Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles The one rifle missionary

OK I'll have a go for what it's worth. I would 2nd the 308 suggestion in a relatively decent quality bolt action, but one that I wouldn't mind losing if it were stolen or confiscated. As to sights I would have a good set of irons and probably a 4x leupold on it. I thinking a good used pawn shop savage would fit the bill. You know if you are looking at subsistence hunting you would be much better off with a 12ga. and or a 22LR . I remember my Dad who was a hump pilot commenting how it was pretty silly to arm them with a 45 auto and an extra clip of ammo. He stated that if he was to crash and survive he would be faced with trying to walk out of the jungle. His comment was I would have been much better equipped with a woodsman and a whole box of 22's as all he was likely to shoot was a parrot or monkey to eat. Not going to fight off the Japanese army with a 45 and 2 clips of ammo.

My thoughts exactly. A second choice on scopes would be the newer Redfields. Same warranty/customer service as the Leupolds.

I won't address the gun choice- cartridge selection part of it. Still can't see you as a ex military, but gun toting explaining your self to foreign bureaucrats and customs officials as a missionary. Coming into a backward 3 rd world country armed with an outfitter to whiz you thru customs is one thing. Showing up with a firearm telling them your a missionary and carrying a gun would be a different matter.I'd like to know how you know your plan will be acceptable? Not whacking on you just, curious. Magnum Man

Thanks for the input, Magnum. Re. my being ex-military--don't worry, I don't advertise that fact! But in terms of bringing in a hunting rifle to other countries, in many places it wouldn't be a big deal. You have to get your visa, etc. and all of that independently anyway, so if your paperwork is in order you're straight. There are a few places where it could be touchier, and there you just have to exercise prudence--it is the queen of virtues! (at least of the cardinal virtues)

Considering the need for a non military chambered round and a non military looking rifle as well as cheap and easy to find ammo, I'd go with a stainless 336 Marlin in .30-30 Winchester. Iron sights as in a good set of steel peep sights and a good, tough, front sight.
Let's see here. People in Alaska carry guns to deal with grizzly bears but in Canada they don't ? How strange. E

Canadians are tougher or don't taste as good as Alaskans

CRF Model 70 or Commercial Mauser in 30/06, BURRIS Posi Lock scope of moderate magnification. Burris Posi Locks are about 100 times tougher and more reliable in rough conditions than a Leopold or any European scope. Almost impossible to make one go out of zero or to dfail in any way once it is sighted in and ready to rock.

Itppowell, that sure is a nice looking rifle! It's out of my price range, though. (I might be able to swing half of that.) The 336 Marlin is a great rifle too, but my guess is that the same issue that was mentioned with the BLR might come up here--i.e., it's more complicated as a mechanism and might be hard to get a gunsmith to work on in Timbuktu. Your thoughts?

Safariman, I don't know anything about the Burris Posi Lock scope, but I will definitely be looking into it! Thanks all of you, for your feedback!

The Marlin 336 is very easily assembled and disassembled. For that matter, even though it isn't controlled-round-feed, they are pretty darn reliable cycling and feeding. To disassemble a 336, just take out the main lever screw, then the lever, and you can pull the bolt. There's not much to it really. With the BLR, the gear timing is critical, and if it isn't put back together correctly... If I were looking at a Marlin 336, I'd try to look for older rifles that pre-date Remington's acquisition of Marlin. Really, the old pre-safety Marlins have the best fit and finish, and they have smooth actions.

Having said all that, I still think a Mauser type action is the best medicine for a do-it-all rifle where you are likely to be in countries with dangerous game situations. I don't know how common 30-30 is overseas. I know France is one of those countries that doesn't allow military cartridges (and no, I'm not saying the 30-30 is a military chambering). I don't think there's any getting around it in that country no matter how well your papers are in order.

Kutenay's advice to create a maintenance kit with commonly needed replacement parts for whatever rifle action you go with is solid advice.

