Anyone have a Stalking rifle to flaunt?
- Thread starter tokguy
- Start date
Thank you for pointing that out when here I thought I was just lacking the 'correct' tool for the job.
Combine pilot by birth and can't get back there fast enough. Prolly do 90% of my work there...absolutely love it. Running a tractor spreading nitrogen in the rolling hills east of the Frenchman these days. A stalking rifle would be good in the Frenchman...but where I'm at, the stalking is Topographically based. Either be a stain and blow their lights out from 500 + yards or follow draws that enable you to get close enough for a decent shot.
I am actually serious about approaching from the other side of the dirt mound... true.
Too windy to spread N2 today...I'll get a 'Stalking rifle' pic up here. All I had in Gull Lake was a 220 Swift... them's a 'yote gun.
thats a real nice rifle^^
"In its purest form, the “stalking rifle” is probably stocked in walnut and probably carries iron sights. But it is perfectly within bounds for it to be scoped. While I don’t mean to imply that John Rigby either created or owned the concept, they made a lot of .275s. This, plus fame gained from use by Bell and Corbett, makes a Rigby/Mauser perhaps the archetypical form of the stalking rifle. I asked my friend Simon Barr at Tweed Media to dig up a few photos of some vintage examples. He sent me photos of eight different Rigby “stalking rifles.” They are all similar in appearance, with slim, trim stocks that perhaps have a bit too much drop at heel for ideal use with scope sights. However, four of the eight are scoped (though probably not when they left the factory the first time). More interesting, however, is that fully five of the eight rifles have aperture sights on the cocking piece (in addition to express rear sights on the barrels). Only one of the eight has a flat pistol grip cap; the rest have rounded “Prince of Wales” pistol grips. Of these eight rifles, six are .275s. One, though otherwise visually indistinguishable, is a .303. That must have taken a bit of work to get the rimmed cartridge to feed from its Mauser ’98 action! The eighth rifle is rollmarked “7×57” vice .275Rigby…perhaps for a German customer? Only two of the eight had recoil pads; the rest had steel buttplates."
https://huntforever.org/2015/08/31/the-stalking-rifle/
also https://www.africanhuntinggazette.com/what-in-the-world-is-a-stalking-rifle/
"In its purest form, the “stalking rifle” is probably stocked in walnut and probably carries iron sights. But it is perfectly within bounds for it to be scoped. While I don’t mean to imply that John Rigby either created or owned the concept, they made a lot of .275s. This, plus fame gained from use by Bell and Corbett, makes a Rigby/Mauser perhaps the archetypical form of the stalking rifle. I asked my friend Simon Barr at Tweed Media to dig up a few photos of some vintage examples. He sent me photos of eight different Rigby “stalking rifles.” They are all similar in appearance, with slim, trim stocks that perhaps have a bit too much drop at heel for ideal use with scope sights. However, four of the eight are scoped (though probably not when they left the factory the first time). More interesting, however, is that fully five of the eight rifles have aperture sights on the cocking piece (in addition to express rear sights on the barrels). Only one of the eight has a flat pistol grip cap; the rest have rounded “Prince of Wales” pistol grips. Of these eight rifles, six are .275s. One, though otherwise visually indistinguishable, is a .303. That must have taken a bit of work to get the rimmed cartridge to feed from its Mauser ’98 action! The eighth rifle is rollmarked “7×57” vice .275Rigby…perhaps for a German customer? Only two of the eight had recoil pads; the rest had steel buttplates."
https://huntforever.org/2015/08/31/the-stalking-rifle/
also https://www.africanhuntinggazette.com/what-in-the-world-is-a-stalking-rifle/
More excerpts from the Boddington article:
As George Bernard Shaw said (and Churchill restated), the Brits and the Americans are “one people divided by a common language,” so in order to understand the “stalking rifle” we need to first turn to the British usage of the word “stalking.” In proper British sporting terms, “shooting” means shotgunning for birds. “Hunting” means riding to the hounds. And here, in my initial understanding, is where I messed up. “Stalking” refers to pursuing big game with a rifle. Yes, except, in the proper English lexicon, “big game” implies large and sometimes dangerous game hunted else where, formerly India, today Africa and even North America. So “stalking” in its purest sense means hunting four-legged game afoot in the British Isles: Red deer, roebuck, introduced species such as sika, muntjac, and more. Yep, you guessed it: The bottom line on a “stalking rifle” is that it’s primarily a deer rifle!
