Q: I went crazy, shed all caution, let my head go (in my wife’s summation) and spent big on a Uberti 1885 Courteney Stalking Rifle.
It is chambered in .303 British and is a modern version of the fine British stalking rifles of over a century ago, named for that great African hunter Frederick Courteney Selous.
As soon as I laid eyes on one in my local gunshop I had to have it.
Could you recommend a scope for it, one that’s not big and heavy or too expensive (I’ve been forgiven and my wife is paying for a scope).
Also, could you recommend a die set for the .303 British, a good brand of unprimed brass, what powder and primer to use, and a good load for the 150gn Hornady Interlock bullet?
I can’t wait to take the outfit hunting. My wife is anxious for me to go, too. She says it may bring me back to my senses.
Justin Alexander
A: A Lee die set is most affordable and comes with a shell-holder. I’ve been loading the Speer 150gn spitzer and 43gn of AR2208 for 2663fps and the 174gn Hornady and 40gn of AR2208 for 2420fps.
Unlike the original 1885 Winchester Hi-Wall, the Uberti does not cock the hammer as the breechblock is lowered, so the hammer has to be cocked manually after being loaded.
Nor does it eject a fired case as the lever is lowered: it only extracts it and you have to remove the case with your fingers.
Still, the Uberti has the advantage of having a quarter-rib sight with an integral Picatinny rail with cross-slots machined on it which takes Weaver-style scope rings.
I recommend Nikko Stirling Steel-Lok Q/D medium-height rings which will allow you to remove the scope without affecting zero and use the iron sights.
A neat, moderately priced scope is the Sightron S1 1.75-5×32 or something similar — a 2-7x or 2.5-8x — but more expensive.
I like the looks of the Uberti Courteney with its colour case hardened lever, breechblock, hammer, trigger and the stock with rounded grip and black fore-arm tip.
Enjoy your investment and tell the wife I’m right behind you (just in case she starts throwing things).
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