Originally Posted by OutdoorAg
So here's a follow up question, and I'm sure this will be personal preference as well...

What quality level of gun would you say is "too fancy" or "too nice" to make a week in, week out hunting rifle? Not a workhorse gun by any means, I have synthetic stocked guns for that. But I plan to hunt this rifle. It will take on a ding or two or three I'm sure. When is it "too nice" to hunt without stressing over it?


Get something with an oil finish rather than an acrylic.

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Here's a push feed Winchester 70 in 270 Win($350), a Mauser 98 in 7 x 57($500) with a hand carved mesquite stock, and a Sako l61R varmint in 7mag($850). I 've owned all three between 20 and 25 years. The 7mag was the first Sako I ever bought and it's my favorite out of the two dozen or so I've owned.

They all have nicks, scratches, bumps and dents from carrying in the field. Good thing mesquite is dense cause I dropped the Mauser from 15' onto a pile of rocks, crawling into a tri-pod

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However the nice thing about oil finish is you can touch it up or strip it down and refinish.
Here is a Sako AV in 375 H&H. I picked it up around 1999 for $500. Here it is after a new recoil pad was installed and it was sanded down and a half dozen coats of tru-oil

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Best,


GWB

A Kill Artist. When I draw, I draw blood.