Australian Shooter Letters 2009

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December 2009

Hunting halted by dust storm
On Tuesday, September 22, I was pig shooting in outback New South Wales on a property near White Cliffs. By about lunchtime, a definite red-brown tinge was evident all around the horizon and by 4pm, we knew it would be bad news so we battened down the camp. It really hit at about 5pm; the sun literally disappeared and it was pitch-black. This lasted until 6am the next morning and we then set about cleaning up.
The accompanying photos show a rock suspended on an arm of sand (obviously the sand around the rock was blown away), and our camp at about 5.30pm - that’s me sitting on the left. That wasn’t the end though; we had another dust storm, although considerably milder, on the Friday, which finished off three of the five tents.
I thought the photo of the camp was rather spectacular. It was taken by my mate and SSAA member Bruce Serjeant.
Bob Cooper, President SSAA (Vic)

Hunting on ABC TV
On Saturday, October 10, while checking my TV Guide, I noticed the first of a series on ABC1 at 6pm titled ‘The Wild Gourmets’. On tuning in, I found it was a program about a couple camping and ‘living off the land’ in England no less, the land of security.
It showed them harvesting wild spinach, herbs and berries, but best of all, to my surprise, it showed hunting - shotgunning for game birds and shooting rabbits by spotlight with a .22 rimfire. The shooter stressed ‘head shots’ were a much quicker and more humane death than a crowded bumpy trip to the abattoir.
They then showed them dressing, butchering, cooking and eating the game by the campfire. Good stuff!
It looks like someone at the ABC had got the guts to show something interesting and is not swayed by rabid ratbags like some of the antis. Good on yer Auntie.
Tony Childs, NSW

A worthy association to promote
Dear Bob Green,
I really look forward to all copies of the Australian Shooter magazine. I am sure that many, many members appreciate the fine job you are doing for the Association. Your editorial in each magazine truly reflects the sincere efforts that you and your senior staff are portraying to promote our worthy association.
Sincere best wishes,
Mike Kaczmarowski, Qld

November 2009

Matthew Flinders’ firearm response
I read with interest the letter in the September 2009 issue of the Australian Shooter regarding the shoulder-fired ‘cannon’ possibly once belonging to Matthew Flinders. Although I know next to nothing about these firearms, I did note that there are two such firearms mounted over the bar in the Tobruk Barracks Sergeants Mess on the Puckapunyal Army base in Victoria. These firearms have obviously been rendered inert, as is the requirement for such display pieces on military bases. However, it is interesting to see two such rare firearms on display together. Being only a visitor in the mess, I have no knowledge of the history of these firearms, but I thought they may be of interest to your readers.
Name withheld, Vic

Happy birthday to an old-school hunter
My father, Stylianos Panagiotidis, turns 75 on November 2. He loves to read your magazine and is truly a dedicated hunter from the old school. As a surprise for his birthday, I have sent you a great photo of him that you might be able to include in the Australian Shooter magazine. It was taken near Coolabah in New South Wales. The rifle is chambered in .243. Happy birthday, Dad!
Chris Panas, via email

Just sit and watch for game
Being young and with limited hunting experience, the theory of ‘the more ground you cover, the greater chance of finding game’ has been one which my mates and I have employed in the past on our hunting trips to the mountains west of Sydney. This strategy has been somewhat successful for us, allowing us to take some goats, pigs and deer. However, this strategy has also seen many game flee to forests unknown at the sound of our lead feet crunching through the bush and proverbial language when yet another thistle or spiky plant decides to attack unwanted places.
Upon reading the current issue of Australian Hunter and the article by Alistair McGlashan titled ‘Seeking them out: Using binoculars to find your quarry’ in particular, I found the article to be quite insightful and it has made me rethink our strategy when targeting game along these mountain areas. Many a time, you hear older folk say, “Just sit and watch”, and now this makes further sense. On our next trip away, instead of filling the water bottles and strapping the boots with the anticipation of a tough hike, we shall grab the binoculars and employ the theory described by Alistair.
Mark Holland, email

