My new Hunting Rifle - its a beauty !

[Jacko]

Well folks a few months back I announced to all that would listen I was in the market for a Ruger No 1 in 45.70 and would be saving until Christmas time . Come into a bit of cash sooner than I thought so it burned a hole in my pocket .

I was very sorely tempted by a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun , talk about a sweet handling little carbine  however I passed up a beautifull No 1 and the Guide Gun after sitting down and crunching some numbers . If I buy a Rifle I want to shoot the thing other than a few warm up shots the week before one of the rare hunts I do get out on and a 45.70 coupled with the rising cost of reloading components was just too expensive to shoot regularly .

I looked long and hard at a Ruger Number 1 in 460 S & W mag and 475 Linebaugh as well but the cases etc cost as much as or more than the 45.70 . I have no interest in high velocity loudenboomers or .308 , .338 etc so I opted for a Mini Guide Gun of sort's "a Marlin 1894 .44 magnum" . I will keep on dreaming of a Ruger No 1 big bore for when the kids are grown , another 5 years and the horizon should open up . The 1894 wont hold value like a Ruger No 1 thats for sure . I'm a working class fella so it seems are my rifles .

I've picked up 200 new Remington cases , a set of near new .44 mag dies for 1/2 full retail price , 1000 240 gr Westcast projectiles and a box of Hornady 265 gr JSP , 60 rounds of Winchester Super X 240 gr JHP and 5000 CCI magnum primers so I'm good to go for a couple of years I reckon and for about 1/2 the total cost of a similar quanity of 45.70 reloading components .

Another advantage of the .44 magnum for me is that I can use the same powder as for my .357 mag Rossi . At the moment I have some development loads using W296 waiting for a trip to the range latter this week . A tip off from a firearm sales rep aquantence as well as the same tip off from a wholesaler that imported reloading components prices are set to soar come Christmas due to the panic buying in the USA just now and other factors causing supply problems for Australia . I will buy Australian made ADI AR2205 next pay which I'm hoping as a local product should be readily available if the tip offs prove correct . I have some ADI AP70N which should make for some great plinking loads .

Im very happy with the 1894 , nice deep blueing , reasonable stock and forend timber that don't quite match but hey it don't bother me none , pretty short about 38" long , 6 1/2 pounds which will be lively under recoil with full power loads but I'll only notice that on the bench . I have fitted a Williams FP336 peep sight using the front scope mount holes so I don't need to use the hammer spur so I'm good to go . Hoping for a pig hunt in November , can't wait to thump a few porkers with the .44 - stay posted

regards Jacko

[burntmuch]

Jacko congrats. Thats a nice looking rig. Shoud be pretty handy for ya. My next purchace is a lever gun in 44 or 357. Im leaning towards 357 though. Let us know how it shoots.

[bsrecurve]

looks nice mate - bet it will serve you well in the scrub.
i'm still thinking about a 44 mag puma -  possibly the ultra-compact trapper version as a bike gun for chasing down porkers.
i am also very tempted by an AIA sporter in 308, although the ruger is doing me proud these days.
will probably end up with a 44mag puma before the holidays to be honest.
hope this november hunt works out for you mate.
see you in the christmas holidays.
cheers - brian

[hillbill]

jacko, not sure but guessing yur a aussie? how do pig hunts work there? are they considered vermin as they are here in the states?or do you need permits, licenses etc?are there bag limits?seasons? always have been interested in our lifestyle as it is conducted down under in your country.regards! hillbill

[Jacko]

Gidday hillbill

Pigs are considered vermin and are the most hunted quarry downunder - little mercy is shown . Once upon a time when we where allowed semi auto firearms the most fun you could have with your pants on was ambushing a mob of pigs on an Outback dam and bombing them up . Last estimate of the feral pig population in Australia earlier this year was a conservative 25 million , more pigs than people . Most are hunted on private land and there is no seasons . Other than jumping through government imposed hoops to get a firearms licence no licence or permits are required unless you hunt New South Wales which has a scheme where hunters who are accredited and licenced hunt in state forests . Some pig hunting is done on Aboriginal land mostly in the Northern Territory mostly high dollar hunting outfitters , the outfitters have special permission . Permits are required to hunt on Aboriginal land and unlikely you'll get one privately unless you know someone .

