Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles "Target" rifles vs. "Hunting" rifles...

Shoot what you love to carry and dump the rest, or collect them with no intention of ever shooting them. A purge is sounding like a real good idea to me about now. I just totaled up what my guns would be worth in today's dollars and it's mighty tempting.

When I used to run out in the desert alot I'd usually grab the Fireball. I've got 17's, 22's of several flavors, and all the rest, but since I got a Magnum Research 22 magnum semi auto I'm thinking that's about the most fun a guy can have in a desert walkaround gun. I should probably keep it and a .223 and unload the rest.

Depends on how you hunt.

Most of my rifles I don't mind carrying all day. Not so with one that was built heavy with long range targets in mind. That one I've carried while antelope hunting, where it mostly rides in the truck, or for hunting from a blind, but I wouldn't consider it for all-day carry while elk hunting.

All of my rifles are for hunting. They all get shot throughout the course of the year. With 1 exception, my dedicated elk rifle. It mainly gets shot right before season starts to confirm zero. Its actually my most accurate rifle and wears the most expensive scope. Every time I check it, it's still spot on. I did have 1 competition rifle that would routinely shoot 100 10x perfect scores and sub moa 10 shot groups. I used that rifle for long-range hunting where shots exceeded 600 yards. I also shoot a ton of targets, but don't have any "target" rifles...

I have a bunch of target rifles because I shoot in competition. I also have some hunting rifles which I will shoot for fun but mostly, the hunting rifles get taken out in the fall and sit the rest of the year. I have one rifle which is a prone rifle, a silhouette rifle, or a hunting rifle depending on which stock, barrel, and scope it is wearing at the time. I could undoubtedly thin the herd a bit and probably be better off. GD

i have completely lost interest in recoil. a 10 lb accurate 308 is fun, but aside from that im gonna be shooting .223, .22 lr, or 250 sav. primary limitation w the light rifles, especially during the southeast summers, is barrel heat.

m1 carbines, SKSs, and m4ish clones are a hoot to shoot as well

I think the lines have blurred a bit but am thankful....... I think the major improvements in our hunting rifles are driven from guys shooting target rifles and expecting more from our hunting equipment. I've always demanded good accuracy but its easier to find today. I think of the short/fat concept, although the 308 and its offspring started it, the 6.5 Creed, 7mm-08, and scopes. 15 years ago I wouldn't buy a "Christmas Tree" reticle if you paid me. I own several now. 15 years ago, my guns were all capable of 1.25-1.5" groups at 100. Now they are all MOA or a tad better. I think the good ole' days for hunting rifles are now.

As to my personal rifles, I tend to develop loads, then shoot my hunting guns just enough to keep both of us tuned up. I've always had 1-2 guns in the safe that get shot to heck and back for practice. I don't have one at the moment and its killing me although my old 280 still gets shot. It struggles to do a 2" group. I'd like to know how many rounds it has down the tube since 1982. It needed re-barreled 15 years ago but has been semi retired for quite a while. I've made some dang impressive shots with that rifle. It will never leave my possession on purpose.

I'm chewing on 223 and 243 bolt rifles for the general shooting at the moment. I suspect one will land in my safe before too long <G>

6.5 CM is the greyest of the grey......

Never really saw why a heavy barrelled "varmint" or "tacticool" rifle in .308 or something in that neighborhood would not be a good deer hunting rifle for guys who hunt out of stands or blinds watching open areas. The heavier weight might make it easier for the average guy not to pull it off target when a nice one shows up and he gets happy or feverish and slaps the trigger, and not really be a disadvantage just sitting with it in a stand.

Bergara Hunting Match rifle (HMR)

Most trips to the range I am shooting my .22 RF's a custom Win. M/52 Sporter and custom Springfield 1922 M2 Sporter. Both of these rifles share a target rifle heritage and are a lot of fun to shoot at 50yds. despite being 75+ yrs. old both will still put 50 rounds into one ragged hole. I shoot my centerfire rifles year 'round, though in the off season mostly with reduced loads, cast bullets/pistol bullet loads. Even tough I have loads for the rifles that I worked out years ago it is still fun to try new powder and bullet combination. Interesting part about that is that after some load development with my .35 Whelen I found the load that I had been shooting in it for more than 25 yrs. was still the one it liked the best.

they are and they do, etc. even if im sitting in a blind, though, i prefer toting a svelte rifle as opposed to a pig.

My one and only target (bench rest) rifle, is a medium-heavy barrel 6.5 CM that weighs nearly 12lbs with scope, attached bipod and other accessories. I can't imagine trying to hunt with the rifle. My heaviest hunting rifle weighs at just over 9lbs and it is a handful for me. My hunting rifles have lighter barrels and scopes and most have a lighter composite stock. I'm an older hunter and rifle weight is more noticeable so, there is no "grey" area for me.