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I think it's a great value scope that would suit multiple applications, and the turret-reticle combination confused me at first too, but I think the main reason they went with that combination would either be for ease of production or potentially for marketing. For budget optics like this, producing one with mRAD turrets but keeping the others as MOA would definitely add to the cost, and the price difference would probably make the mRAD scope much less desirable. However, I think the more interesting reason could be that this combination was what was used in the first military applications of the mil-dot reticle. I'm not 100% confident in the history, but I think that the first USMC sniper setups used this combination as the trainers liked to use mils (which was arguably much more suited for multi-range engagements, as you would see in the real world), but a combination of red tape and commercial availability made it much harder to find and acquire field-ready optics with mRAD turrets (the jungles of SE Asia were hardly the place for the target optics of the time). As the standard procedure for all militaries at the time would have been for the armourer to zero the sights of all rifles anyway, the adjustment unit probably wasn't such a big deal for most shooters. That all being said, I am speculating a bit, so if anyone wants to correct me or add to that, I'd be all ears. Back to this particular scope though - 1 mRAD = 3.5 MOA (3.44 actually), but if you want to adjust your reticle by 1 mil-dot, turn the turret 14 clicks.

Thanks mate - it's interesting to hear about where these rifles are being used. They're a fantastic bit of gear, and I'm glad you like yours as much as I like mine! I would have gotten the cheek riser if it was available in Australia, and sometimes wonder if I should get my stock-smith to make me one. He would probably refuse as a matter of principle however as he doesn't like way they look :P

Thanks mate - it's gotta be run the right way! The way I used to shoot it is pretty embarrassing to watch now, but I leave those videos up as an example of what not to do.

@@blackstumpballistics5361 No all good you can handle the shotgun well.

Thanks mate, I hope it helps

Thanks mate. It's called a Phone Skope, but I probably can't post links because TH-cam. If you're in Australia, our main distributor is Game On Outdoors in Queensland.

Thanks! It has the added benefit of cleaning the bolt face every time I get it caught in the action

Thanks mate, I appreciate it! When I was working in the industry it was often just assumed that shooters knew this stuff, which was generally pretty unhelpful to people who were just getting into hunting or needing to switch brands of shot. I do have plans to produce more content like this at some point, but it's a little bit hard to get into it at the moment.

​@@blackstumpballistics5361no worries mate keep at it , the shortage of ammo is very apparent around the world so your information is even more vital you might want to sell that a LOT more at the start of your videos 👍 plus pattern tests 👍it won't be long before you get sponsorship, from ammo brands🙏send this video to all ammo brands they will love it 💪

Shotgun reloading is a whole branch of science that I really should get into sometime. Sounds like a decent load - what are you hunting with that?

They aren't the nicest target load out there, but sometimes it is all you can get, and many dealers will only stock one brand of shot at a time. That being said, I've never really had any issues with it

Yeah, the old Adler levers are well loved by many but I never really liked using them much myself. That being said, there are some really slick conversions available for them that turn them into straight-pull bolt actions, and the conversion that Beatons do feels better than Adler's own straight-pull.

Honestly, that's a tricky one to definitively answer as there are so many potential factors that could be considered. Short answer is I don't know, and will probably never even be able to test this due to local gun laws. Simplest answer would be to just buy a box and shoot it - if your shotgun is in good working order and the shot is fairly normal it will probably work just fine. But, long answer time. Leaving aside recoil and straight blowback shotguns, your shotgun probably either has a gas mechanism or inertial mechanism. A gas mechanism can probably run anything in theory, and any issues encountered would likely have more to do with the firearm than the shell (assuming you're shooting factory loads). The main potential for issues here would come with inertial mechanisms, as the force required to operate the mechanism is technically the product of the weight of the shot and the velocity, and not just the velocity. For plain ol' lead hunting shot this wouldn't normally be much of a concern, but potential issues could arise when using target or steel loads, as these generally contain a lower weight of shot. That all being said, I own a lever-release inertia shotgun, and whilst I did initially have issues running target shot through it it has loosened up nicely since. Videos on how it improved over time can be found here th-cam.com/play/PLgE7hSsAMD5kgD0dwPAXyWcz1NNvHN39I.html . It runs well with 28g/1oz loads at ~1200fps now, but some of the videos in that playlist show potential failures that I have encountered in the past. Sorry I couldn't help more, but good luck!

Aftermarket chokes are something I really should look into sometime... I just need to actually shoot my shotguns more!

