Hunting Rifles

joesikora

joesikora

Long Time Member
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3,393
What hunting rifle do you use and why?

I shoot a H-S Percision 30/06 and it drives tacks
I lost my first rifle Remington 700 CDL 30/06
2007 RMEF Banquet H-S Percision 30/06 silent auction $1,600

this gun is awesome but Ive never heard anyone ever say they sot one just wondering why? I love mine
 
I have three. One is a custom 280 AI, one is a 300WBY both Remington 700s and the last is a 270 WIN, Browning A Bolt. No real reason for the choices except the 270 was my first center fire and it seems to be an extension of me. It’s kind of one of those rifles you shoot and make accurate hits and can’t really remember where you aimed.
 
For out west I have a model 700 classic 300 savage.
For here in Iowa I have a CZ 527 American in 22 hornet for calling coyotes and a Savage model 99 big bore straight wall 375 Winchester for deer.
I like the older classic cartridges.
 
For deer, antelope, hogs a .257 Ackley in a Winchester mod 70 Featherweight. Very accurate and my favorite rifle. For elk or long shots on open country mules I shoot a REM 700 in 7mm REM Mag. It shoots sub minute of angle if I do my part just like the .257. Also have .222 REM, AR in 5.56, 30-30 Winchester, and my black powder rifles all get used on occasion.
 
Browning A Bolt Stainless Steel Stalker in a .300WSM. It has been my go rifle ever since I traded in 2 winning rifles for it at a RMEF Banquet 15 years ago in Fresno, California. I have won several rifles over the years at Banquets, from .22's to .338's, but this is the gun I always pull out of the safe come October.
 
My first rifle hunt was with a 7X57 Mauser. My most recent was a 300 PRC. Both killed with one shot.
My next ????
 
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My go-to rifle is a 300 Win Mag and I've had it for 30 years. David Gentry from Belgrade, MT built it for me. Shoots well and has an old Brown Precision stock.

I'm building rifles now and am in the process of making myself a couple of new ones. One is a 6.5 PRC on a Remington clone action from Pacific Tool and Gauge with a Carbon Six barrel and an AG Composites stock. I'm also building a new 22-250 for myself. It's on a Stiller Action with an X Caliber carbon barrel and an HS Precision stock. It takes a long time to get the parts, but it is fun to see the progress and makes those precision rifles.
 
I have a custom built .243 with a Mauser action that is a family heirloom (passed down 4 generations) that I have shot two deer with. I have a remington 7mm rem mag that is what I have shot most of my big game with besides my bow. I have built 2, 6.5 grendels that my girls will hunt with and that I have just been playing with since I built them but may use them this year for deer hunting.
 
I am a big fan of .30 cal or 7mm for big game, but there are other calibers out there that perform just fine. The best rifle to use, is the one you are most familiar with, and that you are accurate shooting.
 
Easy_green said:
I am a big fan of .30 cal or 7mm for big game, but there are other calibers out there that perform just fine. The best rifle to use, is the one you are most familiar with, and that you are accurate shooting.
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I agree, I was born with the ability to pick up anything and just do it! Now I never get really good at it but I always got it done. My H-S is 2 for 2 on elk and folded them right where they stood so thanks a good thing. When I aim at a target or animal even with bow I start below target I line up the vertical and as soon as the horizontal gets where I want it “let er rip tater chip” it works well for me if I would wait and give it all this thought and then get nervous because I’m trying to hard and hold it perfectly still it ain’t going to happen and then when it doesn’t go exactly where I wanted it causes me to fail. If I can hit a paper plate from any distance that I know I can make that shot I‘m good! Now I usually shoot tighter then a paper plate but that’s my goal. When I’ve played in golf scrambles I try to relax the guys I see that are ne I tell them the first 9 holes is practice and the last 9 is where we tear it up. Another thing I do is to tell the guys when putting when their out 10‘ or 20’ “you don’t want to make this putt just get it within a 3’ circle“ you would be surprise how many guys just relax and get it in a lot closer. One other thing I do for some guys if they slice take a small rock (I keep plenty in my pocket) put the rock 16” or in front of their ball inline with the direction they want the ball to go, tell them to follow the club straight thru the rock before turning they swing it’s amazing how well they’ll hit after that.
 
