Have you ever tried out a rifle and been surprised to find that you like it more than you first imagined you would? If so, what was it?

I had that kind of thing happen fairly recently when I found out that I had won a c.2013 Browning A-Bolt II Medallion in .257 Roberts as a raffle prize drawing.

I had a co-worker in law enforcement who became a "huntin' pard" of mine who was in to the A-Bolt platform and while they seemed okay, I never found myself "jonesing" for one of my own.

When I found I had won one in .257 Roberts, I wasn't too inclined to keep it. I already have a Ruger M-77 RL Ultralight in .250 Savage that I've cherished since buying it new back in 1985 and I haven't worn the new off of it yet after three decades of use.

Since the A-Bolt II didn't cost me anything beyond the price of some knife sets that each came with a raffle ticket, I decided I better try it first before deciding its fate.

It was M.O.A. or better at the range, so I decided to hunt with it.....

Turns out that I like it, and more than just a little bit, but it took using it and giving it a chance to "win me over" to appreciate it as much as I do.

I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience?

not with an A-bolt.....

I traded for a Ruger m77 tangsafety in 300mag a few years ago
I never had no use in magnums and always sold em. Got in this one good and went as far to tell a buddy I'd bring it by and try to work a deal. Well before I could make it to him I was at the range sighting in something else and decided to test out the 300. Sure Glad I did, shot really well and I kinda fell in love with it. Its been my main goto gun for 3 years now.

I lucked into a custom 30-06 mauser with an octagon barrel and the rifle is accurate at the range and I have been fortunate to have hunted with it.

The 155 Berger VLD is it's bullet.

788 in 308.

Yeah... Roger that!! My now-deceased co-worker and friend was a huge fanboy of the things so I got to shoot his once in a while,,, I didn't understand his rabid fascination for them and believe me, an A-Bolt is the LAST THING I thought I'd find joy in. But mine has a good trigger, shot sub M.O.A out of the box, has a really comfortable stock fit for me, and I kinda-sorta dig the funky bolt knob once I got used to it and like the magazine arrangement more than I ever imagined I would. I really like the caliber it is chambered to, which probably adds a bunch to my joy, and I got it for the price of a couple of knife sets, which probably plays a role, too. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd own an A-Bolt II, much less enjoy it, but it came and I do.

Now, that right there is something I'd be a lot more inclined to spend my Simoleans on than a Browning A-Bolt!!

I've made that same "mistake" a few times -getting something with the notion of "flipping" it but shooting it first.... And then NOT flipping it... At least not immediately.

I bought a Savage Model 10 Sierra in .243 at a local gun show a few years ago. The pawnbroker dealer at the table seemed to have it confused with the "Walmart Model 10" and offered to let me take it out the door for $200.00. Already having a similar rifle, conceptually, as this one in the form of an M77 Ultralight in .250 Savage, I expected to capitalize on the seller's ignorance at some point and flip it. But then I shot it. It fired cheap Winchester Power Point ammo in to a five shot, 100 yard group that was a tick over a 1/2" c.t.e. extreme spread. It became a favorite for a time... It changed my attitude about Savage rifles forever.

I would have Never bought a Tikka T3 w/out the constant approval of the campfire members. I did buy one and now wish I had bought one ten years ago. I bought a 338Federal w/a limbsaver pad and am using a LA mag to seat my bullets further out. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite rifles. powdr

My stepson used to have a beautiful A-bolt Medallion .30-06 that his Dad bought for him. That was a really nice gun and pleasant to shoot. After several years his Dad sold it for casino money. Sad but it made me realize that I wouldn't kick a Browning A-bolt out of bed. Lately though I only have eyes for Winchester model 70's.

I was gifted with a Browning M81 BLR in 308 WIN a couple of years ago. I decided to put a cheap riflescope on it (Redfield Revolution), it already had Weaver bases on it and I had some Weaver rings. I worked up a load - really a chance to experiment with the then new CFE-223 and start using five boxes of 150 Nosler BT I had traded for here on the Campfire five or six years ago - damn was I surprised - I own a nice, accurate, and lightweight carry gun for whitetail (or hogs and black bear).

