Walnut......steel.....blood....guts....and nothing else.
A long long time ago. Before soft men took over the world. There were real men. Men that worked hard, and played harder. Rot gut whiskey and Pall Malls had not yet been replaced by Fine Scotch and Hand rolled cigars. A time when big game hunters hunted for the thrill of the hunt, and not the prestige. Ivory was sometimes the excuse, but a desire to explore the wilds of Africa, and go toe to toe with the most dangerous animals on earth was an even stronger driving force. Those were the days.
I'd like to think that I was born at the wrong time, and that I could've stood the scorching heat of the Zambezi Valley for months on end, while on the tracks of a one hundred pound bull. But, our modern way of life has produced very few men that are worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as our ancestors. We, as a species, are getting soft. We need to toughen up.
But alas, we can still dream of the old days, and act out a bit at times. We can own the tools of our once resilient ancestors, even if we can't own the testicular fortitude that they possessed.
We can also hunt the same animals as men such as Selous and Bell once hunted, though our bag limits are short and time restraints are even shorter.
For many years, the tools of the trade were often large bore, double and single rifles. But a great World War ushered in the most useful rifle design ever devised. Paul Mauser's Model 98 was born. The model 98 and it's kin would soon change the face of modern firearms. It would prove to best all other designs of it's time, and continues to do so today. It has never really been improved upon. Sure it's been upgraded in some ways to address modern issues such as telescopic sights, but the function of the action itself is still as sound as any ever designed.
With modern times, also came modern machinery. Machines that can do a job in minutes, that once took days to accomplish. And, do it with a precision never known before. CNC machinery has made possible wonderful things, things that the average working man can afford. But for those of us that long for the good old days, thankfully there are still companies that blend hand made attention to detail, with modern means of manufacturing. Enter the Heym Express Martini Rifle.
I stumbled upon these rifles while doing research on the 404 Jeffery. I had succumbed to the allure of large bore rifles many years ago, but the 404 had never made it's way into my sights. I was content with 375, 416 and 458 caliber rifles. But eventually, the 404 would not be denied. It has, among many other attributes, history on it's side.
I had to have one.
While doing this research, I also stumbled upon the writing of Phil Massaro. A man that shares the same passion as I, on certain subjects. Fine rifles and hunting dangerous game, to be exact. He also had beautiful photos of his shiny new Heym Express Martini 404 on safari. Pictures that showed the elegance of these fine rifles, against the hard, dry backdrop of Africa.
I had to have one.
So now...I present to you... MY Heym Express Martini in 404 Jeffery caliber.
This is the finest bolt action rifle I have ever owned. The fit and finish is impeccable. The V notch sights attract the eye like a moth to a flame. Weighing in at a hefty 9lbs 10oz, the balance is such that the rifle seemingly floats in your hands. I am not at all into heavy guns, but you have to feel this one to believe it. It points just like the fine game gun that it is.
Now let's discuss feed and function.
I have owned many fine rifles in my time. The only rifles I will own must be reliable. For what's the use in something being pretty, if it won't perform? A quick dig through my ammo locker produced some Hornady DGX Ammo. While loading these cartridges in, one by one, I noticed something very special. The extremely well made, one piece magazine box stacks these cigar sized cartridges in perfect order. No rattle, no shake. They snapped into place and aligned with the guide rails and feeding ramp perfectly. Now for the moment we've all been waiting for. How does it feed? Well...those four cartridges feed so smoothly and so precisely, you hardly notice a round is being chambered. In a word.....Perfection.
For those that wish to forgo the excellent iron sights, they have designed a perfect scope mounting arrangement. Talley scope rings are known for their precision and repeatability, when removing and reinstalling an optic while in the field or at the range. For a removable scope ring, they are extremely hard to beat. Heym took advantage of this, by cleverly machining the top of the double square bridge receiver to accept these Talley rings. It results in a very clean looking marriage between optic and rifle, and also is unobtrusive when the scope is not in place. No bases to come loose, or screws to break. In a word.....Perfection.
Once the nerve has gathered to put a scope on this fine work of art, I will most likely opt for an old reliable friend. The Leupold VX3 1-5×20 is perfect for this application. While the rifle was shipped with 30mm Talley rings, I will most likely purchase some extra 1" rings to fit the smaller size of the Leupold. Light and lively.
A Buffalo machine.
TBC.....
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