Reloading column a big help
I would like to congratulate and thank Barry Wilmot on a very informative column (October Australian Shooter), but not for the reloading angle it was about. I have been trying for ages to decide on what I should buy, a .22-250 or .223, and the column was just the answer I needed. I read the column with a lot of interest, mainly for the variety of projectile sizes - I had no idea they were available! I was leaning towards the .223, but wasn’t quite sure. Now I am. It is really good to read columns like these. They are a big help.
Garry Gibbons, via email

October 2009

A unique knife
I have a query regarding an old knife that has been in my possession for more than 20 years. I have included a photo and would like to know the history, if any. I have presumed it is of Middle Eastern origin. Does anyone know if it is a collector’s item? Any idea of the origin or if it was hand-made or mass-produced?
Thanks for the great set of magazines. I eagerly await each one and some I read twice.
Warwick Greenham, SA

How can you fit a ‘hand machine-gun’ in a glove box?
I was reading through your Capital News section on the SSAA website and noticed the comment by Greens Senator Bob Brown that there were 300,000 hand machine-guns in Australian glove boxes in this country.
First of all, I’m not sure what a ‘hand machine-gun’ is. An Uzi maybe? But also, how do you fit it in a car’s glove box? I suppose the sensationalism of Senator Brown and the Greens shouldn’t surprise me, but I do find his lack of knowledge about firearms astounding. Or are they deliberately getting it wrong to make people fearful? Surely not.
I was also wondering if the SSAA knew how many licensed semi-auto handguns (not hand machine-guns!) there actually are in Australia?
Peter Dawson, Tas
Editor’s note: Yes, we do actually and no, we don’t know what a hand machine-gun is either or how it fits in a glove box. According to the various state and territory police firearms statistics, which we accessed via Freedom of Information orders, there are about 40,000 semi-automatic (self-loading) handguns registered for competition, collecting and some professional use in Australia. Perhaps Senator Brown has a learning difficulty in mathematics?

Left behind and off target response
I was interested to read Jennifer Martens’ story about left-handed shooter Peter Male in the September Australian Shooter. As a left-hander myself and being brought up and told to write at school with my right hand, I too can understand the frustration that many left-handed shooters have when looking for a rifle, particularly when starting out.
Luckily, we are now in a time where many firearm manufacturers are making rifles specifically for us ‘lefties’. Having said that, I would like to see more reviews on left-handed firearms in the Australian Shooter, so we can keep up to date on what is out there to buy.
Keep up the good work.
Richard Scott, NSW
Editor’s note: Thanks for the letter, Richard. We actually have a review on the Savage Mk II BTVLSS left-handed rifle coming out in our Australian Hunter 31 magazine, so be sure to check it out!

Share your Australian Shooter around
Being a keen camper, I have always enjoyed the Bushcraft & Survival column with Peter Bindon. Not only have his tips and tricks saved me from embarrassment more than once, but recently his articles have allowed me to introduce two of my friends to the shooting sports.
Having just purchased their first tent, they were about to embark on their first camping trip. In an attempt to make sure they came back in one piece, or at least with happy memories, I gathered a selection of Peter’s columns to show them, including the September 2009 issue. After a quick glance at the covers and with a bit of hesitation, my mate agreed to take the magazines home.
A few weeks later and just before they left for their week in the bush, my friend thanked me for the information and said he had actually made a number of alterations to his own ‘survival kit’. Wearing a look of surprise, he also said he enjoyed reading a few of the other articles in the magazines and wondered if he could take a few with him on his trip! Of course, I was more than happy to share.
Thanks, Peter. Keep up the good work.
J Cook, SA

