What is a good rifle ?

[nvFlobalob]

To my mind it's one that is absolutely reliable, accurate and practical, what it looks like is not really important. It must be affordable, so that basically rules out trendy rifles. If it has a detachable magazine that is also a good thing, and ammo must be readily available. Being easily scoped is important to me, the scope is important now that I'm getting on a bit.
I suppose what it comes down to at the end of the day is it must be a rifle I would happily use to defend my life and family with, it's a rifle I would not hesitate to take to war.


This two groove Long Branch number 4 sporter from 1944 with it's 2.5 x $10 scope ticks all the boxes for me. What ticks yours ?





Old Lee Enfields are everywhere over here, very few people value them.

[NTSOG]

G'day,

Undoubtedly there are many excellent rifles available. Some of the older models by Anschutz, BRNO and other makers are wonderful and accurate, but an issue that has affected me and others is parts availability for such older rifles. For instance replacement magazines for my Anschutz 1532 [.222 Rem] and my 15-16 in .22 Magnum are not available from Anschutz; they keep few if any spare parts for older rifles as far as I understand. I know this has affected other owners of this rifle and now has affected me as I recently misplaced my magazine for my 1532 after unloading the rifle in the dark and could not find it. I've located some 1532 magazines in the USA but now face the problem of buying them [Expensive!!!], gaining permission to export them from the USA and then gaining permission to import them into Australia. The International Traffic in Arms Regulations governing firearms, parts, some optical devices and ammunition are complex and very difficult to understand.

Jim

[nvFlobalob]

G'day,

Undoubtedly there are many excellent rifles available. Some of the older models by Anschutz, BRNO and other makers are wonderful and accurate, but an issue that has affected me and others is parts availability for such older rifles. For instance replacement magazines for my Anschutz 1532 [.222 Rem] and my 15-16 in .22 Magnum are not available from Anschutz; they keep few if any spare parts for older rifles as far as I understand. I know this has affected other owners of this rifle and now has affected me as I recently misplaced my magazine for my 1532 after unloading the rifle in the dark and could not find it. I've located some 1532 magazines in the USA but now face the problem of buying them [Expensive!!!], gaining permission to export them from the USA and then gaining permission to import them into Australia. The International Traffic in Arms Regulations governing firearms, parts, some optical devices and ammunition are complex and very difficult to understand.

Jim

Good point Jim. A rifle with no mag, for which mags are unobtainable is not a good rifle any more.

Mags for Lee Enfields are expensive now, there are some newly made efforts about here but they are basically crap.

It looks as if Lee Enfield mags were never really in good supply if this Savage made US property rifle mag is anything to go by.



It's a great rifle that's been fitted with a new 5 grove barrel by BSA at Maltby. It's seen a lot of action, especially it's magazine.

PS, I don't think there is a problem getting mags shipped from the US to Canada, least there was no problem a few years ago. A little mag such as you are looking for would not be hard to ship to Australia.

[NTSOG]

nvFlobalob: "A little mag such as you are looking for would not be hard to ship to Australia."

I hope you're correct. My wife is currently in northern Wisconsin visiting her family and will be bringing two magazines back in a few days. I did obtain permission to import them from the local Police Firearms Registry and customs. Hopefully she will take them out of the USA in her checked suitcase and then declare them to Australian customs on the basis of the written importation permission I obtained and which she is carrying. If she's not allowed to bring them in I will have lost $A300 or so and will still have no magazine.

Regarding Lee Enfields, as a schoolboy cadet [1960s] I and my schoolmates were issued rifles by the school Q Store. We drilled all over the school playing fields carrying our rifles. A highlight each year was to go to Puckapunyal Military camp where we got to shoot on the range with SMLEs and also got to shoot a full magazine with a Bren gun. Nowadays that would be considered antisocial behaviour by the progressive folk who are paranoid about any and all firearms. As you remarked Lee Enfields are still easily available.

Jim

[nvFlobalob]

nvFlobalob: "A little mag such as you are looking for would not be hard to ship to Australia."

I hope you're correct. My wife is currently in northern Wisconsin visiting her family and will be bringing two magazines back in a few days. I did obtain permission to import them from the local Police Firearms Registry and customs. Hopefully she will take them out of the USA in her checked suitcase and then declare them to Australian customs on the basis of the written importation permission I obtained and which she is carrying. If she's not allowed to bring them in I will have lost $A300 or so and will still have no magazine.

Regarding Lee Enfields, as a schoolboy cadet [1960s] I and my schoolmates were issued rifles by the school Q Store. We drilled all over the school playing fields carrying our rifles. A highlight each year was to go to Puckapunyal Military camp where we got to shoot on the range with SMLEs and also got to shoot a full magazine with a Bren gun. Nowadays that would be considered antisocial behaviour by the progressive folk who are paranoid about any and all firearms. As you remarked Lee Enfields are still easily available.

Jim

If I were you I would move somewhere else, somewhere where I had some freedom.

[NTSOG]

G'day nvFlobalob,

"If I were you I would move somewhere else, somewhere where I had some freedom."


Thankfully I live on a farm in the country so paranoid anti-firearm people are few and far between. [Unfortunately, we do get people from cities moving into small properties in the district. Often, they have no understanding of country life and cause problems, e.g., one bloke complained about our cows mooing to the local ranger and the Police! He was told he should go back to the city if he didn't like country life.] I shoot on my farm and on neighbouring farms whenever I want. For instance, I've been out hunting the last 3 nights. The divide between urban-dwelling people and rural folks is increasing, but there are another 9 licensed shooters within a mile of my property. Shooting feral animals is a routine weekly practice for many of us. I would hate to live in any city nowadays with the noise, crowding and increasing crime.

Regarding the magazines for my Anschütz 1532 my wife took them through US customs in her checked luggage and Australian customs accepted them as legitimate imports on the basis of the import permission I had been granted so I'm back in business with my old rifle with one spare magazine in case my elderly brain fails me again.

Jim

[nvFlobalob]

Glad to hear you got sorted.