To all the above respondents, your input is appreciated.
Muir, We live in a constantly changing world so I am "au fait" with changes to my life much greater than this, it is however a damn PITA !
Thanks for your thoughts about my rifle, I have, I think, posted something about it here before, years ago;
If you are interested here is the story in respect of my custodianship;
"
In 2006 I was staying with a friend who runs a shooting school/training establishment in the West County (UK) I had been given the privilege of a look at his personal collection of firearms (wow) and the next time I saw him I asked if he had any double rifles in his collection as at that point I had never seen one in the flesh and would be most interested to have a look.
We went into his armoury and in the corner stood a very shabby gunslip.She was looking very neglected and grubby (which surprised me) with a broken trigger guard and a sheen of grime. My friend asked me if I wanted to buy it. I was even more surprised by this as I knew he never sold any of his collection. This rifle was not part of his collection (fortunately!). It transpired the former owner had emigrated to South Africa a number of years previously with a view to having the rifle shipped out to him. Unfortunately he died soon after arriving there. His sister handed to rifle in to the local police who were unsure of what to do with it so they lodged it with my friend for safe keeping where it had languished in the corner of his armoury for years.
After a few weeks haggling a price was agreed. (The executors of the deceased's estate authorised the sale with monies to be kept by my friend to defray the years of storage costs )
I had an apprentice at Westley Richards fit the scope mounts. When re-fitting the front dovetail the top rib lifted. Not his fault. The area under the rib was extremely rusty. This was probably a blessing as it enabled the rust to be dealt with and rib relayed. The concern was, of course affecting the regulation. Care was taken with a clamp being made to hold the barrels in place. (The barrels had to be re-blacked, I had planned not to do this but it was done out of necessity and she looks all the better for it I think)
I sourced some dies from C&H Tool and die and reformed 7 x 65r brass. She shoots magnificently and I had no need to have her re-regulated after the work had been done. (NOTE, since the above was posted I have now sourced new 8 x 60R brass - .323) Scope is 4 x 32 Swaro Habicht) "
"The dr was originally proofed for the 8x57 IR, shown by the bore/land diameter 7.8mm. As the crown of the “Repair” proofmark is partly stamped over it, the old proof date is 11/29, November 1929. At a later date, not visible in the photo, but before 1940, it was modernized to shoot the 8x60RS (.323”) cartridge, 7.9 mm bore/land, with the 10 gramm = 154 gr pointed Stahlmantelgeschoss = steel jacketed bullet. The DWM load #110 was advertised with a mv of 920 m/s = 3018 fps, 26” barrel. (
- Research courtesy of Kudae on another forum)
Since the above post I have managed to source properly head-stamped 8 x 60r brass
I relish the times I use this rifle. Short and pointy like a shotgun, - 25 1/2" barrels. Loud ! (earplugs essential - especially in woodland) I fancy a Kipplauf, but really, with this at hand hard to justify.
Also with the scope detached (Claw mounts) and tucked in my coat pocket, to passers by, dog walkers etc, it just looks like a little shotgun - (.410 )
Best
Ade
