Glad it worked out for you. That correcting of an earlier poor gun selling decision hasn't always worked as well for me. Over time, I tended to ascribe mythical qualities to long departed favorite guns. Then upon replacement I found them to possess the qualities that allowed me to rationalize their sale/trade in the first place. I've stopped doing that. Like Thomas Wolfe said, "you can't go home again."
Way back in the 80's I snagged one of the first M70 XTR Fwt's in 6.5x55. One of those in that first batch made which were purportedly an over-run of an order for a Scandinavian outlet. At the time the only 6.5x55's to be found were old Swedish Mausers and the thought of a new American rifle chambered for it was overwhelming for me, a real fanboy of the cartridge. My dealer buddy moved heaven and earth and found me one, and I never cherished a rifle more than I did that one. Many deer succumbed to its vicious crack. Ten years later in a weak moment I horse traded it on something else, and the remorse immediately set in. I searched halfheartedly for 20 years for a replacement (it had to be one of those very early Fwt's) until a new Ruger #1A in 6.5x55 fell into my lap and finally chased away the demons created by that fateful M70 swap. Now I'm back at peace with myself for I dearly love this little Ruger - and I doubt I would swap it for that long gone M70 Fwt.
Edit: If anybody here now has that rifle, it's easily identified by my having installed a Lyman 48 as backup for the scope. I used a minty pre-war sight which, horrors, required wood removal to make it fit. (The inletting I did was so close that the sight looked like it grew out of the wood.) I don't want it back, but would like to know of its journey since it left my hands!
Geez gnoahhh, I can almost see the boot print in your azz for getting rid of that XTR FWT. Damn... Those particular rifles always just pop out at me when I'm at a gunshop looking through the used rifle section. Just something about them that is alluring to me...
