Have one sitting next to the door also. It's pretty decent for a 200 dollar rifle.View attachment 972359
Ammo: 17HMR.
Location: Stands in a corner by the back door.
Use: Exploding starlings in the currant bushes behind the garden.
Price: Don’t remember.
Cost of ammo: Always been high compared to 22LR, but available even during the present “crises.”
Break Barrels
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Steve Milbocker
Member
When my siblings and I divided up dads guns the Savage I pictured above was high on my list. I had admired it since I was a kid and even then appreciated its beauty by simplicity. They are just as worthy of deep blueing and fancy wood as any other design in my book. The Savage 219 has the most graceful lines of any break barrel I’ve ever seen and handles beautifully. I’ve never felt under gunned by only having one shot.
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WisBorn
Contributing Member
Dave DeLaurant
Member
If anyone here wants or needs a synthetic youth stock for a Handyrifle, let me know by PM.
I've got two in my junk box. One came standard with my AAC-branded .300 Blackout model, and the other with my Sportster .22 LR. Too short for me (6' 2") and too long for my wife (4' 11") -- I immediately replaced both with Choate full-length stocks.
Dave DeLaurant
Member
Agreed -- the old pre-NEF SB1/2 era Topper was a different animal from the later SB1 in several ways.
In the early 1980s I bought one of the last Toppers in .357 Magnum before H&R folded. The brand came back a few years later and I bought an SB2 in .223 Rem. First thing I noticed was the different hammer profile -- the new version sticks up to blocks the sights when uncocked. The latter-day Toppers didn't do that, nor were they as fussy about interfering with a scope. I had a compact Burris in a fairly low mount on my Topper.
My favorite centerfire rifle Topper was the Shikari, which came in 45-70 and featured a barrel band and clearing rod:
high country
Member
As you probably saw from my photo, I use the youth stock with a nice thick recoil pad. That puts it at a decent LOP for me (6'-1"), and I am a big wimp when it comes to recoil so I like the extra cushion. I take it off for young/small shooters using the powderpuff loads, which just adds even more flexibility to an already very multi purpose platform.
Just wanted to throw that out there in case someone were considering taking Mr. DeLaurant up on that offer.
I started this thread with rifles, CF or ML, in mind but we got off on scatterguns as well (and even rolling blocks ), fine by me, my other, a Central Arms .410, 3 inch chamber:
Nobody believes me but when I was 13 I faced down a black bear with this very .410. And he was stalking me I am convinced but a load of number 4 buck at his feet made him think differently. Nobody believed me then, they still do not. Maybe I made it up in my 13 yo mind. I always carried a couple of slugs, a few #4 buck and the rest #6 shot.
Then as now, I am known to carry rifles/shotguns afield unloaded. The break barrel facilitates that safety measure. And I do not leave the bolt in my truck like I did once with my Ruger M77 .270, doh! With a nice, fat buck looking me over, double doh, not doe!
), fine by me, my other, a Central Arms .410, 3 inch chamber:
Nobody believes me but when I was 13 I faced down a black bear with this very .410. And he was stalking me I am convinced but a load of number 4 buck at his feet made him think differently. Nobody believed me then, they still do not. Maybe I made it up in my 13 yo mind
. I always carried a couple of slugs, a few #4 buck and the rest #6 shot.Then as now, I am known to carry rifles/shotguns afield unloaded. The break barrel facilitates that safety measure. And I do not leave the bolt in my truck like I did once with my Ruger M77 .270, doh! With a nice, fat buck looking me over, double doh, not doe
!Off topic but I do not carry, generally with exceptions, a round in the chamber and when my rifle is cased (for transport/storage) the bolt is removed. It was dark, cold and I was being hurried along, I left the bolt in the case. Since it was still earlier than permitted hunting I had intended to load up at my position. I had thought my bolt was in my coat pocket, nope, it was in my case. And, the buck that was looking me over, appeared right at the time of legal hunting so I had not yet loaded up
. This is one of my attractions to a break barrel as I said and why I want one in something like .44 Magnum. I can carry it open and there are no parts for me to leave behind , well, maybe the ammo!I am really liking the CVA Scout in a .44 Magnum. Especially given I am impressed with the two inline rifles I got from them. Anybody have experience with CVA centerfire break barrel rifles? My interest, again, is a simple single shot, straight wall legal, close range 100 yard brush buster.
