CVA Apex - EABCO

May 2012 No. 262

$5.99 U.S./CanadaDisplay until 6/9/2012 Printed in USA7 25274 01240 4

0 5

$5.99

SomethingSpecial!EABCO

Model 97D.30-30

REVIVAL!Weatherby’s NEW Mark V

CVA ApexBarrel-SwappingBreak Action

Levergun Loads for the

.50 Alaskan

Custom Barrels

LITTLE BIGHORNBATTLE GUNS

May 2012Volume 44, Number 3

ISSN 0162-3593Issue No. 262SSppoorrtitinngg FiFirrearearmmss JJooururnnal al

Page 48 . . .

4 Rifle 262www.riflemagazine.com Background Photo: © 2012 Vic Schendel

Page 34 . . .

28 A .30-30 Like No Other The EABCO Model 97D Stan Trzoniec

34 The Renaissance Model Weatherby Reinvents Its Flagship Mark V Terry Wieland

42 Little Bighorn Battle Rifles and Carbines What Archaeological Findings Have Revealed Mike Venturino

48 CVA Apex Break-Action Rifle Exploring Multicaliber Options John Haviland

8 Dog, Cats, Coyotes and Winchesters Spotting Scope - Dave Scovill

12 Installing Scopes on Early .22 Rimfires Light Gunsmithing - Gil Sengel

18 Montana Vintage Arms B5 Scope Down Range - Mike Venturino

22 .300 H&H Improved Magnum Ackley Classic Cartridges - John Haviland

26 Browning’s Classic .22-Caliber Semiautomatic Mostly Long Guns - Brian Pearce

Issue No. 262 May 2012

SSppoorrtitinngg FiFirrearearmmss JJooururnnalal

Publisher/President – Don Polacek

Publishing Consultant – Mark Harris

Editor in Chief – Dave Scovill

Associate Editor – Lee J. Hoots

Managing Editor – Roberta Scovill

Assisting Editor – Al Miller

Senior Art Director – Gerald Hudson

Production Director – Becky Pinkley

Contributing Editors

AdvertisingAdvertising Director - Stefanie Ramsey

[email protected]

Advertising Representative - Tom [email protected]

Advertising Information: 1-800-899-7810

CirculationCirculation Manager – Luree McCann

[email protected]

Subscription Information: 1-800-899-7810www.riflemagazine.com

Rifle® (ISSN 0162-3583) is published bimonthly with oneannual special edition by Polacek Publishing Corporation,dba Wolfe Publishing Company (Don Polacek, President),2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. (Alsopublisher of Handloader® magazine.) Telephone (928) 445-7810. Periodical Postage paid at Prescott, Arizona, and ad-ditional mailing offices. Subscription prices: U.S.possessions – single issue, $5.99; 7 issues, $19.97; 14 is-sues, $36. Foreign and Canada – single issue, $5.99; 7 is-sues $26; 14 issues, $48. Please allow 8-10 weeks for firstissue. Advertising rates furnished on request. All rightsreserved.

Change of address: Please give six weeks notice. Send both the old and new address, plus mailing label ifpossible, to Circulation Department, Rifle® Magazine,2180 Gulfstream, Suite A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rifle®, 2180Gulfstream, Suite A, Prescott, Arizona 86301.

Canadian returns: PM #40612608. Pitney Bowes, P.O.Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

Wolfe Publishing Co.2180 Gulfstream, Ste. APrescott, AZ 86301Tel: (928) 445-7810 Fax: (928) 778-5124© Polacek Publishing Corporation

John Haviland Ron Spomer Brian Pearce Stan TrzoniecClair Rees Mike VenturinoGil Sengel Ken Waters

Terry Wieland

Publisher of Rifle® is not responsible for mishaps ofany nature that might occur from use of publishedloading data or from recommendations by any mem-ber of The Staff. No part of this publication may be re-produced without written permission from thepublisher. All authors are contracted under work forhire. Publisher retains all copyrights upon paymentfor all manuscripts. Although all possible care is ex-ercised, the publisher cannot accept responsibility forlost or mutilated manuscripts.

Background Photo: © 2012 Vic Schendel Rifle 262www.riflemagazine.com6

Page 56 . . .

