Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters The life of a Loony

No matter how many rifles I buy/own it seems that I'm searching for a mythical unicorn that just does not exist. After developing loads and getting a rifle to shoot well my attention often wanders in a new direction. I'm sure the vast majority on the fire suffer from the same affliction. Case in point: A new Tikka T3x superlite 30-06 that I just got and needed nothing. It shot random handloads I had laying around into MOA or better. Kind of boring really. Now I find myself wanting another BACO Winchester 70 but of what flavor?? I have been eyeing the Extreme Weather but one in 30-06 would be redundant being I have the stainless Tikka along with 3 other 06s. Perhaps a .270 Win?? Have one of those in a 70 fwt too and primarily hunt deer. Mostly I'm just looking to buy a rifle but dont NEED one. If you fellas were to get an extreme weather, what cartridge would you choose? Game would be limited to deer and occasionally black bear. I should have probably just bought an EW instead of the Tikka, but theres no rule saying I can't have both and suffer from the loony affliction. I need help!

I find myself burdened with many boring rifles these days, but it wasn't always so. It is especially annoying when one shoots wee small groups from the very start, no? One secret strategy I adhere to is not buying a gun for multiple uses. In doing so little thought is required in selecting the piece for whatever purpose is at hand. I will admit that a good scattergun can muddy the concept in the predominantly close cover I hunt in. Somehow I get by anyway.

As far as a weather gun for deer and bear, I have a S/S 77/44 that doesn't mind water, is butt ugly and is quite fond of paper patched lead, 300 grains actually. I've shot nothing with it that required a second shot. Everything else has walnut or curly maple stocks and they don't get a bath. Ever.

One of my boringest guns is a 700 ADL that was reborn as a .250 Savage and some home grown wood and finish work. One of my earliest groups fired during load development put 3 85 BT into about .6" at 100. The next load was 100 NPT and 3 went into .257". I tell ya, is really jerks my chain when it's that simple. I knew I could outsmart it and took 10 of the same load with the NPT and the frisky little bish put 8 into one hole and two out a smidge by themselves for a wad of about 3/4".

Now you know why I started loading my .22 CF round, the notorious 22 GTC. Sometimes it doesn't shoot one hole groups.

Praise be unto the Gods.

Rifles are awesome so of course you will always want more. Its human nature. I have scaled waaaaay back but am already shopping!

Oh yeah, 7mm-08 would be my pick.

Mine too!

Funny - I just had the same experience with a Tikka t3x Superlight in 308 - wound up shooting my VT buck with it this year after leaning my trusty little Ruger 77RL 257 Roberts up against the loading bench for 'just one hunt with the new 308'

Boring is right - this T3x shoots almost any reasonable 308 load very well and the stock trigger is pretty nice right out of the box.

For an all weather - all around medium game in the East or West? I'd say snag the same Tikka t3x Superlight in a 300 Win (West) or a 270 (East) and never look back - but you already have one in 30-06 so like a true looney, you'd be happily splitting hairs. After all - who doesn't like a nice pair of rifles that can pretty much do anything? But then again - that would be dreadfully boring and wind up needing yet another rifle to round out the decision that was just made.

Bought 12 rifles this year and shot my moose with a bow. Still looking. I had to buy a house with two dedicated gun rooms. I read the new book by Terry Wieland and found out that Steyr had only made 185,000 MS rifles in all of the models. That is not many for a production cycle that began in 1895. Looking for more Brnos as well.


They are not cheapies either.

1) Barrett Fieldcraft 30/06 with Vortex 3-15x50mm Razor HD LH
2) Custom Ferlach Flaig's FN Mauser in 458 with Ferlach oval contour barrel and rib with Peep sight in a gawd awful laminated stock.
3)CZ American Safari 550 with very pretty wood in 458 Lott.
4) Savage 99 RS with big beaver forend in 300 Savage with pachmayr tipoff mounts.
5) MS 1950 with Redfield Mounts Stutzen in 30/06
6) Ruger 77 Red pad prewarning 7x57 with cheap tasco scope.
7) Kimber 84 6.5 Creedmoor Classic Select
8)MS MCA Rifle in 30/06
9) Winchester Classic NH Era 338 Winchester Mag with 3X Burris(Colorado) scope.
10) Remington 660 350 Remington Mag
11) Sako Vixen Riimiki 222 with 6 X Zeiss Diatyl
12) Kimber 89 SuperAmerica Clackamas Ore 338 Win Mag

kaboku, those are worthy rifles to be looking for! Amongst the assorted beater rifles and everyday rifles in my safes, I have been fortunate to add a 1903 M-S with a Hensoldt scope mounted in claw munts. The rifle was produced in 1939 and, as far as I can determine, the scope and mounts were from the same year. I also have two Brno 22Fs, one a 7X57 and the other an 8X57. These 3 rifles are the favorites by far!

If you want to occupy your time buy a dog off the internet. I picked up a M700 223 off of GB several years ago for a cheap truck/coyote rifle. Even came with a Tasco scope. Couldn't get it to shoot so started working on it. 2 years later it shot fine with new stock, trigger, scope, a couple of barrel swaps....
You get the idea. Boddington said only accurate guns are interesting, I will add that inaccurate ones can occupy your time.

So, Blacktailer, you're saying that, with a few random tweaks, you got the rifle shooting the way you wanted. Nice!

I hunt and shoot all my rifles. I carry my my supergrade and other nice wood stocked guns in bad weather. Yes, they invariably get some "character" marks that I'm not necessarily pleased about, but that goes with the territory. I adhere to the adage that "life is to short to hunt with an ugly gun." How does one prevent checkering from getting screwed up when soaking wet and soft besides the obvious leaving the rifle at home? My main reason for the Tikka was hunting bears in rough country and doing alot of walking. My most problematic rifle is a 70 fwt 30-06 that needed a recrown and pillars to get ok accuracy. The Williams steel bottom metal on it is nice too, at the expense of extra ounces. I still have half a notion to send it off for a new tube and drop it into a McMillan mcwoody. I've never owned a true custom, but the amount I've spent fiddling around and buying various flavors of factory guns would have more than paid for one or two..