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I love the handi rifles... 17 hm2 and hmr. 44 ,357 ,357max ,44's and .223's and a 45/70......I cut my 17hmr down to make it a lil more handi
Want to eventually do a few more next will likely be a .44 the lil 17 is a truck gun and has gotten a half dozen groundhogs alreadyWell, I did it. One down, three (or four or ??) more to go before I quit buying guns .
I found a stainless CVA Scout V2 in .44 Magnum so it is on the way I think, I hope. I have a few friends in straight wall states with cartridge length restrictions excluding my Marlin .45-70. So now I hopefully have the perfect little peashooter to put the smack on some woods rats in such places. But hopefully it will be useful here in Kansas and Louisiana as well. Plus, it should be an easy cartridge to reload for with good advantage in a small and easy to handle rifle.
.I found a stainless CVA Scout V2 in .44 Magnum so it is on the way I think, I hope. I have a few friends in straight wall states with cartridge length restrictions excluding my Marlin .45-70. So now I hopefully have the perfect little peashooter to put the smack on some woods rats in such places. But hopefully it will be useful here in Kansas and Louisiana as well. Plus, it should be an easy cartridge to reload for with good advantage in a small and easy to handle rifle.
entropy
Member
I had two, both Handi Rifles in .223:
My Dad liked that one so much he took it home with him. (There's a story behind that.....)
And the one I eventually replaced it with:
Neither was a real tack driver, though the bottom one was more accurate. I shot a couple coyotes with each of them, at about 50-100 yards. I sold this one to a friend who wanted it for coyotes and rabbit control on his land. Cases liked to stick in both of these, even after polishing the chambers.
My Dad liked that one so much he took it home with him. (There's a story behind that.....)
And the one I eventually replaced it with:
Neither was a real tack driver, though the bottom one was more accurate. I shot a couple coyotes with each of them, at about 50-100 yards. I sold this one to a friend who wanted it for coyotes and rabbit control on his land. Cases liked to stick in both of these, even after polishing the chambers.
WestKentucky
Member
I had a gun like the one @entropy shows in the bottom pic. It was a great gun, but it was awfully heavy for what it was. That gun given its size and weight should have been a 308 or a 35 Remington. There is no sensible reason for a 223 to weight that much. I kept it for a long time though, and it was my first 223. It killed plenty of things before I got it from a friend, and it killed a handful of things once I got it. Only fox I have ever shot was with that rifle, it was rabid or something and was coming towards me in the open during the day, even with me fussing at it.
Mohican1
Member
I bought a Shikari .44mag in 1990 for $90. Wished I still had it.
I have had a dozen break action rifles including H&R, Stevens, Savage (219, 220, 24), and TC. Down to two Contender carbines. The 22 has, on occasion, outshot my CZ455, 52 Win and my Shaw/Kidd 10-22.
I always regretted trading that Savage hornet and have wanted a TC TCR.
I always regretted trading that Savage hornet and have wanted a TC TCR.
high country
Member
Congrats on settling on that .44mag. That should be nice cartridge in a single shot. Always thought .45 colt would be similarly well suited.
Haven't seen many reviews of those CVA rifles, it would be great to see a range report once you get a few rounds down range with it.
Haven't seen many reviews of those CVA rifles, it would be great to see a range report once you get a few rounds down range with it.
The two CVA muzzleloaders I have are excellent and accurate. Reviews I have seen on line of the centerfire rifles tend to be good to excellent. I am saving the .45LC for a Marlin 1894 when Ruger gets Marlin rebooted. Hopefully Ruger will address a little more twist while they are at it.
If you have a fifties era shotgun receiver, you cannot safely fit a center fire rifle barrel to it. The old Topper receivers, pre SB1 and SB2 receivers, were made of ductile iron and cannot handle centerfire rifle or pistol cartridge pressures.
