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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761 |
I have also felt the need to not necessarily trim down the deer hunting tools just preparing them for my son to use when I pass to the happy hunting ground. I have loaded several hundred hunting loads for each rifle
so my son can continue the tradition.
I have moved on to enjoying clay birding shooting again,
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,691
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,691 |
I mentioned my switch barrel European rifle many posts back. In the mid '90s, I bought a Blaser R-93 in .22-250 and .270. I wanted to stay with the standard case head. The .22-250 was a 14:1 twist, and I was never happy with that (but I should have been). Anyway, I traded the .22-250 barrel for a 9.3x62 which was to be my medium heavy. I have never fired a round through that barrel. My original thought was to dump all the belted magnums and use only the Blaser. The magnums all left, but I have several damn fine rifles, and that is as far as the sales ever went.
My Blaser is the Prestidge model with highly figured wood and the rose and scroal die struck engraving on the action side plates. Scoped with a 2.5-8 Leupold, the .270 is plenty accurate. This is my second dance with Blaser. I had the "ugly" Ultimate model years ago in .270 and .338WM. Both were amazingly accurate. SIL had the 87 (?) in .25-06 and .300 Wby. It was accurate on both counts.
As I mentioned in the earlier post, that is not the answer for an American rifle looney. It is just another itch that got scratched.
Jack
"Do not blame Caesar, blame the people...who have...rejoiced in their loss of freedom....Blame the people who hail him when he speaks of the 'new, wonderful, good, society'...to mean ,..living fatly at the expense of the industrious." Cicero
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 168
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 168 |
Only have my Ruger m77 tanger in .270 I bought new when I started hunting.
Had a couple others over the years but sold them off as I never had any use for them.
I just had a son born in November and find myself buying ammo for him so he won't have to buy anything.
Got him a 10/22 the other day and will add a varmint rifle and AR 15 as well, he will also get my dad's guns that he handed down to me.
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,901
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,901 |
Thought about that many times and figured I could use the money for hunting or maybe a new truck when that time comes. But I know exactly what would happen..... that money would end up going to pay bills or other things and would never see it again anyway.
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,629
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,629 |
I took a different approach to “ thinning the herd” of firearms. I eliminated “calibers.”
Sold off : .257 ( 250 Savage and 257 Roberts), 270 Win ( 1953 Win m70), 7mm ( two 7x57 rifles), .358 rifle ( 358 Win Miroko BLR , Marlin 35 Rem (2)),, 9.3 ( CZ 550 9.3x62), 22 mag Marlin 783., and most 20 gauge shotguns.
Kept: rifles: 308 cal ( 308 Win, 30-06, 30-30: Marlin 336a 1976 vintage- my first centerfire,
; and a JCHiggins m50 FN m98 30-06, howa 1500/ sw1500 308 bolt), a 222 Rem, , 44 mag Marlin 1894, 45-70 Marlin 1895/ Ballard ( but sold a W&H 45-70 Buffalo classic, Browning Bpcr 45-70 and 40-65), sold off 30-06 Garland and 308 Win Springfield Armory NM M1a).
Shotguns : kept 12 g Rem 870 , 2, ; and 12 ga Mossberg 500;
Sold ( Browning Citori 20 and 12 gauges, 3 combined, Marlin m55 Goose gun in 12 and 20 ga)
Pistols : Selling off my 357 mags ( S&W 586, 686 - all “dash 4” or lower, 3 Security Sixes), will be selling 2 S&W k38/m14 6” 38 specials. Will keep a Ruger GP100 4” stainless- for now. Will sell a couple of 22 LR semi-auto target pistols SW 41, Hammerli/Sig Trailside). Keeping a 44 mag SW 629-3, will likely sell Ruge Flattop Bisley 44 special. Keeping two Springfield Armory 1911 45acp ( range officer and milspec)).
Rimfire rifles: keeping a handful of them to play with for now, but sold off several in last decade.
Sold a couple Flintlock rifles- will keep 1 to compete in local matches/ hunt. ( .50 cal Yorktown fainter by Brad Emig).
Just not shooting firearms/ hunting much. Was shooting Traditional recurve/ longbow 3D competition pretty seriously for last 5 years, until I torn my rotator cuff/ supraspinatus at the Maine 3D Trad Championship this past fall ( won it), but had shoulder surgery 2 weeks ago.
All that being written, I did purchase a couple of firearms this past year: used Win m70 FN/Baco 30-06 featherweight and an anib Win m70 FN/BACO 30-06 sporter- just because the seller offered them to me for a “can’t refuse price”- and they are AMAZINGLY well-made rifles; also picked up a hardly-used, dirt-cheap 10 year old Mossberg 500 20 gauge as an “ utility gun”. Love that tang safety, and it points great for me. A high-value shotgun and design for sure.
So, I will keep thinning the herd, by caliber first, then by desire for what to keep within each caliber group, but in no hurry. I enjoy oiling them.
Someone in the Winchester collectors section wrote something like “ I get more fun oiling in my guns, than compared to just looking at the balance in my bank account making no return if I sold them/never bought them. “. There’s something to that statement I agree with.
How's the recovery from surgery? I have a torn rotor cuff too, but don't think I'll have the surgery yet. I've had two repairs and the recovery was brutal. Don't know what to do.
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,629
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,629 |
If I had to keep just one of what I have now it would be the .300 Savage. And I'd probably still be in pretty good shape for North America. Won't bust your ears or shoulder and won't blood shot an animal from their nose to their ass! I agree.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,784 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,784 Likes: 1 |
If I had one rifle to hunt with, I would quit!!!
Molon Labe
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 29,649 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 29,649 Likes: 5 |
How’d OP do in his quest to go to one rifle??