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Well, as a lefty I have a few Rem 700s and the rest are Ruger Hawkeyes. These also only come in .270,30-06, or 7mm Mag so they're all rebarreled too.

For deer and antelope I use a 280AI w/ 140 gr TTSX

For elk I tend to use either a .338 w/ 225 TTSX or a 375 with 300 TSX

I've also killed a few elk and a moose with a 470 double rifle using 500gr Woodleighs and Two elk with a 416 Rigby w/ 400 TSX

Oh, and two Bison with an 1885 hiwall in 454 Casull

My son has a pair of bergaras in 708 & 300 Mag
 
I have a Winchester Mod 670 30.06 I got when I was 15. Bought a replacement stock about 10 years in and refinished it. Turned out extremely nice and now has a floor plate. It's been my go-to rifle for 25 years.

I now shoot a Montana X3 30.06 and it's a tack driver. shame they're out of business. Love the 30 cals and with some of the bullets out now, the 06 can be a long-range gun for most people's effective range.

Also just got a 280AI in a kimber. this gun should be a tack driver as well and will allow me to reach out a little further than the 06.
 
Utahlefty said:
Well, as a lefty I have a few Rem 700s and the rest are Ruger Hawkeyes. These also only come in .270,30-06, or 7mm Mag so they're all rebarreled too.

For deer and antelope I use a 280AI w/ 140 gr TTSX

For elk I tend to use either a .338 w/ 225 TTSX or a 375 with 300 TSX

I've also killed a few elk and a moose with a 470 double rifle using 500gr Woodleighs and Two elk with a 416 Rigby w/ 400 TSX

Oh, and two Bison with an 1885 hiwall in 454 Casull

My son has a pair of bergaras in 708 & 300 Mag
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Lefty do you have one of those awesome double rifles is it a sxs?
joe
 
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joesikora said:
Lefty do you have one of those awesome double rifles is it a sxs?
joe
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I have a Heym 88B PH model in .470. I got in on the ground floor of their offering about a decade ago - they've pretty much doubled in value since then.

It's an awesome gun, and fully fitted and shoots about 1.5" at 70 meters with the 400gr woodleighs
 
I've owned a lot of rifles over about 65 years of my life from .22s up to a .338 Browning A-Bolt. My first, at 16, was a Marlin M60 Glenfield .22 & my first centerfire was a Marlin M336 Texan 30/30. Some other calibers I've owned, including multiples of some, were .22 mag, 22-250, .243, 300 Savage, 30/06, 7X57, 6.5X55, .270, 270 Weatherby Mag, 35 Rem, 7mm Mag & 300 WM & my go-to gun since 1965 -- a M70 .264 mag. It & a custom built Robar M700 .300 WM are the only two firearms I still own-- at least for the time being.

I bought the M70 .264 mag with a Redfield scope through Stoeger Arms where my ex-neighbor in NJ worked as an accountant and later became CEO.

A while back, I was kind of going over the number & type of critters that trusty M70 has let the air out of over the last 60+ years. It started with a North Kaibab buck (below photo) a couple months after I bought it and ended with my little desert sheep 60+ years later. In between those two, that .264 did an outstanding job.

I don't have exact numbers, but between mule deer, eastern & Tex. whitetail, Coues and CA blacktail, it has put down at least four dozen deer, six pronghorns, 11 elk, more than a dozen javelina (I used different guns for others), four BC black bears and at least 12 coyotes and two bobcats. Add to these a 61" Canada moose, three caribou subspecies, 11 of my 12 animals from Africa; a red stag, tahr, chamois and wallaby from New Zealand; a Russian boar, a blackbuck, a Scimitar antelope and several exotic sheep & goats.

