I'm a big fan of the 9.3x62 as an all around hunting cartridge, and am looking for a handy practical rifle in 9.3x62 that I can use for nilgai hunting in south Texas and maybe even take to Africa at some point for plains game.
I'm considering buying a Ruger Guide Gun in 30-06 and sending it to JES Reboring to have it rebored, but I've read mixed reviews of their work and a fair amount of criticism of the owner's business communication habits (hes super hard to get hold of and he only communicates by voice, apparently).
If reboring is impractical or not advised in my case, I may consider rebarreling altogether but that depends a lot on cost and what the trade offs are as far as losing or retaining features. If I rebarrel, will it still be possible to have the same matte stainless finish, the express sights, barrel band sling swivel, matching brake etc? This isnt some generic Rem 700 action with ez-on, ez-off prefit barrels, its got to be done by a gunsmith, most likely.
Of course there's also buying a rifle already chambered in 9.3x62, and in fact I already have a CZ550 that is, but it's hardly what I would consider a practical rifle appropriate for Texas nilgai or African plains game. It's the "Bavarian" model with full length mannlicher style stock, and while it looks pretty, I think it would be more appropriate for something like a Romanian boar hunt or an Austrian stag hunt or something along those lines. My moustache isn't waxed and curly enough for that rifle.
Anyway, Both Steyr and Mauser (Mauser M12) have 9.3x62 rifles in their catalogs, but few if any are imported into the US, apparently. I'd really love one of those Rigby Highland Stalkers but that's sadly well out of my current budget. I also love the Steyr SBS action on my Steyr Scout and having something like Steyr CLII in 9.3x62 would be perfect, but it would require either importing a rifle from Europe (probably very expensive with lots of annoying red tape) or reboring a 30-06 or .270 version, which may result in a very very thin walled barrel if there isn't much "meat" on the barrel to begin with. At least with the Ruger Guide Gun there appears to be enough additional diameter to the barrel to rebore effectively.
My only real gripe with the Ruger is the atrocious bolt slop that's apparently endemic to the M77 action. I worry about the sloppy bolt getting bound up in situations where I'd need to reload quickly for a follow-up shot. There any way to smooth out and tighten up a Ruger M77 action?
How would you go about it?
I'm considering buying a Ruger Guide Gun in 30-06 and sending it to JES Reboring to have it rebored, but I've read mixed reviews of their work and a fair amount of criticism of the owner's business communication habits (hes super hard to get hold of and he only communicates by voice, apparently).
If reboring is impractical or not advised in my case, I may consider rebarreling altogether but that depends a lot on cost and what the trade offs are as far as losing or retaining features. If I rebarrel, will it still be possible to have the same matte stainless finish, the express sights, barrel band sling swivel, matching brake etc? This isnt some generic Rem 700 action with ez-on, ez-off prefit barrels, its got to be done by a gunsmith, most likely.
Of course there's also buying a rifle already chambered in 9.3x62, and in fact I already have a CZ550 that is, but it's hardly what I would consider a practical rifle appropriate for Texas nilgai or African plains game. It's the "Bavarian" model with full length mannlicher style stock, and while it looks pretty, I think it would be more appropriate for something like a Romanian boar hunt or an Austrian stag hunt or something along those lines. My moustache isn't waxed and curly enough for that rifle.
Anyway, Both Steyr and Mauser (Mauser M12) have 9.3x62 rifles in their catalogs, but few if any are imported into the US, apparently. I'd really love one of those Rigby Highland Stalkers but that's sadly well out of my current budget. I also love the Steyr SBS action on my Steyr Scout and having something like Steyr CLII in 9.3x62 would be perfect, but it would require either importing a rifle from Europe (probably very expensive with lots of annoying red tape) or reboring a 30-06 or .270 version, which may result in a very very thin walled barrel if there isn't much "meat" on the barrel to begin with. At least with the Ruger Guide Gun there appears to be enough additional diameter to the barrel to rebore effectively.
My only real gripe with the Ruger is the atrocious bolt slop that's apparently endemic to the M77 action. I worry about the sloppy bolt getting bound up in situations where I'd need to reload quickly for a follow-up shot. There any way to smooth out and tighten up a Ruger M77 action?
How would you go about it?
