Thanks Bumps. You know, I am not really sure if the African is a true Controlled Round Feeding design. Would you mind running a magazine full of cartridges through it and see if it indeed "picks up" the round from the magazine ala Mauser CRF or does it "push" the round into the chamber? I don't place alot of emphasis on "chambering a round upside down" out of a hunting rifle, but I do like a big claw extractor ( which the Ruger has for sure). Just curious. I love my Remingtons, but have seen a few extractors fail and a few of the little "ejector plungers" freeze up with grit, brass shavings,etc. No elephants or brown bear in my future, but a big hog (boar or sow w/pigs) is not called "a Texas Grizzly" for nothing! ha. I say all that with tongue in cheek because I have killed soooo many hogs with a Winchester 94/22mag and the smaller centerfire rounds, mostly 30-30, all with head/neck shots. I did shoot about a 70#er through the heart'lungs with 50gr XLC out of a little CZ .221 Fireball carbine. 50cal hole all the way through! But a 300#+ Russian with heavy muscles/hide/gristle, well, just seems like a great reason to use a 9.3x62, ha. And that African Hawkeye is a very nice looking rifle.
I read where Phil Shoemaker had one of the Alaskan Hawkeyes in .375 Ruger, but didn't like the Hogue rubber stock. He ordered and put on the synthetic stock used on other Hawkeye stainless rifle ( I forget what caliber) and it made a lighter, easier handling rifle and didn't try to stick to your clothes like the Horgue does. I am sure a wood stock rifle would eventually give problems in Alaska. No sweat in Utah, more snow than rain, and I don't guide bear hunters, ha. Let me know about that CRF on that African Pard, thanks.
