Sometimes indifference with a rifle is all in the mind, and that is ok. I'd assume when Matty tracked through nasty brush, got swatted in the eye by an alder or had to pack meat or hide over exauhsting distance, he just plain didn't like the rifle afterwards.
When a guy or gal DRT's a pile of game with no fuss, you cling to the gun. It never gets sold. That ideal gun is different for everyone.
I read an outstanding article written by Tia Shoemaker. She had a jam in her 375 ruger during a bear charge. She claimed no fault of the gun, but rather, a flat point bullet loaded in the gun didn't feed right. She eventually gave up on the gun and went to a 416 rem mag built by darcy echols. Then hiked up in the mountains and took a sheep with it!
