Some suggestions/advise from the experts please (replacement FA`s)

**Lance76** · 17-02-2011, 21:55

I am Doing this post on behalf a mate, who`s phone lines keep getting stolen, and has to do all his online stuff tethered to his cell phone at the moment(anyone sending him emails with attachments gets threatened with having his beer fridge privileges revoked next time they visit)

He is after suggestions for three replacement firearms
1) a old .303 bolt action, that not only is very loose but has a barrel so warn that hitting a paper plate at 50m is more luck than anything, it a farm gun, used for everything from hunting (kudu down) to bush pigs to putting the odd cow/bull down when needed, or used to be, he now gets his farm manager to do it as he can’t hit shit with his rifle.
2) a Purdy (oke next door offered his new twin cab 4x4 , off shore fishing boat and his 21 year old daughter in exchange for it)don’t think he was joking about the 4x4 and daughter bit) so wants something a little more practical for the odd Guineafowl and snake
3) a very nice .22 hornet that his very Irish redheaded wife, with a temper to match jammed in the safe door at 3am one morning, and bent the barrel, after he woke her up yet again shooting jackals that were after his chickens (he hates chicken, and is allergic to eggs) personally I think that the only reason he has them is to attract the jackals. Also was used for the odd monkey/baboon and a hell of a lot of plinking, at present he is well on the way to shooting threw his second railway sleeper.

Now I have had a look through the site, and a few others for some ideas/suggestions for him, and have come up with the following, by all means tell me I am an idiot and make other suggestions were appropriate

1) The 303, think a lever action in 45-70 would do the job? He has used them before, and likes them; they are tough, reliable and do the job.

2) Shotgun, Remington 870?

3) the hornet, now this one has me completely stumped, wants something that can be suppressed and use subsonic for the 3am jackal shots(wife promised to add laxatives to every meal she makes him from now till hell freezes over if he woke her up again) but also need to be a plinker, fun shooter.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Ps if this post was more appropriate elsewhere, sorry

**JS4** · 17-02-2011, 22:18

Dude, that's classic! Get his wife to join the forum!!

**marshy** · 21-02-2011, 11:23

1) Why not a 308 / 30-06? :)

2) a Beretta Silver Pigeon 1.....because it's an investment, ans until you've held one in your hands, you wont understand....

3) what about a 223? ammo is cheap, and it's fun to shoot? :) (would have said a .22 , but seems like he wants something with a little more ooooomph ;) )

**Lance76** · 21-02-2011, 16:20

Originally Posted by marshy

1) Why not a 308 / 30-06? :)

2) a Beretta Silver Pigeon 1.....because it's an investment, ans until you've held one in your hands, you wont understand....

3) what about a 223? ammo is cheap, and it's fun to shoot? :) (would have said a .22 , but seems like he wants something with a little more ooooomph ;) )

Thanks marshy, will pass the suggestion re the on 308/30-06 on
,Mark is not looking for a fancy shotgun, just something well made and reliable, hence the getting a replacement for the Purdy.
as for the .223 can you get subsonic rounds for it in SA or would you need to reload your own?

---------- Post added at 14:20 ---------- Previous post was at 14:19 ----------

Originally Posted by JS4

Dude, that's classic! Get his wife to join the forum!!

Mark will join when his phone lines are back up and running, but as this is the 4th time they been pinched in 2 years, he is not holding his breath that it will happen any time soon!

**BigT** · 21-02-2011, 20:28

I will gladely buy him a nice solid working Norinco O/U and swap for that silly Purdy :)

**Lance76** · 21-02-2011, 20:43

Originally Posted by BigT

I will gladely buy him a nice solid working Norinco O/U and swap for that silly Purdy :)

You mean the purdy with red and white gold engravings of warthog and guineafowl in a red elephant hide case with brass corners and matching engravings?(i will get him to post a photo or 3 when his phone lines are back up and running) will pass your offer on BigT

**Lance76** · 21-02-2011, 21:44

err,, would a .300 whisper be useful as a plinker,or even practical? what sort of costs would you be looking at if you reloaded for this cal, and would it even be possible to get one in SA?

**Gidsie** · 21-02-2011, 22:19

Once you see the price of .22Hornet ammo, your gonna think twice about it again..
Probably gonna pay less for .223!!

**ikor** · 22-02-2011, 22:47

If he wants 'sturdy' and effective for a farm rifle and has been happy with the Enfield, why not another but one in like new condition? Gotta be lots of them still in SA at excellent prices. I am a huge Enfield fan and own 3 myself.

Remington 870 is an excellent choice as a general all-'round shotgun provided he has no problems with the pump action for his intended use.

Subsonic and suppressed eh? He really IS serious about not waking the missus

For that role with lots of killing punch I, too, think the best cartridge is the .300 or even the .338 Whisper. Unfortunately it is a purely custom only proposition with reloading being mandatory in SA I fear. The similar-in- concept (for completely different reasons) Russian 9x39 is unobtanium I would guess.

In dry air, at 20C the speed of sound is approximately 343 meters per second / 1125fps. 'Subsonic' indicates velocities lower than this threshold. That is pretty nigh impossible with a centerfire rifle cartridge unless you reload, and even then, unless you can use very heavy-for-caliber bullets I think any less than precise shots at marauding jackals near the chikken (

) coop will not be rapid killers.

Use of lead bullet reloads opens the field up for .27-30+ caliber rifle rounds at low velocities...maybe that is a direction for your friend to look at?

In any case, mad red-headed Irish wimmenz scare me to death (there are a few in my family) especially if they are anywhere near kitchen implements, so he is smart to keep mama happy!

**Musgrave** · 23-02-2011, 10:14

My 2c as I own a 45-70: its a great calibre, but factory ammo is scarce (and loaded to pathetic specs) and expensive from the shop. If he doesn't reload his own ammo its not worth it and then would I agree with Ikor: get a replacement .303 (would that not help with motivation for license as well - backed up with letter from gunsmith stating that barrel is FUBAR?) or 308/30-06.

ITO shotgun: over and under or decent pump with a long barrel and choke for those longer shots on g-fowl. I have a Browning BPS pump shottie and although its choke is OK, I'd have preferred a longer barrel than its current 20" (will not complain too much, me dad gave it to me).

.223 sounds good - a farmer friend has a stainless Ruger that works A LOT.