Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting The "backup/ loaner" rifle

For about the last 30 years, I have always one or more "loaner rifles" around. I have had youth hunters show up with some relative's rifle that was either not sighted in, was paired with the wrong ammo or was too big for the young person in question. I have had the same thing happen with adult guests when I was down on the ranch. I had others that showed up without a rifle, assuming that one would be available. I can't remember how many times someone took their first deer or pronghorn with one of my loaners and seriously wanted to buy it from me.

Now that I no longer guide or entertain guests, I am down to one rifle that I still loan to young relatives or trusted young friends who manage to come up with a deer tag, but who do not have access to a rifle. It still mystifies me as to why anyone would apply for a big game tag when they don't own a suitable rifle, but people do. If I can contribute to their hunting experience by loaning them a rifle that is properly sighted in, I usually do so. Most all of my loaners have been blued or stainless rifles with synthetic stocks--things that most of you would term "beaters". Nonetheless, they are sighted in with the proper ammo and they work, and the borrowers usually end up with a good hunt and the satisfaction of taking an animal in fair chase. That makes it worthwhile to me.

If I am traveling to hunt, I always take a backup rifle--probably because I an anal about some things and rifles are among them. On my first trip to Africa, the scope on the rifle that I had intended to use on plains game went belly up the first day. I ended up shooting everything with a .375 H&H that I had taken largely for sentimental reasons. My 64 year-old eyes much preferred this to shooting with the PH's open-sighted .30-06.

I once loaned a gun to one of my brother. He put more scratches in three days than I have in in 26 years. He wanted to go hunting one time and I told him he would have to come up with a different gun as I would not loan it out again to him. I have loaned one a 338 to another brother for an elk hunt. He has his other guns and he took good care of it.

I think you have a reasonable limit of back-up / loaners at one per game class - Varmint, medium game, large game, dangerous game. After that I think you are just collecting. A young friend wanted to shoot my 375H&H today both he and his wife enjoyed the shooting (water filled plastic containers are fun) he wants to buy a rifle. I unfortunately told him the truth in front of his wife -that a 30-06 and an 870 12ga shotgun are pretty much all you would ever really need.

You told him the truth in front of his wife?!?!?! Good God man next thing you will do is tell her she can control him with s*x. Some friend you are. Just kidding.

Now we need to do some attitude adjustments.
First, live to hunt, not work for a living. After all this meat your putting on the table to feed your family. (Don't do the math verses the grocery store, its dangerous to our sport.)

Second, while your advice is completely accurate every man needs a new gun every now and then. This is why its always good to have just enough guns in the gun safe so she does not notice when a new one shows up. Its generally sound advice to always good to have a buddy, a brother, dad or someone you can trust that you can move guns around so she can't keep track of exactly what you have or don't have.

Finally, cash is king when making hunting purchases. No need to get beat up for making purchases that enhance father/son time. After all he earned the money, why should he just take it home for her to fritter away on mani/petis (sp?), tennis lessons or other worthless stuff.

Come on Specneeds get with the program, your screwing it up for all the rest of us.

I just successfully purchased a "loaner " rifle, a used 700 ADL with a Simmons 3x9x 50 on it, a short action B prefix 700 with a ss Remington Mtn Rifle barrel on it in 260 Rem. Don't know if it will shoot or not but looks to have that ability. Of course I wouldn't borrow it to anyone till I know it's allright , safe , and accurate, just wouldn't be the responsible thing to do. What a generous concept, thanks everyone for the idea. Magnum Man

Anyone needing knowledge about acquiring guns for loaners, etc. needs to read what's probably the foremost literature on the subject: Pat McManus's "Gun Running".

Anything that can be replaced is up for a loaner. Some that can't be are probably as well.

If I like ya, you're welcome to whatever I have. If I don't, we ain't hunting together anyway.

Sounds good Mooner,post a picture of your wife holding your rifle standing in front of your truck and boat with your bird dog at her feet would you? Magnum Man

My "back up"/loaners" are pretty much exactly the same as my main hunting rifles...there is no difference so any one who has borrowed one gets exactly what I hunt with myself.

I live in the state of Washington - at least until retirement - so I don't have any loaners. I might take a friend down to a friendly FFL and transfer a gun to him but that would be a one time permanent deal. I'll let friends use any rifle I own soon as I move to another state.

Does that have to do with the new gun laws?

Thanks

I also live in Warshington. Unfortunately all of my guns were lost in that boating accident.......

I to live in WA. I'll still loan out guns or whatever to friends.

The wife thing is fugging retarded, unless of course your wife is a thing.

I agree with the guys who would loan a rifle to a friend. I have never had to do it....although I have sure given friends good deals on rifles I have sold em. I always shudder when guys come in with their own rifles and are too cheap or just to ignorant to have them properly sighted in. My neighbor who takes a lot of people hunting has em leave their rifles in the scabbards and has em shoot his because he knows at least they are sighted in. But to the OP do not be cheap on the scope! Put a good peep on it if you are on a budget.