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records. Ben Jnr was proclaimed "Shooting Hero" after setting a record score of 294/300 - the highest score shot in Bisley matches in any
Commonwealth country. Some countries would ban the Musgrave from competition as being "too accurate", with accurized service rifles unable to compete. Such bans were generally short-lived as other purpose-built target rifles such as the British
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Musgrave built three exhibition rifles by hand for display in the USA (1983-1984) with the following serial numbers: XMA001 – Supreme Grade XMA002 – Custom Grade XMA003 – Standard Grade These were polished Mod 90 actions, engraved by Armin
Winkler with gold triggers on French walnut stocks, fore ends
199:
approached
Musgrave in 1969 with a view to developing a production hunting rifle. Musgrave became a subsidiary of Armscor in 1971. Production hunting rifles became available in 1972. 1971 also saw the Musgrave RSA target rifle debut at the National Championships at Cape Town where it broke multiple
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wood. The handguard is absent from later models, which had significantly bulkier fore-ends to allow for an open barrel with effective cooling while still reducing potential fliers due to contact between the free floated barrel and the shooter's fingers. Accurate
Musgrave-manufactured button rifled
274:
A SABS inspector fired a high pressure round through every rifle manufactured on
Musgrave's site and signed off. Musgrave's quality control department did a rigorous functional test on every rifle, testing the trigger, safety catch, firing pin protrusion, extractor and headspace against strict
183:
in
England. Whilst there he was introduced to barrel manufacturer W.D. Lain who was nearing retirement. Lain agreed to train Trevor in barrel making, with the intention of then selling his rifling machine and tooling to Musgrave. Trevor duly completed his training and the equipment arrived in
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With the advent of the new RSA rifle and thanks to better sporting-type rifles in general, which were used for the first time in South Africa during the 1971 National
Championships at Cape Town, record totals began tumbling headlong. In 1972 South Africa, shooting in Salisbury, shattered the
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Musgraves were proofed by a recognised Proof-House. The SABS (South
African Bureau of Standards) stamped the metalwork on a proofed rifle with two proofmarks in the shape of a capital letter "T" within "Springbok horns", one on the action (receiver), the other on the barrel.
261:
The top part of the fitted hammer forged barrels (until c. 1975) from
Lyttleton, were encased by a handguard, while M&S 1/3 MOA rear sights were installed. Parker Hale 1/4 MOA rear sights were available as an option. Stocks were made of a dense and strong
211:
Engineering Works. By 1989, Musgrave employed 220 people and produced 6,000 hunting rifles per year over a ten model range. Musgrave's product range diversified to include shotguns, sporting equipment, fuel locking devices and other items.
250:'s design and features a controlled feed (claw) extractor. The actions have a large flat bedding area underneath and a short case extraction port. The original Musgrave target rifles were fitted with 26.5" barrels and designated "7,62" (
137:
Musgrave was started in 1950 by Ben
Musgrave and his sons, restocking and accurizing surplus service rifles before developing their own line of hunting and target rifles. The company was acquired by
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Many .303 rifles were available in South Africa after the 2nd Anglo-Boer war, and conversions of these were used as hunting rifles. For plains game, a flatter shooting alternative was found in
219:
conglomerate. Denel abandoned the name in August 1996 when Musgrave's Bloemfontein facility was closed down. Some of the equipment and personnel relocated to Lyttelton Engineering Works (new
172:. After experimenting with the accuracy of his rifle, he came to be in demand from other shooters to accurize and re-barrel their rifles. In 1950 he founded Musgrave with eldest son Trevor.
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In 1972, work started on a new purpose built factory in Bloemfontain, which developed into a giant gunsmithing concern. RSA actions and earlier hammer-forged barrels were manufactured at
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in 1953 when younger brother Ben Musgrave (junior) joined the firm aged 14. Ben Jr would go on to be regarded as a genius barrel maker. All three Musgraves earned full
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tipped with buffalo horn and fitted with express sights. Two additional front sights (drop compensated) came in a hidden compartment in the pistol grip.
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Ben Musgrave (senior) began target shooting in 1933. At the time, all target shooting was conducted with contemporary service rifles such as the
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Three models of Musgrave hunting rifles for which the RSA action served as platform were manufactured from 29 May 1970, namely the
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In 2009, the dormant Musgrave name was acquired by a private owner, Frikkie du Plooy. Manufacturing started at a new facility in
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238:, Mpumalanga. The revived firm builds new semi-custom hunting rifles as well as an AR-15 variant - the Musgrave AR.
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The name was revived in 2009 after it was acquired by a private owner, with production based at a new facility in
180:
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Features highlighted below as characteristics of the various models are not exclusive, as many variants exist.
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Ambidex (Straight-pull action with bolt handle which can be reassembled to accommodate left-handed shooters)
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Pump Action: Musgrave 12, similar to the Beretta RS 200, also a version for the South African Police Force.
