Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Can a hunting gun be too nice?

I use to care more but not as much today. I'll probably be dead in 30 years and what good will it do me either way? I use them all but I'm also very careful. If its on my ATV it's in the case until I get to where im going. I wipe them down after every hunt with some gun oil rain or shine.

One difference being that quality firearms occasionally increase in value and quality tool, Snap-On, Mac, or Matco seldom increase in value.

Say that I had 2 rifles chambered in 257 Roberts, a custom walnut stocked SR Mauser previously owned by a well known gun writer or a 700 CDL-SF bedded in a McM Hunter. Which would you be more likely to hunt with when there is rain/sleet/snow in the forecast? I'd leave the Mauser at home and carry the Remington.

I definitely think some rifles are too nice hunt with. I sold a Kimber 22-250 once cuz I felt bad hunting with it. The stock was beautiful and I just couldn’t bring myself to bang it around in the truck while coyote hunting. I bought a synthetic Remington instead. There is just something about a nice wood stock that makes me feel like it’s nice to show off at the range but too nice to carry in the woods. I’m kind of OCD about keeping my stuff in perfect condition though, so it might just be me.

I'll hunt with anything, but will also defer to S/S when it is raining or expected.

I have "rainy day" or "walking guns" for when conditions get ugly.

-Jake

I have a ruger tangsaftey 338 sitting in the safe that I bought online because I wanted a 338. Once I got it I could not bring myself to shoot it. The story I got was the gentleman bought it for an Elk hunt that never happened. Was told he fired about 6 rounds through it getting ready for the hunt and then something happened that prevented him from going. Sat in a safe ever since till I bought it and it still sits in my safe.Should sell it and buy something I will shoot.

Hell I wont even take My high dollar synthetic/stainless rifles hunting if the weather is threatening, I have Tikka's for that, but if the weather is really chit I dont even get out of bed as I never enjoyed hunting in that kind of weather, gettin all My gear soaking wet sucks! its such a pain in the ass to dry everything back out........Hb

I have guns that can be left in the pickup 24/7/365 and then there are a couple that I always take in at night.

To me its less about too nice and more about too easily damaged. It doesn't take much to scrape blueing off or scratch through an oil or varnish finish on walnut and the first few of these dings show like there's a light on them on a beautiful blued and wood stocked rifle. That and the fact until recently the previous 20 years were about hunt in thick rainforests or don't hunt at all, I've gravitated to pretty much all stainless synthetic guns. No finish to beat on just stainless steel and polymer which can take it, and who cares if they get banged up anyways.

Except for a 1960s Husqvarna that was my grandpas and like new when I got it 30 plus years ago and I've tried to keep it that way. I seldom take it out and only if its easy going and good weather. So for me I guess ya, some rifles are too nice and too easily damaged to hunt with much.

Well,if you asked my wife of 36 years she'd tell you I have too many guns.Where we hunt,and the weather....it only makes sense to have a few stainless/plastic rigs.So given a choice,I'm gonna leave the walnut at home.My EDC is a 7-08 stainless SPS R700.Wears a 1-4x20 Leupold and has been drug through every kind of weather condition.There is no way a wood stock can keep up at this level.BW

For myself - Yes a rifle Stock can be too "pretty" to mess up.

At the same time, I understand the idea of "if it's a hunting rifle - hunt it "

I HAD 2 S&W 1500, aka Howas, that were GORGEOUS and every time I took them I was worried I'd
ding them up. So down the road they went.

**whitebird here on the fire has a gorgeous rifle that's VERY similar in appearance to 1 of those rifles!
I've offered to buy it but SO FAR.....I'm still waiting.

Today I have some nice looking rifles but not TOO good looking to hunt. My 6mm Rem in a Model Six is one but
I've hunted it and still do.

I also have a Win 70 FTWT in 6.5X55 that I hunt BUT not in bad WX.

I have SYNTHETIC ( not plastic ) stocked rifles, 270, 7 RM, 300 WM that I hunt regardless of WX or
terrain. Actually I bought the 7 RM to hunt from a Climbing tree stand and it's light too.

Bottom line to me is, it's a personal thing. Everyone should please himself.


Jerry

I know a synthetic stocked gun is more stable and a better choice for hunting. But if I am going to sit and hold it for several hours at a time I would rather hold a pretty walnut and blued steel rifle. Kind of like holding an ugly girls hand just isn't as much fun.

What he said.

I spent nine rainy days on a river hunt this season with this rifle. It is one of Colonel Charles Askins rifles and a very nice one. It got the paste wax treatment before we left, a daily check and a thorough cleaning when we got home. I took the metal out of the stock and let everything dry several days before putting them back together. No gun is so nice that it shouldn't be hunted. I have nice guns and plain ones. They all get hunted.

A stock maker friend was giving me a tour of his gun safe many years ago and showed me some on which he'd lavished some special attention. I was holding a particularly beautiful model 70 300 H&H with an exquisite piece of French walnut, incredible rust blueing and 24 lpi checkering and made the comment, "it would be a shame to take this one hunting and get it dinged up." He replied, "it would be a shame not to."

deep down walnut is a composite of fibres and resin,
deep down synthetic is a composite of fibres and resin.

You all that won't have safe queens.
I have a Ruger tang safety 77 in 7 mag in my safe, 10 years. It's a lefty

I aint.

I hope if I leave a gun to one of my Kids they admire it's beauty. Then beat the ever loving snot out of it draggingit up and down mountains and killing all manner of beasts. Not hiding it away for trips to the range. If it gets to worn out their kids can revarrel it for another20 years of abuse. It's the experience to me not the tool used.

I hunt all my rifles but not all my rifles go on every hunt. If the weather is bad or the terrain ruff the stainless Tikka T3 goes. Nice weather easy hunt I've got a beautiful walnut stock Sako Finnbear that goes.


Trystan

Before steel shot was made mandatory, I dove and duck hunted with a Parker VHE 12 ga. It is in very nice shape and tight as new. If the weather was threatening or I was headed to the marshes I would give the Parker a good heavy coat of paste wax. I would hunt and when through I'd wipe the wax down and give the gun a good cleaning. I never abused it and good honest hunting wear is nothing to be ashamed of. The gun is retired now and I bought a Winchester 21 that is choked a little more to my liking and I take care of it too. It still goes to the swamps for ducks with some of those non lead/non steel type of shot and it really shines in the dove field. To the un educated it looks a lot like a Stevens 311 with double trigger, a splinter forearm, and plain wood but no rust no pits and no bad scratches. Just good honest hunting wear and memories. Taking care of fine guns is part of the process. Using them is the other part.

I don't have a rifle that I wouldn't hunt with. I have some nice ones, but nothing like some on this thread. However, if I had Col. Askins rifle that mart has, I WOULD have one that I wouldn't hunt. Neither would it be for sale.

77

I heard that ! ! !

Jerry