Here's a very light rifle from the 50s

[beagleye]

Here's a less common one- I believe this is a BSA Royal 30-06. Under 7 lbs loaded (not scoped). It's a great gun for stalking the laurel thickets and mountains. It has a double square bridge and a very sturdy 3 leaf rear site.

It is good and accurate, has taken a few deer so far. It required bedding and barrel channel work to get there. Prior to that, it would string badly, light rifle issues.

The muzzle break works very well. Noisy? I can't say whether is actually any louder, I can't tell the difference, 30-06 is just too loud anyway, I wear protection. For a sub 7# 30-06, recoil is totally manageable, .243-ish.

There not a lot of these around, the later push feed models far outnumber the early controlled feed models. i think these early ones were too expensive to build. They are a very high quality classy stalking sporter.

 

[beagleye]

additional picture

The thing that makes a gun like this, or a BRNO sporter or similar rifle, it's not just how light it is, it's the trimness and the balance, the way it feels suspended in front at the ready. This one is a pleasure to carry, it's my go to stalking gun.

 

[Texas Star]

I had the later one with Monte Carlo stock, in .30-06. I don't think it had the BESA muzzle brake (not "break") vents, and it kicked... a LOT!

Stan Brock, of Wild Kingdom fame, had one at his South American ranch. Jack O'Connor featured them in his, Complete Book of Rifles and Shotguns. Otherwise, little was heard of them in the USA.

I like the style of these early ones, much like my Winchester M-70 Fwt. Classic.

If I found a nice one in 7X57mm, I think it'd prove very tempting.

A full length shot of the rifle's right side would be nice, if you have one.

 

[beagleye]

I had the later one with Monte Carlo stock, in .30-06. I don't think it had the BESA muzzle brake (not "break") vents, and it kicked... a LOT!

Stan Brock, of Wild Kingdom fame, had one at his South American ranch. Jack O'Connor featured them in his, Complete Book of Rifles and Shotguns. Otherwise, little was heard of them in the USA.

I like the style of these early ones, much like my Winchester M-70 Fwt. Classic.

If I found a nice one in 7X57mm, I think it'd prove very tempting.

A full length shot of the rifle's right side would be nice, if you have one.

I'll get one. Thanks for the added info. 7x57 would be desirable. Frank Dehaas also has a nice profile. Like O'Connor, he really dug into those rifle, but more technically, less hand on experience. To my mind the weakness in the gun is the one offness of the trigger. It's not perfect and it's very complicated and nothing like anything else. It may well be it's eventual undoing, but good for now.

Stan Brock... Was he involved in that awesome anaconda wrestling scene? Was that his ranch? Man, that show and especially that episode BLEW MY MIND when I was kid. I would learn more about Stan Brock's rifle. Was it the controlled feed?

 

[Texas Star]

I'll get one. Thanks for the added info. 7x57 would be desirable. Frank Dehaas also has a nice profile. Like O'Connor, he really dug into those rifle, but more technically, less hand on experience. To my mind the weakness in the gun is the one offness of the trigger. It's not perfect and it's very complicated and nothing like anything else. It may well be it's eventual undoing, but good for now.

Stan Brock... Was he involved in that awesome anaconda wrestling scene? Was that his ranch? Man, that show and especially that episode BLEW MY MIND when I was kid. I would learn more about Stan Brock's rifle. Was it the controlled feed?

Marlin Perkins was old and had Brock do the physical stuff on the show. I don't recall him wrestling an anaconda, but that sounds like what he'd do.

I think I saw the mention of his BSA rifle in his autobiography, but he didn't get specific about the model. Actually, I doubt if he knew the differences in models, or understood the value of controlled round feeding. And he was writing for a general audience, which doesn't care much about gun models.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Pretty wood.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[beagleye]

Marlin Perkins was old and had Brock do the physical stuff on the show. I don't recall him wrestling an anaconda, but that sounds like what he'd do.

I think I saw the mention of his BSA rifle in his autobiography, but he didn't get specific about the model. Actually, I doubt if he knew the differences in models, or understood the value of controlled round feeding. And he was writing for a general audience, which doesn't care much about gun models.

That's funny, I remember Jim Fowler doing the dirty work, but I have no recollection of Stan. I went to college with Jim's niece and Jim was an Alum at that school and so I got to meet him once. Huge guy! That didn't show up so much on the small screen.

 

[REM 3200]

BSA made fine rifles. I owned a BSA Monarch 30/06 for about 30 years, used it in
Alaska, Arizona, Texas, Germany, Colorado, Tennessee/Kentucky and Mississippi to hunt with.
You are right about them needing the action re-bedded and I had my barrel free floated
with a pretty large channel because of moving around the world with humidity changes.
When I bought the gun in Alaska, I had the Armorer of the U.S. Biathlon Team,
stationed at Ft Richardson, do the action and barrel channel work.
When he finished with it, it was a sub-MOA gun.
Off the bench it would shoot slightly less than 2" at 200 yards
with hand-loaded 180 gr. Nosler Partition bullets.

To say I was happy was a gross understatement!

 

[Onomea]

Got nothing to add, but just wanted to say that is a beautiful rifle!

 

[Texas Star]

That's funny, I remember Jim Fowler doing the dirty work, but I have no recollection of Stan. I went to college with Jim's niece and Jim was an Alum at that school and so I got to meet him once. Huge guy! That didn't show up so much on the small screen.

Brock and Fowler both did the stunts. I think one replaced the other. ??

 

[JayFramer]

The gun deserves a good, modern 4-12x60mm scope.

What optic will you be running on it, op?

 

[jmace57]

Is it the original barrel? I've seen some SIMILAR with a Johnson-Gartman barrel.

 

[beagleye]

It is the original Barrel, proof marked and labelled Birmingham Small Arms etc... I have never heard of Johnson-Gartman, European?

I have a 3-9x leupold that I use on it for load development, it will easily shoot 1.25 MOA which is good for such a light rifle. It would probably do better if I was more diligent, but I generally hunt this one with the trusty irons, it's very brushy here, most shot opportunities are under 30 yrds, the accuracy is easily up to that.

 

[BigBill]

Nice rifle, what year?

I purchased a '72 western auto revelation bolt action 30-06 ( made my mossberg) to this day she shoots nickel sized groups at 100 yds with my reloads. In '72 it was $170 with scope.

 

[beagleye]

I believe this model came from the late 50s.

 

[Rpg]

Beautiful hunting rifle!

A 4x Redfield from the period would be a perfect addition for longer ranges.