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Mk III & Mk IV (Mod 98 based Santa Barbara actions and barrels - Serial numbers start with "R-")
223:) where hunting rifles were built under the "Vektor" (Vector) name for a short while, alongside the
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In 1952 Ben was awarded Springbok colours and selected to travel with the South African team to the
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Some Musgraves were exported to Europe and the US, either as complete rifles or components.
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Over and under: Some Beretta components used - similar to the Beretta 686 O/U shotguns.
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barrels (with a slightly longer, parallel nox) were usually matched with these stocks.
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The single-shot Musgrave RSA action (sometimes marked "Lyttelton RSA") is based on
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spectacular Rhodes Centenary Match record of 1845 points by a staggering 81 points
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http://historicalstudiesuct.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/7-bernhard-schlenther.pdf
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In 1992, Musgrave was one of the businesses moved from ARMSCOR into the new
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Concerned with growing industrial isolation due to apartheid sanctions,
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target and hunting rifles, in particular the Musgrave RSA Target Rifle.
145:. The brand disappeared in 1996 and the Bloemfontein facility closed.
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pistol and other small armaments which form Denel's main focus.
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Semi-Auto: Essentially a Musgrave-barrelled Beretta A300.
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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275:standards while evaluating the rifle's accuracy.
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278:The South African Bisley Union site states:
334:Several other models followed, including:
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109:Learn how and when to remove this message
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862:Firearm manufacturers of South Africa
490:Robertson, Karen, ed. (Spring 2004).
359:Afrika (Standard, De Lux and Supreme)
7:
783:"C.I.P. decisions, texts and tables"
47:adding citations to reliable sources
403:Pistols built by Musgrave include:
872:Gert Sibande District Municipality
734:R A Dynamic Distributors (Pty) Ltd
658:from the original on 28 March 2023
628:from the original on 28 March 2023
466:from the original on 28 March 2023
16:South African firearm manufacturer
14:
831:".308 Winchester Cartridge Guide"
730:".243-303 Wildcat / 6mm Musgrave"
712:South African Bureau of Standards
570:"The SWING SIN71 Rifle Prototype"
757:. 12 August 2011. Archived from
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684:. December 2012. Archived from
34:needs additional citations for
141:in 1971 and later moved under
1:
568:Laurie Ingram (Summer 2002).
242:The Musgrave RSA Target Rifle
204:were also coming to market.
126:is a brand of firearms from
130:. They are noted for their
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799:"Wildman Summer Fest 2019"
682:South African Bisley Union
585:National Rifle Association
543:South African Bisley Union
507:National Rifle Association
330:"Presidents Model" (Mk II)
456:"The History of Musgrave"
297:Surplus rifle conversions
58:"Musgrave" firearms
678:"Rules and Regulations"
327:"Vrystaat Model" (Mk I)
292:Musgrave hunting rifles
852:Rifles of South Africa
748:"Musgrave .22RF Rifle"
648:"SEMI-AUTO | Musgrave"
867:Economy of Mpumalanga
793:on 29 September 2008.
417:Semi-automatic rifles
150:Ermelo (Gert Sibande)
857:South African brands
652:musgraverifles.co.za
622:musgraverifles.co.za
618:"HUNTING | Musgrave"
192:for rifle shooting.
177:NRA Imperial Meeting
43:improve this article
835:AccurateShooter.com
809:on 21 October 2019.
764:on 21 October 2012
755:Thames Valley Guns
221:Denel Land Systems
143:Denel Land Systems
688:on 7 January 2014
309:Production Rifles
190:Springbok colours
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823:Official website
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353:Various Mod 90s
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256:.308 Winchester
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539:"SABU History"
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32:This article
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654:. Musgrave.
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624:. Musgrave.
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547:the original
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468:. Retrieved
462:. Musgrave.
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407:Varan PMX-80
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324:"Veld Model"
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128:South Africa
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
591:1 September
577:NRA Journal
499:NRA Journal
368:.22 Rimfire
166:Lee–Metford
162:Lee–Enfield
132:bolt-action
846:Categories
787:cip-bp.org
662:3 November
632:3 November
520:2 November
435:References
69:newspapers
768:7 January
692:7 January
515:0028-0070
209:Lyttelton
656:Archived
626:Archived
553:12 March
470:28 March
464:Archived
383:Shotguns
356:Mod 2000
341:LP 1000s
124:Musgrave
99:May 2021
503:LXXXIII
197:ARMSCOR
156:History
139:ARMSCOR
83:scholar
513:
509:: 53.
347:Mod 83
344:Mod 80
248:Mauser
236:Ermelo
181:Bisley
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
762:(PDF)
751:(PDF)
708:"FAQ"
583:(2).
581:LXXXI
573:(PDF)
505:(1).
495:(PDF)
264:beech
217:Denel
202:Swing
90:JSTOR
76:books
770:2012
694:2014
664:2023
634:2023
593:2022
587:: 24
555:2013
522:2023
511:ISSN
472:2023
429:AR15
168:and
62:news
423:LM4
350:K98
258:).
254:or
229:Z88
179:at
170:P14
45:by
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