So I picked up a Model 70 for $280.00. Looking forward to shooting this gun. It's gonna be my loaner rifle.
Why loaner? Use that sucker!
No matter what else I have to hunt with, I seem to come back to my two rifles that have a lot of history for me.
I have my dad's Mauser. He bought this rifle specifically for moose hunting in Canada. He killed a nice bull with this gun,and to my knowledge never carried it again. When my brother and I split up Dad's guns after he passed, I took this one. I killed my first deer with this rifle, a spiker that just showed up out of nowhere in front of me on the second Tuesday of the Pennsylvania deer season. Dad was so proud of me. Sadly, this would be Dad's last hunt. He died the following spring, and to this day, deer opener is tough for me.
My other rifle is a Savage 99 EG chambered for the iconic .300 Savage. Dad carried a 99 for his deer rifle. You could fill a semi with the deer that fell to that gun. That gun was always destined to be my brother's. Dad bought it on the day my brother was born-took a loan out to buy it. I keep hoping some day when he hangs up this guns for good it might come back to me, but if he passes it down to his son, so be it. The 99 I have was owned by another one of the original members of our camp. Old Bob knew I took a shine to that gun, and when he called me to come pick it up, it was totally out of respect for my father, and the young punk he raised into manhood.
I carry either of these guns most of the time. I can't imagine dishonoring my father, or our dear friend Bob by carrying anything else on opening day. I've had lots of deer rifles come and go, but these two will never leave.
Recent swaps/trades/ sales over the last few years have left me without a suitable backup rifle. Now my son's buddy wants to start hunting with us. He's never hunted before, and it's my intention to get him off to a good start. He's a good kid-and about as dirt poor as they come. I wouldn't doubt that I'll be paying his way, and that's fine by me. Whatever it takes to get a newbie in the woods. I've given a couple guns away for kids like this and this might be what happens here. It's just the right thing to do.
