Rifle fads

brenneke

Well-Known Member
I am tired of rifle bling. I wanted to start a list of silly fashion accessories stalking rifles don't need.

I'm starting with bipods. 99.9% of the time there is absolutely no need for a bipod on a stalking rifle.
 
Does 'rifle bling' include trigger upgrades, extended bolt knobs, screw cutting, aftermarket stocks, trigger shoes, oversize trigger guards etc?
 
I am tired of rifle bling. I wanted to start a list of silly fashion accessories stalking rifles don't need.

I'm starting with bipods. 99.9% of the time there is absolutely no need for a bipod on a stalking rifle.
I find my bipod extremely useful.atb Tim
 
98% of my stalking is done on the hill. My bipod is invaluable: it provides a stable platform from which to shoot and I dont have to fumble, placing a bag, binos etc in a suitable position to act as a rest. The bipod is engaged in seconds, with minimum of fuss.
 
Tactical bolt 'knobs' on hunting rifles, thoroughly unnecessary and ugly. And if you're stalking in the UK I don't really see the need for those little stock sleeves that hold an additional 5-10 rounds?

Tom
 
Tactical bolt 'knobs' on hunting rifles, thoroughly unnecessary and ugly. And if you're stalking in the UK I don't really see the need for those little stock sleeves that hold an additional 5-10 rounds?

Tom

Wellllll.... On my T3 lite I found that the large tactical bolt knob I put on it made for much more stable, smooth and quick reload after taking a shot. I found the standard Tikka bolt a tad too small for my fat hands... As for the stock sleeve... My T3 lite had a predator 8 mod on it which made it stupidly front heavy and unballanced, I also needed to raise the comb so I used one of the Aim Stock covers with the pocket over a rubber comb raiser.. the pocket then had 10 rounds in it in an attempt to balance the rifle up... worked to a degree..

Now I have replaced the rifle with something more balanced to start with along with a mod that doesn't weigh almost 1kg :cuckoo: I have done away with the ammo pouch for the stock... still have a Beartooth Comb raiser on it though..

I don't use a bipod on my stalking rifle but there have been plenty of occassions where I wished I did!!!
 
I dont think a bipod can be called an unecessary accessory - the last 6 hinds ive taken in two outings have been shot off bipod without any fuss. My stalking is mixed woodland and open ground....an essential item if you ask me.


Scope covers - I include Butler Creeks - essential to protect your glass.

Moderator - hmm mixed vote here for me, multiple shots - yup necessary, stalking bucks or stags, not so..

Aftermarket bolt knobs and triggers - if they make the base rifles aesthetic and function improve for the end user, why not?


My list of unessential bling would start with bore snakes,,,,,and mentors........
 
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There are times when bipods are useful, but they aren't often on a proper stalking rifle. I have used them for truck-based culling a fair bit. But on a stalking rifle i would argue the vast majority of the time they are more trouble than they are worth. The problem is that they largely limit you to shooting off the bipod. They make getting off a quick shot offhand almost impossible, or shooting resting against a tree truly impossible. They are heavy. I much rather a backpack and shooting sticks - it gives me more options and is far less cumbersome. I reckon i can get a shot off from my backpack faster than you can use your bipod.

I have scope covers. I like Limbsaver recoil pads. Muzzle brakes occasionally have their place.

"Tactical" bolt handles just seem a complete and utter w@nk. Can't see why anyone needs extended mags on a stalking rifle - if you need an extended magazine you need to spend more time practicing your shooting, rather than buying extended magazines. Ditto ammunition holders. I think stainless steel is largely bling, and it has significantly less strength than Cr-Mo and can do some pretty funky things in extreme cold - hence some well known blow-ups. Stainless is more prone to structural flaws. As a metallurgical engineer and shooting partner of mine once pointed out, stainless steel actually changes shape more than well aged walnut with temperature extremes, and nearly twice as much as much as Cr-Mo steel.
 
There are times when bipods are useful, but they aren't often on a proper stalking rifle. I have used them for truck-based culling a fair bit. But on a stalking rifle i would argue the vast majority of the time they are more trouble than they are worth. The problem is that they largely limit you to shooting off the bipod. They make getting off a quick shot offhand almost impossible, or shooting resting against a tree truly impossible. They are heavy. I much rather a backpack and shooting sticks - it gives me more options and is far less cumbersome. I reckon i can get a shot off from my backpack faster than you can use your bipod.

I have scope covers. I like Limbsaver recoil pads. Muzzle brakes occasionally have their place.

"Tactical" bolt handles just seem a complete and utter w@nk. Can't see why anyone needs extended mags on a stalking rifle - if you need an extended magazine you need to spend more time practicing your shooting, rather than buying extended magazines. Ditto ammunition holders. I think stainless steel is largely bling, and it has significantly less strength than Cr-Mo and can do some pretty funky things in extreme cold - hence some well known blow-ups. Stainless is more prone to structural flaws. As a metallurgical engineer and shooting partner of mine once pointed out, stainless steel actually changes shape more than well aged walnut with temperature extremes, and nearly twice as much as much as Cr-Mo steel.