I think I could fall for one of those in 358

Was cruising GB a couple of years ago when I saw a M70FWT in 270. Was not really in the market for another rifle but it was at what I considered a bargain price and had no bids. I'm sort of going through a personal Jack O'Connor revival so I bought it. It is an FN gun with decent wood and shoots sub MOA. It has become my go-to even over my custom guns.

I was cruising a gun show a few yesr back when I spotted an M70 .270 Win.in what appeared to be a featherweight but with a synthetic stock that looked supiciously like a McMillan, but with a Winchester butt pad. It had a decent scope on itand the asking price was $50. O ffered $400 and we had a deal. I figured I could turn it over for a couple bucks profit. One theway home I stopped byWalmart and picked up a couple boxes of Winchester 150 gr. ammo, Power points IIRC to test the gun out and get a bit of brass for the .270 I already have. A couple of days later I got to the range and as the guy said the gun was sighted in I set up at 100 yards. I shot three rounds letting thebarrel cool down about two minutes between shots and as the group looked awfully small decided to make it a five shot group. Total shock as the group was exactly .50". A fluke? After letting the barrel cool down to at least outside air temperature I shot another five shot group that was only slightly larger. I ended up shootin two more five shot groups and the smallest group was that .50" and the last the largest at .80" I decided that rifle was a keeper.
The only question I have is, did Winchester ever use McMillan stocks on some of their rifles? I also have a .300 Win. Mag. M70 that has what appears to be a McMillan. Both rifles have pads that say Winchester. Both rifles are extremely accurate.
Paul B.

The Winchester/USRA 70 Win-Lite featherweights have McM stocks, some with and some without hinged floorplates.

The CLRs have impressed me more than I thought that they would, even with the original injection-molded stocks.

I've hated a Handi-Rifle more than I thought I ever could!

Marlin XL-7 30-06 NIB for $230!

Ive got three,I found these pictures posted, but they are virtual clones to my rifles a browning 78 with a 26" length barrel similar to this picture, that I had rebarreled by shillen in the 1970s, and chambered in 300wby,



my sako 375 H&H



MY BROWNING BLR in 450 marlin

Not the rifle as much as the cartridge. Several years ago I spotted a SS model 70 Classic in 300 WSM at a gunshop priced at $400. The someone had tried unsuccessfully to put an aftermarket recoil pad on it and had ruined the tupperware stock, but it had a Burris FF-II scope included.

I didn't really need a 300 magnum, but had a stock at home that would fit. I planned on keeping the scope and trying to flip the rifle at a profit.

Until I shot it. I still don't need a 300 magnum, but I can live with this one. Recoil is very tolerable, almost exactly 1/2 way between 30-06 and 300 WM. And I just like the rifle. The SS Classics are about as close to the perfect hard use working rifle as anything ever made. I've since put it in an Edge. 7.5 lbs scoped

An old Remington Model 30s in 257 Roberts. It's pretty heavy, has an old school look but is really comfortable to shoot. Moderate recoil makes it a little more enjoyable.

The mod 88 win....bought the first one mainly because the price was right. After shooting it and seeing little 1/4 in groups I started hunting with it and now own 5 of them...

I had about the same thing about four years ago or so when I went to a big gun show in Tulsa to try to find something to "tide me over" for hunting until I could retrieve my gun collection still in storage in California, where I had moved from. I found several possible buys, but wound up getting a new-in-box, c.1951 Remington 721 in .270 Win. for $400.00 OTD against the seller's original asking price of $830.00. The rifle still had the factory rust preservative in / on it and this had gummed up the bolt stop so it didn't function correctly. I used that as a "bargaining chip".... I slapped a 3 X 9 Leupold on it the next day, using old school Weaver hardware. I stopped off at Walmart on my way to the range, picked up five boxes of "blue box" Federal in 130 and 150 grain flavors.... First group was .50" c-t-c exactly for 5 shots at one hundred yards.... I really, really, really, really should have hung on to that rifle, but I only have so much room for long gun storage and when I finally got the guns I'd made memories with with out of storage and home with me.... Well, there didn't seem like much of a point in keeping it, when I already had a Ruger M77 Ultralight in .250 Savage that groups down to .660" or so and a No.1-B in .30-'06 that's been sub M.O.A. since I bought it new in 1987. I reckon that if the 721 had done what it did while being chambered in .30-'06, I might have found a way to make room for it like I did with the A-Bolt II I mentioned in the beginning of this thread. I need more gun storage space because even though I don't need them, I would like to have a Model 70 Featherweight in .270, an A-2 style AR-15, and some kind of dedicated clay crushin' sporting clays gun....