It had been carried in a rifle scabbard for many, many miles on numerous horseback hunts and when I was guiding in Colo. during the mid-1970s. So it took a bit of a beating. I eventually had Robar Inc. put a satin silver NP3 (no rust) finish and a McMillan synthetic stock on it. I also changed out the scope to a Leupold high-end one in satin silver. With those improvements, it looks almost new yet, as seem in last photo below.

The evolution of both hunter & gun over the ages...


MyKaibabmulie.jpg


colomuledeer.JPG
 
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I have a lot of hunting rifles. But the ones that come to mind are. At 15 my dad gave me a Browning bar 30 06 with a 3 x 9 leupold on it. Hunted everything with that rifle. Used to practice shooting running jack rabbits. Since it was a semi it work out well. Then moved up to a Browning A bolt Medallion 338 win mag . After that I have been carrying my Brad Stair special for the last 11 or 12 years. A Performance guns 300 Tejas shooting 168 grain Barnes bullets. It shoots Bergers even better. But I don't like to use Bergers on elk size game. Now building a light weight 6.5 PRC and a 300 PRC not as light for the future. Boring rifles is putting those together. I have heard some positive things about their rifles so going to give them a try. But I guess now a days its getting easier to build a very accurate rifle with these modern cnc machining. Then their is Bessy's favorite hunting rifle . The EDM arms wind runner in 408 caliber! :)
 
OutdoorWriter said:
I've owned a lot of rifles over about 65 years of my life from .22s up to a .338 Browning A-Bolt. My first, at 16, was a Marlin M60 Glenfield .22 & my first centerfire was a Marlin M336 Texan 30/30. Some other calibers I've owned, including multiples of some, were .22 mag, 22-250, .243, 300 Savage, 30/06, 7X57, 6.5X55, .270, 270 Weatherby Mag, 35 Rem, 7mm Mag & 300 WM & my go-to gun since 1965 -- a M70 .264 mag. It & a custom built Robar M700 .300 WM are the only two firearms I still own-- at least for the time being.

I bought the M70 .264 mag with a Redfield scope through Stoeger Arms where my ex-neighbor in NJ worked as an accountant and later became CEO.

A while back, I was kind of going over the number & type of critters that trusty M70 has let the air out of over the last 60+ years. It started with a North Kaibab buck (below photo) a couple months after I bought it and ended with my little desert sheep 60+ years later. In between those two, that .264 did an outstanding job.

I don't have exact numbers, but between mule deer, eastern & Tex. whitetail, Coues and CA blacktail, it has put down at least four dozen deer, six pronghorns, 11 elk, more than a dozen javelina (I used different guns for others), four BC black bears and at least 12 coyotes and two bobcats. Add to these a 61" Canada moose, three caribou subspecies, 11 of my 12 animals from Africa; a red stag, tahr, chamois and wallaby from New Zealand; a Russian boar, a blackbuck, a Scimitar antelope and several exotic sheep & goats.

It had been carried in a rifle scabbard for many, many miles on numerous horseback hunts and when I was guiding in Colo. during the mid-1970s. So it took a bit of a beating. I eventually had Robar Inc. put a satin silver NP3 (no rust) finish and a McMillan synthetic stock on it. I also changed out the scope to a Leupold high-end one in satin silver. With those improvements, it looks almost new yet, as seem in last photo below.

The evolution of both hunter & gun over the ages...

View attachment 39470


View attachment 39472
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I remember seeing that top picture in a hunting magazine some time ago.
 
I tend to gravitate towards having a couple guns that will do most anything, as opposed to many for a specific purpose. I probably have too many other hobbies to spend money on...
Rem700 in .300winmag for out west
Marlin 336 .30-30 for back home in MO for deer
 
Even though I’m still young (36) or maybe I just feel young. I have an old school way of thinking. .270 on deer, .308 for elk, .30-30 for bear, .223 for coyotes, I have killed most of my deer with my muzzleloader. Which is a Thompson center omega. But main source of ammo is Nosler.
 
