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

I know many of you have a backup rifle or "loaner" so to speak. I was just wondering what classifies as a loaner. In your minds is it a pawn shop special that you came upon that shoots, or just an older less desireable action type you have on hand? Does you loaner have a less expensive scope? I happened into a second rifle that is a stock rifle with a very inexpensive scope and it is the first time I have had a 'Loaner" for myself if my primary rifle went south. So let me know what you think about your "loaners, and shoul I upgrade the scope!

I think it depends entirely on who your friends are. If they're irresponsible with money (and gear) then they should buy their own stuff or be thankful you've loaned them anything. On the other hand, they're new to the sport but just haven't had the time/knowledge to build their own gear pile yet----------and the things they already have are treated with respect---------then I'd share your very best with them so they have a great first experience and get hooked on the sport and quality gear. Using your best gear also gives them a great baseline to measure future gear purchases from so they don't waste money on crap, not knowing the difference. But mooches who look at their friends as a free rental center can pound sand AFAIC.

I have a big extended family and my nephew dragged my fathers old Ruger 30-06 through a lot the oak brush in NW Colorado and dropped it a couple if times. I replaced the old cloudy Weaver 6 with a Sightron 3-9 power S2 hat held up through the abuse. This rifle has sentimental value so it is retired from back up duty.

I picked up a Savage Axis in 243 for the back up / kid / new hunter rifle and put a Pentax lightseeker 4-14 it shoots lights out and has killed deer and coyotes quite well.

Looking for a cheap back up elk gun I picked up a 300 Weatherby Vanguard for $260 and the trigger was so bad I had to put a Timney in it. The darn thing shoots 1/2" groups with 180 grain TTSX loads near max so it now wears a Conquest 3x9x50 with Z600 reticle and is now 1st string.

So my new idea for this year for me and later for the grandsons and nephews etc. is a RUger American with a VX2 3-9x40 in 30-06.

When I loan a friend a rifle, I always give him the second best rifle I have. Mine is the best and I do not loan that one out. I want someone that has need of a gun to experience the best I can provide so that they will want to continue the sport. I would at least replace the scope and clean the rifle up.

Why hold out on 'em? If you want them to 'experience the best I can provide', why hand out 'second best'? Huh? What?.....

Pay no attention to huntsman, his rifles are all .270's.....

I have 4 rifles in calibers that can be used for hunting elk. I have used each of them myself for hunting elk and deer or as a backup. As long as I'm not using any one of them, my friends and family are always welcome to borrow them. Hey, they are hunting rifles and if they get scratched or dented, it just adds character. That said, most of my hunting rifles have synthetic stocks and cheaper "hunting" scopes that were purchased for under $300. The couple of times I've lent a rifle to a friend, they have come back without any noticeable damage.

I just picked up a Rem. 700 in 30/06 for a back-up/loaner rifle. I have a Burris Fullfield 3x-9x that I'm going to put on it. If I had to buy a scope it would be a Leupold Varix-2 3x-9x. I just used this rifle to take a late season cow elk and it worked fine. I was really impressed by the 180 gr./ Hornady Innerlock bullets. All three were found perfectly mushroomed under the hide on the far side. Loaded to 2815 fps w/ H-4350sc. (24" bbl.) Range was about 200 yards. I got this rifle new at the local big box sporting gds. store for $269.95 with a $35.00 rebate. $235.00 new. First load I tried is shooting about 1 moa. I think I got lucky. IMHO it will be a great backup/loaner.

If someone isn't responsible enough to care for their gear, I really don't want to hunt with them. To my thinking, being responsible is a sign of maturity. No way I'm saying you need to baby stuff, just be smart. As for what type of loaner.... I've loaned out 2 real good '06's that I've hunted often. 2 of our boys used em, and now seem to have inherited them "early". One is even a nice Pre64 Model 70. My advice is to be careful who you loan them to, especially if they are kids who love to hunt. ;-)

My loaner is a BPR in .270... Will kill anything around here, is indestructable, yet so ugly nobody will want to keep it.