Page 62 . . .

56 .50 Alaskan Levergun Loads with Punch! Brian Pearce

62 Custom Barrels A Consumer’s Guide John Barsness

68 What’s New in the Marketplace Inside Product News - Clair Rees

78 Far Out and Far Fetched Walnut Hill - Terry Wieland

On the cover . . .This E. Arthur Brown Company Model 97D falling-block singleshot represents a mix of classic lines and modern machiningand is chambered for the .30-30 WCF. Photo by Stan Trzoniec.

Rifle 2628 www.riflemagazine.com

Anumber of folks have written over the yearsregarding suitable loads for a variety of lever ac-

tions. The most popular by far is the .45-70, followedby the .45 Colt and .44 Magnum. Oddly enough, twoof the most popular cartridges in western history, the.38 and .44 WCFs, appear to garner little interest,probably because folks are constantly bombardedwith the notion that they can be troublesome to hand-load, i.e., they are easily damaged by ham-handedfolks, aren’t suitable for sizing in carbide dies and re-quire some method of lubrication, which can get a bitmessy and time consuming to deal with. This is not toignore the classic “nail in the coffin” that they aren’taccurate enough to serve for anything but casualplinking or cowboy action duty.

As a result, when some would-be writer decides tomake a name for him/herself by nominating the 10most useless cartridges to be selected for the discardpile, the .44 and .38 WCFs usually make the list, right

up at the top. Never mind that by opining such a the-ory, the author is admitting little or no knowledge ofthe very rifles and cartridges he is so quick to con-demn. It also shows ignorance of the fact that suchdrivel serves no useful purpose, especially sincethere’s an even chance that a good number of readersnot only own one of these old “clunkers” that Grand-dad passed on to Dad, but cherish them as well. Inshort, it’s probably not smart to attack family valuesand tradition.

The truth is, the Winchester Models 73 and 92 .38and .44 WCFs and their copies from Europe are amongthe most practical rifles and carbines for knockingaround, hunting varmints, fur bearers, pests and smallgame or pulling house duty. They may not be the firstchoice for deer, or some such, and don’t measure upin comparison to some bolt-action “blow-hole ex-press,” but they are just about ideal for folks who, be-cause of size, age or disposition, aren’t up to dealingwith vicious recoil dished out by Dad’s big game rifle.

About 20 years ago, after moving into our homenorth of Prescott, it didn’t take long to figure out thearea was infested with coyotes. Our black cat wouldsit in the bay window of my son Jason’s bedroom, andthe coyotes would come around in the early morningand start yapping and howling at the cat. It was a rudeway to wake up, with all that racket just 10 feet fromthe bedroom window. I shot a couple of them, andthey quieted down a bit, but tracks around the houseproved they hadn’t moved on.

It was inevitable, I suppose, that one fine afternoonmy daughter Alicia was playing with her tabby cat onthe patio near the kitchen door when a coyote came outof the nearby brush and grabbed the cat. Alicia chasedthe coyote, yelling and screaming, and for whateverreason, the coyote put the cat down and ran off.

The kids were upset that a coyote tried to eat the cat,so we planned an ambush. The idea was to barbecuea chicken on the back porch, and Jason would wait inambush in the dry wash below the house. The washwas used by javelina, bobcats, coyotes and an occa-sional mountain lion, to pass through the area, so itseemed reasonable to expect the coyote would usethe same route in pursuit of barbecued chicken. Anhour or so before I lit the charcoal, Jason took a ’73Winchester .44 WCF and hunkered down under thelow hanging limbs of a big juniper. The smell of bar-becued chicken drifted toward the wash on the pre-vailing breeze, and it wasn’t long before the bellow ofthe Winchester rocked the quiet afternoon. Jason and

SPOTTING SCOPE by Dave Scovill • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

DOGS, CATS, COYOTESAND WINCHESTERS

May-June 2012 9www.riflemagazine.com

Alicia got their revenge, and thecat recovered nicely.

Problems with coyotes quieteddown for awhile, although I shot acouple on state land next to thehouse, just to let them know itwasn’t safe . . . yet. Then, one quietafternoon, I was standing on thedeck and a coyote came out of thewash and walked up along thesouth side of the house, passingwithin 20 feet of me. I grabbed aModel ’92 .44 WCF that was lean-ing against the wall near the bed-room door and took a second look– just in time to see the coyotewalk into the house through thekitchen door!