I feel it’s important to have at least the following rifles, a 22lr bolt action, a varmint rifle, a medium game like the 270 and 06 family, and a magnum. I’m a rifle enthusiast and I have spent my whole life engaging in guns. I have some that will never be used for anything but targets and that is hard for some to imagine spending big money on less practical rifles. I just inherited my grandfather’s Savage 99 and the ammo he had. It looks like he fired less than 50 rounds in 60 years. Unless he was hunting, he wasn’t shooting, he just wasn’t into it. I guess he thought that was a waste of time and money. I try to shoot 2 or three times per week. It’s all the way you look at it. Is it a hobby that flows into hunting, or is hunting just that, hunting and a rifle is a tool.
 
Let’s see, one i have had the longest is a weatherby mark v 338 win. It has been a great rifle, taken plenty of game all with one bullet. Now I have a custom tikka 338 win that flat out shoots it, so it’s a safe queen. May turn it into something else.

I have a semi custom winchester model 70 06 that morphed into a 6.5x284. That is a tack driver, killed plenty of animals up to an elk with it. Including a B&C class black bear. Flat out stacks them in there.

recently, I have been tinkering with a Tikka 300 win mag that turned into a 7SAUM. That one has been an eye opener, never thought a little case like that could push a 180-190 bullet so fast. It’s been fun to burn up my powder supply on it.
 
I have a few but my
Kimber Montana .270 with a Leopold 4.5-16 VX-3 does all I need. Deer ,Elk, Antelope. I never miss them. I use 130 grain Barnes TTX ballistic tip projectiles. I guess some would say not powerful enough but it puts them down fast.
 
I've got a whole gun closet full of weapons for all the different occasions...variety is the spice of life..but if I had to choose just one..it would be my .220 swift..it's a tack driver to 500 meters.don't care what anybody says on here head shots will take out any critter...I do my own reloading for all my rifles..
 
Not as sexy as many posts: Ruger American .30 06 that replaced Remington woodsmaster 742 .30 06 in 2014. I'm also in the camp of those who don't really shoot unless I'm hunting. Muzzleloader: cva accura has been doing most of the work on deer the last few years. Browning gold hunter 12 ga for Turkey's and that's all folks!
 
Browning gold hunters
me, the wife and brother in law all have them
great gun. So easy to take apart andwork on and to unfreeze internal parts when gun falls in water filled duck/ goose pits and then freeze in seconds

Joe
 
OutdoorWriter said:
Probably not. That's a scan of a snapshot prior to my outdoor writer days. It's never been published. Maybe you've seen it on the web somewhere because I've posted it quite a few times in various places over the years.
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Maybe it’s a Jim Zumbo photo you copied his pose ? ?
 
I've got several that I've used over the years, but am excited to retire all of them and have one all around "go to" choice.
A Bergara Wilderness Terrain in 6.5 PRC topped with a Nightforce NXS.
 
joesikora said:
What hunting rifle do you use and why?

I shoot a H-S Percision 30/06 and it drives tacks
I lost my first rifle Remington 700 CDL 30/06
2007 RMEF Banquet H-S Percision 30/06 silent auction $1,600

this gun is awesome but Ive never heard anyone ever say they sot one just wondering why? I love mine
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How did you lose such a cool gun? Was it stolen?
 
BIGJOHNT said:
Maybe it’s a Jim Zumbo photo you copied his pose ? ?
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That's when I was young & dumb. Now I'm just dumb.

Actually, I didn't get to meet Jim until 1976 when we were both cub writers. We've been friends ever since. He was responsible for me working as a state editor for Outdoor Life in the 1980s.

This is a photo from 2005 when we were both on a steering committee to form POMA - Professional Outdoor Media Association.