Thanks mate! I honestly wasn't super familiar with shotguns before I started doing videos with this one either, but producing videos like this is a good opportunity to learn

The only answer that matters here is "because I like it", and I've had no issues with the precision or quality of my Turqua. Being German or American doesn't inherently make a product better. I sold Ruger Americans for years and they are "fine" and a great basis for custom projects, but straight out of the box they do nothing for me. Mauser M18 is priced at a similar level to the Turqua, and I actually plan on buying one for myself at some point (in a LR chassis package), but the trigger, stock, and metalwork finish are inferior to the Turqua. Sauer 100 is a very sexy rifle that tends to cost a bit more than the Turqua and doesn't come with the pic rail or extra mag. Another potential issue with both the Mauser and Sauer is that many of their more budget-priced models come with heat-pressed barrels, rather than being threaded into the receiver, making some gunsmithing and re-barrelling much more complicated. I'm not sure about the most recent models but I have seen past projects based on Sauer rifles that were needlessly complicated (and likely more expensive) because of this. Buy what you like. I like this.

I think I have a pack of that somewhere I bought for future videos... Will have to dig it out sometime, as I'm pretty keen to confirm the difference between an SG and a OO Buck. As for the difference in the finish of Eley vs Winchester lead shot - the Eley definitely look shinier and I don't know for sure, but I can't honestly see why they'd go to the effort of coating the shot in nickel. I'd say it's got more to do with the actual casting process, but there may be some kind of wax coating? I'll have to ask next time I'm at the dealer.

@blackstumpballistics5361 Appreciate the reply. Yeah probably more to do with the casting process, giving the lead a more polished look. Looking forward to that SG video!

@blackstumpballistics5361 So I contacted Eley about why I can't find the Alphamax range on their website. They told me they no longer make Alphamax. So that's pretty dissapointing...

I think the Stevens rebranded models available in North America ship with fairly heavy triggers, but they are a user adjustable, 2-stage, 3-lever design with quite a lot of adjustability and a really crisp break. The trigger in mine is probably the best of any of my rifles.

Probably, if BC was the only factor in play here. My rifle's got a 1:10" twist, and I doubt it would stabilise a 100gr. 105gr Noslers have been some of the best performing 6mm projectiles we've seen on this course and I've seen Trent hit that 1km target with his first shot for the day using his 6mm with 105gr RDFs, but they really need a 1:8" or faster barrel. That all being said, economics and convenience is the main reason I shoot that factory ammo. It's affordable, available off the shelf (or was at the time), shoots well, and does everything I expect it to do "well enough". Same with the rifle - it's just an entry-level, budget-friendly hunting rifle that does "well enough" for target shooting. If you want to build a 6mm target rifle for this kind of shooting, 100+gr projectiles are the competitive standard, but the uncomfortable truth here is that I just can't afford to spend that much on that kind of rifle at the moment.

And yet, here we both are.

@@blackstumpballistics5361 Yeah. they make top end guns and you don't.

I can assure you there is plenty of time wasting, gibbering, and boganspeak involved in the production of my videos - I just cut it out in the editing stage. Thanks mate; I appreciate it :)

I've actually never heard of MAX being used in describing pellet size, and haven't been able to find anything online yet. Do you have a manufacturer that sells it? I'll try to find out more

Nothing overly special; mostly just medium height. I think these rings are Leupold Backcountry.

Good question! Just as many would say that running in a new centrefire rifle barrel is unnecessary, many more people would say that running in rimfire rifles is not as important as it is for centrefire. So, really, I'd say "it depends". I think the main reason that some shooters would think it unnecessary to run in a rimfire is that it is likely going to be running at a lower pressure and pushing lighter projectiles at lower velocities, so there is going to be less wear and tear on the lands in the rifling itself. And, in the interests of full disclosure, I didn't run in the last new rimfire I bought (Savage A17R in .17hmr) using this procedure, but have been pretty fastidious about cleaning it after every use. Methods might also be a bit different for some rimfires too, depending on what sort of projectiles you intend to shoot, as there isn't going to be any copper residue to remove if you are only shooting lead round-nose projectiles. So, really, it's more difficult to quantify the benefit you might receive from running in a rimfire barrel, if there even is one at all, and it depends on what your own expectations might be from your new rifle. Whilst I might not bother using a strict procedure for running in a $500 Savage plinker, I definitely would for an Anschutz target rifle.

Honestly, I would really love for them to produce a rifled barrel option for the Bushmeister, but I don't think we're ever going to see one. Turkey has some quite restrictive customs regarding the export of rifled barrels for commercial products (or so I've heard, anyway), and Rec Arms, who make the Bushmeister, only appear to make smooth-bore shotguns. Their air rifles all use German-made Lothar barrels. However, even if they do produce a rifled barrel as an optional extra, I would probably need a new shotgun anyway as my "old-pattern" is a bit different from what is currently available. At this stage, I think the best options for rifled shotguns would be either an Adler (available for most models when they're in stock) or a Savage 212. Next time I see our local NIOA rep I'll definitely be asking him though.

