Hatrick
Well-Known Member
Pictures?
Ultimate Sheep Rifle Build
- Thread starter 30 Hammer
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I know this is old school but if I had to grab one of my rifles right now to go on a sheep hunt...it would be a gun that's over 40 years old!
Yep, I would pass on my Blaser R-93 in .264 wm and pass on a new custom or two...and I would dig out the gun I picked up at an estate sale 10 years ago.
It's a good old .270 built on a pre-64 Winchester action. What makes it special is that it is one of the early sheep rifles made by one of the legends, Brown Precision, Inc.
After I bought the gun I bought some Nosler premium factory ammo just to see what it could do...didn't expect much as the gun had a 22" pencil barrel, was dinged up a little and had a couple of bands of black electrical tape around the stock close to the butt. An older Swarovski was already mounted so I didn't change anything - just shot a 3 shot 100 yd group using my backpack as a rest.
Imagine my surprise when I found a 3 shot cloverleaf (less than 3/4") about 1.5 inches above the bull!
I started grinning like a possum eating briars and still do whenever that gun comes to mind.
I was so excited I decided to call up Brown Precision to compliment them on a fine rifle.
After speaking to Mark Brown for just a moment and describing the gun and how I acquired it he quickly stated "That's Dr. xxxx's gun isn't it?"
I was stunned...he then proceeded to ask if the tape was still on the stock and when I affirmed that it was he laughed and told me that he and his dad had begged the doctor (a hunting buddy of theirs) to send the gun back to be re-stocked but he refused saying "It shoots too good to mess with it".
Then Mark told me the story of how the gun had fallen off the back of the Land Rover on an African safari and got run over by the back tire...but never lost its zero. They taped it up in the field and kept right on hunting.
The gun was used by the doctor to take numerous trophy plains game on multiple safaris in Africa and some dangerous game also.
It also went to Alaska, Canada and Asia to take numerous sheep species...all big trophies.
It was the Doc's favorite rifle...his "go-to" gun.
So when Mark offered to recoat and restock the gun I declined...if it was good enough for the doc its good enough for me! I wouldn't hesitate to go hunting anywhere, anytime with that gun.
Sometimes late at night I think I hear a lion roar...from the direction of my safe.
Sorry for getting longwinded here...
Edwin
Yep, I would pass on my Blaser R-93 in .264 wm and pass on a new custom or two...and I would dig out the gun I picked up at an estate sale 10 years ago.
It's a good old .270 built on a pre-64 Winchester action. What makes it special is that it is one of the early sheep rifles made by one of the legends, Brown Precision, Inc.
After I bought the gun I bought some Nosler premium factory ammo just to see what it could do...didn't expect much as the gun had a 22" pencil barrel, was dinged up a little and had a couple of bands of black electrical tape around the stock close to the butt. An older Swarovski was already mounted so I didn't change anything - just shot a 3 shot 100 yd group using my backpack as a rest.
Imagine my surprise when I found a 3 shot cloverleaf (less than 3/4") about 1.5 inches above the bull!
I started grinning like a possum eating briars and still do whenever that gun comes to mind.
I was so excited I decided to call up Brown Precision to compliment them on a fine rifle.
After speaking to Mark Brown for just a moment and describing the gun and how I acquired it he quickly stated "That's Dr. xxxx's gun isn't it?"
I was stunned...he then proceeded to ask if the tape was still on the stock and when I affirmed that it was he laughed and told me that he and his dad had begged the doctor (a hunting buddy of theirs) to send the gun back to be re-stocked but he refused saying "It shoots too good to mess with it".
Then Mark told me the story of how the gun had fallen off the back of the Land Rover on an African safari and got run over by the back tire...but never lost its zero. They taped it up in the field and kept right on hunting.
The gun was used by the doctor to take numerous trophy plains game on multiple safaris in Africa and some dangerous game also.
It also went to Alaska, Canada and Asia to take numerous sheep species...all big trophies.
It was the Doc's favorite rifle...his "go-to" gun.
So when Mark offered to recoat and restock the gun I declined...if it was good enough for the doc its good enough for me! I wouldn't hesitate to go hunting anywhere, anytime with that gun.
Sometimes late at night I think I hear a lion roar...from the direction of my safe.
Sorry for getting longwinded here...