I have had two loaners. The first was a 700 ADL 270. Bedded and floated it was as accurate as my high priced customs. Worked up a load with 130 partitions. Loaned it to a buddy who took it to Africa. He refused to give it back AND offered me a premium price. Gone.
The second was a parts gun...700 270 mtn bbl, Ti takeoff. Again, very accurate. Another buddy, an African PH, asked me to leave it with him. It is his most popular "rental" loaner rifle. Bullets are 130 Barnes.
Presently don't have a loaner.

My loaner is also my personal back-up gun. It is set-up almost identical to my main rifle so that I can grab it and go if necessary. Maybe a bit nicer than someone would expect in a loaner, but hey they are just tools to get a job done.

My backup, loaner, beater, new shooter, need help rifle is a Ruger boat paddle stainless 30-06 with a Leupie 4x. It will do anything without getting itself hurt.

My loaner is a Lilja barreled 25-06ai in an edge stock. 100gr NBTs at 3400. No idea why I don't hunt the rifle.

My loaner is a Ruger with what around here is referred to as the "boat paddle" stock(it is the hollowed out one). It was the first rifle I won at an NRA banquet. It is a 6.5X55, I mounted a decent Weaver 3X9 on it. I worked up a decent load with Nosler 140 gr Partitions. I have slightly rethought the loaner part after the first person who wanted to borrow it questioned if my bullet choice would be good for mule deer. Lets just say he was a man of the cloth so I cut him some slack but after one day of hunting we never even discussed hunting together let alone went out again.

I did not hunt deer until I was in my 30's and hunting with some of the guys I worked with. They loaned me rifles for 4 or 5 years before I bought my own. The loaners were Browning's or 700's with Nikon or Leupold scopes, good accurate rifles and optics. My friend or BIL loaner would be a Ruger M77 in 7Mag or a Weatherby in .308Win depending on what/where we were going for.

I have a number of Elk capable quality rifles. I do have a favorite but would be willing to hunt with any of them at any time.
When family or friends need a rifle they can have their choice, including my favorite if for some reason they wish for that one.

I expect whoever uses my rifles to give them the same care that I would. One day number three grandson came back to camp with the rifle wet. I told him he needed to wipe it down and oil the metal.
His reply was that it was OK.
He learned right damn quick that what was OK for his rifle sure wasn't OK for mine.
First time I ever yelled at the kid, I don't expect it will ever be necessary again,

I have two rifles that are used for elk hunting. Both are 30-06 caliber.

I use a T/C Icon Weathershield with a Leupold VX-3 3.5x10x40 scope. It's ugly, shoots MOA, and is nearly indestructible.

The other elk rifle is a Winchester M70 Featherweight with a Leupold VX-3 4.5x14x40 B&C scope. It's wood/blue and a reasonably attractive rifle. I bought it for my son and he doesn't hunt any longer. I suppose that's my loaner elk rifle.

I also have a T/C Venture 25-06 with a Leupold VX-3 4.5x14x40 CDS scope that I use for deer. It's not very attractive either but it also shoots MOA and is nearly indestructible.

I suppose that if someone needed to borrow a deer rifle I would loan them my Marlin 336 30-30. It sports a Vari-X2, 3x9x40.

My other centerfire rifles are .223 caliber and that cannot be used for big game in Colorado.

KC

My wife and I always hunt together, so if the need arises,I'll just use her .338 Win. That said, we just a year ago got a "smoke'n" deal on a Ruger American 30-06,put a Nikon 2-8 Monarch on it, and it's for the grandkids or whomever needs it! memtb

all rifles equipped and prepped to equal quality.

I'll take anywhere from 2 to 5 rifles, depending on the number of family peeps coming along.

anyone would be confident with any rifle, even the "spare"