Originally Posted by GoexBlackhorn
That is absolutely beautiful. But for me, that new ML would only be a wall-hanger for me, or a hunting rifle that only sees wide-open corners of the woods.
So the exception I have with rifles so nice (as the one pictured) is they change my hunting habits. For instance: I wouldn't dare hunt the thickets and scratch that rifle. My last couple purchases of rifles was in selecting basic, black synthetic stocks that I can take anywhere and could care-less of, should they get scratched.

Another problem I have with your gorgeous rifle is the size of the trigger guard. My fingers freeze easy, so I need to wear two pair of gloves on my fingertips here in cold-cold Michigan hunting seasons. Handwarmers are not my friend.... too many allergies, skin included.

Believe me, I tried taking my fancy, brassy long-rifle into thick quarters of the woods, keeping it in a gun case until I sat. That works fine UNLESS a deer pops-out enroute to my hunting spot. It's maddening to see a five point buck standing twenty yards ahead and my rifle is all zipped up inside a gun case across my shoulder.

So the best medicine for me is to buy rifles to hunt with - that aren't pretty and aren't even made of wood.

Enjoy that thing of beauty. It would fill my living room wall proud, but seldom ever see the hunting spots I go to, unless it's a corners field or easy access ridge.



I'm not worried about getting a scratch/dent, on/in the stock. I'm quite certain there are 'thickets' somewhere in Kansas where I do my deer hunting but mostly along the Medicine River the timber is fairly open so it's not uncommon to be able to 'sit' and see in places 200 yards...which I like! At 76 years of age I think I've probably tromped more miles and climbed enough mountains so these days my son will ride me to the vicinity of my stand on a wheeler and there I will sit....all day long if I so desire...with a stove aboard if it's really cold! I damn nigh froze to death in Idaho back in '80; had hypothermia and stayed in Idaho Falls hospital three days before catching a flight home and my body will not tolerate cold weather like it did when I was 40. That five point you mentioned would have been safe staring at me because I only shoot those akin to this:

[Linked Image]Kansas buck taken in Dec 2014 by Rick Mulhern, on Flickr

My son with the buck I took in 2014.

Even birds know not to land downwind!