This is all a bit strong. What is a "proper stalking rifle"??

The definition of a stalking rifle I think is largely governed by the terrain it is used over and the species stalked. For most of my stalking around farmland a bipod is of no benefit, but if I was to going to the Scottish highlands or down to Wicklow, it would be the first thing I would clip on.

Given the wet land I hunt over, my definition of a stalking rifle might be very different to someone stalking Roe in southern England or whatever it is you guys shoot in Australia.
 
My personal one: 20-degree Picatinny rails on a 200 yard hunting rifle. I have no used for bipods , either, but if you need them to make the shot, I'm ok with them.~Muir
 
Without getting into a "ethics" debate brenneke is most likely talking about some of the latest "fashion".
I recon he's done a bit of hunting & shooting & knows what works for him.

Claret Dabbler. We guy's have a lot to shoot down here, from alpine deer to buff & bentang in the tropics & lots of ferals in between.On a cull 150 animal a day is par.We may walk a hundred klm's on a sambar hunt though.I recon we could match your wet & then add 46 Deg C & 95% humidity in the shade,or sub zero & snow in the alps.

I agree a "stalking rifle" should be defined by the owner & his needs.
But do you really need the "Mall ninga" stuff?

Cheers Sharkey
 
...do you really need the "Mall ninga" stuff?.....

I don't have any "mall-ninga" stuff, just a couple of rifles in synthetic stocks and a rather nice Blaser.

If a lad wants to jazz up a rifle with a few odds and sods - so what. If he is happy he is not hurting me. I don't see there is any reason to get worked up condemning people.
 
I don't have any "mall-ninga" stuff, just a couple of rifles in synthetic stocks and a rather nice Blaser.

If a lad wants to jazz up a rifle with a few odds and sods - so what. If he is happy he is not hurting me. I don't see there is any reason to get worked up condemning people.

Fair enough.

Cheers mate.
 
I am afraid that I feel that a lot of the modern synthetic stock rifles have about as much style and balance as a plank. As for looks :rolleyes: well let's not go there. My views on classic rifles are well known here I believe.

Sadly it seems that hunting quarry is all about gadgets and electronic gizmos now.

So much did I feel that this was not the right thing for me I started to set up some classic rifles with Sporting aperture sights like so:-

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Redfield with Hunter knobs for 1/4 min adjustments.

Somewhere I have two Harris Bi-Pods and must say have rarely actually used them. Have two different heights one suitable for prone and one suitable for sitting.

Now for some "traditional" rifle bling:-

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Subtle bits of hand engraving. Just wish I had to talent to do this. A previous owner did this work himself. A Welsh man I believe as I acquired the rifle from South Wales.
 
As I pointed out it is traditional:-

Bolt_handle_engraved.jpg

BSA Majestic Featherweight deluxe

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Swinburns Patent Martini stalking rifle

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BSA with full length cape rib.

The deletion of such engraving was just another cost cutting exercise. All this is factory engraving.

Now they offer injection moulded plastics and paint finishes instead or real polished blacking. If rifles are blacked they are generally bead blasted as this takes seconds to do and overs a multitude of sins in the metals surface finish..

They then market it as a desirable non reflective finish :doh: :rolleyes:.

What they actually mean is that it's cheap and quick to do and requires little skill.
 
Wellllll.... On my T3 lite I found that the large tactical bolt knob I put on it made for much more stable, smooth and quick reload after taking a shot. I found the standard Tikka bolt a tad too small for my fat hands... As for the stock sleeve... My T3 lite had a predator 8 mod on it which made it stupidly front heavy and unballanced, I also needed to raise the comb so I used one of the Aim Stock covers with the pocket over a rubber comb raiser.. the pocket then had 10 rounds in it in an attempt to balance the rifle up... worked to a degree..

Now I have replaced the rifle with something more balanced to start with along with a mod that doesn't weigh almost 1kg :cuckoo: I have done away with the ammo pouch for the stock... still have a Beartooth Comb raiser on it though..

I don't use a bipod on my stalking rifle but there have been plenty of occassions where I wished I did!!!

I would argue that most of the add-ons were necessary to overcome the deficiencies of your moderated T3.

This has a reduced size bolt-knob and a synthetic Classic stock to reduce weight. Then you stick on a 2-lb moderator, and a sleeve ammo-holder to raise the comb (which is too low on a T3) and counter balance the front-heavy setup you've yourself created.

Fitting a bipod would make these defects worse, but it would be a useful rather than unnecessary accessory.
 
I agree that engraving is traditional and in the examples that BH has posted it is certainly aesthetically pleasing, however in a thread where others have suggested that all manner of bits of kit that enhance the functionality of the rifle are unnecessary I just wonder where engraving fits in. atb Tim
 
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