What do I have here?

r.fallon

r.fallon

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Hi Gents I picked this up with the intention of flipping it. I have no idea of the receiver/barrel/stock manufacture nor who the smith was that put the rifle together. Any info would be great as far as establishing a value for this piece. The rifle is a single shot only as you can see from the solid bottom of the receiver. The chambering is .300 HH, bore is excellent,and I have no idea of round count.







 
It's a Musgrave single shot target action. They were made in South Africa, and starting in the 1970s they were one of the best target rifle actions on the market. Nowadays they are a bit "dated" when look at next to the new actions, but they are still every bit as good as they always have been. I have one, which I have shot competitively in F-Class (scoped) and TR (iron sighted) competition over the past 15 years.

On the left side of the receiver it might say "Lyttleton RSA 7.62" (mine does). Lyttleton is a suburb of Johannesburg, RSA is Republic of South Africa.

The receivers were not made with serial numbers, rather, the serial numbers were put on the barrel (in South Africa, the barrel is the registered "firearm" part, the receiver is just a miscellaneous part).

I am a bit surprised to hear that it is in 300 H & H. The action would have originally been built for .308. Conversion to .308 would require opening up the bolt face. From the pictures you posted, perhaps I can see that?

If I had to guess, I'd say somebody built themselves a hunting rifle, using target rifle parts and practices.
 
Yes, definitely a Musgrave. I have one too.

Yours has been drilled and tapped for bases which from what I've read is a bit of an operation due to the very high hardness of the receiver. I seem to recall that 'spot-annealing' was required to allow drilling and tapping.

I'd be surprised if you could eject a live round from the small loading / ejection port in the longer 300 H&H.

It's a very well made action and very stiff.

I've seen Musgrave TR rifles for sale between $500 and $1200 depending on barrel and stock. You don't really see them for sale that often.

I'll likely never part with mine even though I haven't fired it since '91.
 
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Even though they are somewhat dated many are still in use for TR shooting. I am sending mine off in the spring to have it restocked to use as my #2 rifle or back-up rifle.
 
I, too, have a Musgrave actionned target rifle.
Your rifle is interesting, but I'm not quite sure what one would do with it. Basically, it is a custom single shot hunting rifle in a fine old caliber. Might be a bit of a hard sell.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't think that this is a "hunting rifle" the over all weight is 15 lbs and the stock is a wide beaver tail type for end with a weight. A loaded round will not eject the bolt has to be removed to extract it, the distance from bolt face to ejection port end is 3.2". I agree that this is an odd chambering for this action. There looks to be enough meat there to cut the barrel back and rechamber in something shorter and newer.
Cheers RF
 
300 HH is a very fine caliber. I have one in a old model 70 and would never part with it. I have brass that has lasted for almost 20 years now for it. If you plan on hunting elk or moose with it then your spot on.
 
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