Edwin
Weatherby Fan
Well-Known Member
Very cool story Edwin, thanks for sharing.
Danehunter
Well-Known Member
Hatrick,
Check earlier in this thread for a photo of my 6.4 CM Browning X0-Bolt Pro.
Check earlier in this thread for a photo of my 6.4 CM Browning X0-Bolt Pro.
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cohunt
Well-Known Member
for n off the shelf mountain rifle, I think its hard to beat the bergara premier mountain rifle-- light at 6.2 pounds (but not ultralight) -- hand picked and hand lapped sub MOA guaranteed barrels, full CF stock, cera-kote action/barrel, and trigger tech "friction-less" trigger, floating blt head and nitride bolt shroud and stop-- comes in 30-06, 280AI and 300 wm (for .2 pounds more), can find them online for $1800-1900
Danehunter
Well-Known Member
coloradohunt,
I looked online at that Bergara mountain rifle and you're correct, a lot for the money, especially the Trigger Tech trigger. But not a 3 lug bolt and that kills it for me.
Eric B.
BTW, I would far prefer the lightweight Begara to any light Kimber B/C i know with a certainty that the Begara will be accurate. Same goes for the Browning rifles, very accurate out of the box, as they always have been.
I looked online at that Bergara mountain rifle and you're correct, a lot for the money, especially the Trigger Tech trigger. But not a 3 lug bolt and that kills it for me.
Eric B.
BTW, I would far prefer the lightweight Begara to any light Kimber B/C i know with a certainty that the Begara will be accurate. Same goes for the Browning rifles, very accurate out of the box, as they always have been.
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mttinman59
Well-Known Member
Leaving on my Montana 680 sheep tomorrow my ultimate sheep gun xp100
7mm08 140 gr spitzers just got back from range 5" group @ 400 yd 5lbs ready to hunt
7mm08 140 gr spitzers just got back from range 5" group @ 400 yd 5lbs ready to hunt
Send us dead sheep pics!!
Country Bumpkin
Well-Known Member
Man, that pre-64 story is cool. Doc must not have had any family members that were paying attention (either that or he spent so much time hunting that he failed to raise his kids to be outdoorsmen).I know this is old school but if I had to grab one of my rifles right now to go on a sheep hunt...it would be a gun that's over 40 years old!
Yep, I would pass on my Blaser R-93 in .264 wm and pass on a new custom or two...and I would dig out the gun I picked up at an estate sale 10 years ago.
It's a good old .270 built on a pre-64 Winchester action. What makes it special is that it is one of the early sheep rifles made by one of the legends, Brown Precision, Inc.
After I bought the gun I bought some Nosler premium factory ammo just to see what it could do...didn't expect much as the gun had a 22" pencil barrel, was dinged up a little and had a couple of bands of black electrical tape around the stock close to the butt. An older Swarovski was already mounted so I didn't change anything - just shot a 3 shot 100 yd group using my backpack as a rest.
Imagine my surprise when I found a 3 shot cloverleaf (less than 3/4") about 1.5 inches above the bull!
I started grinning like a possum eating briars and still do whenever that gun comes to mind.
I was so excited I decided to call up Brown Precision to compliment them on a fine rifle.
After speaking to Mark Brown for just a moment and describing the gun and how I acquired it he quickly stated "That's Dr. xxxx's gun isn't it?"
I was stunned...he then proceeded to ask if the tape was still on the stock and when I affirmed that it was he laughed and told me that he and his dad had begged the doctor (a hunting buddy of theirs) to send the gun back to be re-stocked but he refused saying "It shoots too good to mess with it".
Then Mark told me the story of how the gun had fallen off the back of the Land Rover on an African safari and got run over by the back tire...but never lost its zero. They taped it up in the field and kept right on hunting.
The gun was used by the doctor to take numerous trophy plains game on multiple safaris in Africa and some dangerous game also.
It also went to Alaska, Canada and Asia to take numerous sheep species...all big trophies.
It was the Doc's favorite rifle...his "go-to" gun.
So when Mark offered to recoat and restock the gun I declined...if it was good enough for the doc its good enough for me! I wouldn't hesitate to go hunting anywhere, anytime with that gun.
Sometimes late at night I think I hear a lion roar...from the direction of my safe.
