Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles "Too pretty to hunt with?"

Most of the old original Kentucky Long Rifles made by the old master gun builders form the early 18th to the early 19th Centuries, were decorated with relief carving and engraving on the metal. The wood was most times beautiful curly maple on top of the decorations which together, made for some stunning rifles. These guns were never in a safe and were used for what they were made for....to shoot and hunt with. The wear and "patina" on these guns we see these days only adds to the looks of the rifles and fowlers that have survived for 2 centuries. Their history is etched in every wear point and ding and lets us just image their story. If a gun of any type is too nice to be used, it might as well be a toaster. I have no use for them.

I was always taught by my dad how to handle/treat a rifle/shotgun. Only scratches that ever happened were horse related or slipped in the mud and dropped it on a tree root/or rock, etc. The rain and snow are the Boogermen I deal with/dread. Nice wood can really get messed up if wet long enough, of course. so yes, I've had a few rifles that were just too pretty, I couldn't make myself put wear on them and there are have been some that shot so well I took them anyhow, ha. Now, in the last "1/3rd" of Life, I use I have, when I have the opportunity to hunt! My latest "nice one" is a nicely figured Kimber 84L Classic, .270. I'll just take the little sack of Gun Slicker with it when I go into the mountains. Pluse, I always use Outers Tri Lube on the metal and Howards Feed N Wax on the wood. The "hard use" rifle is a Bergara B14 300WM. I like how their stock feels, kind of a "rubberized feel"? The older synthetics got so cold they hurt my old hands, wood is much warmer. Hopefully this Bergara will be bearable. Yes I wear gloves....:)

Lower is M700 30-06. Started out as ADL converted to BDL no other metal work except for the satin blue. Stock is Brown Precision fitted to me. Scoped (currently with Talley lows and 2.5-8 Leupold) weighs just over 7lbs and felt recoil is less than post 64 M70 it replaced.
Lower is P64 M70 375H&H. Took it to the same gunsmith and had him duplicate the dimensions of the M700. Weighs about 9 1/4lbs with Talley QR's and Kahles 1.5-6. Has 3 cape buff and a bunch of other stuff to it's credit. Again recoil is very tolerable even with 350's @ 2400fps.

The only thing that looks better than a beautiful rifle is a beautiful rifle with a lifetime of honest use and wear.

Thanks.


Okie John

✅

Maybe this one qualifies. Dakota 76 in 284

Super Sweet, JS

ya!


GWB

Just about ALL my guns fit into that category. I have two "Tupperware guns" as my wife calls them just because. I really don't care for plastic stocks..

All of my rifles are hunted with, none are too pretty. A long time ago noted gun dealer Randy Shuman told me that "use with care never hurt a rifle" advice that I agree with. My nicer rifles are not taken out in severe rainy conditions, nor would I consider taking them on a horseback hunt.

I saw a TV show where the guy was target shooting an older rifle that was worth like $75-80K. Other guy asks him about shooting such an expensive gun because of the value. Like the wear on it would devalue it. Shooter says we shoot them all no matter how rare or valuable because that's what they were made for. Then I see African PHs (on TV) shooting double rifles worth like $30-40K and don't give it a second thought. So I suppose I shouldn't be too concerned shooting a $1K rifle or $2-3K O/U shotgun. But sometimes it's hard not to be a little overly protective of your "asset", not having a bunch of "disposable" income.

reivertom said above ^ ^ ^

" If a gun of any type is too nice to be used, it might as well be a toaster. "



I haven't been of that mindset..... but it is true ! Thanks

Jerry

Once more, with feelin'

Nope!



Some 280's




















ya!

GWB

Nope! I take great care, and obviously don't carry them in sleet, rain and mud, but they go out!

GWB, I've never much liked light stocks but, that maple stock is absolutely gorgeous!

The "real" pretty ones I do shoot, but I also use extreme care not to end up with a mark somewhere...

It's a fuggin handle, boys!

I have two with pretty wood.

When they get buggered up, I refinish them.

If course, I don't have much money in them either- they are tool handles, not "works of art".

I won't ever have a rife too pretty to hunt with, cuz I'm to damned cheap! MOA or less is beauty to me, and hang the aesthetics, and I can get that for way less than even a synthetic stock goes for now days. Most times.

YMMV.

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Dang you shot that poor old JRT with that pretty rifle?! 😂😂

I’ve got a few of them that I won’t take on a four wheeler ride in the rain but I like to use them when I can get where I want to hunt without banging them around needlessly. The nice wood gives me something to look at if the deer aren’t moving and they all shoot little bitty groups.

It's factory 1930's era with custom wood, checkering, and bluing.