In the hood
I got my new SSAA Hoodie jumper in the mail last week and I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with it. I’m at Melbourne Uni and anyone who comes from Victoria knows you can have four seasons in one day and the jumper is just like baby bear’s porridge - not too heavy and not too light! I also like the subtlety of the SSAA name on it. I’m getting lots of questions from fellow students on what it stands for and it gives me an avenue to talk about my hunting. Top stuff!
D Henty, Vic

September 2009

Could this be Matthew Flinders’ firearm?
A gentleman from New South Wales recently sent us the following letter, inquiring whether he has located a firearm once belonging to Captain Matthew Flinders (March 16, 1774 - July 19, 1814). Flinders, of course, sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of ‘Australia’ as a name for our continent.
If you have any input about this unique firearm, please write to the Australian Shooter, PO Box 2520, Unley, SA 5061 or email edit@ssaa.org.au

An extract from Matthew Flinders’ Journal:
Bass Strait: Feb 1798 - Southern Furneaux Islands. I levelled my gun at one [seal], which was sitting on the top of a rock with his nose extended up towards the sun, and struck him with three musket balls. He rolled over and plunged into the water, but in less than half an hour had taken his former station and attitude. On firing again, a stream of blood spouted forth from his breast to some yards distance, and he fell back senseless. On examination the six balls were found lodged in his breast.
Note: Flinders took two shots each of three musket balls (ie, 0.25lb of lead per discharge - a 4-bore equivalent) and fired at the largest area and mass of a male seal.
The firearm in question and photographed here could best be described as a ‘flintlock shoulder cannon’. The firearms weighs 4kg, has an overall length of 82cm, an internal bore length of 40cm, an internal bore diameter of 26mm and an internal muzzle diameter of 50mm. It is an uncommon firearm indeed.
Tantalisingly, the maker’s name is printed as ‘Bass - London’ on the barrel and also on the lockplate in a banner. This maker is recorded as 1770-1780, then as Twigg and Bass 1780-1783.
A spoon came with the firearm. It is initialled ‘C.M.’ and is hallmarked Edinburgh 1776 - the year of the American Declaration of Independence and, perhaps more relevant in this case, when James Cook and John Bligh set out on Cook’s third and final voyage. There were two other items pertaining to the above by nature and date. Bligh is the link between Cook and Flinders, having supervised Flinders’ training in navigation and cartography. The relatively excellent condition of the firearm and the presence of the three other items may suggest that the previous line of owners were aware of a certain provenance.
Taking what Flinders wrote as a shadow board and bearing in mind the parameters and criteria, the firearm in question is more than a close fit. However, I would appreciate information on the whereabouts of any other firearms that could come under consideration and pertinent observations on the matter.
Name withheld, NSW

August 2009

Camo confusion
Reading the piece on Lamellar outdoor clothing in the July Australian Shooter got me thinking about the effectiveness of camo gear. Perhaps an article could be written on this? Maybe proper research has been done on it somewhere in the world. Are we really fooling the wildlife, or ourselves?
What interests me about available camo gear though, is that it’s still mainly ‘jungle’ camo. Is this the most appropriate style for Australian conditions? Perhaps more to the point is that because there is more than one type of terrain that we shoot in, a one-pattern-fits-all approach may not be the best. We are all familiar with the desert camo that troops in Iraq wear. Obviously, uniforms with jungle patterns would be ridiculous there.
I think a manufacturer that comes up with different choices of Australian terrain camo could be on a winner.
Gerard Clink, Vic
Editor’s note: Thanks for your letter and story idea, Gerard. We will look into commissioning a story about this. Keep an eye out in future editions of Australian Hunter magazine.