Regardless of cartridge, caliber, action or even what type of game the rifle was ultimately used for, the stalking rifle developed as a light, handy rifle that was modest in caliber.
However, as is so common in much of Europe today, I suppose there are examples out there that have barrels threaded for a suppressor to reduce noise pollution
Again, it’s a concept, a mindset, not a specific rifle.
As George Bernard Shaw said (and Churchill restated), the Brits and the Americans are “one people divided by a common language,” so in order to understand the “stalking rifle” we need to first turn to the British usage of the word “stalking.” In proper British sporting terms, “shooting” means shotgunning for birds. “Hunting” means riding to the hounds. And here, in my initial understanding, is where I messed up. “Stalking” refers to pursuing big game with a rifle. Yes, except, in the proper English lexicon, “big game” implies large and sometimes dangerous game hunted else where, formerly India, today Africa and even North America. So “stalking” in its purest sense means hunting four-legged game afoot in the British Isles: Red deer, roebuck, introduced species such as sika, muntjac, and more. Yep, you guessed it: The bottom line on a “stalking rifle” is that it’s primarily a deer rifle!
Regardless of cartridge, caliber, action or even what type of game the rifle was ultimately used for, the stalking rifle developed as a light, handy rifle that was modest in caliber.
However, as is so common in much of Europe today, I suppose there are examples out there that have barrels threaded for a suppressor to reduce noise pollution
Again, it’s a concept, a mindset, not a specific rifle.
Not really. Boddington does discuss traditional/vintage stalking rifles at length but also talks about suppressors, synthetic stocks and lever actions. Even mentions the 6.5 Creed!
The Outsider
CGN Regular
I've stalked and killed a lot of deer with this 1981 Remington 700 BDL in 30-06.
For an unmolested factory rifle, it's a tack driver with any of the loads I've worked up for it.!
For an unmolested factory rifle, it's a tack driver with any of the loads I've worked up for it.!
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Ghostriderz
Member
- Location
- Greater Mtl
Surprised nobody suggested a nice BLR. To me it's the definition of a stalking rifle, fast to shoulder and fast reload. Short barrel with iron sights, accurate enough for 300yards.
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I said the same thing a couple of pages back in a post... I said to do the same thing but on Pinterest. You can lead a horse to water...
Arguing with a troll is sort of like herding cats... You're not ever really going to gain any ground.
Arguing with a troll is sort of like herding cats... You're not ever really going to gain any ground.
Just looked at the Shooting UK article about 14 popular stalking rifles. A few of them look to be "traditional" style stalking rifles with wood stocks and iron sights. Many of their stalking rifle choices bend or break the mold though. Stainless, synthetic, suppressors, detachable magazines, thumbhole stocks etc. Not surprisingly, they view stalking rifles the same way many of us do- a concept and not a specific type of rifle- and make a selection based on various factors that include terrain, quarry and climate. Instead of insisting that a stalking rifle must fall into a specific traditional style, they mention that the Tikka T3 is the best selling stalking rifle today and it is pictured with a picatinny rail and adjustable synthetic stock.
https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/shooting/deer-stalking/14-popular-rifles-for-deer-stalking-46583
14 popular rifles for deer stalking
Shooting UK February 17, 2020
The Tikka T3 is probably the best-selling stalking rifle in the UK today
https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/shooting/deer-stalking/14-popular-rifles-for-deer-stalking-46583
14 popular rifles for deer stalking
Shooting UK February 17, 2020
The Tikka T3 is probably the best-selling stalking rifle in the UK today
