Thnx Steve
I presume then a 120rn grain bullet in the 310 cadet over a minimal charge of bullseye is about as quiet I can hope for in a 25" barrel and being legal.

[Wolfer]

I put a red dot on one of my rollers and love it.

[braddock]

Week or so back at the range, I was next to a chap shooting a 310 rook rifle with iron sights at 100 yards, I swear the only noise the gun made was the click as the hammer dropped. It was a break-barrel hammer gun, I think it was a Rigby but can't remember. He was shooting reloads but I never enquired about his load.
His groups were pretty good for a v groove and post sights too.

[barrabruce]

Well I’ve ended up getting a leupy 2-7x rimfire freedom scope with cds turrets to replace my m8 8x. That couldn’t get fixed.

It hopefully will do for most things I want to use it for.

See if it shapes up to expectations.
Thanks for the different options.
I was even thinking of Either the red dot with turrents would be a useful thing but I need Some power to define things these days or even the 1-4xscout scope with 6 inches of eye relief which would I think could just pass the front of the cadet action even if the stock had to be a bit short.

[barrabruce]

If you have not decided on the actual round, may I suggest a 300 Blackout rimmed. The shells are made by simply running 357 magnum shells into a blackout size die, the necks will be about 1mm shorter than the actual blackout which means nothing. I have just made one for my grandsons first rifle. Regards Stephen
Would it work if you just ran a 300 blackout reamer a bit short and ground the dies back abit.
Then you’d have a 300 blk rimmed short. With cases full length to chamber.
How do the cases come out for neck thickness when fire formed.

[Jedman]

Would it work if you just ran a 300 blackout reamer a bit short and ground the dies back abit.
Then you’d have a 300 blk rimmed short. With cases full length to chamber.
How do the cases come out for neck thickness when fire formed.

I have a rifle I built from a Yildiz folding 410 shotgun that is chambered in a shortened 300 blk out just as you described. I took .060 off the bottom of the loading dies and it forms a perfect rimmed cartridge with 357 mag. brass. The neck is the same length as a standard 300 blk out but the OAL of the brass is .060 shorter which pushes the shoulder back the same amount so no one could put a regular 300 blk out in the gun and close it.
Mine is a aluminum alloy frame so I don't load the cartridges to high pressures or high velocities, I left the standard shotgun firing pin in the frame and it limits how hot you can load cartridges before the primers start to flow into the firing pin hole and make it hard to open the action after firing.

Jedman