Finman

.204Ruger. Unbeatable out to 300yds.

It is a pity there isn't a good representation of Danner boots in the UK. Of all boots (other than the usual Meindl, Lundhags etc) they are the only ones that seem to fit the bill, yet no good if one can't get them...

just a suggestion and apologies for being off-topic: might it be best if you added your shop's URL in your signature so it is easy to find?

best wishes

Finman

Penrith survival do lundhags and so did Tamarack, I haven't checked for a while, you get that with lundhags

Best wishes

Finman

I like lundhags...have two pairs (one for the summer and one for the winter) and they are superb. Had them 6 years and they still look new, despite S. Africa, N. Zealand, Scotland, wet, dry, snow, cold hot, you name it... I've even fished for trout wading with them. Waterproof, warm, comfortable and unparalleled service should anything go wrong. Not cheap, but cheap when you think how many other pairs I would have had to buy over that period of time...

Best wishes

Finman

Its been my veiw that the tough / hard grades of SS are less rust restitant than than the table ware 440 , maybe there is a Super SS , that I have not seen in a knife , I am obviouly wrong in this .

 

Maybe?

 

Even if NOT , my comment on the cost of some of these wonders does stand , are main weapons are firearms , until we all get laser rifles , and I will take a firearm over any bladed weapon .

 

Opps , and even if it does rust , you know what , I bet that knife will still be OK to cut that which promotes growth and vigour , when you are long dead .

 

Later Chris

When one runs out of ammo, one wishes for a knife...hard to make shelter, light a fire, skin an animal, make a trap with a rifle

BW

Finman

Panos, absolutely agree, the serrated edge is 'silly', but it is what it is. I'll see how it goes. Can't agree on the svord though; I look at them and think 'great' - then realise they're tool steel that'll be crusty red in no time. Can't understand non-stainless for an unpampered field knife. I like the look of the one Matt 2 posts ago; if I'd known of it I'd have got one of those.

I have the svord peasant for the last 3 years living in my hunting trousers pocket, whether I'm beating, walking the dogs, hunting, shooting, used in any weather condition, for any task and not kept particularly well. It is still without a spot of rust, and sharper than I would like to admit (being an admirer of stainless steel knives...). True, carbon knives may patina and will need a good wipe after being used, but that's it...It will take a lot of neglect for any knive to rust, and, if I'm to be honest, if you are to neglect a knife that badly, then it is your fault . There's a lot of hype about carbon steel knives, but it has to be said that they are easy to sharpen, useful in the field and not as easy to rust as most people think. My next knife will be either the Anza Boddington or the Svord 1990NZ2 (or both )

best wishes,

Finman

In my opinion and limited experience a serrated edge is an anathema...useful only for a handful of tasks and impossible to maintain. Any knife should obey two principles in my book: fit for the task it's meant for and easy to maintain/restore. But, as the present discussion proves, we all have a different idea of what is the 'perfect' bushcraft knife. Forgetting perhaps that in a bushcrafter's pack, there's a saw and an axe. Do let us know how it behaves over time BD, it would be useful to know how it stood up to the tests. Were it me, I would have chosen the similar knife from Svord: as cheap, easy to maintain, rugged and with a similar blade.

Best wishes

Finman

Heinnie Haynes is the most reputable Internet shop for knives. Great service and fair prices. Good luck!!

Finmsn

The best knife for reasonable money is the F1 or, if you want something bigger, go for the S1. Alternatively, the Svord DPH is an excellent knife with an easy to care for blade and can take serious abuse without you worrying that it would break or that you may scratch the surface (http://www.heinnie.com/Knives/Svord-Knives/Drop-Point-Hunter/p-92-695-6773/). I would thoroughly recommend you spend sometime looking through the Heinie Haynes website as they have every knife conceivable and at all prices. No, I am not working for them, but their range of knives and their service make it the natural choice when buying a knife (unless you can find something second hand...)

good luck

Finman

No, you DEFINITELY need to get out of Cumbria more or I'll tell the 'one with the brains' to be more drastic in the central nervous system interventions next time :)

You should get out of Cumbria more

You lot are sick!! There me thinking that this would spark some genuine interest FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

Hi there chaps,

saw this today and was impressed! This boy has serious knife skills and some interesting approaches to boning a shoulder.

enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xijmge8_NJw&feature=watch-vrec

best wishes,

Finman

ok, here's mine:

Sako 75 I Varmint in .204Ruger (A5 McMillan stock)

Tikka M590, Border Barrel, 6mmBR

Sako L691 LH, PacNor select match barrel, McMillan Sako Hunter stock

(technically not a varmint rifle, but it took a lot of warthogs which are considered vermin in SA )