Sorry for getting longwinded here...
Edwin
I've been working on a project and am about ready to put it all together. Essentially utilizing R26 and heavy - for - cartridge Bullets have been able to work up some great "test" ballistics. Now we are cutting barrels to get actual numbers.
Essentially my ultimate sheep gun has to be:
1. Reliable
2. Enough Gun
3. LIGHT
4. Compact for back packs, plane etc.
5. Lowe profile for horse scabbard and back pack.
6. Tough as nails.
7. Preferably a round I can also buy off the shelf fairly easily should something happen.
All of this lead me to the - 300 WSM with a 200grain Accubond. So far we are seeing velocities in the range of 2775 with a 21" barrel.
It's not an earth shattering speed but when you look at what that 200 grain does all the way to 850 it's impressive.
A 265 yard zero yields you an approx 0 to 350 yard point blank range assuming an 8" kill zone.
Going to use either a Swarovski Z5 3-18 x 44 with their new turret a Zeiss V4 4-16x15 or a Leupold VX6HD 3-18 - I have one and I love it.
With a very small minimalist mountain carbon fiber stock and a # 2 contour barrel flutted towards the action like the Kimber I think we can get into that Kimber weight arena with a gun that will shoot lights out. I will say that after doing some tuning on my Kimber it is extremely impressive. I wouldn't say .25 MOA but definitely MOD - and that's all that counts on the Mountain!
Essentially my ultimate sheep gun has to be:
1. Reliable
2. Enough Gun
3. LIGHT
4. Compact for back packs, plane etc.
5. Lowe profile for horse scabbard and back pack.
6. Tough as nails.
7. Preferably a round I can also buy off the shelf fairly easily should something happen.
All of this lead me to the - 300 WSM with a 200grain Accubond. So far we are seeing velocities in the range of 2775 with a 21" barrel.
It's not an earth shattering speed but when you look at what that 200 grain does all the way to 850 it's impressive.
A 265 yard zero yields you an approx 0 to 350 yard point blank range assuming an 8" kill zone.
Going to use either a Swarovski Z5 3-18 x 44 with their new turret a Zeiss V4 4-16x15 or a Leupold VX6HD 3-18 - I have one and I love it.
With a very small minimalist mountain carbon fiber stock and a # 2 contour barrel flutted towards the action like the Kimber I think we can get into that Kimber weight arena with a gun that will shoot lights out. I will say that after doing some tuning on my Kimber it is extremely impressive. I wouldn't say .25 MOA but definitely MOD - and that's all that counts on the Mountain!
Danehunter
Well-Known Member
One of the important aspects of a sheep rifle build is a light scope in light mounts.
My choice for a light scope is a MARCH 3 - 24 x 42, FFP, mil/mil, illuminated reticle.
I already have Talley rings on my SWFA 3 - 15 x 42 scope that currently sits on my 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro.
The MARCH scope comes in late summer and the SWFA scope goes on my .300 Win mag Browning A-Bolt.
Eric B.
My choice for a light scope is a MARCH 3 - 24 x 42, FFP, mil/mil, illuminated reticle.
I already have Talley rings on my SWFA 3 - 15 x 42 scope that currently sits on my 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro.
The MARCH scope comes in late summer and the SWFA scope goes on my .300 Win mag Browning A-Bolt.
Eric B.
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I wondered the same thing when I was at the estate auction. You would not believe the amount of high quality trophy mounts that were there. Everything from B&C shoulder mounts of every North American game to full body mounts of Sheep, Cats, Kudo, and lots of African game.
I don't think he had any children...his wife was there and I got to speak with her a few minutes. Very fine lady.
In addition to his Brown Precision rifle I bought some really high quality gear including frame packs and the rifle hard case he used on his hunting adventures.
Everything was top quality. If that stuff could talk ...oh the tales they could tell from Alaska to Asia to Africa.
Weatherby Fan
Well-Known Member
Ok here's my latest build for sheep hunting and everyday deer hunting !
Kimber Montana 84M 6.5-284, action slabbed, trued and squared
22" Benchmark #1 Contour 1-8 twist, with hand made brake for 24" total barrel length
Lightweight trigger guard
High comb added to the Montana CF stock.
The very first 3 shot group out of it with Nosler Trophy Grade 130gr Accubonds