I would avoid leveraction rifles and chamberings that are not commonplace worldwide, as you want ONE rifle for EVERY situation to which you may be assigned. I have had a number of older, pre-crossbolt Marlins, and various Winny levers and NONE of them work as well as a good Mauser.

I would bet that careful shopping in the USA, will net you a fine condition, "C-ring" FN sporter and then you can have a good synthetic stock, better irons and two scopes installed. These are usually found in .30-06 and that round is light years beyond any .30-.30 in REAL world utility where dealing with large and sometimes truculent animals is concerned.

J.C. Penney's and Montgomery-Ward's used to sell FN-actioned plain rifles, I think made by "High-Standard" or that other US gunmaker, whose name begins with "H" and these are found in .30-06 in very nice shape for round $200.00 and you can go from there.

There are tons of good Husqvarna FN-actioned rifles being imported now into Canada and the USA and, should you come here, it is best to wait, buy it here and get the rig setup for Canadian conditions. These are better rifles than the rough and cruddy models offered today and are easy to maintain and they also shoot very well.

I'd go with a Ruger Scout Rifle...you are describing exactly what Cooper designed it for. I'm not a fan of the long relief scope, so I'd go with a Leupy 2x7.

This has been a much more interesting thread than the usual "if you could only have one rifle" I don't bother with those anymore. But if I were faced with this situation my first option would be to wait until I saw where I was going then buy something. You may want this to be a single purchase and last forevermore, but you're fist assignment might have one set of requirements and then the next a completely different set, so for me I'd wait.
But I will play the game and if I felt I had to buy it today I think I'd go as a previous poster suggested and get a single shot capable of interchangable barrels. Perhaps a TC or even a H&R Handi rifle. I'd go with a .308 until I knew I couldn't for political reasons and I'd throw in a 12ga barrel. I'd also have a simple fixed power scope. Those type of rifles are as non-threating as any rifle I can think of and are very simple in function. I'd also have a Lee Loader for both the rifle and the shotgun. Someone suggested a call to the mfg with the question of what is the most common replacement parts, I think that's a captial idea as well worth a few dollar to put a spare parts kit together. I have limited experience with international shipping, but at the moment I have kids in Paris and sending them a package is a challenge. So getting a free spring mailed to you from the mfg to outer mongolia could take months or never show at all. I don't know that much about TC's but have shot the Handi's some and I'd guess you can get a complete set of internal parts easily and at a reasonable costs. I know this isn't as sexy as a slick Mauser or Ruger, but from just reading along on here and listening to what you have to say the single shot seems to me to be the least threating and perhaps the least desirable to the theif or envious. But no matter what you do, I think the Lee Loader is a must even if you never load a round into it, I'm sure if it's in a tough jurisdiction for guns, powder, primers, and bullets will be easy to get
I wish you well in your career and travels. I have a good friend who was a missionary to Yellow Knife, BC after seminary. He made lifelong friends. His biggest problem wasn't shooting or hunting in Canada it was getting his rifle back home. So even though you intend a once in a lifetime purchase, you still may want to get something you can walk away from if you had to leave it behind. But once again good luck whatever you decide to do, I understand the thinking and dreaming is half the fun. CH

...Yellowknife... is not in B.C., it is a gold mining town in Canada's Northwest Territories, north of the Alberta, border, quite a long way from B.C. I worked close to there in 1966 and it is all a flat, ugly, bug infested place.

Yup, +4 or 5 now. Or an Ultra Compact 35 Remington, (Maybe in addition to the above)

308 or 30-06 or 300 Win Mag - depending on how big you may end up shooting....all can take smaller....but its hard to take bigger....

My bad, I know nothing of Canada. So is Yellow Knife not in Canada? Don't answer, let's not take this thread off into the weeds about my ignorance of all things Canadian.

OK, no problem, bud,

BUMP! Too much fun to let this fade away

What about a savage? Few moving parts, barrel and boltface interchangability, scrapes and scuffs shouldn't bother you much, and with the barrel removed should fit into a small non rifle looking case, pack an extra barrel nut, trigger assembly, and your good for everything that doesn't require a scattergun. just my two cents.