Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles The one rifle missionary

Under the circumstances, I'm liking the idea of a sporterized (former) military Mauser better and better. Put the minimum into the rifle itself. With the greater investment in a QD scope, you'll better be able to protect it. That, plus if you wind up going somewhere where you simply cannot take the rifle, you won't be out too much if you end up having to 'ditch' it.

It means that you haven't seen the few rare examples of the same rifle with the factory open sights. Don't settle, dude!

This would be my thought as well.

I stayed with a Missionary in Ulan Ude Siberia while I was with Athletes in Action. He hunted their elk and deer with the locals but usd their guns due to all the red tape of him having a gun in Russia. He had shot some wonderful animals but looked forward to hunting in the states again. Most of the locals guns were less than accurate and a few were downright dangerous.

If the 30-06 is problematic, what about taking a 270 or 25-06 and having the factory barrel rebored to 30 cal? Just a thought.


ddj

TomSmith & ruffcutt, you're right that the laws are an important question, and it's also important that you don't make people suspicious (hence, the importance of a non-military looking setup). The reason for the pre-planning is that this will be a lifetime purchase, and I know I'll be moving around anyway.

But deadkenny, your point about investing more in the scope because it's easier to move around is a very valid one, and one that mysteriously never really crossed my mind.

And Seafire, the parkerized idea for the '98 is a good one, since it's an easy add-on. Thanks for all the good ideas (and criticisms), guys!

Now, Bob �

OldCenterChurch has the right idea. I was just about to post that, based on all the recommendations for a stainless boat paddle .30-06, I must have the perfect pair - a .338 and a .30-06!



Of course the .30-06 wore a laminate stock when I got it�

You obviously haven't seen the edition with the laminate wood inserts .... NOW that is the coolest rifle ever

A "missionary" in CANADA????? Where do you think we have such people in this country, because we are not exactly a "Third World" nation?

Couple of points here, the first is that as a "non-resident alien", you may NOT just wander around Canada, armed with any gun and the penalties for breaching Canadian gun laws are severe.

There is NO need for a foreign hiker to carry a defence weapon against bears here in Canada and we never pack guns when hiking, at least those of us born and raised here do not.

IF, you come to Canada, as a "landed immigrant" or on a "work visa" as a religious person, THEN, there are specific protocols to follow to obtain the licences,etc. to carry and use firearms. The Dominion of Canada, has the basic gun permit, which everyone MUST have and then each province has their own hunting licences and so forth, it is not just come and hunt or carry a gun.

IF, you do come here, you need to deal with this, first and then buy a gun and, this takes some time and effort.

I am not an international hunter, so, will not offer advice on guns for places I have never been, but, the above is the situation here in Canada.

The BLR is not a good choice IMO. I have two, and I like the rifle. Haven't had any problems ... but. The BLR is a complex action and not just any gunsmith can work on it. My advice is to stick to a controlled-round-feed mauser type action (Mauser, Winchester M70, Ruger, etc. ) for your purposes since you are likely to find yourself in a country with dangerous game.

For cost, practicality and reliability, you'd be hard pressed to find a better choice than a Ruger M77 Hawkeye or MKII 30-06. My 2 cents.

Kute,

If a church can send missionaries to the wilds of Alabama,and some do,there are certainly places in Canada that could use a missionary or two.

Seriously,modern missionaries often go to remote areas where there aren't already established churches and reach out to 'unchurched' people groups. Often a lot of what they do is humanitarian in nature as they bring the gospel to these people groups.

Or they may go to large metopolitan areas to start churches where there are few or none.

All this can be very tough and even dangerous work,but often very rewarding. Some my happiest moments were spent laboring with poor folks in Central America on some Medical mission trips.

By the way,I'm glad to see you back at the fire old friend.

I've seen thousands (well lots) of boat paddle stainless Rugers in Alaska and haven't seen any broken.

Buy a 30-06 and get the insert/adapter for a 308 and one for the 7.62X39 and press on with a 4X scope.

http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm

Thanks for the input, kutenay.

Don�t take the term �missionary� as any kind of insult to Canada or it's first world status (and I�m glad you�re such a patriot, by the way ) �Missionary� just means that we go anywhere in the world�even to Canada! So we are in the US, and Canada, Italy, France, Ireland, and Germany (among other first world countries), as well as in Africa, Asia, South America, etc.