Sneaking down the hallway to-ward the living room, I expectedto see the coyote in the living ordining rooms and contemplatedthe bloody mess it would make ifI shot it on the carpet. Nothing. Iglanced around the corner into thekitchen and noticed a movementin the hallway that led to thegarage. Sure enough, the tip of the

coyote’s tail was moving in theentry way to the front door. Thedoor was open so I went out to thepatio to take a look down the frontof the house just as the coyotetrotted down the porch steps –and took a 200-grain cast bulletthrough the shoulders.

Save for the coyotes that came tobark and howl at the cat in the baywindow, they left the cats and dogalone for awhile – a couple of win-dows were partially open to pro-vide a safe haven for the cats toescape, although they could climba tree to gain access to the roofeasily enough. When the howlingbecame obnoxious in the earlymorning, the barbecue gambit wastried again, with a couple of cookedchicken wings tossed into the thickbrush below the deck at the backof the house for good measure. Isat on the deck in the afternoonshade and waited. Within minutesa coyote trotted by with the chickenwing it its mouth and took a cast.44-caliber slug through the lungs.

We adopted another dog that Ro berta saved from a certain fate at the local shelter. Since she was deaf, the 5-month-old puppy,dumped on the highway near theshelter, was due to be put downthe following Monday. When Ro -berta picked up the pup and paidthe fees, the folks at the sheltermade her sign a paper stating shewouldn’t bring her back.

Beta Sue, don’t ask where thatname came from [our feminine ver-sion of Beethoven, who was alsodeaf – Roberta], was a mix of Aus-

Beta Sue

Rifle 262

tralian shepherd and Queenslandheeler, and smart as a whip. Shequickly learned doggie sign lan-guage and wouldn’t go far withoutcoming back to check on Roberta,or whoever was out and about inthe yard at the time. For the mostpart, she was never out of sight forlong and was always anticipatinga signal – come here, no!, go leftor right – or she would simply liedown and wait. The only problemwas during short periods whenshe was facing away or distractedby whatever and wasn’t watchingor anticipating what we mightwant her to do.

One morning Beta Sue was lyingnearby on the deck, and without aprior hint of discontent, wentberserk. My first reaction was thatshe was about to tangle with ajavelina – a fight most dogs willlose . . . badly. Within a millisec-ond she leaped off the side of thedeck and headed for the dry wash,growling like a hound from hell. Igrabbed the Model ’92 .38 WCFthat was leaning against the wallnear the back door and saw BetaSue running up the other side ofthe wash just as a large male coy-ote stepped out of the tall grass inher path.

By the the time I could get thesights on the coyote, Beta Sue wasalready in the line of fire, coming

This Arizona coyote fell victim to a 180-grain cast bullet from aModel 1892 .38 WCF rifle at lessthan 40 yards.

Our congratulationsgo to Leo Prettymanof Arma, Kansas, thewinner of our most re-cent rifle giveaway – aClassic Barrel & GunWorks 6.5-284 Norma.Mr. Prettyman sent thefollowing note:

“Mr. Polacek and staff,

“Received the rifle,thoroughly impressedand pleased. My sin-cere thanks to all. Halfthe county has seen it, and the other halfwants to.”

6.5-284 NORMA RIFLE GIVEAWAY WINNER


to a skidding halt, rocks and dustflying, and nearly colliding withthe big male. For who knows whatreason, she stopped with her earslaid back and backed up a step ortwo, leaving just enough room fora 180-grain bullet to pass by, strik-ing the coyote in the shoulder.Without further fuss, she sniffedthe dead coyote and trotted backto the house.

Since Beta Sue was deaf andnever heard the sound of a gun –she could feel shock waves frommuzzle blast at close distances –I’ve often wondered what she musthave been thinking when that bigcoyote simply fell over dead infront of her. She must have feltlike pretty tough stuff, and it oc-curred to me from time to timethat she was a little lighter on herfeet after that.