These show the difference between the SB1 (shotgun) and SB2 (rifle) receivers. Unless you have an SB2 receiver, fitting a rifle barrel is ... risky business.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
In early 2018 I bought a Henry Single Shot 45-70 for use in Cowboy Action Shooting side matches and Plainsman matches. I paid $369 at Cabela’s for it.
I never used it for CAS but I really like this rifle. I have considered getting one in .308 Winchester.
I never used it for CAS but I really like this rifle. I have considered getting one in .308 Winchester.
Australian410hunter
Member
I must admit I am a fan of the break action, and the single shot.
It probably is because my first shotgun, and rifle, were a break action Winchester Cooey .410, and a Lithgow/Slazenger 1B .22lr.
That shotgun was 'officially' my mothers, but I used from a young age (and still have it). It was an 840, and all the 840's appear to have been built on a 12G action, and then you have a breech area the same size as a 20G, then it tapers down to the end of the barrel, which is a thick .410! I learn to ignore the bead, and point, when hunting ducks, or hares (jack rabbits).
I more recently did it up, and gave it an aluminium pivot block (the plastic had broken), and drilled and tapped the barrel, to add a .44" tactical options fiber optic sight (I used the same hole, then trimmed and reversed the rifle sight). At the same time I lightly reamed, and polished, the choke, to open it up to .398" and polished the forcing cone, barrel and choke. I added a clamp on the barrel, and rear attached, for a sling.That shotgun is now 'perfect', points and shoots where it should, and breaks clays with 7.5shot, 3 inch shells, out to 40m, regularly!
If you want to carry 'extra' shells I use a 'Spika' premium sling, which lets you push shells under the nylon band, across the sling, where they present the primer end, and let you grab and insert one, as the shotgun ejects the fired case.
I use these .410 shotguns for teaching kids (and some adults), how to use a little shotgun, as an introduction, and general duty rural firearm.
I bought a later Cooey 37A .410 thinking it would be basically identical to the 840 (it is, and it isn't). It is a 'prettier' firearm, with stamped etchings, and a gold trigger. I have done it up the same way (no aluminium hinge block replacement required at this time), but found that it only needed a .365" front sight. I love the single shot Winchester Cooey design.
I have more recently 'found' the Savage 24 combination rifle/shotgun.
I have a tight action, basically unmarked, field grade series P .22lr over .410 (has the hunting scenes stamped into receiver, barrel selector on the hammer, and the front of trigger guard opening lever), which, once I shimmed the shotgun barrel (literally cut a shim from a baked been tin, shaped it by clamping it to a round tool handle and tapped it to get the curve, and then inserted into the round front shotgun barrel guide, with a brass punch, to move point of impact across) it shoots both barrels to same point of aim, it points naturally, (I had to add a correct wedge to the rear sight - someone had trimmed a hacksaw blade on an angle, as an adjuster, without knowing you need to solder two together, so they don't slip sideways), and is a pleasure to carry. It gives you options; I have yet to give the trigger the attention it requires.
I have a "camper" Savage 24C, in .22lr over 20G (cylinder bore) which, it appears, someone once did a serious disservice to, by burying it nose down. The action is that tight it appears unfired, the trigger appears reasonable. However, the very end of both barrel is seriously corroded, there are spots of corrosion elsewhere, as it appears ends of the barrel sat in water for an extended period (maybe buried in a leaking PVC tube?). I have tried to recover them, however I have just got a quote to get my local gunsmith to give them the attention they deserve. I have discovered how to regulate the barrels on my 24C, by loosening off the single screw on the barrel band, and 'moving' the barrels in relation to each other. This aligns them in the vertical, alas I have not been able to lift the 20G pint of impact! What I did discover was that (after I slimmed the far too wide front sight, and painted the face gold - it's steel), was that the .22lr barrel corresponds to the fine v of the sight, and the shotgun corresponds to the 'full' V of the overall sight. The rear sight of that 24C has been changed to a Marble sight.