Category C and D firearms
I have been a member of the SSAA since I was a boy and in that time I have enjoyed reading the monthly magazine that comes with my membership. I have never written in to the Australian Shooter before, but felt strongly over an issue that I wanted to share with all readers.
I understand that the majority of the magazine’s articles cover Category A and B firearms. I was very pleased to read in the March 2009 issue the article covering the Category D M1 Garand service rifle. I was also pleased to see in the May 2009 issue my all-time favourite rifle advertised by Nioa, the Category C Ruger 10/22.
Ever since the national restrictions on the majority of self-loading firearms, it appears that magazines are very reluctant to cover any firearms falling into the C and D categories. I also find that most people have very little knowledge on their rights of still being able to apply for Category C and D licences, where appropriate, for certain purposes.
I have a number of friends who currently hold Category C licences for the use of self-loading rimfires and pump-action/self-loading shotguns on their rural properties for genuine purposes. Further to this, I also know of a number of people who hold a Category C licence for the use of self-loading shotguns for clay target purposes.
I feel that many people have found the subject of self-loading rifles and shotguns to be a rather taboo subject. I would like to encourage people to feel confident in freely speaking about self-loaders. The laws and rules that are in place still allow people to acquire and use Category C and D firearms, provided they fulfil the genuine requirements in their state.
I would love to see some articles reviewing self-loading firearms for those readers who hold Category C and D licences, not to mention those readers who share a genuine interest in those firearms.
I am proud to be a law-abiding shooter of many years and feel strongly that magazines such as Australian Shooter should provide some broader scope when reviewing firearms, as not everyone out there is limited to a Category A and B licence. I’d be happy to hear from other readers on this topic.
Corrie Dixon, Qld

June Open Season column
I have to say, great column Matthew! I am very surprised at these results, but at the same time very happy. Who would have guessed? The poll-setters surely didn’t! What a monumental ‘pull-ya-head-in’ moment for the media. It’s good to see you sticking it to them, mate.
Garry Knox, Qld

July Bushcraft & Survival response
Peter Bindon’s column in July (‘Some fish you don’t want to catch’) regarding being ready to catch fish in emergencies certainly brought a smile to my face. I look back at my previous and casual attempts at fishing and know that in an emergency situation, the odds of starving would be high if my survival depended on catching a few on the end of a line and a makeshift one at that.
As for catching undersized fish, no-one would give this any thought if their life depended on it. Quite frankly, I would be glad to receive an expiation notice from a fisheries officer - and a ride back to civilisation!
Brian Brooks, WA

July 2009

Old-fashioned service
It is very rare for me to submit praise and appreciation for what I consider to be ‘old-fashioned service’; however, I have come across a company that offers this and I feel they should be mentioned.
Recently, I purchased a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser complete with scope from Hawkesbury Firearms. Living in WA, the rifle had to be imported by our local gun dealer while I went through the licensing process. Once I had the rifle in my possession, after a clean and inspection, I took it to the range to zero it. It was there I discovered that the previous owner had superglued the windage and vertical adjusters covers, obviously after it had been zeroed for him or her. This naturally meant that it was impossible to adjust the scope settings.
I contacted Steve at Hawkesbury and explained the situation, He was somewhat annoyed that during their inspection procedure this had been missed and he immediately requested the scope be sent back and replaced by Hawkesbury, free of charge. I posted the faulty scope back and received a replacement with no delay whatsoever.
If this is the style of service offered by Hawkesbury, I shall be looking at them first for my next rifle. They obviously know how to look after their customers. It was a pleasure doing business with you. Well done Steve and keep up the good work.
Snowie Willis, email

