Herters U9 or BSA Monarch, anybody else have one?

[weasel]

First big rifle I've owned, been kind of a safe queen for a while, thinking about maybe cerracote and synthetic stock. Anybody shot one much?

Thanks, Jim

[CzaRon]

I have a Monarch Deluxe .30/06 that I bought new in 1968. In my younger days I tried to "improve" it by free floating the barrel. What I needed to do was practice shooting more but the Beezer responded well to glass bedding. It will put 165 and 180 gr loads under 1" if the shooter does his part. Shot several deer with it but don't use it much anymore. Don't want to break anything. I did have to replace the firing pin once. I'm  sure Herter's use of the BSA action for their U9 will keep us in parts for a long time.

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

      Well yes as I have a bit of a thing about the BSA rifles and am currently looking for a nice short action Hunter model. Anyway I have 2 First pattern Monarchs ( the ones withe the dovetailed action top ) and two Majestic Featherweights and a couple of CF2's. So far I have not found one that does not shoot well even the first Monarch I acquired dirt cheap to it's badly worn condition shoots well despite is obviously worn barrel, it's a 270 Winchester, later I acquired a very good condition one so have been considering re-barreling the old one but that's as far as it's got as yet.

First big rifle I've owned, been kind of a safe queen for a while, thinking about maybe cerracote and synthetic stock. Anybody shot one much?

Thanks, Jim

   Now why would you want to ruin a nice rifle?

   The blacking on BSA's was superb and although they used fairly plain wood I have never seen one with a broken stock as they selected the wood well. Most accuracy problems I have heard about is where well meaning owners muck with the bedding and free float the barrels. As I see it free floating is a cheap way for modern makers as they use cheap Kiln Dried wood which is not properly cured and so warps at the slightest provocation. It's a shame really that BSA's don;t get the respect that they obviously deserve!

[lilabner]

I had a U9 which I bought used. It was a .257 Roberts and it shot tight groups with my handloads. Dumbest thing I ever did was sell it. It made 1 shot kills on numerous Colorado mule deer. The BSA rifles weren't as pretty as  pre '64 Model 70s, but they were well built and mine was a good shooter.

[Brithunter]

Now I have some BSA's with nice wood but they mainly went for strength in their wood and this may have hampered sales in the US. However I cannot agree that the Pre 64 Model 70 was a better looking rifle! Takle a look at this 1959 Majestic Featherweight in 270 :-









Now this is the poor consdition Monarch I picked up, it's been a Forrestry commission rifle I suspect as the blacking was completely gone from the barrel from handling ( I covered it with cold blue ) and the bore is worn yet it's still an attractive rifle and still shoots around MOA despite the worn bore and throat :-



It has a fuller stock and slightly heavier contour barrel, sorry I don't have any photos of the better condition one I picked up nor the .243 Majestic Feather weight which has nicer honey coloured wood.