|
|
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 67
Campfire Greenhorn
|
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 67 |
If I had to cull my rifles the 3 I would never part with are,
My 22k hornet full custom built on an original 1881 build low wall.
My 25/303 Epps Newton (every one should have a 25 cal)
My 35 Whelan built on a Stevens 200 action that I took to Namibia. Has a muzzle brake due to a shoulder injury. Boy I like that Whelan
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,814 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,814 Likes: 9 |
I’ll probably have to do it sooner or later but all this talk about downsizing is making my head hurt 😀
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,258 Likes: 38
Campfire Savant
|
|
Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,258 Likes: 38 |
I’ll probably have to do it sooner or later but all this talk about downsizing is making my head hurt 😀 It’s making me scared. I may have to buy another to calm myself
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 11,955 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 11,955 Likes: 1 |
The hardest part about downsizing isn't selling off a few extras, it's passing on the great deals that come along in midst of restructuring.
I'm down to two 308s, 6CM, 257Roberts, 280 Remington, 300H&H and have a custom FN98 275Rigby in the works. I could see one of the 308s going down the road and maybe the 300H&H. The older I get, the less I like recoil.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,928
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,928 |
This is a delightful thread. Glad it came back around again. Have to consider where I really am. Don't hunt much anymore. Like to tinker with my ridiculous amount of guns. Plan on passing them down to sons when I'm gone. Then they can have a ridiculous amount. That said maybe I should find that 55 Ford pickup I've always wanted...
Society of Intolerant Old Men. Rifle Slut Division
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 218
Campfire Member
|
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 218 |
A few years ago I did an article for RIFLE magazine called "The Rifles That Stuck," which included the 10 or 12 (can't remember which) that had been around more than a decade, minus heirlooms. Here's an updated list:
.308 Winchester, Merkel K-1 break-action single-shot, purchased new in 2005.
I assume you like the Merkel if it's one of the few that stuck but beyond that, what are your thoughts on it overall? After a large divorce related downsizing myself a few years ago, I've planned to replace what I had with a few higher end rifles with top shelf glass instead of a bunch of run of the mill stuff. As a lifelong single shot fan, a Merkel is on my short list, 7x57R or 7mm-08 would be the likely choices.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26 |
The hardest part about downsizing isn't selling off a few extras, it's passing on the great deals that come along in midst of restructuring.
I'm down to two 308s, 6CM, 257Roberts, 280 Remington, 300H&H and have a custom FN98 275Rigby in the works. I could see one of the 308s going down the road and maybe the 300H&H. The older I get, the less I like recoil. Over the past few months I sold several rifles I hadn't been using much in recent years, either for hunting or articles. Then a couple weeks ago bought three--one off the Campfire Classifieds, one off Gunbroker, and one at Capital Sports in Helena, Montana.... Evidently it's hard to kick the rifle-loony habit....
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,004
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,004 |
It is very hard to kick. I downsized to a 223AI, 280 Rem, 300 Win Mag, and a 375 Ruger. Not sure what I cannot do with only these.
How do you know a Trump hater? They'll tell you.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,809 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,809 Likes: 3 |
Super, I would never part with my H & H!!!!! Too cool..
Molon Labe
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26 |
Super, I would never part with my H & H!!!!! Too cool.. A perfect example of what makes a rifle loony!
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,987
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,987 |
The hardest part about downsizing isn't selling off a few extras, it's passing on the great deals that come along in midst of restructuring.
I'm down to two 308s, 6CM, 257Roberts, 280 Remington, 300H&H and have a custom FN98 275Rigby in the works. I could see one of the 308s going down the road and maybe the 300H&H. The older I get, the less I like recoil. Over the past few months I sold several rifles I hadn't been using much in recent years, either for hunting or articles. Then a couple weeks ago bought three--one off the Campfire Classifieds, one off Gunbroker, and one at Capital Sports in Helena, Montana.... Evidently it's hard to kick the rifle-loony habit.... I have noticed you do same thing with scopes...:) New or used...the Gun "churning" continues..
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,203 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,203 Likes: 1 |
I had had to downsize today, I’d sell all my [bleep], and give up hunting. Already gave it up in Michigan. Wouldn’t be that hard!
Well we're Green and we're Gold, and we play better when it's cold. All us Cheese heads have our favorite superstar. We love Brett Favre.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 22,737
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 22,737 |
Not MD - but Id keep my .270's and one Talkeetna. Oh, wait there are two 7x57's in the back just for Sunday hunting.
Last edited by bigwhoop; 12/20/19.
My home is the "sanctuary residence" for my firearms.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,085
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,085 |
I’m down to my old Ruger tang safety .30-06 and a Tikka T3X 6.5 CM. And a Tikka T3 .243. And a 1981 JM stamped Marlin 336 .30-30. And a Savage .223. And a few more.
"There are no dangerous weapons. There are only dangerous men." - Robert Heinlein
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26 |
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,584
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,584 |
John, looking at your updated list, and was surprised to see (or more precisely not see!) the 416.
FWIW, I am down to Kimber Montana’s in 223 and 243AI, and Pre-64 M70 twins in 280 and 9.3X62 in Brown Precision stocks. Four centerfire hunting rifles, and I have little interest in buying more.
Anybody who seriously concerns themselves with the adequacy of a Big 7mm for anything we hunt here short of brown bear, is a dufus. They are mostly making shidt up. Crunch! Nite-nite!
Stolen from an erudite CF member.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 11,955 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 11,955 Likes: 1 |
Super, I would never part with my H & H!!!!! Too cool.. Mine's not cool. It's a FrankenRem parts gun with a rechambered 30-06 bbl in an old beater Brown Precision. 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,519
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,519 |
I’ll be the next one to say it. This is a great, fun to read post. I’ll soon be 76 years old and own more guns now than I ever have, and will probably buy a few more before I quit. The only downsizing I have done is in caliber choice. I don’t like a lot of recoil anymore, so my 308 is my BIG rifle with pretty much all the bases covered below the 308. I also have a 7mm-08, a 6.5 Creedmoor, and a 223. I really don’t see anything else I need, but............................
If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.
Doug
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,219 Likes: 26 |
RickF,
Yep, sold my .416 Rigby a few months ago. Among other things, odds are pretty long against my ever hunting Cape buffalo again (partly because I've spent more than enough time on international flights), and I have a fine .375 H&H--which in my experience is more than sufficient for buffalo.
Also, have no desire to do another article on handloading the Rigby, and there doesn't seem to be much demand among my editors for another anyway. So sent it down the road, along with some other rifles I'd written about so much there wasn't much demand for articles.
Then there's a phenomenon both I and some of my fellow gun writers have enountered now and then: After an article on a specific rifle appears, a reader contacts me, asking if I'd sell it--and what they offer indicates they want it more than I do!
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,694
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,694 |
When I look in the safe these days, I find myself assigning firearms to gift to a son, daughter or grandchild sometime down the road. I don’t have any heavy kickers anymore.....as there just isn’t any real need to put up with the recoil.
My deer and elk killing is handled just fine with my 6.5 CM, .270, and soon the new 7-08.
The only rifle I’ll probably sell off will be the Sako .358, as it’s primarily a hand loaders cartridge these days and none of the kids do that.......
My main interest these day tends to run towards upgrading optics on the rifles.
BT53
"Where do they find young men like this?" Reporter Savidge, Iraq
Elk, it's what's for dinner....
|
|
|
|
|
501 members (222Sako, 29aholic, 12344mag, 1badf350, 10ring1, 3040Krag, 41 invisible),
1,720
guests, and
1,197
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,194,010
Posts18,520,630
Members74,020
| |
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|