Nowadays, the old Morgan Ranchhas been largely sold off in parcelsto heretofore city folks, our dogsand cats are now gone (Beta Suelived to be 14 years old.), the kids

have their own children to raiseand the little Winchesters havebeen put away, but not far out ofreach. Then too, it may not beover, not just yet anyway. While Iwas standing in front of the garageenjoying the gray light of dawn re-

cently, five coyotes trotted acrossan open area 150 yards or so fromthe driveway within easy range ofan iron-sighted Winchester andhesitated for moment before mov-ing on, as if to serve as a reminderof earlier days in Arizona.

R

stock. The forearm is tapered toward the muzzle thatstarts with a European Schnabel for appearance. Theforearm has no checkering, is not free floating and isinletted with great care. It is attached with twin Allenscrews, comes off cleanly for maintenance and has asling swivel stud attached. Halfway up the sides, thewood is tapered inward to afford a good purchase of the nonshooting hand. (For the varmint hunter,EABCO offers an optional and much wider flat-bottom forend, and it fits an .810-inch barrel.)

A .30-30Like No Other


WStan Trzoniec

When it comes to deercartridges, the .30-30Winchester remains apopular choice. It’s been

around for eons, it is dependable, andammunition is available worldwide.When I got a chance to review a to-tally different concept in a “deer”rifle, I accepted delivery of a Model97D single shot made by E. ArthurBrown Company, Inc. (EABCO) out ofGarfield, Minnesota.Aside from being available in the .30-30 Winchester,Brown lists over 50 chamberings, including such nov-elties as the .17 Bumble Bee, .219 Donaldson Wasp,.25-35 Winchester, .300-221 Remington, .357 Herrettand .375 Winchester, to mention only a few. Variousrifling twists are specified, and loaded ammunition,brass and dies are available for Brown’s EABCO 6.5BRM cartridge. As a variation, the basic Model 97Daction is also available as a shortened pistol versionin different configurations for both the hunter and target shooter.

When it arrived, I was certainly taken aback by therifle’s unique appearance. The lines are trim; in fact,if you forgo a scope, putting one’s hand around the re-ceiver as to carry it in the field makes for one handyrifle. In fact, even with the Model 97D scoped, I couldstill hold the rifle comfortably with one hand whilegetting close to game or stalking.

Overall the rifle’s lines are classic right down to the

The buttstock is profiled in a classic pattern in anaverage grade of wood that looks like it was quarter-sawn. Right behind the receiver is a larger than usualrecess that may look strange in the beginning, butholding the rifle places the hand directly on centerwith the receiver and hammer. The lack of a highcomb in no way hinders the centering of the reticle inyour eye. On the left side, a modest cheekpiece is partof the woodwork with a slight cast-off for right-handed shooters. A nicely figured pistol-grip cap with

Brown’s logo laser engraved and separated from thestock with a thin black spacer finishes the stock.

Length of pull is 15 inches; with this type of rifle andaction, it fits my 5-foot, 10-inch frame comfortably.This space is usually reserved to accommodate a bolt action, but with the single-shot receiver, thelength of pull has been adjusted. For weather resist-ance, the stock is coated with a satin finish andcapped with a thin recoil pad with both black andwhite spacers mated flush with the stock. An am-

A .30-30Like No Other The EABCO

Model 97D

The Model 97D is a unique falling-block singleshot with classic lines. The scope is a 4-12x 40mmwith EABCO Keystone rings and a Picatinny-likemounting system.



EABCOModel 97D

As pictured, the action is lockedand ready to fire.

The falling block, in its lowest position, exposes the breech forloading or unloading.

To close the action, finger pres-sure is used to lift the fallingblock into place.

bidextrous stock option will ac-commodate left-handed shooters.

Precision machined and anodizedin a variety of colors, the entire as-sembly is quality built and assem-bled. To open the action, the triggerhas to be fully forward. This takessome getting used to, as it is not arebounding trigger; hence, afterfiring the rifle, pull the hammerback slightly to set the reloadingprocedure in place and relievespring tension. Because of its de-sign, the action actually swivels ina slight arc rather than a straightpull downward. Brown suggestsyou wrap your index finger aroundthe trigger guard while bracing yourthumb around the actual lever.Pushing down and forward opensthe action. This is a fast-operatingrifle, as the action only moves down

and out of the receiver less thanan inch!

