Hello from NZL

[Tanqueray]

Hi guys, new here hailing from New Zealand. The lever action scene over here is fairly non existent. There's a very few old timers who collect and do a bit of CAS, even fewer people like me who still use them to hunt deer, and then there's the pig hunters, who seem to favour newer stainless lever guns to shoot bailed pigs.
I've always had a thing for levers, I think it dates back to watching spaghetti westerns with my dad as a kid. I've owned a couple of Rossi M92's in 44 magnum, a Savage 99E in .308, and a post 64 1894 wrangler model (16", big lever loop) in 30WCF. I guess over the years my tastes have become more and more traditional, nowadays I'm only really interested in owning original Winchester's in their traditional chamberings, or Uberti reproductions of these. I guess I've become a bit of a lever action snob!
Nowadays I own a 1916 manufactured 1892 SRC in 44WCF. It took me a while to find it, only a handful come up for sale each year on NZ's one online auction site (you US guys are spoilt for choice!). For some reason the ones that do come up here seem to almost always be in 32-20, which isn't ideal for me, as my main passion is hunting deer. She ain't the best looking 92 around by any stretch, but that's ok as it gets hauled around the unforgiving NZ backcountry.
Here's a picture to punctuate this wall of text:



Once I've got my reloading set up sorted I intend to reload cast/BP exclusively for it. I've only ever previously used Lee Loader kits, so have a bit of learning to do!

Here's a photo of my rather humble collection, I also have a bit of a thing for European rifles:





I'd also love to add a pre-64 1894 to my collection, these crop up here from time to time.
And a Winchester 1887 for gamebirds, a 1873 in 44WCF, and an 1886 in any calibre. The chances of any of these happening are rather remote though, I've never seen any of these for sale in NZ (save for Uberti reproductions).

Cheers,
Mitch

[gamekeeper]

Welcome to the fire Mitch, my son and his wife are on the North Island for 12 months, he hopes to do a bit of hunting over there.
I sadly live in England where levers are not peoples first choice either you have a fine collection of guns and posting pictures like that is a sure way of making real good friends here.

[Carlsen Highway]

Mitch,

It's me and you mate. I am down South, where are you and where are you hunting?

I shoot deer with a Winchester 94 carbine in .30/30, a '92 Rossi carbine and Uberti '73 short rifle both in .44-40. Mostly in Fiordland.

I have been on the lookout for a Win '92 in .44/40 with a good bore for a long time, but many them I have seen down here have ruined bores. (I come across more in .32/20 and .25/20 than anything. They probably bought them for hare shooting 'varmint guns' back in the day.)

Currently I am bullet casting and reloading black powder cartridges to run my '73.
I don't do CAS, I take them into the mountains. Good to hear from someone else in NZ who appreciates a lever action and uses them for what they were made for.

[AJMD429]

Welcome....!

You need ya a nice vintage Marlin now, maybe in a 35-37 caliber of some sort....!

Glad to see the old guns keep being used for what they were made for, instead of becoming mantle decorations. Years ago I saw a Winchester 1873 that was 'de-milled' with a piece of re-bar hammered into the muzzle and held with a rivet drilled through the barrel, spray-painted, and used as a theater piece. What a disrespectful demise....!

[Griff]

and Welcome to THE Forum! As you see, we have a couple of Kiwis on board also. I'm originally from Richmond, but now live in TX. Been in the States the vast majority of my life, but I'm still a Kiwi! Most of the extended (large) family is still there. The dream is retire here, sail there and mooch off my cousins!

[JohndeFresno]

Welcome to the fire!

I gather from your cool arsenal that there are no onerous restrictions in NZ regarding firearms, silencers and the like. What a contrast to conditions here in California.

As Griff stated above, this is THE site to habituate. Great to have you!

[M. M. Wright]

Glad to have you guys to talk to. Learning how the rest of the world fares is interesting. When you mentioned shot out 44-40s I immediately thought, "candidate for a re-line". I have a "thing" for rehabilitating old Winchesters and Colts. Is it possible to send a rifle of yours to a US gunsmith?

[Tanqueray]

Thanks for the warm welcomes.
In NZ we have no restrictions on silencers/suppressors, however we have bizarre laws such as not being allowed flash hiders. Pistols are verboten, unless you have a special license. Even then, you are only allowed to shoot them at a registered pistol club, no hunting or shooting them on your own land. Suppressors are centainly in vogue here, every man and his dog has one on his stainless/synthetic tikka or Remington. I'm not a fan of them, I think they're a bit ugly and spoil the look/balance of a rifle. The only reason I have one on the 22lr Anschutz in the photo above is because I use it to night shoot possums near houses.
Carlsen - I'm in the Waikato, have predominantly hunted the Kaimai Ranges but have recently started looking further afield for areas that get less pressure. I'd love to hunt Fiordland one day, the nearest I've been so far is Marlborough so a way to go.
I got my 1892 off Trademe, but you're right, they're few and far between. Mine has a reasonable bore, has taken over an hour of cleaning to get it that way. I'd have preferred a full magazine, but as you'd know beggars can't be choosers here.
Where do you source your black powder from, Hayes and associates? It seems like everything is harder to get here, I often envy our American friends.

[piller]

Howdy from the Dallas, Texas area.

[Carlsen Highway]

Thanks for the warm welcomes.
In NZ we have no restrictions on silencers/suppressors, however we have bizarre laws such as not being allowed flash hiders. Pistols are verboten, unless you have a special license. Even then, you are only allowed to shoot them at a registered pistol club, no hunting or shooting them on your own land. Suppressors are centainly in vogue here, every man and his dog has one on his stainless/synthetic tikka or Remington. I'm not a fan of them, I think they're a bit ugly and spoil the look/balance of a rifle. The only reason I have one on the 22lr Anschutz in the photo above is because I use it to night shoot possums near houses.
Carlsen - I'm in the Waikato, have predominantly hunted the Kaimai Ranges but have recently started looking further afield for areas that get less pressure. I'd love to hunt Fiordland one day, the nearest I've been so far is Marlborough so a way to go.
I got my 1892 off Trademe, but you're right, they're few and far between. Mine has a reasonable bore, has taken over an hour of cleaning to get it that way. I'd have preferred a full magazine, but as you'd know beggars can't be choosers here.
Where do you source your black powder from, Hayes and associates? It seems like everything is harder to get here, I often envy our American friends.

I get my BP from a local shop here in Dunedin- but you should be able to get Reloaders Supplies to get you some in, if you want to drive up to Auckland for it. Holy Smoke is NZ made and not a bad powder, otherwise German brand Scheutzen is what you can get. If you look up the NZ Black Powder Assoc, they should be able to tell you where up there, I think they are Auckland based.

Yes, I have been looking for a '92 with a full mag as well, but I would have settled for a half mag with a good bore too. Half mags are most common down here. I am a big fan of the Winchester 94 too. Had a few of them.

I dont care for suppressors either, just another thing to carry, and they ruin a good rifle. Plus, deer dont go suddenly deaf just because you've got one. I reckon they are only popular because its something to fiddle with. I can see why they use them in England, with their small private properties to shoot on, surrounded by anti-huntig neighbours, but I cant see the point of using one in the Urewera or Fiordland unless your shooting over a dog.

ps I like the rearstock on your .303, someone did a good job on that.

[Ysabel Kid]

Welcome to the fire, from rain-soaked South Carolina!