I love the reliability, and simplicity, of the break action design.
The .45-70 Henry above looks like a fantastic rifle, too! (My cheese and kisses will blow a gasket, if I buy another rifle/shotgun any time soon! I may have purchsed a few different one's I always wanted, and a bit of reloading gear recently )
It probably is because my first shotgun, and rifle, were a break action Winchester Cooey .410, and a Lithgow/Slazenger 1B .22lr.
That shotgun was 'officially' my mothers, but I used from a young age (and still have it). It was an 840, and all the 840's appear to have been built on a 12G action, and then you have a breech area the same size as a 20G, then it tapers down to the end of the barrel, which is a thick .410! I learn to ignore the bead, and point, when hunting ducks, or hares (jack rabbits).
I more recently did it up, and gave it an aluminium pivot block (the plastic had broken), and drilled and tapped the barrel, to add a .44" tactical options fiber optic sight (I used the same hole, then trimmed and reversed the rifle sight). At the same time I lightly reamed, and polished, the choke, to open it up to .398" and polished the forcing cone, barrel and choke. I added a clamp on the barrel, and rear attached, for a sling.That shotgun is now 'perfect', points and shoots where it should, and breaks clays with 7.5shot, 3 inch shells, out to 40m, regularly!
If you want to carry 'extra' shells I use a 'Spika' premium sling, which lets you push shells under the nylon band, across the sling, where they present the primer end, and let you grab and insert one, as the shotgun ejects the fired case.
I use these .410 shotguns for teaching kids (and some adults), how to use a little shotgun, as an introduction, and general duty rural firearm.
I bought a later Cooey 37A .410 thinking it would be basically identical to the 840 (it is, and it isn't). It is a 'prettier' firearm, with stamped etchings, and a gold trigger. I have done it up the same way (no aluminium hinge block replacement required at this time), but found that it only needed a .365" front sight. I love the single shot Winchester Cooey design.
I have more recently 'found' the Savage 24 combination rifle/shotgun.
I have a tight action, basically unmarked, field grade series P .22lr over .410 (has the hunting scenes stamped into receiver, barrel selector on the hammer, and the front of trigger guard opening lever), which, once I shimmed the shotgun barrel (literally cut a shim from a baked been tin, shaped it by clamping it to a round tool handle and tapped it to get the curve, and then inserted into the round front shotgun barrel guide, with a brass punch, to move point of impact across) it shoots both barrels to same point of aim, it points naturally, (I had to add a correct wedge to the rear sight - someone had trimmed a hacksaw blade on an angle, as an adjuster, without knowing you need to solder two together, so they don't slip sideways), and is a pleasure to carry. It gives you options; I have yet to give the trigger the attention it requires.
I have a "camper" Savage 24C, in .22lr over 20G (cylinder bore) which, it appears, someone once did a serious disservice to, by burying it nose down. The action is that tight it appears unfired, the trigger appears reasonable. However, the very end of both barrel is seriously corroded, there are spots of corrosion elsewhere, as it appears ends of the barrel sat in water for an extended period (maybe buried in a leaking PVC tube?). I have tried to recover them, however I have just got a quote to get my local gunsmith to give them the attention they deserve. I have discovered how to regulate the barrels on my 24C, by loosening off the single screw on the barrel band, and 'moving' the barrels in relation to each other. This aligns them in the vertical, alas I have not been able to lift the 20G pint of impact! What I did discover was that (after I slimmed the far too wide front sight, and painted the face gold - it's steel), was that the .22lr barrel corresponds to the fine v of the sight, and the shotgun corresponds to the 'full' V of the overall sight. The rear sight of that 24C has been changed to a Marble sight.
I love the reliability, and simplicity, of the break action design.
The .45-70 Henry above looks like a fantastic rifle, too! (My cheese and kisses will blow a gasket, if I buy another rifle/shotgun any time soon! I may have purchsed a few different one's I always wanted, and a bit of reloading gear recently
)Australian410hunter
Member
I also have a selection of break action double barrel break action shotguns, I prefer ejectors over extractors.