Brown notes that the “extractoris not a heavy leverage affair so itserves to warn you when yourhandloads are too hot.” To facili-tate the loading and subsequentunloading and ejection, the ham-mer moves downward and restsflush with the falling block so thespent cartridge moves smoothlyout of the chamber without hang-ing up on the top surface of thehammer. The top of the hammer isrelieved as to allow the cartridgeto follow to the rear and out of theaction without hesitation.

To load the rifle, place a round inthe chamber. Some cartridges likethe .30-30 Winchester will not seatdeeply enough in the chamber toallow the block to be raised. Insertthe round, then nudge it flush withthe breech allowing the ejector tofollow, and then close the action.Once the loaded round is in place,reverse the procedure bringing thelever up, snapping it shut and se-curing the action for firing.

For those who may purchase therifle for varmint hunting, you willappreciate this trigger. Out of thebox, the sample broke at less than2 pounds without any trace oftake-up or slack. An overtravel ad-justment has been installed on the

Specifications:Model 97D

.30-30 WinchesterAction: single shot, falling blockStock: American walnutBarrel length: 24 inchesOverall length: 39½ inchesSights: none furnished, gun drilled and

tapped for any commercial Thompson/Center mountingsystem

Weight: 61⁄2 pounds without scope,mounts or ammunition

Finish: blue or stainless, wood satin finished

Price: most calibers, $999Manufacturer:

E. Arthur Brown Company, Inc.www.eabco.com1-800-950-9088


rear of the trigger but as set by thefactory was just as good as I couldpossibly do. As soon as the ham-mer fell, the trigger reached theend of its travel.

There are no outward safetylevers or buttons. Instead, the rifleis equipped with a transfer barsafety mechanism. When the ham-mer is uncocked and in a forwardposition, the firing pin is protectedand cannot accidentally set off a round by dropping the rifle orstriking the hammer. Like othersof its ilk, the best way to getaround this is to cock the rifleonly when game is in sight andyou are ready to shoot.

Standard barrel fare is 24 incheslong with a heavy contour (.810inch) and your choice of blue orstainless in a variety of finishes.According to Brown, all barrelsare precision turned and threadedbetween centers, installed andsealed as opposed to being torquedto the frame. A neat 11-degree tar-get crown is applied after the rifleis completed, and the price of therifle also includes the installationof Keylock Magnum Scope Mounts.

For those wishing a “custom”rifle, you can specify your choiceof caliber and twist, barrel lengthfrom 17 to 26 inches, and with theframe factory blue, matte blue orstainless. The buttstock transitionpiece can be black, gold or silveranodized finish. Accessories caninclude engraving, scope mounts,a gold-plated trigger, a right-handor ambidextrous stock, scope,bipod and muzzle brake. EABCOalso offers gunsmithing services.

EABCO is a full-line, full-servicecompany, so a nice addition to thetest gun was a Brown 97D 4-12x40mm riflescope. A year in themaking, this scope is patternedafter the Bushnell Elite 3200 andis compact enough to be broughtup to a 12x magnification withoutlooking awkward on a smallerrifle like the 97D. As an outdoorphotographer, I am always inter-ested in optics and the qualitythereof, and this one is bright rightout to the edges with only a trace

The forend has a Schnabel flair.The barrel has a heavy contour.

All machining is top rate, as witnessed by the detail shownhere where the barrel meets thereceiver.

This close-up shows the extractor/ejector to the left side of the action.The hammer drops down fully andis relieved on its top surface toallow the spent case to eject.

HOCH CUSTOM BULLET MOULDS

COLORADO SHOOTER’S SUPPLYShop 575-627-1933 • Home 575-627-6156910 N. Delaware • Roswell, NM 88201

[email protected]

www.hochmoulds.com

Tool room quality, nose-pour,most standard or custom designs

made to order. Cylindrical(straight) or tapered. Rifle &

pistol designs available.

WinelandWalnutWinelandWalnutClaro andEnglishWalnutGun StockBlanksHighly Figured and Plain Grain

9009 River Road, Chico, CA 95928Tel: 530-345-4012 Fax: 530-345-0990

[email protected]

Claro andEnglishWalnutGun StockBlanks

In control of the processfrom tree to finished blank!