I49244.jpg
 
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Hi guys I was looking for another HS Percision Pro Series with a flatter shooting caliber with no luck. At least one I could afford.
Then I remembered a guy that wrote a Mule deer hunting book that has a relationship with the Eastman Family and he shot a 30-378 Weatherby. Well I found one for around $2k w/o scope. I also thought that if I ever drew a sheep tag or another animal that would push the limits of my 30/06 this might be the gun!

What say you all?
 
Easy_green said:
I am a big fan of .30 cal or 7mm for big game, but there are other calibers out there that perform just fine. The best rifle to use, is the one you are most familiar with, and that you are accurate shooting.
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For years I gave the advice shoot 06' or 7mm., You can find ammo in any gas station in BFE.

Covid shut me up.

Now I'd shoot 350 legend, or 28 nosler. No one else must
 
Nothing sexy...2 Tikkas 243 and 300wm that both shot 1/2 moa. Very very cheap tc compass 6.5 creed that bounces around my truck and shoot 3/4 moa. Looking to fill the gap between the 6.5 creed and 300wm. Any ideas? Looked at 6.5 prc or 6.8 Western, 308 maybe.
 
Yup!

When BIGJOHN Pulls The 408 out of it's Hiding Place the BS Stops!:D

The Man Bun Gun Crew Would WEEP!

BIGJOHNT said:
I have a lot of hunting rifles. But the ones that come to mind are. At 15 my dad gave me a Browning bar 30 06 with a 3 x 9 leupold on it. Hunted everything with that rifle. Used to practice shooting running jack rabbits. Since it was a semi it work out well. Then moved up to a Browning A bolt Medallion 338 win mag . After that I have been carrying my Brad Stair special for the last 11 or 12 years. A Performance guns 300 Tejas shooting 168 grain Barnes bullets. It shoots Bergers even better. But I don't like to use Bergers on elk size game. Now building a light weight 6.5 PRC and a 300 PRC not as light for the future. Boring rifles is putting those together. I have heard some positive things about their rifles so going to give them a try. But I guess now a days its getting easier to build a very accurate rifle with these modern cnc machining. Then their is Bessy's favorite hunting rifle . The EDM arms wind runner in 408 caliber! :)
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Soccerdude said:
Nothing sexy...2 Tikkas 243 and 300wm that both shot 1/2 moa. Very very cheap tc compass 6.5 creed that bounces around my truck and shoot 3/4 moa. Looking to fill the gap between the 6.5 creed and 300wm. Any ideas? Looked at 6.5 prc or 6.8 Western, 308 maybe.
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I've gone from 25-06 to 300 Win to 300wby to 338 Lapua and have settled in to 6.5 PRC.
Really like my little Creedmoor and it is still a virgin, but it quickly turned into a "Needmore".
 
joesikora said:
Hi guys I was looking for another HS Percision Pro Series with a flatter shooting caliber with no luck. At least one I could afford.
Then I remembered a guy that wrote a Mule deer hunting book that has a relationship with the Eastman Family and he shot a 30-378 Weatherby. Well I found one for around $2k w/o scope. I also thought that if I ever drew a sheep tag or another animal that would push the limits of my 30/06 this might be the gun!

What say you all?
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In my way of thinking the Weatherbys you mention are significant overkill for everything except maybe Moose and Grizzlies, and lots of those have been taken with the venerable 06' that you now own.
I see no reason to own a rifle that punishes the shooter, especially when you need to spend a considerable amount of time behind it in order to become proficient with "push the limits".
I shot my last sheep with a little 6.5 Creedmoor, but I had a braked 28 Nosler built for my recent LE elk hunt. I would not hesitate to hunt anything in NA with the 28 or the like.
But I'm sure there are plenty of MMers, including Bess who think I'm a bit of a wuss!
 
I have a lot of different rifles, some customs and others are factory. Lately I’ve been running a little 6.5x47 lapua that I had built a couple years ago. Most accurate rifle I’ve every owned. Killed everything from coyotes to multiple bull elk with it. Ran a 300rum for a number years. Great rifle I just don’t find myself needing a big heavy over bore 30 cal much these days. Currently in the process of building a 7mm SAUM.
 
joesikora said:
Or what about a 257 magnum?
the guns cheaper and the ammo a lot cheaper
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Anything that says wby is going to be expensive to shoot as far as factory ammo. To me there’s nothing whatsoever impressive about weatherby. Just old school over bore technology. There is nothing flashy or sexy about a 30-06 but it will get the job on anything you throw at it.
 
