This thought comes to me after the passing of Ray Magliozzi of Car Talk. He philosophized about the soul of a car. Is it the engine, the body, the dash board and steering wheel, or the heritage behind the name?
So what is the soul of the rifle? Some may believe that the soul of any rifle rests upon the shoulder of the shooter. But we have all had riles we have loved, some right out of the box and some after we have had built to our needs.
Could it be the action/receiver? It is the basis of any rifle but is it what endears us to the rifle as a whole?
The Barrel? Whether hand crafted or factory produced, barrels equal accuracy. Variables include length, contour, twist and crown.
Stock? Nothing feels better than a rifle that fits like a old worn in baseball glove.
The chambering? The .30-06 is a classic, the .375 H&H is iconic and many others have cult followings such as the .257 Robets or the .458 Lott. Does the head stamp on the brass determine the virtue of the rifle?
There could be many other things that determine the SOUL of a rifle, these are but a few. What would you consider the heart of a particular rifle?
If rifles really had souls, I think that would come from previous owners and the hunts and memories they shared with those rifles. It would also come from a truly hand made piece, where blood sweat and tears along with precision, ingenuity and pride made that rifle what it is: Pre 64 model 70's come to mind. A lot of my rifles are over 60 years old and it's these older rifles that really speak to me. I hear them wanting to tell me stories every time I cycle the bolt or look at them. Some of the new CNC'd rifles feel "soulless to me".