That said, I am partial to a side by side, even though all mine are extractor. I have a 20g SxS that is a dream as a hunting shotgun, and a good step up from .410 . It can also do double duty for breaking clays.
There are so many variations, exposed hammers, or enclosed, single or double trigger, second barrel cocked by recoil, or manual cock on open, extractor/ejector depending if it has fired.
And at the other extreme my eldest has a Chiappa little badger (which is the noisiest .22m I have ever heard), which is an extremely light, simple, accurate, break action design (although I doubt it will still be a shooter, in its current form, in 100 years, with all that plastic).
And with all that, a single shot, break action, rifle or shotgun, remains the simplest, cleanest, firearm system, that encourages you to concentrate on making that shot count!
That said, I am partial to a side by side, even though all mine are extractor. I have a 20g SxS that is a dream as a hunting shotgun, and a good step up from .410 . It can also do double duty for breaking clays.
There are so many variations, exposed hammers, or enclosed, single or double trigger, second barrel cocked by recoil, or manual cock on open, extractor/ejector depending if it has fired.
And at the other extreme my eldest has a Chiappa little badger (which is the noisiest .22m I have ever heard), which is an extremely light, simple, accurate, break action design (although I doubt it will still be a shooter, in its current form, in 100 years, with all that plastic).
And with all that, a single shot, break action, rifle or shotgun, remains the simplest, cleanest, firearm system, that encourages you to concentrate on making that shot count!
I would prefer an ejector in a shotgun but for a rifle I would want an extractor. I would love a double barrel .410 with ejectors.
It is hard to complicate a break action rifle/shotgun. That is my attraction to them, they are clean, simple, no frills. The Henry looks great, it is pretty. I just have an aversion to wood and blued steel. That is why I bought the CVA over the Henry, stainless 416 steel
!
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Got the CVA .44 Magnum Scout V2 TD (Take Down) in today. I love it, stainless 416 steel and black plastic stocks, perfect. Simple, well finished, spartan but somehow a little bit elegant. The rifle takes down into three pieces without any tools. The action is really tight, locks up like a vault. I put it on my bench getting the rail reset and maybe set one of my spare scopes. I have Nikon Monarch 1X4-20 African and a Leupold 2X7-33 or a Nikon 3X9-40 available, all on Warne steel QR rings. Not sure which scope I should go with. In due course I want that new Leupold 2.5X-20 fixed power ultralight scope. But that will have to wait a bit. I also may get it threaded.
So I have two sets of .44 Magnum dies headed my way, I have bullets galore, powder out the wazoo and primers but not a single piece of brass, woe is me. If anyone wants to trade 50 pieces of either .45LC (Winchester) or .45-70 (Starline) I am all in . Then I could not only look at it and take pictures of it but maybe also shoot the little bugger .
Here you go, locked and ready to roll, my new backyard deer rifle:
Ready to load and lock:
No tool take down for transport:
I really like Warne vertical rings with the quick release. They hold zero, they are steel and very sturdy and great quality. Assembly is easy and so is the On and Off. Their only downside is that being steel they are a tad heavy. But I guess that comes with the strength/quality needed to hold zero on punishing rifles, far more so than a little .44 Magnum. I do wish it had open sights as a back up.
So I have two sets of .44 Magnum dies headed my way, I have bullets galore, powder out the wazoo and primers but not a single piece of brass, woe is me
. If anyone wants to trade 50 pieces of either .45LC (Winchester) or .45-70 (Starline) I am all in . Then I could not only look at it and take pictures of it but maybe also shoot the little bugger .Here you go, locked and ready to roll, my new backyard deer rifle:
Ready to load and lock:
No tool take down for transport:
I really like Warne vertical rings with the quick release. They hold zero, they are steel and very sturdy and great quality. Assembly is easy and so is the On and Off. Their only downside is that being steel they are a tad heavy. But I guess that comes with the strength/quality needed to hold zero on punishing rifles, far more so than a little .44 Magnum
. I do wish it had open sights as a back up.
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