Notta LittleBig!

No Wuss Pulls a Bull outa where You Were Hunting This Last Fall!



littlebighorn said:
In my way of thinking the Weatherbys you mention are significant overkill for everything except maybe Moose and Grizzlies, and lots of those have been taken with the venerable 06' that you now own.
I see no reason to own a rifle that punishes the shooter, especially when you need to spend a considerable amount of time behind it in order to become proficient with "push the limits".
I shot my last sheep with a little 6.5 Creedmoor, but I had a braked 28 Nosler built for my recent LE elk hunt. I would not hesitate to hunt anything in NA with the 28 or the like.
But I'm sure there are plenty of MMers, including Bess who think I'm a bit of a wuss!
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I have more rifles than I need, period!!! My most common go to rifles are a Christensen 300 WSM & a Remington Model Seven Win .308 for when I go back east.
 
Remington model 721 30-06
Ruger M77 MK II 7mm Remington Magnum
Remington model 700 BDL 8mm Remington Magnum.

I own many more rifles but those are the chosen ones. All are dialed and deadly and have killed more game than I can remember.
 
The go to are Ruger M77s here in 06 and 338 win - why? I shoot ‘em well and they kill stuff.

My Browning Abolt 300 win. doesn’t get much use. Great shooter and need to upgrade the optics.
 
joesikora said:
can you hand load a 30/06 round to shoot passed 500yds
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No, The 30-06 will not shoot past 499 yards!!!!:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Really Joe? That's a question?

The '06 can very easily be loaded, fired in the right platform, and easily shoot that far and well beyond. Damn few cartridges are limited to 500 yards. The shooter's skill is possibly limited and maybe the gun is too but the cartridges are not limited.

Zeke
 
22 Win Mag for squirrels and wild pigs

Knight Wolverine for muzzleloader season. Absolute tack driver at 50 and 100 yards with 300 gr Hornady sabots and 2 50gr pellets of Triple 7.

7mm Rem Mag in Remington 700 for deer and antelope. Another tack driver with Hornady 165 gr Interlocks.

300 Win Mag in Remington 700. It was my BIL's gun. My next deer, antelope, or elk will be with this gun!
 
Zeke said:
No, The 30-06 will not shoot past 499 yards!!!!:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Really Joe? That's a question?

The '06 can very easily be loaded, fired in the right platform, and easily shoot that far and well beyond. Damn few cartridges are limited to 500 yards. The shooter's skill is possibly limited and maybe the gun is too but the cartridges are not limited.

Zeke
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So your saying there’s a chance!?
well zeke I read different articles one says one thing the other says another so I ask here
 
Hi Zeke, I was looking at getting another rifle that has a longer range capability like a Weatherby 30-378 but I don’t need another rifle I don’t shoot the one I have unless I’m going hunting out west and I don’t shoot it until I get there! I would like to try and shoot 400 plus yds though with my gun I think that would be fun and a challenge to try shooting that far then for me there’s a goal and something to achieve. I’ve said before going out just to shoot my gun when I know I can hit what I’m shooting at isn’t fun for me it’s just wasting ammo and it would cause me problems not making me better because for me when I’m in my wheel house I don’t keep doing something over and over again for no reason. If your confident in your ability and your equipment there’s no reason to beat the dog. But that’s me and all my life the things I do most people don’t do but that’s alright with me!
 
Oh another thing I don’t try to shoot 1/2” groups if I can hit a 6” paper plate at 300yds I’m good! Now Ive seen some of the groups you guys shoot and you all are out of my league.. way out of my league LOL!
 