June 2009

Shooting sports alive and thriving in city
I have just become a member of the SSAA. I am 22 years old, have been shooting all my life and follow my dad and his dad in their enthusiasm for firearms. I am from the country, a town called Gulgong in New South Wales, home to the greatest pistol club in NSW. I have recently moved to the city, Sydney, to make money then move back. Honestly, I thought I would never be in the city in my life!
Before I moved here, I had no idea that there were utes or four-wheel drives in the city. Therefore, the thought of a pistol club in Sydney was unbelievable to me. ‘Would any city brother really know how to use a firearm?’ I thought to myself. Until one day, while wearing a shirt informing others that I was from the country, a man tapped me on the shoulder and engaged me in a short conversation of shooting. I found out that there were two clubs nearby. That’s right, in the city!
I bought an issue of the Australian Shooter magazine and found out that many cities have many pistol clubs, even rifle clubs, with many hundreds of members and some even travelling from the city to the country to shoot. I was shocked at first, but happy to realise that the sport of shooting will live on in the country and grow because of the city’s contribution.
I want to thank the SSAA for all that they are doing for shooters and our firearms in the country. Thank you!
I’d like to add, just for the fun of it, that the Country vs. City shooting competition, held at the SSAA Mudgee Branch, sparked my interest and I look forward to it when I move back home.
My favourite firearms that always do me good and I have no problems with are a .357 DE, .22 Magnum, 12-gauge shotty and most of all, the 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser.
I may not be as active a shooter as I was in the country, but I’m proud to be a member. Thanks for having me.
Ziad John Esber, email

Hunting ASJ will help counter the antis
Please accept my congratulations for the well-researched, thoughtful and well-presented Hunting in Perspective, the latest edition of the ASJ. The articles will provide hunters with objective information with which to counter the antis.
Robert Fox, NT

SSAA’s Comprehensive Guide
I have received my copy of the SSAA’s Comprehensive Guide to Shooting & Hunting in Australia and find that it is very well put together with a great amount of interesting and informative information in an easily read and understood manner. The complete presentation and factual information is second to none.
The legislative information has been presented as best as could be expected, especially with the often ad hoc changes that exist within some states. In this regard, I find that the information has had to be relatively general, with the obvious lack of legislative detail as contained in the regulations respective to each state.
I thoroughly recommend the publication and wish to stress that that the asking price is minuscule compared to its value. Thanks for keeping the cost to a level the working-class person, as well as the pensioner, can appreciate.
Robert Timms, Vic

Australian Hunter 28
Just a line to let you know that I totally enjoyed the past issue of Australian Hunter (no. 28). While I have enjoyed every delivery during the past year, I observed that your magazine is getting better by the issue.
After this past issue of the Australian Hunter magazine, I finally decided on taking an annual subscription, which I plan to keep.
Congratulations to the team and keep up the good work!
John Contador, email

May 2009

Times are different now
I refer to the March 2009 edition of Australian Shooter where SSAA President Bob Green makes some pertinent points. Alas, our society has become such that a couple of the loony fringe groups like the anti-gun lobby and animal rights groups have their extreme views accepted almost as gospel, with little questioning by anyone. Ironic isn’t it that the most popular American TV shows and movies depict shooting murders, kidnapping, rape and gun-related violence on a daily basis with nary an eye being blinked by the viewing public. Yet, when nature shows about, say, the big cats are aired, they have to be prefixed with warnings that some scenes may disturb or upset some viewers. Any actual scenes of animals being shot are heavily censored, lest the sensitive public is psychologically disturbed.
I remember an incident from way back in the 1950s when I attended the North Essendon Primary School in Melbourne. A resident magpie had taken to attacking children in the schoolyard, so the police were called. They arrived with a .22 rifle, shot the offending magpie and took it away. Many of the teachers and kids watched with interest and far from being upset, the overall feeling was one of relief. We continued on quietly with our schoolwork secure in the knowledge that we could now play safely outside.
Imagine if the same incident occurred today. The EPA, Parks and Wildlife, and so-called experts of all descriptions would first have to be contacted to do a feasibility study. The animal rights loonies would be staging protests outside Parliament and there would have been an army of counsellors, psychologists and crying mothers besieging the school to ensure that the children were whipped up into a complete hysteria.
There’s one more case I remember. In my first couple of years at high school, I joined the school army cadet corps. One day, each of the cadets was given a .303 rifle, including the bolt, which we could take home. You can imagine the bemusement of other tram passengers as a little kid clutching a rifle almost as big as himself got on to ride home to his stop. They were certainly innocent times then. Of course, once home, one of us managed to get hold of some .303 ammo, so we took my rifle down to the nearby paddocks and tried it out on some targets.
Once again, fast-forward same to now and there would be Triple 0 calls by the hundreds, police riot teams rushed to the area, television helicopters hovering overhead and the entire suburb cordoned off, with breathless TV grabs and media news flashes of a gunman on the loose! Danger, danger!
I’m sure glad I grew up when I did. Today’s society has gone to the dogs, big time.
Ain Kiiver, Qld