Thanks! Most Verney Carron firearms work great, but they are quite complex. Both Verney Carron and ASA (the Australian manufacturer and distributor for VC firearms) have made improvements on the mechanisms since they were launched in Australia, and so there are several different variations of the Speedline (and possibly the Veloce; I'm a bit less familiar with the shotgun) out there on the market in Australia. Many of these have small parts that aren't interchangeable. However, their warranty service is generally pretty good, and many people who I've heard bought Speedlines that failed or broke received replacements as quickly as possible. ASA are usually fantastic to deal with and will bend over backwards for their customers. So, this might be a question best asked of your dealer, especially if you are looking to buy a new VC. You probably won't regret it. Buying used though... I'm not sure how far their warranty goes. You might want to get a gunsmith who is experienced with the model to have a look first. That all being said, my Bushmeister doesn't have any issues if you try pushing the lever while holding the trigger, whether it be accidental or otherwise (because people do try to... make it do that. I have to pick my words carefully!) I actually did some filming trying to demonstrate what happens if the operator does this some time ago, and might do something with the footage sometime.

@@blackstumpballistics5361Thanks mate, I am thankful for your reply. I only own traditional looking guns with nice timber stocks and blue/black metal. I know the advantages of synthetic and stainless, but I spend more time looking at my firearms than cleaning them and it's what I like. It's my hobby and passion. As stupid as it sounds, I have never even fired more than half the guns I own, I just like having them!!! I wouldn't buy a current production gun second hand. The only reason I haven't bought a VC was the concern about bending that part accidently, price isn't the issue. I think I will buy a Bushmeister now based on your review & information, so I hope they give you some type of a kickback. Thanks for your help, and happy new year!!

@@8ZRD11R Haha, thanks mate, but the only "kickback" I get from these videos is recoil. At least, for now anyway :P There's absolutely nothing stupid about having a specific taste in firearms or having guns you haven't fired - firearms might be a utilitarian tool for some, but sporting goods are all about taste. And, ultimately, if you don't like something about it, why spend money on it in the first place? I'm a big fan of the blued+walnut aesthetic too and most of the guns that I have bought from new reflect that, including one very pretty over+under 12ga that I think I've only shot once. If anyone ever pokes fun at your collection of unused firearms (collecting is it's own legitimate purpose, and over here you're actually not allowed to shoot firearms you have on a collector's license), just tell them that they are an investment. Quality firearms generally appreciate in value (or at least hold steady), and they could be thought of as assets too. I convinced my dad to buy a Winchester 94/22 about 6 months ago to kick-start his retirement, and not only does he absolutely love it but it could be sold for 3x what he initially paid if he needed to part with it. Plus, it isn't too inconceivable to imagine a future where our access to new firearms is more restricted than it currently is (at least in WA)... There are worse things to spend your money on. Thanks mate, and happy new year to you too!

Thanks mate :) This is more for anyone else who might read this comment as we discussed this in private over on Facebook, but the short answer is that I don't really know, but will likely be looking into this myself in the new year. My "slightly longer" answer is that I think (but don't know much for certain) that there are several you may need, and I think most require various TAFE/tertiary education qualifications. Some information regarding this can be found on the DBCA website at www.dbca.wa.gov.au/licences-and-permits/fauna , but this page is a complete mess and puts things like kangaroo harvesting amongst other issues like pet keeping and wildlife rehab. The reasons this page is so hard to navigate are probably political, but I'll spare you my cynicism on that matter for now. For now though, if anyone has more insight on this particular matter, I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Thanks! I think it's a Cat A in every state - mine is considered to be a straight-pull bolt action

Sure it'll clear copper out of a barrel, but you're talking about probably an hour of soaking to complete this particular process for some calibres. I definitely don't have that kind of patience (especially considering the 4-5 hour drive I had ahead of me after filming this video on that day), and plenty of my past clients just wouldn't give the solution time for it to work. So, to make sure the procedure is being followed correctly, we recommend using a much stronger copper solvent rather than the milder do-all types that just come with any cleaning kit. If someone (myself being a huge culprit of this and the main target of this criticism) hears that they *can* use the regular old solvent *but* need to do more than the usual quick swab, and they are completely new to this process and don't completely know what to expect, it is very likely that they will completely forget everything after the "but" and not get the full benefit out of this process. The Butch's allows you to see the effect immediately, making this a pretty good lesson in the chemistry that is going on and teaching you what needs to happen for this process to actually work. Besides, a new bottle of Butch's costs less than the ammo you'd be shooting.

It's designed to really put people off - it did for me for years when I was working at the dealer. I doubt that it is going to get any simpler with the new changes our current government want to introduce, but one can hope that their successors will listen to reason following the next election

I actually filmed a couple of clips of me attempting to do that after I'd finished with the target shot to prove that it doesn't work on this firearm; might finish them sometime... Short answer is no - you can't do that on a Bushmeister. Long answer is "noooooooooo". I think the sear auto-resets every time the bolt passes over it, requiring new input every time you want to release the bolt. Or something like that - I'm not feeling overly smart right now. That all being said - this stuff is all tested really thoroughly by agencies like Border Force, and if it was easy to shoot a lever-release firearm like that you wouldn't be able to be import that gun into the country.

@@blackstumpballistics5361I thought that would’ve been the case was just curious while seeing it in action on this video, cheers for the reply mate

Thanks mate, stick around for more!