With a little proper coaching and a fundamental idea of how to sight in and bullet trajectory, a 400 yard shot is very doable BUT not if you have the mentality that 6” at 300 yards is good enough.
It’s good enough at 300 but 8” at 400 isn’t IMHO.

Best, Zeke
 
Thanks Zeke for the info. when I say 6” at 300yds I’m meaning hitting a six target at any range I shoot at not just at 300yds
 
Zeke that’s a good looking sheep in your profile pic is that a desert sheep and where did you harvest that beauty
 
Once my gun(s) is sighted in I’m good to go. Then a week or two before the hunt, I’ll go out of town and find a grapefruit sized rock at 300 yards and put the gun in a vise. If I hit the rock I’m happy
 
joesikora said:
What hunting rifle do you use and why?

I shoot a H-S Percision 30/06 and it drives tacks
I lost my first rifle Remington 700 CDL 30/06
2007 RMEF Banquet H-S Percision 30/06 silent auction $1,600

this gun is awesome but Ive never heard anyone ever say they sot one just wondering why? I love mine
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How do you lose a rifle???
 
I once had a rifle pulled out of the scabbard on a horse and almost lost it. It took several miles of backtracking and searching to eventually find it!:)
 
When I was 19, I bought this Savage 110 30-06. It has sat in my safe for the last 18 years because my go to rifle has been a Weatherby accumark 7mm mag. I almost sold the 06 a couple years ago but then changed my mind. Which I'm sure glad I came to my senses. I actually hunted with it this past year for a couple days, which was sure fun and brought back a lot of memories.
IMG_20220220_154848674.jpg
 
There are undoubtedly many MMers who have way more rifles than they need, including me. I could probably choose one or two to hunt with and be plenty happy, but just having multiple choices is part of the excitement of the "next adventure" and the nostalgia that ridge just mentioned.
 
littlebighorn said:
There are undoubtedly many MMers who have way more rifles than they need, including me. I could probably choose one or two to hunt with and be plenty happy, but just having multiple choices is part of the excitement of the "next adventure" and the nostalgia that ridge just mentioned.
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I've only bought two large caliber rifles and one 22 in the last 33 years. I don't think that's too bad. I am planning on trading in my 7mm for a 6.5 PRC this year. Once the PRC is ready to hunt with, I'll be selling my 7mm.
 
I built an oak gun cabinet 35 years ago. A couple years later my wife confronted me about how many guns I had and when I got them. I told her that guns reproduce spontaneously when kept in a nice home like that.. She decided that I was hopeless
 
Trix4me said:
I built an oak gun cabinet 35 years ago. A couple years later my wife confronted me about how many guns I had and when I got them. I told her that guns reproduce spontaneously when kept in a nice home like that.. She decided that I was hopeless
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I was once told to buy all the guns I wanted before I got married because I wouldn't be able to buy any more after. I followed that counsel pretty well, but I've also been able to have a few secretly reproduce!;)
 
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Great Thread!

My 1st was a Marlin 336 in ,35 Remington. Like a fool, one day I sold it. Ballistics indicated it has poor performance. Some one forgot to tell the deer. Took several whitetails at woods ranges it was designed for. Once I stepped up to a bolt action I foolishly decided I no longer needed it. Wrong!

The longest owned is my .280 Rem Mt. Rifle with a wood stock. Have killed most of my critters with this rifle that had an awful trigger from the jump. I later purchased a Kimber and learned just how bad it really was. Pillar bedded in the 90's, have since installed a quality Timmey after market trigger on this ole "canoe paddle". LOL! Its taken a beating over the years. This rifle is capable of incredible accuracy. Loads are a problem. It is very "ammo particular" and friendly ammo is hard to locate. Every time I find a pet factory load, the manufacture seems to discontinue it. Round count is well over 400 and fear I may have to re-barrel it at some point.