February Gun Doctor response
In a question to the Gun Doctor in the February Australian Shooter, a fellow wrote inquiring about a 12-gauge shotshell that he found on Well 9 on the Canning Stock Route. Although not an expert, I may have some relevant information on it. I believe this was originally a Nobel product, but made by Eley between 1923 and 1926, when production at the London factory ceased and was moved to Birmingham. The ‘EBL’ in a shield stood for ‘Eley Brothers Limited’. All in all, it was an interesting piece.
Des Hill, Qld

‘Hunting in Perspective’ ASJ
Congratulations on your excellent ‘Hunting in Perspective’ ASJ insert to the March Australian Shooter. I doubt the fanatics will take much notice of these arguments, but it is vitally important that the voting public hear a more balanced view on these issues.
When I shot my first rabbit at my father’s side more than 60 years ago, it was an entirely respectable thing to do (albeit not on Sundays). After a generation of subtle indoctrination of our children, hunting is now thought to be a weird and quite unnecessary occupation.
Having recently come into possession of the shotguns formerly used by my father and grandfather, I attempted to have them registered and during this year-long process, I have been made to feel more like a criminal than a law-abiding citizen.
I hope you can turn this mindset around so that my grandchildren may enjoy a privilege which I had once regarded as a right.
David Rees, Qld

Hunting ASJ presents a logical, balanced argument
Dear Mr Green. Thank you for the excellent information published in the ASJ 2009, Volume 11, Issue 1. It was easy to read, followed logical, balanced arguments and was supported by evidence.
Congratulations to yourself and the dedicated team at the SSAA. I am pleased to support the Association when such quality material is produced. I encourage you to keep up this good work.
Michael Beer, NSW

April 2009

Responding to ‘Best .303 ever’
I noted with interest Ryan Corlett’s letter (March AS) about his father’s old .303. I have been shooting with my father’s old .303 and it really is an old .303, being made by BSA in 1902. It was rebarrelled some time in the past and I’ve done a little work on the stock and other tweaking.
The other day, I shot four five-shot groups. The load was 45 grains of AR2209 behind 150-grain Hornady Interlock projectiles shot under windy conditions at 100m at the SSAA Darwin range. Average velocity was 2387fps. The worst was 2.6 MOA with three shots in 1 MOA. One was 1.9 MOA with four shots in 0.9 MOA and the best and last was five shots within 1 MOA with three of those cutting one hole.
A fourth group of five shots with a different 150-grain projectile went into 1.2 MOA.
While operator error plus the gusty wind didn’t help, that’s not bad for a 107-year-old rifle! Many fancy modern rifles don’t shoot as well out-of-the-box.
Robert Fox, NT

Christmas fun with
SSAA Spring Bay Pistol Club Inc
SSAA member Denise Parr recently sent us this photo of herself and husband Clive promoting the SSAA Spring Bay Pistol Club Inc at the Spring Bay Christmas Parade. The parade was held in December last year in Triabunna, a small fishing town on the east coast of Tasmania, which is also just 12km north of their pistol club.