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Ruger 10-22®

Grandmaster®Trigger Guard

• Complete CNC'd Aluminum Trigger Guard. Self-containedwith all the internal parts Wired EDM'd.

• Drops right in your Ruger 10-22®. • Reduces your trigger pullto around 11⁄2 lbs. Fully adjustable from 11⁄2 lbs to 3 lbs.

• Removable side plate to aid gunsmith adjustment of internal parts.• New redesigned (patent pending) push forward and pull back Garand-style safety.• New redesigned extended magazine release for easy magazine changes.• Includes an extended auto-bolt release and uses standard Ruger factory and aftermarket magazines.• Optional CST Last Shot Hold Open System for an additional $30.00.• Available in black hardcoat anodized or silver anodized.

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E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.powercustom.com,www.rugerl0-22.com, www.l0-22power.com, www.powercustom.net

10-22® is a registered trademark of Sturm Ruger & Company Reg # 72455535.Power Custom® is a registered Trademark of Grandmasters L.L.C. Serial # 85030141, Reg. # 4000784.Grandmaster® is a registered Trademark of Grandmasters L.L.C. Serial # 1179035, Reg. # 73259232.

$289.99

EABCO Model 97D

An 11-degreetarget crownis added be-fore the 97Dis shipped.

The second best group was withRemingotn 150-grain Core-Loktsat 2,358 fps.

EABCO Model 97.30-30 Winchester

bullet load velocity group(grains) (fps) (inches)

150 Remington Core-Lokt 2,358 1.00150 Winchester Power-Point Plus 2,433 1.50170 Hornady Custom Flat Point 2,216 0.75

Notes: All three-shot groups were fired from a rest at 100 yards. Velocities clocked over an OehlerModel 35P chronograph. Temperatures were in the mid-30s.

knobs. When mounted in the Key-lock rings, the finish on the ringsand the scope match seamlessly.

The .30-30 Winchester has to beone of the most popular deer hunt-ing cartridges around. Part of thismystique is the fact that it was in-troduced in 1895, along with the.25-35 WCF, and at that time theywere the first smokeless sportingcartridges made in America.

The cartridge is available in 125-,150- and 170-grain offerings with

the 150 grain seemingly the mostpopular among my associates. Istill have a few of those .30-30 Accelerators made by Remingtonseveral years ago if the opportu-nity arises for small game. With asingle shot, handloaders can ben-efit from all the new bullets avail-able without regard to using eithera spitzer or flatnose, as would bethe case of a magazine-fed riflelike the Model 94 or Marlin 336.

of distortion on the periphery. Thezoom control is smooth, as is thefast-adjusting eyepiece and finger-adjustable windage and elevation


At the range, the Model 97D per-formed as a custom rifle should.The weather was cold, so the ses-sion only lasted the better part ofthe morning, but the results wereindeed satisfying. Like any rifle, itwas sensitive to one brand of am-munition over the rest, and withthe Hornady Custom Flat Point,groups on average circled an inchwith the best group (out of three)hitting the .75-inch mark. Hand-loading may give more consistentresults, but for deer, I don’t knowwhether handloading would beworth the effort, especially whenmy deer hunting duties are rele-gated to the close-in shooting NewEngland offers.

As rested on the bench, shootingthe rifle was enjoyable, especiallywith the addition of that incredi-ble trigger. I think the longer, 24-inch tube made the difference withthe .30-30 cartridge, as most of theModel 94 fans shoot from a muchshorter barrel. While the levergunoffers follow-up or repeat shots,the Model 97D adds a new dimen-sion in the everyday deer hunt bymaking it a single-shot challenge.The ejector tosses the empties backfar enough to clear the buttstock;for handloaders that should begood enough for salvaging brass.

The Brown Model 97D .30-30 Win-chester is more than accurate forwoods-type hunting. Contact E.Arthur Brown Company, Inc. forits well-illustrated, 72-page catalogchock-full of “stuff” for its products,along with the Thompson/Center,Ruger and Savage line of rifles.

Hornady’s 170-grain flatpoint bullets provided the best accuracy.

R

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CVA Apex - EABCO