[RIFLE REVIEW] Musgrave 90 series sporting rifles
J.M.S...@newcastle.ac.uk
This was scanned in using rusty OCR software. I've gone through it but
what's the betting you'll immediately spot some errors? :-) Comments in
[brackets] are mine.
<start>
MUSGRAVE barrels and actions are much sought after by the target
shooting fraternity and limited supplies have long been available in
this country [UK]. As we understand it, the arms embargo did not
prevent South African rifles being imported into the UK but, in fact,
trade has been seriously inhibited. But things are changing fast and
Musgrave Arms are likely to become readily available in the very near
future. With that in mind arrangements were made with Musgrave for one
of their sporting rifles, which are less well known over here, to be
tested during a recent visit to Valhalla Hunting in Natal.
Musgrave have a range of sporting rifles, their flagship being their
Model 90, an update of an earlier Model 80. This rifle incorporates
Musgrave's own bolt action which is a much modernised Mauser and it has
features such as a three positional safety. The Model 90 is built in a
short action, catering for the shorter cartridges such as the .222. The
standard action accommodates a wide range of modern cartridges and the
magnum deals with the 375 H&H, and other longer cartridges. Lightweight
and deluxe versions are available. In addition to the Model 90 and the
RSA target rifle, Musgrave have an ambidextrous .22 bolt action rifle
which is workmanlike and handy.
The development of the Model 90 did not persuade Musgrave to drop the
standard K98 Mauser, a favourite in South Africa it or its immediate
predecessor being the standard arm of the Boer Commandos as well as
their standard hunting rifle. The Mauser K98 has remained a justifiably
popular arm and it must come as no surprise that it remains a mainstay
of this large producer.
The Musgrave operation started in 1904 when Ben Musgrave moved to South
Africa, having received a grounding in gunmaking in his native England.
Musgrave was a keen target shooter and returned to shoot at Bisley on
numerous occasions, as did his two sons. Thc family name soon became
inextricably linked with riflesmithing.
Musgrave's range of products and volume of production must have
received a major boost with the imposition of sanctions. Despite the
official lies, sanctions never did work fully and foreign-made firearms
have continued to be available in South Afriea, but there was a gap to
be filled and Musgrave filled it in style. The UK now has no domestie
factory produced sporting rifles [only custom rifle makers]. Amongst
other things, sanctions helped kill off our remaining makers. Musgrave
now anticipate significant penetration into this market, they having
been much strengthened by the imposition of sanctions.
The rifle we were to test was a K98 lightweight in 7x57 that long
established and now a little neglected sporting cartridgc which remains
a superb choicc for a wide range of game. The rifle is also available
in 243, 270, 308, 30-06 and 7x64.
The rifle has a twenty one inch barrel fitted onto a standard Mauser
action. There is a modificd forty five degree safety which is
convenient to operate beneath a scope. The remainder of the action is
pure Mauser K98 with its two large locking lugs, ultra reliable
extractor and its bolt release catch on the left side. Iron sights are
fitted with a stand and fold backsight and a ramp mounted foresight
with protector. These iron sights were not used. The rifle comes
drilled and tapped for scope bases and a Tasco 4x40 scope had been
fitted at the factory.
The stock was on classic lines with no cheekpiece. It was of walnut, in
a lightish colour with a very straight grain. The finish was oiled and
like most factory stocks, it will benefit from a year or two of the
occasional application of a stock oil. The pistol grip was excellent
with enough palm swell to improve control. Thc stock was chequered on
the hand and fore end with attractive bordered designs, thc chequering
itself being fine, deeply cut and having no run-overs.
The bolt is a classic Mauser with the full length extractor spring,
twin locking lugs, large tailpiece, the tail piece safety is modified
to 45 degrees. The bolt handle has been bent down and then turned out
a little as it swccps into the knob. This allowed the bolt to lie
gracefully close to thc stock when closcd, but also to give very
comfortable handling and ready access. It was one of those bolts that
the shooter doesn't think about. It comes to hand automaticallv and
works perfectly every time. The magazine holds five rounds and the
floor plate, which is hinged and lockcd in Mauscr fashion, is flush
with the bottom of the rifle. Feeding from the magazine was faultless
throughout.
Then there was the trigger. It was simply a dream and could not be Paul
Mauser's original design which, though workmanlike, is incapable of
that sort of smoothnness and refinement. It was thought unwise to
remove the action from the stock to examine the trigger at the start of
a week's hunting but later examination revealed that, indeed, it was
not the original Mauser trigger but was a Klotz. The trigger is very
similar to the Timney, which is also available and fits directly into
this rifle. The Klotz trigger is made in South Africa with a steel
body. It is adjustable in every possible way for weight of pull,
backlash, take- up etc. It is, quite simply, a superb sporting trigger.
The Tasco scope was fitted with ring mounts and was in place when the
rifle arrived. This is a good quality Japanese made instrument which
performed extremely well throughout the ranges and demonstrated the
sort of value for money represented by this maker.
Overall finish of this Musgrave rifle was very good indeed. All
metalwork was well polished and very nicely blued. Woodwork was well
cut and nicely finished. Fitting of meta to wood was good and the whole
thing had a look of efficiency and effectiveness. Balance is nicely
between the hands and the rifle came up easily. Because of the altered
safety and bent bolt handle, the scope could be fitted down close to
the bore line and the stock has obviously designed to allow comfortable
use with a scope.
