Just finished gluing up three nasty cracks in the stock. This little old lady has really been through the rough stuff: dents and stains all over her, but the bore is like new, bright with sharp rifling.

Blued steel and light walnut, two leaf rear sight, caterpillar front, machined sling swivels, and a very unique butt treatment. Weighs just a tad under seven pounds.

Wonder what stories she could tell?

Ted

It looks like it could tell quite a few stories! Cool caliber,let us know how it shoots.

I will do that. Going to bed it, and put a couple of steel crossbolts in it first.

It came with a detachable side mount and there is a ancient Pecar 4X scope that will be riding high. The condition of the mount is a bit akin to the stock, but scope is in remarkable condition.

This outfit was obviously carried and used a lot. The beatings it has taken are clearly evident, however the user evidently was quite careful about maintaing the bore and protecting the scope.

Ted

I really like it!

Nice. Glad to see you are intending to use it.

Do yourself a favor and don't try to "modernize" your loads. Keep them sedate in deference to the Small Ring, large thread receiver's design limitations. Rem 170 Grain factory loads have proven to be remarkably accurate in similar rifles.

I have one similar to yours that was rebored to 9x57. It is a joy to hunt with.

Probably good advise there, my dad killed a truckload of deer with Remington 170's when I was a kid(and before I was around for that matter). They work just fine.

Nice old piece.

Yes, I will be sure not to load too hot.

My old Husqvarna 1600 8X57 is a great hunting rifle. Last year I got a great deal on three boxes of 180 Nosler BallisticTip bullets. It really handles them well at 2600 fps loaded with CF8506. Good case life, no loose primer pockets after five reloads, and very accurate. I won't be using that load in this old gal, for sure.

I'll bet the Hornady 170 RN Interlock will expand at 23-2400 fps as far away as I will be using it with the iron sights, though. Anyone here used that bullet?

Ted

I haven't used the Hornady 170 but have used the Sierra 175 at similar velocities. I've used Hornady RN's in many other cartridges with great success.

My one bullet of choice in the several military Mausers I have in 8 x 57, has always been the Speer 170 SMP...

at high velocity or low velocity, that bullet is a penetrating fool...
even from MVs starting out at 1700 fps or so...

Cool old rifle. Looks to be "pre-flip flop" vintage. Is that a local rifle from the Yukon?

Nice. This my small ring in 8x57 that we took to Africa in 2012 using the 180 gr Nosler BT loaded to 2600 fps. It did fine.

^^ Nice rifle!! ^^

very nice rifle indeed

Though Ed's has a beauty stock with that fiddleback making it, Yukoner's small ring ain't no armchair rifle...:)

Stories, indeed...

Lovely rifle, Ed. Would enjoy hearing some of its stories.

Thanks also for the heads-up of using the 180 B Tips at 2600. Mind me asking what powder they were loaded with?

Tesd

Carried by an old mountain man, and who knows, it may have been part of the gold rush, being carried down the Yukon by some river rat on his way to the Klondike. No solid history on her at all, but shesurely has been through some rough country.

You'll have to shoot it when you come out here the next time.

Ted

She now has another one to tell, Ed.

The rifle is has been bedded, and has three small cross bolts through the stock; one behind the recoil lug, one between the the mag opening and the trigger mortise, and one across the wrist. Made them out of long decking screws that had threads long enough to go completely through the stock.

Not sure if that is Fudd or Bubba? We'll call it Fudd, in deference to her heritage.

Ted

Call it a "Work in progress"

That works.

The progress is curing for another 16 hours or so, and then we will be off to the range after church tomorrow.

Ted

That is an interesting rifle, please let us know how it turns out.

Well at least it went from one river rat to another.

CFE-223

Thanks Ed. Your picture tells one of the stories right there, or at least part of it.

My 2600 fps load is with CF8506, a surplus powder a bit slower than IMR 4320, faster than 4350. It is wonderful in the 9.3X62 as well.

Heading to the range in about an hour.
Ted

Here's the first three-shot group at 100 yards. To say I am more than surprised is an understatement.

170 gr Speer loafing along at less than 2000 fps. The high shot was from a 7mm that was not quite stabilized. You can easily see the bullet is tipped a bit. Friend beside me shot the wrong target.

Going to hit the sack. Happy Canada Day!
Ted

Next loads will be with the 180 gr B Tips. Only had seven 170 gr Speers left.

The recoil was far more than I had expected for an intentional light load, but then there is only a thin slice of leather covering the butt of the stock.

Going to try the iron sights next time out as well. When I compare looking through the bore to the sights at 25 yards, it appears the rifle will be shooting a bit low, but we'll see.

Ted

Happy Birthday Ted!

Just looked at that group now. Pretty good showing which is probably why it got used so much.

Old guns that are like new scare me cuz it makes me wonder why they didn't get used.

Yukoner, does the rifle have any marks on it? powdr

It does have some, but I have not really paid much attention to that as yet. Will check that out.

Ted

Hi Yukoner,

I'm a certified aficionado of gorgeous rifles. Yours is in the Kate Upton class of rifles: drop dead gorgeous. I'd of bought it in a heartbeat

Recent introductions of mega-magnums haven't diminished the ability of classic cartridges to kill big game. The 8x57 will kill just as dead all North American big game as any mega-magnum. After all, there's only one degree of dead and that's dead.

Many, many moons ago, when I got into our marvelous sport of big game hunting, an old timer in camp had two rifles: a 7x57 and an 8x57. The 7x57 was for medium-sized big game. He said his 8x57 was for largest big game.

Based upon what I've read and have been told, an unheralded aspect of the 8x57 is its superb inherent accuracy. I believe it was the German sniper cartridge.

I can remember when the '06 was considered to be too much gun for young hunters. The more hunting cartridges change, the more they remain the same.

I hope your new rifle creates many cherished memories afield for you that'll become the best stories she can tell.

Yukoner, don't forget me on those markings. powdr

As per your request....

Thanks Yukoner. powdr

Would be interested in what you come up with, powdr.

PM sent,
Ted

This thread right here is FAR more interesting and enjoyable than the latest offering from some company trying to see how cheap they can mass produce a rifle for our disposable society, and chamber it in 6.5 Creedmoor. (which the 6.5 Creedmoor has become the "Crossfit" cartridge of this century. If people are not doing something with it, they have to be telling everybody all about it, no matter if that person is interested or not)

Thank you for posting this. Great to read, and follow.

Ed,
Is that a picture of you in your younger days, or is that your son?


if that is your son, WOW.. talk about a carbon copy of chip off the old block...

Always thought it was kind of cool, especially for a proud dad, to be lucky enough to have your son take after
dad so much, they look exactly alike...kind of a strong gene thing going on...

Nice pic... but if it is your son, you gotta be a lot more prouder....

It's time for "the little rifle" to get busy. Gave it to a good friend of mine who is thirty some years my junior. The same fellow whom I posted about getting his first moose last Fall. It's a nice mate to the 9.3X62 he used on the moose.

Bear season, and we have some 170 gr Speers loaded to 2500 fps.

Ted

Yukoner
Absolutely love the rifle. Would rather have something like that than soulless mass produced stuff today sold to someone that thinks pennies are more important. Good on you for sharing it with a friend.
GreggH