Bolt Action Rifles

MUSGRAVE .30-06SPR WITH LEUPOLD SCOPE ST176, FIREARM IS ON THE NEW SIDE OF MUSRAVE!.

MODEL VZ24

Musgrave, the former state owned South African sporting rifle manufacturer had its origins in private enterprise. The founder was the well-known late target champion, a president of Bloemfontein - Benjamin (Ben) Musgrave (1900 - 1987).Ben Musgrave (snr) started participating seriously in large calibre target shooting during 1933. His then service rifle was the Lee Enfield in .303 British calibre. ‘Uncle Ben’, as he was generally known, in due course started experimenting with the accuracy of his rifle as a hobby. These experiments were very successful and the South African target shooting fraternity flocked to Ben Musgrave to re-accurize their rifles in his spare time. This situation continued for approximately 27 years until 1950 when the demand for Musgrave’s services become so great that he could not handle it alone anymore. He canvassed the assistance of his son Trevor, who at that stage was an apprentice at Escom in Vereeniging.

During 1952 Musgrave was awarded Springbok colours and was elected to the South African target shooting team chosen to participate in International competitions in the United Kingdom. During the competition Musgrave was introduced by Arthur Ilsley of Birmingham to the barrel manufacturer W.D Lain who was about to retire. Lain agreed to train Trevor in the United Kingdom for Musgrave in the use of the rifling machine he used, with the intention of selling the machine thereafter to the Musgraves.

Trevor completed his training and in early 1953 the machine was brought to South Africa. Musgrave moved to Douglas Valley and resigned from the South African Railways and Harbours were he had been employed until then. The building on the property was modified to become the workshop and barrel manufacturing started in all seriousness. Musgrave’s success in the field of target shooting rifles continued and after six years another son, Benny Musgra

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