Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Can a rifle have soul?

I have a few guns that just speak to me when I use them. They fit like a fine suit of clothes or a well worn pair of jeans. You don't hAve to wonder if you can make the shot you just know you will. I often wonder when I am handling them where they have been or what they have killed. Yes to me some guns do have a soul. Your thoughts and experiences?

Every now and then when I handle an old rifle, I often wonder if this thing could talk? The places its been, the people who owned it, the game that it has taken, etc

I have a rifle and a shot gun that are over a 100 years old. I often ask myself the same questions. I bet they have some interesting stories if only they could talk.

My Winchester 1895SRC speaks to me. Before I got it I'd never once given though to moose hunting or hunting any sort of mountain sheep or goat. But everytime I pick it up (which is often since it's one of my go-to rifles) I think i should get a moose tag or get in shape to climb after a sheep or goat. It's my favorite saddle gun and handling it often reminds me of our adventures together.

I think it's just some rifles fit you like a old broke in pair of boots, and not just in size, it's more like they just feel and shoot better for you than your other rifles and it gives you confidence.

Lord yes they can MS9x56.

And how about 'the people' it's owned Jerico? an old Man, friends with my Gramps, both now deceased, was a rancher out West, he sent me his '94 Winchester 30 WCF that spent over 40 years in his saddle scabbard, the rifle has no bluing or finish left on it, sports pretty good scars on the right side of the action, I have to think from a rockslide or horse wreck.

The rifle wears three notches in the butt stock, I called the old Gent to thank him dearly for the gift, I asked about the notches, he said, "I wont answer that son"............................................how's that for some soul?

Absolutely.

Pre 64 model 94’s have soul

Sure it can. Every time I pick up my grandpa's old big bore 94, I think of him. It has soul:

Exactly. If your rifle is talking to you, you should probably be institutionalized. :-)

I don't know that I'd call it soul, maybe character ? Whatever it is, none of my bolt actions seem to have any but my lever actions do.

i have frequent conversations with my guns and dog , they have souls without any doubts.

I put a little note under the butt plate of some of my rifles with name, address, date and if I hunted with it. I found a note under the butt plate of a Winchester 94 that was made in 1897. I wrote the old gentleman in Massachusetts and got a reply that he had bought the rifle, used, in the 1930's and hunted with it until he got too old. I think he was glad to find out where his old rifle ended up and that it was still being used.

The old Winchester carried some of its history with it when it came my way and some of my rifles do the same thing. After finding the note, I always check to see if some lost history can be reclaimed by a previous owner's note to a future caretaker.

It is the top one in the photo. I'm not sure about soul, but it seems like these days the old 94 Winchester kind of likes hanging out in the gun rack with that sleek little 53 Winchester.

i have always wondered those same questions, who all owned this rifle ? pistol ? did they shoot some nice animals with this rifle ? has it been to different countries ? i have a old Nazi Luger pistol brought back from Iwo Jima / World War 2,by my old neighbor Mel S. was a 1st waive medic in the Black Panther squad as his wife told the story ,Mel was in a wheel chair and could not longer speak because of a stroke. i look at this pistol i own now and wonder just what did Mel see ,hear ,what and who did he try to save with poor medical equipment , that must have been hell for all these young soldiers ? yes guns try to talk to us,Pete53

Dogs without a doubt, Guns I think more of an aura obtained by the hands of many users.
I have a 1876 Winchester that was used in a murder, then hidden for 80 years in a fireplace. if any gun would have a soul that one might.

Shiloh Sharps rifles have soul and so does my Winchester Model 71

Not by itself. When in the hands of someone who knows it, who has learned where it strikes and what it does when it hits, then it is alive.

Don't know about a soul, but I have one in particular that I think is a redhead.

What's it like owning a gun you dare not load?

And that the ammo is never big enough?

Deep:

Send me a shower pic.

Smile........

Only if they are blue steel and walnut.

Shame on me. The custom Mod. 70 "Stainless Classic" .338 Win. in the Bansners stock has been my "go to" for close to 25 years. It has been the most consistently accurate center fire big game rifle I have owned. But, it ain't blue steel and walnut.......

My Savage 99 does. It's a 1927 99F takedown in 30-30 that my Dad passed down to me back in 1960. It's been my brush gun for blacktail since then. Our family album has photos of Dad using it back in the 30s & 40s on deer and elk. So, yes, it has soul and talks to me of days gone by every time I pick it up.

No

they have RESONANCE.... (how they react to being shot) - but not a soul.

Funny thing,
I have owned such rifles and no buyer ever asked.

Nostalgia and mystic, yes....soul, no.

I wouldn't call it soul, but maybe flavor or history.

An old rifle definitely has a history and many stories. Some created by people and places far in the past and some by you and me. A blued steel and walnut diary.

a family member just gave me a 1911 officer`s pistol made for the army built in 1913 by colt now this old 1911 i wish it did speak to me .