The biggest suprise I had was german M98 that someone had done a bubba sporter conversion. It had been cut down to around 20" a ramp front sight installed ( remington take off by the look of it. The old military stock had been sanded down and refinished. They has sanded it so much that it was smaller than factory in every area. It has a peep sight installed ( slightly crookedly).

I bought it for $80, using the fact that no rifling was visible in much of the barrel to get $20 off the asking price.

The thing was the short barrel and the small diameter stock made it very handy to carry, the action was buttery smooth. a week of brushing and patcthing the barrel with copper solvent and the rifling reappeared.

8mm factory ammo is loaded pretty light and it hardly kicked. It was a cool gun and I carried it for a rain gun and used it as a loaner. In the end I loaned it out and never recovered it even if it has no real value I wish I had it back.

All my lever guns fit this category.

They may be short on reach but they are long on fun.

Ithaca Model 49 .22LR


Marlin 1895 .45-70
Marlin 375 .375 Win
Marlin 336CS .30-30
Browning B92 .44 Mag

A Remington 788 in 308 I picked up for a deal shoots 1/2 MOA regularly and really isn't bad to carry.

Also, when the Tikka T3s were fairly inexpensive, I picked up one in 260 (8 twist). It's light and one-hole accurate. The 'plastic' is tough and doesn't bother me. Liked it well enough that I picked up another Lite in .270. Excellent rifle to knock around in the hills with.

My old man was a died in the wool Savage lever gun nut. I never cared for them but tolerated his passion because, well, he was my dad. When he died I farmed most of them out to family members, played with a couple myself and found that I still really didn't care for them so away they went too. I was a confirmed bolt gun and single shot man. Fast forward 15 years and I bought a 1928-vintage 99A on the cheap and decided that it was a pretty neat rifle after all. I stumbled onto the Savage Forum here and as a result had a passion awakened in me I didn't know existed. Now I own a few of them, and a couple of 1899H carbines (.303 and .22HP) are my favorite companions for a day mooching around in the deer woods. I'm still passionate about bolt guns and single shots but there's something about those Savage carbines...

Can't agree more with this statement. I got my first years ago on closeout; figured for the price I'd give it a try. The ones I've had shoot, were cheap, and are finished much better than the current Forbes production. The CLR's are easy to find, many in like new condition at bargain prices.

In 2010, I bought a FN actioned Husqvarna 270 from a fellow who said it had been his fathers. It looked to have been "rode hard and put away wet". The blueing was worn, the birch stock scarred and battered, the grip cap torn off, the old scope dented and battered etc. When I looked down the barrel and at the crown; I thought it would have to be rebarreled. I offered him what I felt the action was worth and he accepted.

I cleaned it up a little, put a different scope on it and shot it before I did anything else. To my surprise it shot very well in spite of the old trigger. I replaced the trigger, changed the safety (the one that came was beat up and was not the original FN type) to an FN one. Then mounted it in a couple of different stocks and hunted with it.

Later on a whim I attacked the old, thick, heavy bulky birch stock thinking I had nothing to loose. Reduced the stock weight by about 10 oz. Stained the wood a little, put on a flip-flop recoil pad, sprayed the birch stock with spar varnish. Put on aluminum bottom metal to reduce the overall weight. It still looks rougher than any of my other rifles but shoots accurately and functions well. It remains pretty ugly looking - I call it "mongrel" but it is now a very functional hunting rifle that I have become very fond of.

Years ago found a deal I could not pass up at local pawn shop on an older Marlin 336RC 30-30 with the 1950s fat fore-end and stock. Never liked the looks of the thick wood. After scoping and shooting it, I have come to love the handling qualities and it groups several brands of ammo right around MOA or even less. It actually feels better in hand than the later models with the thinner wood.

A Savage model 16 in .260 Rem.
Wears a 3-9 Conquest with an elevation turret.
Sweet shooter.