I appreciate the info about Canada�s gun laws: I wouldn�t dream of just wandering around armed in Canada, so never fear, and I would of course follow the laws of the country where I was residing. Regarding self-defense against bears, my only point was that there are huge and wild areas of Canada where someone could conceivably want a firearm with them if they were off on their own for a week or so�

Gringoloco--thanks for the very good advice re the BLR! Point well-taken.

Basically 3 choices for caliber with wide distribution -- in increasing order of recoil.

The .308 would do the job in the smallest package - I like it in the GunSite version with the short barrel and scout scope. An older Rem 600 would also work.

The .308's bigger brother the 30/06 will do it all just a little better with a bit more recoil.

The 9.3x62mm would probably be my choice -- 20" bbl, suitable McMillan stock, scope = Leupold and I'd probably have two of them. A fixed 6X and a variable. Set the rifle up with a Picitinny rail and put the scope in QD rings.

Iron sights like they put on the lever-action carbines --- big peep site in back and big bead in front.

Put a good durable finish on the metal --- cerakote.

My .300WM came with wood inserts. First thing I did was call Ruger and get synthetics and the screws that go with them.

Then I PAID shipping to give the wood inserts away.

My opinion of the wood inserts was that they would not stand up to the wet very well and certainly not as well as the synthetics. Actually prefer the look of the synthetics as well, but that is a personal thing.

I did not take offence at the term, it actually made me chuckle, however, my comments concerning guns in Canada, are based on decades of work, often solo, in some of the most remote areas of western and nothern Canada's wilderness.

You DO NOT just go wandering alone in these places, and doing so is both dangerous and irresponsible. Our SAR capabilities are already stretched to the limit and foreigners who wish to see Canada's wilderness should go with guided tours. People, come here every year from Europe and the USA and some other places and they like to think that they know what they are doing in the bush; then, they disappear and die, even a 20 minute drive from where I am sitting, in the North Shore Mountains beside Vancouver, BC, a metro-area of over 2, 000,000.

Dealing with bears is not based on what gun you can carry and guns are usually just extra, useless weight on hiking trips. So, again, if, Canada's remote areas is where you are assigned, you should first befriend local people, go on your treks with them and then, perhaps, consider a gun if you choose to hunt....which, in itself, is highly regulated and is no longer really a "subsistence" mode of life here.

As to rifles, get a CRF bolt gun, a .30-06, good irons and two 4x Leupies in Talley mounts. A Mod-70 Winchester, Ruger MKII, older FN sporter are the best choices. Learn to work on it yourself, get a maintenance kit with some spare parts and have it put in a good syhnthetic stock, Micky is the best if you can afford it.

Again, working in remote regions, among strangers and perhaps alone is something I have done a lot of in Canada. You need certain other skills LONG before you need to worry about what, if any, gun you must have...and avoid BLRs or any other complicated type of rifle. Simple works best.

I have done a lot of work in the north and indigenous peoples are very generous with sharing the bounty of fish and game once you have gained their trust. It is the way that life has evolved.

I have been asked to join hunting parties and have been outfitted with rifle and ammo from local supply. There is great comraderie in harvesting for the community and as a gun nut I have been blessed with shooting diverse rifles and calibres and helping with cleaning, butchering and distributing meat from game so harvested.

If hunting is allowed where you will be sent I believe that is your best hope.

Randy

I carry a gun most all times I'm in the bush, regardless of season. I also happen to be born and raised in Canada.

Exercise your rights or lose them.

In my experience, here in BC, in Alberta and a bit in the "Territories", you are in the minority.

I can't see any reason to carry an awkward burden of 7-8 lbs. when hiking-climbing in the mountains and in 55+ years of doing this, all over BC and often solo, I have never needed a gun.The option to do-not do so is an individual choice, however, that is my experience.

What I really wanted to do here, is to give the gentleman who initiated the thread some pointers on what is/is not sound behaviour in remote wilderness and thus, hopefully, help him to make a sound decision concerning his specific needs.

Where, if I may enquire, do you live, here in BC or perhaps in Ontario or "the Maritimes"?

Buy a Ruger M-77 in what ever flavor you want. As for Cartridge, well go with a 30-06. Its a popular cartridge and you will be able to find some were ever big game is hunted for the most part. Every Country has its own rules on Guns, and Out side of Switzerland and the United State, thou its getting questionable here, gun ownership and possession maybe very regulated to non existent.

Thanks for the input, medicman--it sure sounds as if you've had a great experience.

And thank you for the rifle recommendation Kutenay--I'm sure you have a lot more experience than I do, so I'm grateful for the advice. Simple it will definitely be!

That's probably what I'd look for.