Thanks from the Solomon Islands
Just a quick thank you note for sending the magazines to the Australian and New Zealand troops on deployment in the Solomon Islands as part of OP ANODE and to let the other members know what the SSAA do behind the scenes for our troops overseas. Your magazines are prized reading by the men in the company and they look forward to their arrival in the mail run every month. So once again, thank you very much for sending the magazines over to the boys.
Corporal Tom Elias, Section Commander, 22-C, Solomon Islands

March 2009

Masters Games a great experience
I have just competed in the Masters Games in Alice Springs and want to say how much I enjoyed the experience at the SSAA Butler Road Shooting Complex. As is the case with most shooters, they are a friendly lot and are only too willing to share knowledge and experience to those of us who are not regular shooters of SSAA events.
Further to this, I was urged to shoot in a match I had not officially entered for (Rimfire Silhouette) and as I had no extra ammo, one of the Alice Springs members offered me a packet and then would not accept payment for it.
The whole experience of the Games was a positive one and my wife and I have already booked our accommodation for the 2010 Games in The Alice.
Having had some success at the Games with Air Pistol and .22 Rimfire Rifle, our sport has had some publicity in the Yorke Peninsula area, with an article and photo in the Tuesday, October 28 edition of the Yorke Peninsula Country Times. I have also received a congratulatory letter from our local Member of Parliament and also at a recent morning tea after our church service here in Port Broughton, I was asked to show and tell of the medal I had won. Guns are seen to be more acceptable in the country than the city I think.
At our club, many of us get the magazine and there are always copies floating around for members to read and enjoy. Editorial contributions from our publicity officer of our club to the local newspaper are readily accepted and published even though we are only a small club, and we have more than a dozen sponsors from the Copper Triangle. We do our bit to keep the shooting sports in the public eye.
Thanks for a great magazine. Keep up the good work.
Vern McDonald, SA

Uberti 1866 ‘Yellow Boy’ lever-action
I noticed a question in the November Gun Doctor section, which raised the issue of the durability of the Henry ‘Golden Boy’ rifle. In particular, your correspondent was concerned about the quality of the action.
More than 20 years ago in the early 1980s while I was a member of the Perth Lever Action Club, I had the pleasure of owning not a Henry ‘Golden Boy’, but a Uberti 1866 ‘Yellow Boy’. It was a beautiful rifle, with the brass receiver, octagonal 24" barrel and a lovely stock and forewood. It was chambered for .44-40 and I used it as my competition rifle in the Lever Action shoots for about 18 months or so.
Unfortunately, after about 1500 or more shots, it started to give problems with chambering a cartridge. If I remember correctly, I diagnosed the problem as wear in the brass of the receiver. Finally, I sold it to a collector who was quite happy to have it in that condition.
I could happily recommend this type of rifle with its brass receiver to somebody who was primarily interested in it because of its historical importance and aesthetic beauty and who would only shoot it infrequently, but I definitely could not recommend it to anyone who would be wanting to shoot it on a regular basis.
Bryan Finlay, Vic

Best .303 ever
I thought you may find this interesting. My father, a SSAA member, has always been a keen varmint shooter. In the past couple of years, he decided we needed a bigger-calibre rifle in case we wanted to chase bigger game. Not wanting to spend a lot of money, he decided his best option would be to buy an old .303 and “do it up”. After lots of work, replacing everything except the bolt and action, loading and testing numerous loads, this photo of a three-shot 0.4" group at 150 yards is the result. Pretty impressive for an old .303!
Ryan Corlett, via email