That sounds like a Winlite. It should say so on the barrel and have a blind magazine They were introduced in 1986 or '87 in both the featherweight and sporter stocks. McMillan still offers both patterns. I really like the featherweight stock and have an '06 and a 9.3 so equipped.

Kimber Montana in 338 Fed. Far exceeded my expectations!

My Stevens 200 in 308. I originally bought because I had a $100 off certificate and got it priced matched to $239 net to me $139 . I thought it would be a good knock around loaner backup gun. Fitted with a 4x monarch from eBay it is a nice hunting rig.

788 in 223. Bought when my Dad brought home 10,000 rounds of 5.56 ball ammo. Figured it would be 'cheap' practice for using a 'real' deer rifle.
I put more than 7000 rounds of the ball ammo through it and found it was amazingly accurate with the inexpensive 4x Weaver I put on it. I know of at least 2 dozen coyotes that learned, however briefly, to hate that rifle not to mention a few whitetail that succumbed to it with some factory soft points it shot well.
Alas, in my youthful ignorance, I sold it. It's one of only TWO guns I wished I'd never parted company with.

wasn't mine and owner wouldn't sell a rem 722 in 222 shot great

I've often had it go the other way; bought something I thought would be the end-all, be-all and then just been disappointed. My CZ 453 was one of those. It shot great and looked great, but in the woods, that awkward safety was a constant annoyance. It was much easier to let go of than I expected.

T/C Venture. A friend bought one in 7/08. I was with him when he bought it. I couldnt stand the thing when he bought it. The thing shot lights out tho. Handled it and a few others. Bought one in 25/06. It shoots very good. Cant see getting rid of it now, kind of grown on me.

Browning M71.

Took a little work to get there, but my most pleasant rifle surprise in a long time came in the form of a hard-used old Winchester 670 in 30-06. It was the perfect base gun for the project and turned out way better than I hoped.



3 shots at 200 yards


https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...e_670_Winchester_Short_Rifle#Post9701312

I usually expected more out of rifles than they produced (especially Sakos). The exception has been Ruger Americans.

Steyr Mountain Rifle



308 Win.

Its a killer.


JAPPF,


GWB

I know they are slumming, but I really do like the two I have.

Hammerhead is talking about putting together a collection in a few different chamberings.

For what you have to give for them, they are pretty good rifles.

Bought a 6.5x55 CZ 550 a couple years ago mainly because it was a great deal which got me back in the Swede saddle again. I've been more than pleased with the ease of handling/balance and overall accuracy right out of the box.

A Winchester Model 70, was cruising a local gun board and found an add for a Model 70.. Traded a shotgun for it, shot it once and don't need it. $250.00... One bad picture, Horrid camo paint job and a butchered stock. Said I'll take it.. Pending a visual inspection. Turned out to be a "Black Shadow" model from about the end of New Haven production. Stock had a bondo job on the grip area, Entire rifle and a cheap Tasco 6X24X44 scope had a very poor camo job. Acetone and a lot of elbow grease, a new Featherweight stock from CDNN and a bedding job. New scope an older Sightron3.5X10X40 I had with no home. Loaded some 165's and some 180's, and it shot MOA.. SIL Active Marine was saying his dad had claimed his deer rifle after 6 years away so "Christmas Present" The look in his eyes was priceless as the adds say. He shot it MOA as well. I figured it would be a truck gun or loaner, turned out to be much much better.

Mine is my Ruger M77 stainless 358 Win. I'm not sure whether it is the rifle or the caliber or both, but it has become my favorite rifle. I installed a Leupold VXII 2-7x33 scope (IMHO, a perfect match for the rifle) and I've been really impressed with its accuracy using hand loads. Also, I was certain that I would not like the non-tang safety and the fact that the barrel was not bedded but, neither presented a problem. I hunt deer, hogs and elk (haven't got an elk yet but I've taken it several times). It works well at the ranges I'm most comfortable shooting.

Mine would be a Remington model 7 in 7mm~08 that the only reason I bought was for a "spare" deer rifle for my girlfriend to use.

At the time all I had was a Remington 700 in 30/06 and was really looking for a 243 of some sort for her when I found the 7mm~08.
The owner had put some no name scope on it so i slipped on a nikon I had and hit the range.
By the time I had it sighted in I was hooked and its become my most carried hunting rifle. Light, compact, and low recoil. Wish I had found one years ago.

