I finally got into the elk hunting game quite late...in 1992 at the age of 36. Before that time raising kids and work restrictions had kept me from fulfilling my dreams of going after elk.
Even though I was not able to actually hunt elk earlier.....I could still prepare and dream. I built my "elk" rifle in the mid-1980's....a Mauser 98 action I stocked and modified, barreled in .338 Magnum (thank you Elmer Keith). I killed a number of whitetails and hogs with that rifle before I made my first actual elk hunt using that rifle. I was successful in taking a smallish 5x5 bull (which looked like a world record to me after years of hunting mostly whitetails) on that hunt.
I continued to use that rifle for deer, hogs, and occasional elk for the next 10 years or so, until I foolishly traded it away for something I just "had" to have at the time. I can't even remember what I traded it for, but I know I regretted the deal almost immediately.
I suffered for a few years without a "real" big game rifle (although the elk, buffalo and moose I shot with the "underpowered" .30-06 and .358...and sometimes even lesser rounds,...didn't seem to notice the difference).
Then in 1998 or 99 (can't remember exactly when) I went on one of my regular "trade safaris" where I would load 8-10 guns in the truck and make the rounds of a dozen gun shops and pawn shops in search of "deals".
At my last stop (just 15 miles from the house) I walked in and looked over the gun rack....and found nothing I really wanted to trade for. The owner (who I knew quite well) asked what I was looking for....and I told him I wanted a "big" rifle, .375 or maybe a .338. He grinned and told me to stay where I was standing....as he put it "Don't move, I've got a deal for you".
He went to his back room and came out with a Remington factory box. Inside was an unfired Model 700 Custom Deluxe rifle, full factory engraved, and chambered for....338 Magnum.
I was in love, but I also knew what those rifles retailed for. When I asked, "how much", he responded with a price that was a few dollars less than a brand new Model 700 ADL. I asked him, "What's wrong with it?". He knew I had operated a gunshop/gunsmith business for years and was honest.
"I bought one of these a couple of years ago when I went to Africa", he told me, "and my supplier talked me into buying a lot of 3 of them at a price I couldn't pass up."
"And you found out there isn't as lot of market for a .338 in Deep East Texas," I responded. "Right!", he said, "I managed to sell one in Houston at a break-even price, but I'm ready to just get this one out of the shop."
The serious dealing began. I went out to the truck and brought in my "trade material" and asked how he wanted to trade. He looked over my stock and laid 4 of my guns to the side and said "Even". I moved a couple of the chosen guns to my side of the counter and added a couple of others from my "stash".
He frowned and said, "Can't do it. I'll break even on the others, but you just took out my "profit" guns."
We tried a few other combinations until finally told him, "To be honest, if I was on your side of the counter, the first offer you made is exactly how I would trade too...it's really fair, but I can't take your first offer or I would not be able to hold my head up as a "gun trader". Can't you throw in some ammo or something so I can feel I won?".
He grinned and ran back into the rear of the shop. He laid 3 boxes of Federal High Energy ammo loaded with 250 grain Woodleigh softpoints....and a set of engraved scope rings... on the counter. "The ammo is so you win the trade. I'll never use it unless I get back to Africa and that might be a while," he said, "The rings are from me because I like to do business with you. Make it up to me on another trade later."
That Remington 700 is my current "elk" rifle and has served me well over the years. I still wish I had my old Mauser back, but this one is everything one could wish for. A number of elk, buffalo and blue bulls....not mention several deer and hogs....would agree totally. Good looking, accurate and powerful enough for any task. I still think Elmer was right....the .338 Magnum is the "perfect" elk rifle.
When I got home and told my wife I'd traded 4 guns for the one rifle I explained the trade by telling her, "You don't know how much this puts my mind at ease. For years I've worried that some morning I'd step out on the back porch with my morning coffee and there would be a lion or bear or rhino would be standing there....and I'd not have a proper rifle to handle the situation."
She named it....and it's known to this day in my family as...."The Rhino Rifle".
This story made me smile- great stuff!
