Hunting in Namibia with a Mannlicher-Schoenauer 6,5x68

[MattieA65]

This was the once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa. I had been messing with a 9,3x64mm Brenneke, but opted with the Mannlicher-Schoenauer, because the former was at the gunsmith's shop for too long. The 8x68 was outstanding. Never a second shot, and the animals didn't go far.

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[mike ford]

MattieA65,
Waidmannsheil, good show. Is the Wiesbaden R&G Club still open? Did you have your rifles built in Germany? If so, who did it? Be sure to bring plenty of brass back when you rotate home. The calibers you mentioned are avaliable here now, but a little hard to find. If you bring it with you, you won't have to make it.
Mike

[MattieA65]

The Wiesbaden R&G is unfortunately not really open. I say not really, because we still use the building for our quarterly HFSS (Hunting, Fishing, Sport Shooting) Stammtisches. The ranges are closed down. The Army, or IMCOM or whoever stopped keeping up the ranges, permits and such several years ago in anticipation of giving that facilty back to Deutschland as part of BRAC. We do a monthly recreational shoot at McCully Barracks, but most shooting opportunities are at the German Gun Clubs. The Wiesbadener Schutzengesellschaft (WSG), which shares a range & club with Jagdverein Wiesbaden (JVW) is really good for rifles & pistols. Down the road from the old Wiesbaden R&G Building is Wurftauben Club Wiesbaden (WCW), which I understand used to be part of the American Rod & Gun. That is a really nice shotgun club! There are smallbore ranges at Eltville and Kiedrich, and we do a monthly Jagmatch-type "Ehrenscheibe" at Shutzenverein Tell in Moerfelden.
Regarding the rifle. I bought it used, without a scope, but with the bases & rings, 30mm tube diameter with a 56mm front. Then, I found a used S&B scope on a German website, and a local gunsmith, "Waffen Antes" mounted it. I've got bullet seating, full-length re-sizing and neck-sizing dies, plus a lot of once-fired brass. Before PCSing, I'll order probably 200 unprimed cases. I do this for any gun I buy here in a European cartridge, e.g. 6,5x57. I'm having trouble finding a neck-sizing die for that one, though.
Hey, I enjoy your articles in "Waidmannsheil!"

[mike ford]

MattieA65,
Thanks for the compliment. I'm sorry to hear about the R&G club, but happy to hear our German friends are stepping up with open arms. My time in the R&G club was really happy, and I wish all our service members could still have these experiences. My family and I still speak fondly of the annual conventions held at the General Walker Hotel. This Hotel was returned to the Germans, and I think was torn down- really sad for us. For necksizing the 6.5x57, I suggest using a 6.5x55 FL die. I think the 55mm case is enough larger in dia. to be useable as 6.5x57 necksizing die. If you have a good relationship with "Waffen Antes", maybe they will let you rummage around in their fired brass box. I scrounged up a good bit of brass from my friend Walter Grass this way. Also check with whoever takes care of cleaning up the rifle range. I scrounged up enough common brass this way(plus that I shot myself), and only ordered uncommon calibers like 9.3x72R and 404 Jef. I wish I had ordered 8x68 and 9.3x64 ( what I have is about half berdan primed, just inconvienent), both of which are "one of these days" projects.
Mike

[MattieA65]

Whoops. I meant, of course, "hunting in Namibia with an 8x68," not a 6,5x68. Can I change the thread title?

[Diz]

All very nice heads, Waidmannsheil, Diz