Bought a Marlin XS7 in 243 for a friend a couple of years ago. $250 with a Swift scope up top. I worked up a load for it and was really impressed by the overall feel and accuracy of the rifle. Been hoping to find a similar deal on one for myself ever since.

Pre 64's got me. Love them now.

I have taken a shine to marlin lever actions after being conditioned to my bolt actions for decades. I have a waffle top Marlin 336A in 35 and a monte carlo stocked 336A 3030 now.

This A-bolt in .223. Sadly sold to a fellow forum member that also likes it. It had a 6x42mm Leupold on it that was perfect.
Bob

Geedub, What exactly does "JAPPF" mean?

I had no interest in, and certainly no need for, the 722 in .300 Savage that was in the classifieds here a few years back. Somehow, my fingers typed, "I'll take it", and I've been smitten ever since.








I find it to be pretty classy for a "plain" rifle. It points extremely well, and has enough heft to shoot well offhand, while not being burdensome to carry. Muzzle blast and recoil are nearly nil, and the 130 TSX's I use are hell on hogs. It could easily be "the gun" for me, if it were to come to that.







Thanks, 300jimmy - you made me a convert!

FC

Nuthin' special,





I'm Just Another Porker Perforating Fool.


GWB

About 15yrs ago I bought a used A-Bolt in 22/250 from a friend with the thought of flipping it for a profit. I tired it out and found it to be a very consistent and accurate shooter. I used it for yrs for deer with 70gr Speers and it shot them into 1" all the time. That rifle shot well, handled well and was a nice lightweight package with a VX11 2x7. I liked it a lot, but at some point 5yrs ago was talked out of it by a friend. I regretted selling that rifle and finally was able to trade it back last week. I'm not a big A-Bolt fan, but I do like this one.

My daughter was lucky enough to inherit a Ruger 77 in .270 a couple of years ago. Old gun, blue steel, wouldn't shoot woth a crap. Bedded the action, free floated it, and with a hawkeye borescope discovered pitting right at the muzzle, about the last half inch of bore. Cut it off re-crowned it. With a slight over-max charge of IMR7828 it is still slow (maybe mid 2700s). That's using the 150 Win. Power Points also inherited with the rifle (1500 of 'em). But it groups dandy and kills very dead. It is one of those loads that works. Sometimes the bullet and the speed just match up. Doesn't necessarily have to be fast. We added a Burris FF30 3.5X10 with LRS which works excellent in low light, even unassisted with a big moon on our feral Russian boar. Not a good looking rifle, but out of a dozen good bolt rifles it gets taken most often.

Me, neither....

But my A-Bolt II Medallion in .257 Roberts has fast become something of an unexpected all-time favorite.

Whodathunkit, eh?

Back in 2008 or so I bought a Sako-barreled Remington-built 03-A3 here chambered in 6mm-250. It was advertised as being in need of some TLC and looked pretty rough but the price was such that I could rebarrel at still have an ok deal. The barrel & stamped BM looked like the rifle had been used as a towel rack in a bathroom closet and the stock finish was so thin that when I tore the scotch-taped invoice from the cheek piece it left a rectangular naked spot! I didn't have high hopes, but my first time to the range using guestimated loads here is what I got from my FIRST on-paper group 75 gr Horn HPs & RL-15:



That and the nominal recoil/blast convinced me it was worth investing in, so I had the barreled action bead blasted and parkerized, and refinished the Fajen Monte Carlo stock which fits me so well it's what I compare potential new purchases to. Here is how she turned out:





I'm really glad I invested in it, as I've gotten stellar results from a broad range of bullets including the 60 gr Sierra HP, 75 gr Horn (bought 1300 blems fer blasting & have 300 left!), 80 gr Berger & RP, 90 gr Hot Cor & NBT, and 95 VLD.



This past January my 10 yo son took two nice Texas boars with the 90 gr NBT load, dropping them both DRT:



Fun rifle; curing UBC tomorrow while popping water-filled recyclables near & far!

