Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles first rifle you bought

My first rifle was a .22 Remington 582; tube fed bolt action rifle. Purchased in 1976 it is a great firearm and took a lot of squirrels and tin cans with it. Still have it today although I haven't fired it in years.

My first centerfire was a Remington 700 BDL 30/06; purchased in Spring of 1980. Responsible for many white-tails, a mule deer or two, and an antelope. Still use and intend to be in the woods this coming November with it.

Rem 700 BDL 300 WM. Big mistake (recoil). Don’t like the gloss either. I was 19 and had never hunted in a zone that allowed rifles for big game; shotguns only. Then went to a 270...then 7-08. Pretty happy now.

I had the local gym teacher who was an FFL order me a Weatherby Vanguard in 300 Winchester mag in 1982 with the first dispersement of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend. I bought the rifle for about $350 and put a 4X Zeiss Diatyl scope on it with Redfield Jr. rings and bases. I still have that rifle and my brother has his. I was 14 years old when I bought it but who cared back then in rural Alaska.

It sounds like you would be happier with Rem. 700 Classic in a 6.5 Swede. If it will make you happier, I would swap Classics with you, you know, just to make you happier...lol. All kidding aside though, if you want an old Classic but in a different caliber, I would swap with you. Eddie

Remington 700 BDL in 7 RM of course! Got it just after my 18th Bday and then gave it to my dad as he needed a good rifle...all before I ever even shot it. He still has it, loves it, and will pass it on to my nephew no doubt one day. One of the best decisions I ever made.

Still love my 700s though...currently all i own

Come to think of it...the very first firearm was my 10-22 all weather purchased in the year 2000...right at my 18th.

10-22 and a 700...does it get much better than that?

The first rifle I spent my own money on was a Winchester 73 in 32/20. That rifle was $40 and i bought it around the mid 1960's. It functioned great if you don't take into account where the bullets went. I gave it to my son to hang over his fireplace a year or two ago along with the story that went with it. The next rifle was a real deer killer and was very accurate. It was a Marlin 336 in 44 magnum. At that time all these gun writers were going around killing everything with a 44 magnum pistol, How can you go wrong with a 44 magnum rifle that holds 10 shots. I still like a 44 magnum rifle.

Bought a Win 94 in 30-30 in 1978. Killed my first deer with it that same year. It now belongs to my oldest son. He killed his first deer with it as well. Hopefully my granddaughter will be doing the same thing in a few more years.

keep them coming this is fun and you guy's rock!

My first was a new Winchester Model 94 30-30. I used it my first year to deer hunt, which was 1964. Never fired a shot! Kentucky didn’t have many deer back then. Wish that gun was still in my safe. It would have been a pre-64, as I bought it in the summer of 1963 from a hardware store that had probably had it in stock for a year or two. The best I remember, there was no paperwork required!

1982 Remington 788 carbine 308 with a tasco 4x scope. I think maybe $169 package price.
Don't have it and dont miss the heavy thing other than taking my first two deer with it.


Bought a used r77 in 3006 1 year later. still have it and use it when the deer rifle rotation comes up.

1979 I sold two years of beaver pelts and bought a Remington 721 300 H&H and a new Redfield 4-12.

First rifle I bought was a JC Higgins... model 70 rebranded... in 30-06. Used money from selling a black bear hide. In the `60s it was perfectly legal as long as you had a trapping license. Bear sold for 125 and the rifle was less than 100.

Norinco SKS. $49 with 6 yellow boxs of factory steel core.

Savage 22 bolt action 29 dollars

Mine was a sporterized large ring 98 Mauser that FN built for Venezuela as their Model 24/30. It is much changed since I bought it from Welch's Gun Shop in Lebanon, NH, for $37.50.

About the only parts that remain from the original rifle are the trigger guard, follower and spring, receiver, and the bolt body. The barrel, stock, trigger, bolt handle, and bolt shroud have all been replaced.

It is now chambered for a 6.5 Creedmoor alternative, the 257 Roberts.

Remington 788 .30-30 with a cheap 2.5 x scope. My father bought it for me at K-Mart when I was about 14. Killed my first deer with it. Very accurate rifles. I sold it when I was of women chasing age for beer money. I have one like it now but sure wish I had that one back. The first one I bought myself was when I got out of college and finally could afford to hunt again. It was a Remington 742 .30-06. First one I ever handloaded for too. Used a Lee Loader and should have blown myself up with it. But that is another story.

My first rifle was a Ruger M77ii in 7mm Rem Mag purchased from the now long defunct Cliff's Gun Room in southern California in about 1982. The money came from washing glassware in a chemistry lab at minimum wage.

The gun was a horrible POS that sprayed bullets everywhere, even after trigger work, glass bedding, and handloading for it on my Father's Rockchucker press. Major, major disappointment for me.

I have not, and will not ever purchase another Ruger product after that experience.

First rifle I purchased with my own money at age 16 was a Stirling model 20 22lr. it served me well 'til I upgraded to a Brno model 2.

The first rifle I purchased was a Marlin .35 Remington 336 carbine. This was about June of 1952. I mail ordered it from Montgomery Ward. I was all of 16 years old. I still have it. I shot my first deer with it and managed to harvest an elk with it. I still have reloading components. I had to replace a broken stock some years back. It's been loaned out a few times and had been used on deer and elk. At one time it was considered a good elk rifle. It has been retired for some years.