On my 50th B-day I purchased a Kimber Montana in .325 WSM. It took years for me to admit that the recoil (6.2 lbs.) was beyond my tolerance. I had a brake installed and had the rifle cerocoted, but could not get used to the synthetic stock or the blind magazine. Now much more pleasant to shoot and still very accurate, it does requires ear protection even while hunting. Yuck! Ammo is also very pricy. Unfortunately, the rifle has been mostly idle and a safe queen for a good while.

The My love affair with the Model 70 began when I purchased a pre-64 featherweight in .358 Win with a fine French walnut stock. Shortly after the buy, I killed my best Whitetail (a running neck shot) while it was equipped with a Lyman peep sight. Now this "Jewel" is sporting a 1.75X6X32 Leica scope it has become favorite deep woods rifle. It hurls 200 grain pointed bullets 500 fps faster than my .35 Remington did. A true thumper, it anchors game with incredible efficiency.

I rescued another pre-64 M70 from a local gun shop. The 1949 classic Winchester in 30-06 was carried a lot and was in need of some love. I fulfilled a desire by having it re-bored to a 338-06. My smith put the rifle on a diet removing over 1/2 pound of weight. Warn steel bottom metal was replaced with aluminum from a featherweight donor. He lightened the wood stock and removed some mass from the bolt knob. I scoped it with a Kahles 2X7X36 that is mounted low on quick release rings. It proved itself on a cow elk hunt. Dropping a nanny in her tracks at 100 yards. a 200 grain Nosler AccuBond ruined her day (DRT).

The latest addition is a 1954 vintage Savage 99 in .300 Savage. I blame U-Tube for this one. One too many videos led me to a Gun Broker discovery. I really dig this elegant old rifle and I finally own a .30 caliber for the 1st time. This model has the safety on the trigger guard, a decent walnut stock with hand cut checkering. My intent is to use this while tracking "Big Woods Bucks" in Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont. I scoped it with Leupold 1.5X4.5 1" scope mounted low on vintage Weaver rings. Its a sweet set up.

LaGriz
 
My first rifle was a Mauser military surplus 7mm (7x57). Shot my first deer and elk with it at 16. Open sights. The bore was shot out when I got it. The fact that I hit something was probably a hunting god feeling sorry for me
 
Back in August I purchased a Savage model 99 in 358 Win. for elk hunting in Colorado. When I returned home, I was going thru the Iowa deer hunting laws and found that they had expanded the centerfire cartridge list. Bottleneck cartridges 35 to 50 cal. are now legal for deer during the two rifle seasons.
Now that I can use my 358 for deer, my 375 Win. will be relegated to safe Queen.
I'll keep it in case Iowa switches back to straight wall only or use it once in a while just for something different.
 
12Pointer.
I'm envious of your Savage 99 chambered in .358. I need to collect some more points for Iowa. My only Niece graduated from Drake last year and has scheduled a wedding there in August 2023. Might be a time to scout on that visit. Have a local friend that was successful bow hunting in Iowa. He took a nice 10 point with his Trad bow back in 2020. Would not be under-gunned IMHO if my M70 in .358 win was in play. Have been getting tight groups with 200 grain TTSX loads that perform above their weight class. I would not be afraid to harvest and elk past 250 yards with this combo. Should be good medicine for any big bodied mid-west buck.

LaGriz
 
This Mauser M18 in 6.5prc has really impressed me. However, being left-handed, my go-to rifle many times is a LH tikka 30-06 stainless.

9.27.20g.jpg
 
Guys, what kind of sights do you have on rifles? I have an old rifle, I want to buy a scope. I think to take a simple one, I chose the Agility 1x25 Dot Sight with Multi-Dot Reticle on everest.com. Do you think it will be suitable for infrequent hunting trips? Or look for something more expensive?
 
I've got a 700 CDL in .270win. I believe it's an 80s model, and it's the mountain LSS model. It had a leupold vx 3hd on it and its absolutely a pleasure to shoot.
 
I've decided to retire my 7mm Remington Magnum for a 6.5prc. I got the Savage 110 ultralite and was able to shave 3 pounds off from what the 7mm weights.
 

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