I'm left handed and, when i started shooting rifles, was (still am!!) appalled (sp?) to find so few left hand models out there ansd the fact that we have to usually pay a premium to own a left handed rifle...Since then I have managed to have 4 true left handed rifles and I also own another 3 right handed. It is true, the right handed rifles may be easier to shift (but I never sell my guns) and to shoot off a bench. However, in hunting applications when I had to pump 3-4 shots in succession I found the left hand action a true bonus and much easier to do with the left hand rifle than with the right hand. In semiautomatic shotguns (I have an AL391) I find that occasionally I get debri thrown in my face at the cartridge ejection and, had Berretta be making a left hand semi, I would definitely be buying it...I also find that, even when I might want to buy a right hand rifle, I cannot find it with an ambidextrous stock, which eliminates it from the equation immediately.

Left handers are more numerous than the manufacturers would like to believe and if we stick to our 'handedness' we should be able to shift the market to offer products for us. When right handers occassionaly shoot my rifles, they comment that 'it feels odd...'. I always retort 'welcome to my world...!'.

best wishes,

Finman

you'd have noticed of course that German Salazar has registered as a member to this forum? may want to drop him a pm... I feel uncomfortable in the presence of (shooting) royalty, I am not worthy...and there isn't a hint of sarcasm in this statement, mean every word of it..

Cheers Irishgun,

see here:

http://ukvarminting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4755

for how it shoots. As for the bush... I don't know how to change it, but I don't mind it either, so long as it shoots like the way it does . Some also say that I like them tight :mad:

Hi Chaps,

after a long while (not only because of the wait for the stock- which came when McMillan and Peter Jackson said it would- but also because i have had little time to fit it), here's my A5 on a Sako 75-I Varmint.

50% Black, 25%Olive Green, 25% Tan

Best wishes,

Finman

Hi Ronin,

in one of my earlier exchanges with McMillan, for an A5 with adjustable cheekpiece (which is the wrong thing to have if I want the stock ambidextrous, as Mr. Jackson pointed out), and 3 sling swivel studs, I was quoted $673 a year ago, which, by the time I added tax and shipping is not that dissimilar to what I am paying at the moment for the stock from Jackson Rifles (if anyone from Jackson's is reading this, I am not complaining!!), or indeed what it cost you after import duty and vat..

It is rather distasteful, to say the least, that one would want £850 for an of-the-shelf stock and I am sure that with this kind of business ethos will not keep our friend in the market for long. On the other hand, unfortunately, there are people who do trust their gunsmith over and above what they should and gladly pay such extortionate prices...

As for the exchange rates, these may change in such a way to significantly affect the price from the time of the order to the time of the appearance on the shelf. So, it is a difficult one to judge.... In any case, we (in the UK) appear to be fleeced when comparing the prices others pay in the US for the same thing. It has to be said however, that even UK-based manufacturers are markedly more expensive than similar US ones. For example: In one of the earlier postings in this thread, the website of Mike Bryant is given. When you look what he charges for a custom rifle ($1950), and the reputation he has, and then compare it to a similar rifle made by a UK custom riflesmith, my point will be obvious...

Best wishes,

Finman

Hi Ronin and Hi Ian,

thank you both for the suggestions. It is a learning curve this, but when I did contact the McMillan folk they did not seem too keen to take my order, perhaps because at that time (about a year ago) I was not very clear on what I wanted nor could I understand what they could offer. Plus, if my memory is correct, at the time things were a lot less clear about export licenses and the like on such items.

Speaking to friends who have had McMillans on their guns, they always mentioned Mr. Jackson and my thinking was that if something goes wrong then, at least, I have someone in this country to address and try and sort the problem out.

I have other rifles and they will also be needing stocks, so I will try and be a bit more economical then. However, our gunsmiths need some trade too, and, much like our post offices, if we don't use them we may lose them ;-))

thank you again for highlighting this,

best wishes,

Finman

Hi Ian,

never having done this before, I only specified the colours to Peter Jackson and I am hoping that they will be 50%-25-25. I hope!! It is always a guessing game I understand, and it is only when the stock arrives that one gets to know whether they like it or not. For an investment of £500 or therabouts, it is a rather large gamble, lets hope it's worth it!!

best wishes,

Finman

This is EXCELLENT, chaps!!

with some trepidation I placed an order for a McMillan A5 for my Sako 75. When it came to the colours I did not know what to do so, off the cuff, I chose Black, Olive and Tan as the three colours to be marbled... Seeing what you have all posted, particularly those with the combinations on the colours I chose, make me rest at ease that the rifle will look excellent with the (random) choice that I made!

Looking forward to the stock now (won't be here this side of September...) and when I have it I shall post some pictures too!

best wishes,

Finman