The rifle had been prepared at the factory and delivered to the
Valhalla Game Ranch for me. Whoever set up the rifle at the factory was
able to sight it in exactly right for me. Sighting in took place
alongside a dam wall, shooting at a round black target with a bank for
the bullets to strike. The first three shots said it all. Two were very
close together and the one was was just a short way out had been called
correctly [incorrectly?]. [The groups shown in the photos are maybe
3/4" ctc 3 round groups, shot whilst leaning on a fence post.] An
unusual feature of a review for this magazine was the need to stop
shooting during initial familiarisation so that a Zulu family could
pass by without concern. There was an exchange of banter with
Valhilla's host, Danilo Pedrelli, before they passed on, clear of the
area, and shooting could be resumed.
The rifle was field tested over the course of a week in which hunting
took place in relatively open country, in thickish savannah and, later,
in wide open veldt. At just ahout seven pounds, the rifle was pleasant
to carry. It was short enough to prove no encumberence in thicker cover
and its performance and handling produced the vital feel of confidence
in the equipment.
Ammunition was also providcd by Musgrave who distrihute South African
made PMP cartridges. Loads were available with 130, 152 and 170 grain
hullets. but the time available for familiarisation was limited and it
was felt necessary to chose just one round for all shooting. The range
of quarry available was wide, running from hody weights of thirty or
forty pounds to half a ton or so. Having regard to the size of the
larger animals, it was decided to use the 170 grain bullet which would
cope with them and looked as though it would have enough expansion ion
for thc smallcr quarry particularly if shots were placed with this
prohlem in mind.
So it turned out. In course of the next week, the rifle accounted for
three impala. two blesbok, a duiker. a black wildeheest and four
springbok. [Gawd, some people get all the luck!] We have recounted the
stories of some of these hunts and wlll tell of the rest of them.
Suffice it to say that they were all one shot kills, which includcd
some shots which demanded a great deal of confidence in the rifle. Some
of the anlmals did travel short distances after the shot, which always
produced difficulties in the long dried grass of the African winter,
but all were quickly found and brought to the larder where examination
of hullet performance showed that the choice had heen right.
We cannot yet say what thc price of this rifle is likelv to be in the
UK, nor can we say who will he distributing them. We believe that we
shall hear more in the near future and can only invite readers to watch
this magazine. Wc will keep you informed.
<end>
footnotes added 23 Apr 94:
1 Musgrave are imported by Edgar Bros., tel: 0625 613177
2 The test groupings they show in the article _are_ tight for a
factory sporting rifle.
--JOnathan
MR KR COMAN
#From: J.M.S...@newcastle.ac.uk
#Subject: [RIFLE REVIEW] Musgrave 90 series sporting rifles
#Date: 25 Apr 1994 12:53:37 -0400
#Copied w/o permission from Guns Review 32(2):123+, Feb 92
#
#This was scanned in using rusty OCR software. I've gone through it but
#what's the betting you'll immediately spot some errors? :-) Comments in
#[brackets] are mine.
[Details snipped]
#1 Musgrave are imported by Edgar Bros., tel: 0625 613177
#2 The test groupings they show in the article _are_ tight for a
# factory sporting rifle.
Many thanks for posting this. Speaking from "the scene", a few points:
* Being local, Musgrave "enjoys" a sort of love-hate relationship amongst
SA shooters. On the one hand, there are folk who (like the article
suggests) get considerable performance out of their Musgraves -- the 7x57
btw is VERY popular out here. Conversely, there are two other more
negative schools of opinion. First there are those who feel that a "local"
product isn't quite up to imported standards -- not by virtue of first hand
experience, but simply on the grounds that with a "Musgrave" your're not
quite sure what you're going to end up with -- it might be superb or it
might be a piece of junk. Second, there are those who have had direct bad
experiences with Musgrave products -- one chap I knew (a pro hunter) bought
a Musgrave .458, took it to the range: shot one -- the mag floorplate
popped open, shot two -- ditto, shot three -- the stock split: not too
useful when Jumbo's got his ears out.... he took it back for a Brno.
Musgrave were also the long term SOLE supplier of SA-made ammunition --
again, get some SA shooters together and everyone's got stories of dud
rounds. Over and above all this, being a sort of monopoly supplier in the
local market, Musgrave has tended to have a pretty spotty and unpredictable
attitude towards the local shooting consumer -- perennial gripes are the
high costs and unreliable availability, esp of ammunition and reloading
supplies. (One big sore point was the fact that Musgrave ammo is often
advertised in overseas gun mags at prices below what they are in SA -- "Are
we subsidising overseas consumers?!!" Musgrave: "Mumble, mumble, mumble."
* Ultimately, I know of many shooters who take a dry-eyed view of the
situation and say, Well, I could pay a bit more and get a nicely finished
Musgrave, but what will I really be getting? Rather, I'll shop around for
a "no surprises" Brno or Zavasta, save a couple a hundred Rand that I can
then put into getting it nicely bedded and breathed on...."
What do Musgraves go for in England? Might be interesting to do a comparry
with local retail prices.....
Cheers,
Keith Coman