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,684
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,684 |
I'm never going to Africa if I can help it. Uh, worried that someone might force you to go?
"The whole problem with the world is that fools & fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubt" Bertrand Russell
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 754
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 754 |
I've been thinking and thinking about going down to "one center-fire", and I'm all-in!!!
From here and forever more, I will only acquire one center-fire rifle of each center-fire cartridge!
Cheers.
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
--- Will Rogers
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,963
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,963 |
How’d OP do in his quest to go to one rifle?? Wound up keeping 3 of mine and 2 for my boys. I'm still not sure why I bother with that many, but here is how I told myself it would work.... 1. The "one" rifle I was going to keep is still about the only one I'll probably actually use for hunting anything bigger than a rabbit. VZ-24 8x57 4x Weaver 2. Kept a capable "backup" rifle, just in case. Semi tricked out ER Shaw Mk.VII, .300 Win Mag, 3-9x40 Burris FF-II, 3. Kept one "just in case" a.)My daughter ever takes an interest in huntong or b.)I ever get injured and wind up with problems with recoil(happened to my Dad after he got struck by lightning the 2nd time). Winchester M70FW .257 Roberts Weaver 4x 4. Kept a matched pair of M98s I'm building for my boys. Gew.98 & 98/22, 270 Winchester, 3-9x40 Redfield Revolution, McMillan. 5. Putting together a 6.5 with a spare Gew.98 action I had packed away and some parts I had around(mostly) already...not sure if I'll do a 6,5x55, 6.5x65 or a 6.5 Gibbs yet(still need to get a reamer) or if I'll even keep it after it's finished, just like tinkering with these. And that is where I'm at after purging the stuff that never got used.
Mauser Rescue Society
Founder, President, and Chairman
I don't always shoot Mausers, but when I do...I prefer VZ-24s.
jdi do píči
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 296
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 296 |
So I am less certain about if this is show & tell about what we have or really trying to reduce the herd. My first action would be to eliminate three 9.3x62s. There is a Huskavarna that has some agricultural properties (it's a club). There are 2 European commercial 9.3x62, one unfired. A 35 Whelen in a 7600. 2 1885 06s, 2 1885 22x250s, a 1885 low wall in 243, a 1885 low wall 260, a 1885 in 7Rem., 444M TCG2 and a few other 06s . Those are most of the ones that would perhaps leave.
Perhaps more interestingly are the guns that would remain. 30/40K #3, 30/40K TCG2, 375JDJ TCG2.
Currently lusting for a 30/40K W/Silencer and an AR in 450 Bushmaster. Keep in mind that I only hunt deer.
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,513
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,513 |
I almost bought a Guide Gun last weekend and then came to my senses and realized that it'd only be fun for about one box of ammo.😀.
So I'm still at one, a little too heavy 243 with a little too slow twist, which will eventually be gone when I upgrade to a lighter stainless 9 twist model.
Still gonna get another lever gun so I won't be without a blued and walnut centerfire. And a bolt 223 for a "truck gun". And that's it. All I want and probably more than I need.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,960
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,960 |
Are these expensive guns? Will the money even be enough to put down payment on a garage/shop? Why you don't have one already is a good question.
I just don't consider 8, much, unless they are real high end. I like having back ups.
Is your wife making you do this? You're beginning to reek of troll. Or a wife
Mark
NRA Life Member
Anytime anyone kicks cancers azz is a good day!
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Oh The Drama!
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,069
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,069 |
I don't think I'll ever get down to one but I may shed a dozen, or so, this summer - the wood and blued ones. My sons are into black guns and have no interest in shooting or owning anything with wood. And, to be fair, many of them I've owned for years and have never even shot them, or at least haven't shot them in years. Accuracy wise, my Sako 85 .30-06 is as accurate as you could ever expect a rifle to shoot so I'm not sure where I'd go from there. I'll probably keep as many guns, just not long guns. I'm sliding deep down the pistol rabbit hole. 
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,428
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,428 |
In my wild and misspent youth I got by just fine with a 30-06, a bolt action 22 rimfire, a 223 bolt rifle and a pump 12 gauge shotgun. Then it started, had to have a 270, a 30-30 for brush hunting, a 22-250 just because and after the internet I had to have all the others just for testing and comment.
Dog I rescued in January ![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/yYDjsxrQ/IMG-0124.jpg)
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 29,786
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 29,786 |
I am back up to three, 1x Brno ZKW465 in 22 Hornet, 2x Brno model 21 in 7x64, and I am comfortable with that.
Needs updating; I am back up to four, 1x Brno ZKW465 in 22 Hornet, 3x Brno model 21 in 7x64, and I am more comfortable with that.
These are my opinions, feel free to disagree.
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 233
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 233 |
Well, it would have to be at least a 30-06, but would lean more to 35 Whelen, then there is always 338 mag. I've been thinking about getting rid of my bigger guns in 458 calibers and the one 50 in the box.
Now if I lived down in the lower 48 I'd have to reconsider that.
Still would have a 30-06, because it's the best all around cartridge out there. But, 30-30, 35 Remington, 260 Remington, have a real nice 250/3000 1926 Savage bolt gun with a 1 in 10 twist. Got to have a 223 bolt gun, and how about 22lr, can't do with out 2 or 6 of those no matter where you live, can you? Well this just gets harder and harder to think about. I go to the box and look at whats there, with the idea of thinning the herd and I just close the door, spin the dial and go get a cup of coffee. Fortunately I come to my senses, start looking at Gun Broker for the next new to me rifle.
My problem is I have brass, bullets, casting molds and other stuff, well it just gets complicated.
I must admit I've thought seriously about this subject over the years, then I figure the Kids and Grand Kids can work it out after I'm gone. They might sell them all because my guns are blue and lumber only. Hopefully I raised them better.
John
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