February 2009

Evelyn Owen book comments
The review of the book on Evelyn Owen featured in the March 2008 edition was welcome. Apart from the works of Ian Skennerton, there is little enough written about arms development in Australia and new books should be encouraged. It is a pity, therefore, that the book repeats what has become the ‘established’ story about the development of the Owen Gun, when that story is open to serious question.
This ‘established’ version has its origin in a document called Owen Gun, Notes on Development, written in October 1941 by Vincent Wardell of Lysaghts and was used at the time to apply political pressure on the government and the military to finalise manufacturing contracts. Lysaghts was a large steel fabricator and a wholly owned subsidiary of a British multinational corporation and Wardell was manager of their Port Kembla plant. Most histories of the Owen Gun, even from respected authors, still repeat this text almost word for word without taking the trouble to do original research.
A look at another book titled The Owen Gun Files by Kevin Smith, paints a completely different picture. Mr Smith has researched the original wartime papers and letters from the protagonists and reveals that much of the furore was part of a campaign, run by political interests supported by the Sydney Daily Telegraph and its proprietor Frank Packer (Kerry’s old dad), with the aim of destabilising the incumbent Curtin Labor Government. The article first reached the public as part of a publication titled ‘You, Me - And This War’, printed by the Daily Telegraph in November 1941.
Any reasonably experienced shooter looking at the gun that Owen presented to the military would realise that it was little more than a ‘toy’, probably intended for terrorising the local rats and rabbits. It is a cut-down .22 sporting rifle and what looks like a ‘Tommy Gun’ magazine is simply a large wheel drilled to take 32 cartridges and turned by a gramophone spring. The gun is, in fact, an automatic revolver. It doesn’t even have a trigger, but is set going by a spring operated by the thumb, with no way of stopping it.
The military knew perfectly well what a sub-machine-gun was and were understandably not interested in the gun that Owen showed them. What changed things was when Vincent Wardell saw Owen’s gun and realised the potential for lucrative wartime contracts for Lysaghts. He took over the design and along with a Swiss technician employed at Lysaghts, ultimately produced the model adopted for service, which owed virtually nothing to Owen’s original gun.
Wardell worked throughout the war to try and prevent any competing sub-machine-gun being developed in Australia, particularly the Austen, and to avoid any military input to the design of the Owen. Doubtlessly, there was some stalling by the military, but they were, after all, the people who were buying the gun and who would ultimately have to use it. The military developed a rear-stripping, fixed-barrel version, which they preferred and which eliminated the need for the intricate and expensive removable barrel and the ejector fitted on each magazine. Political pressure was used to prevent these modifications being incorporated into the production model.
The variety of cartridges used in prototypes merely illustrates the difficulty of obtaining ammunition under strict wartime conditions. The .22 was Owen’s original gun, while Lysaghts first prototype was in .32 because it was a police cartridge and obtainable. The .45 was being used in Thompsons by the AIF and the .38 was the issue pistol cartridge and was already being manufactured in Australia. It worked, but it wasn’t ideal. The 9mm was not available in Australia at that time, but it was used by the British Sten and would be used in the Austen, which was being developed concurrently with the Owen. In the end, it came down to a question of which new cartridge could be manufactured locally, the .45 or 9mm. Ultimately, a decision had to be made because .45 ammo for the Thompsons was rapidly running out and supplies from the US could not be guaranteed.
The Owen Gun was a good gun for its time and served Australian troops well in the South/West Pacific theatre during WWII. It doesn’t deserve to be saddled with a dubious legend, which appears to have its origin in commercial and political opportunism.
Allan Norman, Vic

The real giant bunny story
In response to the letter ‘A giant bunny’ and accompanying images in the November edition of Australian Shooter, two of our readers contacted us to say that giant rabbits are indeed real.
Dale Gough of Queensland emailed to direct us to a webpage (www.hoax-slayer.com/giant-rabbit.shtml), which confirms the story of ‘Robert’ - a German grey giant rabbit owned by long-time rabbit breeder Karl Szmolinsky from Eberswalde in Germany.
Garry Gibbons emailed us a scan of a similar story from the Washington Post. According to the newspaper article, ‘Herman’ is another German grey giant rabbit. Owned by Hans Wagner of Berlin, Herman weighs 10kg and is three times larger and heavier than other buck rabbits of his breed.
Hunters need not worry about encountering these rabbits in the Australian bush. Apparently, rabbits like Robert and Herman belong to a specially developed breed and do not live in the wild.