I first read Ron Spomer's review of Parkwest Arms SD-10 Single Shot Falling Block rifle when it was published by Sporting Classics Daily in October of 2024. (https://sportingclassicsdaily.com/parkwest-arms-sd-10-falling-block/)
As Ron indicated, a single shot rifle is not practical BUT this one is simply a piece of artwork that can be chambered and barreled for dozens of calibers and cartridges that you can choose from when you order a custom rifle. (https://parkwestarms.com/product/sd-10/) I thought Ron's choice of a 7mm Mauser was perfect for such and old-school rifle action—It reminded me of African Elephant hunting as practiced by the great hunter W.D.M. "Karamojo" Bell. Although Bell relied on a Mauser 98, the 7MM Mauser cartridge accounted for over 800 elephants taken in less than 20 years just after the turn of the 20th century.
The great Anglo-Indian hunter Jim Corbett, who initially was a big bore Nitro Express shooter adopted the .275 Rigby (7mm Mauser, see below) which rifle accounted for most of the man-eating tigers and leopards responsible for over 1,200 human deaths in India that Corbett eradicated over a near 40-year period.
Long story short, I ordered one and sent in a Nightforce SHV 4-14X milrad scope to be mounted in the Talley rings that Parkwest provides. It took about 6 months from start to finish but what a finish! A very lucky employee of Parkwest test fired and 100-yard zeroed my work of art just prior to it being shipped to me.
I could not wait! The day I received it, I installed a new Dam It beaver leather sling from Teton Leather (https://tetonleather.com) and headed to our range in Ennis, Texas where we have steel targets of all shapes and sizes from 50 yards to a mile away. During the time between Parkwest completing and shipping the rifle and when I picked it up from my FFL (https://triumphguns.com), I had ordered online five different ammo types in either 7mm Mauser—invented by Peter Paul Mauser in 1892 for the German military—or .275 Rigby which is what the British called this round when Rigby and Company adopted the round for its rifles in 1899.
Based on the test target provided by Parkwest, I assumed a sub-MOA performance from some of the ammo at least. I failed to mention that this gun's barrel is threaded 5/8" x 24 and equipped with a removable radial muzzle brake so that it can be suppressed. I indeed installed a Silencerco Omega 300 and went to work. It was a beautiful fall day with temperature in the 70's. I won't bore you with my nerd ballistic notes on weather conditions, wind velocities, and the like as it was immediately apparent that this rifle could shoot lights out at 100 and just as easily was sub-MOA at 200. I took my time so as to not overheat the barrel which is not a heavyweight by any means. My showpiece SD-10 was everything I hoped it would be. I finally said enough is enough for the day after 60 rounds were downrange.
Today, this rifle hangs in its own space in my gun room so that you can see it first when you open the door (the gun room is a whole 'nother story as it contains about 60 rifles and shotguns and a smaller room off the main room holds about 75 pistols—shooters and collectibles. That story can wait for another day.
My happiness with this gun was sufficient that I called one of the owners of Parkwest—Jason Rabakoff—his brother is Steve—to tell him how fantastic this gun is. He was obviously pleased that I was happy and telling him so but it was evident to me that I wasn't the first guy who had ever told him how good these guns are.
Back to the beginning—a totally impractical gun by today's standards of precision bolt guns in the super precision hot new cartridges but there is literally nothing quite like it. Until you hear about my next totally impractical gun from Parkwest, my SD-76 in .416 Rigby!