Spot and stalk from a vehicle is probably the most common as the properties are vast , 50 000 acres is not that big a property out west [ based on east coast ] Hunting these places on foot is generally not practical as pig populations are scattered in the hard country

There is plenty of Bowhunting going on . A lot of folks use dogs and despatch pigs with knives , commonly from a vehicle until the dogs scent them then cut em loose with a mad dash through the scrub [ a young fella's game that one] . Spotlighting can be very productive in area's where the cunning buggers are more nocturnal . Years ago I used to bowhunt pigs at night under a full moon , interesting in waist high crops with Brown snakes out chasing mice and all you got is a bow I tell you .

Government often conducts aerial shooting culls and 1080 baiting programmes aimed at pigs and wild dogs in National Parks , State Forests and on private land . I hate 1080 poison , evil stuff animals die by spewing out their guts and blood loss . There is some momentum building for government to allow hunters into National parks for feral animal control but the anti's are mounting an effective campain keeping us out just now .

Keep the questions coming

regards Jacko

[hillbill]

jacko, awesum info on yualls situation with the pigs.whats the next most predominate big game thats available to the general public?do yu have the red deer like in NZ?i love learning about your country and lifestyle as its the only place id ever be interested in liveing besides the US.good hunting with the new rifle!

[Jacko]

hilbil , I think Goats could well be the next most hunted feral game in Australia with european Rabbits holding a soft spot in a lot of hunters hearts as well . We have Red , 2 sub species of Rusa , Sambar , Fallow , Chital and Hog Deer . There is also Camels , wild Donkeys , Brumby's [ wild Horses ] , Bantang , Asiatic Buffalo , wild dogs - the list goes on . All native fauna is protected and can not be hunted without a permit .

regards Jacko

[petemi]

Jacko, thanks for a good read.  When I was in my early 20s, I was stationed at a Naval Air Station in Florida.  I was hunting deer and pigs in a buffer zone on base.  We were limited to shotguns because of the aircraft in the area.  I was sitting on an old WWII bunker on an abandoned gunnery range.  I spotted a hog that I thought was in range of the 2 3/4" slug.  I shot, he ran, I fired the last two rounds I was limited to and the hog raced around the inside of the berm, getting closer to me all the time.  A Florida cracker hunting buddy of mine always said if you can catch them in the open you could run them down, grab a hind leg, flip em over and cut their throat.  I dropped the shotgun, grabbed my knife and tried to beat the hog to the opening in the berm.  I made it.  There he was, 3 or 4 hundred pounds, tusks like king sized cigarettes sticking up from his lower jaw and gonads the size of coconuts.  His hair on his back and neck was standing straight up and he was stomping and woofing.  My knife instantly turned into a kids toy rubber knife, and I prayed he would leave me alone and go out through the break.  Thank God he did.  After I settled down, I realized all three of my shots were well over 100 yards!  With stupidity like that, it's a wonder I've made it to almost 70.


Pete

[ccc0mb0]

Look like a fun gun Jacko
Let me know if want a co-driver/hunter in Nov, I've never been pig hunting before and always wanted to go 

[Jacko]

Welcome to Graybeard ccc0mb0. I guess your an Aussie, tell us about yourself

Novembers been and gone. Have a look at this thread http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,189524.0.html , tells you all about the .44's maiden voyage

regards Jacko

[cccombo]

Hey Jacko, ccc0mb0 is me, seems I've had troubles loging into GBO in the past so I made another user accounts, I should just stick with this one now I've found my login details
   

Novembers been and gone. Have a look at this thread http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,189524.0.html , tells you all about the .44's maiden voyage

Silly me I must have missed the post date
You did good with the .44 mate, I want to get a LA shotgun soon