 |
BULLET POINTS |
|
by Scott Crawford - April 19, 2024 First off, I'd like to thank the Davide Pedersoli Company for providing this rifle for a "Media Test & Evaluation" session. Without manufacturers and distributing companies offering this type of option, there would be far fewer reviews online and in print. This rifle, straight from Italy gives a first impression of quality workmanship. From the modern looking stock & forearm to the matt black barrel, receiver and other components this is a bold look added to their Boarbuster line of lever actions. From the first time I picked it up, I knew I was going to like this model. It has a threaded barrel, Picatinny rail and brilliant sights. The adjustable cheek piece is amazing as well with both vertical & horizontal adjustments. More on this later. When I initially took the rifle to the range, I had some trouble with chambering rounds from the tubular magazine. Not every round, however, a few were hanging up with the elevator making too much contact with the inside of the receiver. After I notified the Pedersoli company they had me return the rifle and they performed an in-depth review finding the cause. The amount of communication and rapid response from them regarding the issue was truly amazing. Not only did they fix this with a minor adjustment, but they also reviewed & adjusted their process to ensure no other rifles experienced the issue going forward. Again, great customer service with positive corrective actions implemented immediately. 
The Davide Pedersoli-built Model 86/71 Droptine
So, let’s get down to business. This Droptine model in .30-30 Winchester caliber was designed purposely for timber hunting, especially for deer & boar hunting. The Picatinny rail, short sight distance between the rear & front fiber optic sights provided quick on-target action and is well suited for optics as well for shooting further distances. The tubular magazine holds five rounds plus one in the chamber for enough firepower to suit any hunter. It comes with two sling studs making it ready to carry for any distance. 
The Droptine is ready for any weather and built tuff for the sport shooter The BoarBuster is available in this model, the Mark II, the HV-1 Camo, the Evolution, the Shadow, Guide Master and as of this writing, a "Classic" Droptine with American walnut and case color-hardened receiver. It has been a very popular line of lever guns based on the Winchester action. Right after I opened the box I wasn't sure what I thought of the techno-polymer stock & forearm however after handling the rifle both, in the Gun Room and the range, I found it very ergonomic and easy to grip. Many times, while hauling one of my lever guns into the field with a beautiful black walnut checkered stock, I worry about dinging up the fine wood. Not to worry with this stock, this rifle is built for tuff terrain and handling. 
The lever and internal action are significantly different than most of my lever guns The engineering team at Davide Pedersoli designed an ergonomic, field ready lever action rifle that shot good groupings, especially after I mounted a scope on it. Iron sights from the factory got me on steel at fifty yards easily however I prefer to hunt with an optic. That also helped me test performance with different ammo and at further ranges. Lever action rifles were designed with a hammer safety or otherwise known as at rest, halfcocked and fully cocked positions. The Pedersoli company incorporated a tang safety which is typical of many rifles being built today and very easy to use. On with the details. The Droptine holds five rounds of .30-30 Winchester in the magazine tube which should get about anything you need done. The side loading gate is very easy to depress (burr free) to load the rounds. The lever when worked with deliberate forceful action was smooth and easy to use. I especially liked the shape and size of the lever, allowing for gloved or large hands to work with ease. I did find the Microcell butt pad on the stock very capable of absorbing the kick of warm loads in the rifle. I was able to load and shoot 100 rounds at each range session without any discomfort or bruising. The factory sights on this model consist of a rear fiber optic and ramp front blade fiber optic making for very quick target acquisition. This design is very functional and right out of the box I was on steel at fifty yards. Some hunters will like the ability to add a peep sight or glass to the rail. The Pedersoli company also offers a side mount Picatinny rail for mounting a scope to the side of the rifle. As you can see from some of the included pictures, we tried it out. While the left mounted scope looks to be awkward at best, it was surprisingly easy to sight through after adjusting the cheek piece up and to the left. When raising the rifle to shoot, it quickly settled in at the perfect alignment for very quick shot placement.   The Front & Rear Sights on the BoarBuster The stock and forearm are constructed of a techno-polymer which is tobacco color. A unique lined grip panel is found on both, stock & forearm providing superior grip in all weather conditions.  The metal fit and finish on this particular model is very clean and well done. The matte black receiver just blends in nicely with the polymer stock and forearm. The overall finish is well done on each part.  The rifling twist on this model is 1:12 Right Hand which works well for a .30-30 Winchester load. I found the accuracy, repeatability quite good for a short barreled (19.0"), short sight window rifle. Although I was using various factory rounds and my hand loads which I didn’t tune specifically for this rifle, I felt the rifling and twist rate worked well with a variety of bullet types. I used .308 diameter, Hornady 150-grain Round Nose Interlock bullets in my hand loads. The muzzle on this rifle is a non-typical threaded at 5/8”x24UNF, round barrel for a suppressor or brake. This is something that more and more shooters prefer in today’s market.  Now let’s talk ammo. I shot two brands of factory ammo and one style of hand load mentioned previously. I experienced similar accuracy across the full spectrum of what I sent down the tube! Very pleased with the overall accuracy of the six-groove rifling on this medium bore rifle. I shot Federal Premium Hammer Down 150-grain FN and Barnes VOR-TX 150-grain TSX FN. While the Point of Impact varied slightly between the three types of ammo shot (as expected due to differences in muzzle velocity/bullet shape/Etc), the shot grouping experienced with this rifle was very good. The two factory rounds recorded muzzle velocities at just over 2,300 fps while my hand loads were running at 2,275 fps. Each of the three types of ammo tested used 150-grain bullets and each grouped under 1.18" at fifty yards shooting from the bench. My handloads grouped the best at just over .85" in a five-shot group.  At almost 8.5 lbs., naked, this model is on the heavy side for a .30-30 lever gun although when brought to the shoulder, the weight isn't an issue. At 37.61" overall length this rifle is short enough to be utilized comfortably in a ground blind or in a tree stand. While the price is higher than many U.S. built rifles from Marlin or Henry, one might expect an Italian firearm to be a bit higher with their workmanship detail & of course the added cost of importing to the U.S. Let's not forget the adjustable stock which offers much more versatility than a standard stock. The MSRP for this rifle is $1,954 Do yourself a favor and look into a Davide Pedersoli Droptine. A harmonious blend of nostalgia, aesthetics, and modern functionality. The Droptine Setup with Offset Scope & Cheek Piece Parting Shots  I wanted to summarize what I thought of the overall package compared to my other lever action rifles. This rifle is about the same overall length as my others, right at 1.0 lbs. heavier and carries the standard five rounds. The stock to metal fit is every bit as good if not better than my other guns however the action initially was slightly rougher out of the box. As indicated earlier, this was resolved by the factory. Overall I'd say these Davide Pedersoli-built rifles handle well (with good balance), provides very good grouping and ranks very high on overall finish of metal to stock fit. Would I buy one? I absolutely would add one to my Gun Room because you all know, I do love lever guns! The fact is, I really like having a rifle that I don't have to worry about babying in the field. Technical Specifications
(some parts represent other models of the BoarBuster)  
 1895Gunner shooting the Pedersoli Droptine 
IN THIS ARTICLE Davide Pedersoli
Starline Brass
Hodgdon Powder
Federal Ammunition
Hornady Ammunition
Hawke Optics
Barnes Bullets
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
