blackthorn
12-21-2009, 11:52 AM
This handy little pump action rifle was produced in both .357Mag and .44Mag chambering. Apparently, only about 800 rifles were produced. Its value (from perusing auction sites) as somewhat of a collector’s item is therefore quite high when compared to its original new purchase price of around $350.00 to $400.00. The .357Mag version will also accept .38 special ammunition. “Discussion” on the “net” indicates, first that people who have them love them and second, that in .357Mag, it can be expected to produce close to .30-30 performance levels out to about 150 yards. The rear sight is adjustable in 55 yard (50 meter) increments out to 275 yards (250 meters), while the front sight is fixed.
I acquired mine at a gun show in Burnaby BC for $250.00. It looked like new and the seller assured me it had only been fired “a few times”. Included in the purchase price was a full box of cartridges. I took that cute little rifle home and several months later I took it up to my lakeside cabin to try it out. Having found a convenient gravel pit, I loaded it up, aimed it at a tin can, pulled the trigger and---“click”---but no “bang”. Whaaaat??, tried again---and then again---NOTHING!! Picked up the misfired cartridges and examined them. All three had a very light firing pin mark on them! Checked the bases of the cartridges in the box I got with the rifle and---yep---every one of them had a very light firing pin mark on it. On further investigation I noticed a light, oily/greasy, brown ring around the firing pin orifice on the bolt face. I found the original owner had neglected to clean the factory shipped Cosmoline out of the interior of the bolt so the firing pin was retarded and could not strike hard enough to fire the rifle! Cleaned it out and all was well. So I got a used (but never fired) rifle for a very good price!
Now the question(s)---Do any of you have experience with cast in these rifles? Should I use handgun level loads or can/should they be loaded up? Is it reasonable to expect levels of performance equal to those of a 30-30 out to 150 yards for game? paper? Any comments?
Have a great day!!!
I acquired mine at a gun show in Burnaby BC for $250.00. It looked like new and the seller assured me it had only been fired “a few times”. Included in the purchase price was a full box of cartridges. I took that cute little rifle home and several months later I took it up to my lakeside cabin to try it out. Having found a convenient gravel pit, I loaded it up, aimed it at a tin can, pulled the trigger and---“click”---but no “bang”. Whaaaat??, tried again---and then again---NOTHING!! Picked up the misfired cartridges and examined them. All three had a very light firing pin mark on them! Checked the bases of the cartridges in the box I got with the rifle and---yep---every one of them had a very light firing pin mark on it. On further investigation I noticed a light, oily/greasy, brown ring around the firing pin orifice on the bolt face. I found the original owner had neglected to clean the factory shipped Cosmoline out of the interior of the bolt so the firing pin was retarded and could not strike hard enough to fire the rifle! Cleaned it out and all was well. So I got a used (but never fired) rifle for a very good price!
Now the question(s)---Do any of you have experience with cast in these rifles? Should I use handgun level loads or can/should they be loaded up? Is it reasonable to expect levels of performance equal to those of a 30-30 out to 150 yards for game? paper? Any comments?
Have a great day!!!