One of my early Montana hunting mentors had three hunting guns, a Model 70 Winchester .30-06 he bought the first year the Model 70 appeared; a Winchester Model 97 12-gauge with a 30" full-choke barrel, made in 1911 and purchased used; and a Marlin Model 81 tube-magazine .22 rifle. H
The Model 70 had a Bausch & Lomb low-power variable in B&L adjustable mounts, with a dot reticle on very fine crosshairs. He was one of the finest running-deer shots I've ever known, even in his late 60s when I first met him.
But as he got older and couldn't shoot as well, he decided both the Model 70 and Model 97 were "too heavy." He sold the .30-06 to one of his ne'er-do-well nephews, who promptly took it to the nearest "big" city and hocked it at a pawn shop. Then he decided to trade the 97 in on a cheap 20-gauge pump at the one sporting goods store in our little town, which offered him $75 in trade. He told me about it, but hadn't finished the deal yet. I bought it for $75, and shot it for many years, among many wild birds taking my first Canada goose.
Wasn't interested in the Marlin .22, as I'd purchased a used Model 81 at 13 with paper-route money--which I still have....
If paring my collection down today would keep these three:
Ultra Light Arms Model 24 .30-06, given to me by Melvin Forbes in 1996, which has taken big game from northern North America to southern Africa.
The Model 870 Remington 12-gauge magnum I ordered new through the Missoula, Montana J.C. Penny store in 1979--after the already-worn Model 97 became unreliable. It has also traveled some, from Canada to Argentina, and with a rifled slug barrel has taken deer, my biggest black bear, and (in Eileen's hands) a young cow moose.
As my rimfire would probably keep a Ruger American .22 Magnum purchased at a local store new for half-price in 2015. The price was apparently so low because at the time .22 Magnum ammo was unobtainable--but I had a considerable collection, including a brick of .22 Winchester ammo for small-game hunting. Its the most accurate .22 Magnum I've ever owned, and unlike many shoots well with just about any ammo.