Bought a browning 71 on a whim because it was a sweet deal, when I got it out of the box and ran the lever a few times I was hooked. The 348 win has such a cool factor that just the cartridge itself is enough to make me partial to it over a few other lever actions I had. Actually sold my 358 win 99 after. I may regret that yet, but I doubt I'll ever need more gun for deer in PA. It's having a scout mount built for it as I type this, can't wait to run a few shells through it at the range once it's done.

MM

Is that a short action or long? I almost bought one of those in 257Rob yrs ago but it was sold before I arrived with the next day with the cash.

Is that a lefty or is the pic flipped?? Quite rare if it is left.

I guess the biggest surprise of my graying outdoor career would be the Sako Finnwolf and Remington 7600.

Both shared unbelievable accuracy straight out of the box with factory ammo.

The 7600 after a little bit of work balances like no other rifle. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised, it's built just like an 870.





Sorry I no longer have the Finnwolf.


DMc

About 5 years ago while wandering aimlessly around a gun show, I spied this old BSA Enfield Sporter model E in .303 British. Not only was I not looking for one, I had never seen one. I had always wanted an actual sporting rifle in .303 but was never a fan of the P-14 action. Still, I was intrigued and it followed me home. It turned out to be one of my most satisfying purchases and the very first 3 shot 100 yard group with 215 gr Woodleighs landed in 5/8" of an inch.

Since you can read "Leupold", I don't believe the pic is flipped.

It's short.

50 Cal CVA Optima Elite In-Line muzzle loader. For a while I had a hard time picking up my cartridge rifles.

30-30 carbines are famous for low recoil and good hunting accuracy within reasonable distances.

Sherwood

no pic right now, but I have used an DPMS LR-308 with 16" barrel for a few seasons and really like it. Much more so than I thought I would and it has accounted for my longest shot ever

Thank-you for pointing that out. Missed it not wearing my specs whilst viewing the thread on my handheld device.

What is the max OAL length for cartridges in this one?

I just measured the interior length of my spare magazine -a new in box but decades-old A Bolt magazine marked .257 Roberts on the body. With the follower fully depressed, it's 2.821" from the plastic insert at the front to the interior rear wall of the magazine.

But both this magazine and the original one that came with the rifle seem to choke if the bullets are seated beyond 2.785" Up to that point, they feed fine.

I'm seating my 117 grain SPBT Interlocks to 2.772". They feed fine out of both magazines and this seating depth with this bullet seems to give me best accuracy from 40 gr. IMR 4350 in Nosler .257 Roberts +P brass.

For me it is easily my TC Icon in .243....bought it cause I liked the feel, and the price was greatly reduced.
Never touched the bedding, trigger, nothing...great out of the box. It is now wearing a Leupold CDS setup and heading for Texas in june...

Thanks

For me, it would be either of the X-bolts purchased a couple years ago. Really like the SS Stalker in 7mm wsm, but the black Stalker in 7mm-08 is right there. I've got a Win M-70 custom in 284 win and a semi-custom Rem 700 in 308, but either X-bolt is a more consistent sub moa shooter. Fairly light in weight (6-8 and 6-5 resp), reliable and smooth feeder, longer than expected mag box, and Very Good to Excellent accuracy. The reason I have two is because I liked the SS Stalked so much. Very nice factory rifles.

My Ruger American Rifle in 22-250 has been a pleasant surprise. It feels great, shoots well enough to be a 300 yard critter killer. And, it didn't break the bank.

Now that is pretty sweet SCGunNut. Thansk for posting.

I've never run across one myself. Like you, I always wanted a "non-sporterized" .303 and finally got a Ruger #1. I'm gonna keep my eyes out for one of those BSA's tho.

Was that deer shot with the 215's?
And may I PM you for some info on those as I have some I'd like to load but don't have much data for them (Mr. Redgwell's book and some Norma info).

Oh, I like to carry the #1 but haven't had a chance to take any game with it yet.

Geno

A Marlin XL7 .270 I bought for $250. It was really accurate and handled well.

I bought a Ruger as well but have yet to shoot anything with mine either. It's accuracy can't hold a candle to the old BSA's, but then again I haven't had a lot of time to play with loads either. That doe was killed with the 215 Woodleigh. Also shot one with the 174 Hornady RN. It seems to shoot well with about anything but it loves that 215. Got my 215 data out of an old Lyman manual. Feel free to drop me a line.