Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3717
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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Gentlemen:
Anyone here familiar with "Orion" rifles built in Africa for a few years in the 1970s? I have a marvelous .500 Jeffery Mauser in my gun-safe at the moment (no, not mine unfortunately...) and would like to know the name of the maker, along with exactly when and where he hung his shingle. The rifle has Blenheim sights, very interesting setup and fast to shoot, even with the Norma factory load (570gr Woodleigh at 2200fps!).
Pics may be a possibility down the track if the owner agrees.
Thanks in advance for any info forthcoming...
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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mehulkamdar
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
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Please let the owner know that if he had Angelina Jolie on his arm, he would show her off. A fine rifle deserves the same treatment. 
Pictures, please, and good hunting!
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The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.
Mehul Kamdar
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lancaster
.470 member
Reged: 06/05/08
Posts: 9534
Loc: There's a lighthouse in the mi...
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google knows nothing about it 
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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
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bringing civilisation to the barbarians
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kuduae
.400 member
Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1806
Loc: middle of Germany
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Here in Germany, "Orion" was one of the trademarks used by Hebsacker, then Überlingen. They used it during the 1970s on guns they imported and resold as wholesalers to other gunsmithes/retailers.
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GG375
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Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 347
Loc: Brisbane
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Marrakai
Don't know if this link will work but if not there is a thread in the custom rifle section of [blank] with some info on Orion. May even be the same rifle??
http://www.[blank]/index.php?topic=153139.0
Cheers.
GG
Edited by GG375 (31/05/14 02:52 AM)
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GG375
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Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 347
Loc: Brisbane
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Post deleted by NitroX
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Igorrock
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Reged: 01/03/07
Posts: 1684
Loc: Finland
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This is rifle which they discuss in another forum:
Quote:
Orion is the name of a company (Orion Arms Corp) in the US that specializes in military rifles. They were known in years gone past to import large quantities of never issued military Mauser 98's & in particular, they found a very large stockpile of these Portuguese contract Oberndorf Mausers still packed in grease. The figure I read was some 400 units. One of the gun shops in Brissy had some from Orion a fair few years back. I'm thinking QGE, back when they were in their old shop so that's how long ago it was.
Quote:
Hallo Matt
Sorry that I only now come back to you.
The name of the guy who built your rifle was Rassie Erasmus, he was only in operation for about two or three years, his shop was on a smallholding at Bredell, near Kempton Park in South Africa. That is near OR Tambo Int. Airport.
Most of his rifles had Blenheim sights on, it resembles anti-aircraft sights. He did build a few rifles for some company in the UK, but I can not remember the name. Not sure if he used the Orion name on them.
If you need more info, I will ask around.
Regards
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http://promaakari.wordpress.com/
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3717
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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Yes, exact same rifle.
Thanks for the link GG.
Rassie Erasmus of Bredell, South Africa. Duly noted, thanks all.
BTW, took a while to get through the thread on that "other" site, 3 pages of mis-information before Matt got the details via another source anyway...
A couple of photos are up on that other site, so I will endeavor to add pics of the Blenheim sight here when I get a chance. Should be of interest to those us us building big-bore bolt-guns. Meanwhile, a preview from another website to tide you over.
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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MarkR
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Reged: 29/07/07
Posts: 296
Loc: NW Vic. Australia
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Ok Marrakai,
You have had time to work with this baby, anything to report???
Cheers,
Mark.
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MarkR
.333 member
Reged: 29/07/07
Posts: 296
Loc: NW Vic. Australia
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Here are some more pics of the rifle and would still like any info people can give up.
Thanks,
Mark.
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casper50
.400 member
Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1544
Loc: Alaska
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I've never seen or even heard of those sites but from that photo I believe I'd like those on any DG rifle I owned.
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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4427
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
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Marrakai
Nice piece of kit!
Certainly an unusual sighting arrangement, our eyes are naturally drawn to concentric circles hence the peep & globe sight of a target rifle; these really are a mix of both express & target sights - albeit in a DG version!
Would certainly give you a wallop, with those loads stated!
What weight is this rifle & if I may dare ask - what is the crest on the receiver ring?
All the best folks for 2015
Cheers
93x64mm
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MarkR
.333 member
Reged: 29/07/07
Posts: 296
Loc: NW Vic. Australia
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Hi 9.3X64mm,
Marrakai had the rifle for a while trying to sort out sight issues and some load development but now I have this little baby in my greasy little hands.
Rifle weighs 10 1/2 lbs.
Don't know on the crest.
Cheers,
Mark.
Edited by MarkR (03/01/15 10:13 AM)
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mehulkamdar
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
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Found the original patent filing for the [url=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/US4745698.pdf
]Blenheim sights here,[/url] and they do seem like an excellent, sturdy design if you plan to use a rifle with open sights and a single load. Looks like they'd be hell to zero though . . . Would love to know about your experience with them and with the fantastic rifle.
Congratulations, and do keep posting. Good hunting!
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The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.
Mehul Kamdar
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kuduae
.400 member
Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1806
Loc: middle of Germany
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As the Portuguese crest on the receiver ring + 1937 date shows, the action of this "Orion" rifle comes from a Portuguese "Model 937-A" military short rifle, a K98k or "Standard" model variant made by Mauser for Portugal.
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3717
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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I should have added that the maker had the good sense to leave the perfectly-struck Portuguese crest and date intact, along with the marvelous row of large waffen-ampts down the left-hand side.
So often the history of the original action is ground away; certainly the case on most all vintage British sporters.
Hope you get it shooting to your satisfaction Mark. I have a couple of boxes of Norma factory loads here with hideous price-tags, drop by sometime, bring beer. (...and don't tell Matt!) 
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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MarkR
.333 member
Reged: 29/07/07
Posts: 296
Loc: NW Vic. Australia
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Quote:
I should have added that the maker had the good sense to leave the perfectly-struck Portuguese crest and date intact, along with the marvelous row of large waffen-ampts down the left-hand side.
So often the history of the original action is ground away; certainly the case on most all vintage British sporters.
Hope you get it shooting to your satisfaction Mark. I have a couple of boxes of Norma factory loads here with hideous price-tags, drop by sometime, bring beer. (...and don't tell Matt!)
Will do Marrakai  Do you have load data to use with ADI powders and 535gr & 570gr pilss?
Cheers,
Mark.
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3717
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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In addition to the Norma factory-loads, I shot that rifle with Geoff McDonald's recommended load of 106gr AR2208 under the 535gr Woodleigh RNSN.
That was the only bullet weight I had.
Shot it off the bench too one afternoon, that was memorable! 
Borrowed the cases and dies off Mick G__, he generously "loaned" the fist-full of projies, too.
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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mehulkamdar
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
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I am fascinated by these sights. I have a few actions that I have collected over the years, and hope to build them into rifles now that I am retired. Just wondering about having one rifle built with them . . . Muzzleloader hunters have been much quicker in adopting them than regular hunters, but for old timers like me who enjoy hunting with open sighted guns, and who can still do this with decent eyesight, these sights would be just the ticket on a Mauser sporter.
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The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.
Mehul Kamdar
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