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My first rifle cartridge was a 308 Winchester in 1978. I still use it and have yet to find any good reason to change. I have others that are toys, that’s all.


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Originally Posted by DigitalDan
Originally Posted by plainsman456
Yet,Dan,Yet. grin


I said I didn't have much use for it, never said I didn't know how to use them.

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Originally Posted by Reloder28
My first rifle cartridge was a 308 Winchester in 1978. I still use it and have yet to find any good reason to change. I have others that are toys, that’s all.


I killed my first deer with my father's Marlin .30-30, before getting a Savage 99 .308, which I used on my next several deer. It shot VERY well, considering my age and a 4x scope, putting three factory loads into an inch or so at 100 yards. Wish I'd kept it--took a while before I realized how well the .308 works on a wide variety of big game.


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I am like most of us here, I grew up with just a couple of 22s in the house and not much else. I have been infatuated with guns since an early age. I never could afford to have many at one time but I have swapped and traded and bought and sold several hundred and perhaps even a 1000 through the years. A few shotguns but early on it was lots of various handguns and then my passion turned to rifles.
I love a fine slim and trim blue walnut and I also almost lust after certain stainless synthetics.
Certainly fine wood with good fit and finish will turn my head as will fine Classic calibers. I love the 30-06 with a passion followed oh so close, or maybe even surpassed by the 7x57. The 9.3x62 is another fine classic and I dote on the 338-06. Funny, I’ve been using a 338 Federal the last few hunts.
I demand my rifles be pleasing to the eye but also accurate. If not with factory loads, then with hand loads. They must be aesthetically pleasing with the scopes mounted low and neat to the rifle. No bases hanging over the ejection port and no high or extended rings. It must look “right”!
I guess my favorites are the older classic rifles showing some use but not abuse and in an old classic cartridge.
That brings me to my latest “last rifle I will ever need”. Through search and swap and purchase, I have put together my latest and greatest “all around rifle”. This one is a Remington mountain Rifle in 7x57 with a nice walnut stock and soon it will be mounted with a Leupold 6x36 gloss scope in Leupold dd mounts.
Perfection! For now.

Now what to do with that Winchester Classic Featherweight in 280? 😁
It never ends. 😳


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You look upon the rifles of half a century ago, with their polished blueing and walnut, they were art of an industrial age. You can't say the same of the fiberglass and stainless, let alone the black paint and the plastic.


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Originally Posted by drover
It must be an early onset of the winter blahs but I was thinking about all of the various rifles and handguns I have owned through the decades and I realized that I could have had a much simpler, and possibly, more fulfilling life if I had kept it things simpler in my choices.
I have realized that with nothing more than a rifle chambered in 22 LR, another in 223 Rem, another in 308 Win, and a handgun in 38 Special or 9mm Luger I could have done everything I did with the multitude of rifles and handguns I have owned over the decades.

Would it have been as much fun or would I have learned as much as I did - no way, but it would have been more practical. Most of those cartridges have been available even in the times of "shortages" with a little looking and besides that if one is paying attention to the political climate or dealing with only with very popular cartridges they should never be caught in a shortage.

Then there is the fact that with those four cartridges anything in North America, and most of the world, any of our common game could be hunted.

I have never been a shotgun user but for a shotgun I suppose a 12 gauge would be the most common/available and that would round out a darned good selection - IMO of course.

If I had it to do over would I do it the way I just fantasied about - likely not because like most good things in life getting here has been a glorious adventure and if I hadn't have dealt with all of the other cartridges how would I have reached the conclusion on what I could "have" gotten by with.

drover




Good grief!

You should learn to follow your own advice



Don't agonize over intagibles and buy which ever one suit your fancy, unless you are dying in the near future you can buy one and if you don't like it then buy the other.

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Originally Posted by drover
It must be an early onset of the winter blahs but I was thinking about all of the various rifles and handguns I have owned through the decades and I realized that I could have had a much simpler, and possibly, more fulfilling life if I had kept it things simpler in my choices...

drover


Would life have been more fulfilling? Think of all the times you were pleased with those choices...or were horrified, discovering that your dream cartridge or firearm was a huge disappointment. Remember the daze before the Internets, when you would discuss your choices with friends. Even the disappointments gave you things to talk about and left some interesting memories. Perhaps it wasn't a firearm, but rather your chunk of the Internets. It may have been the worst thing you have owned. smile

Have you ever thought about why you bought what you did? Was it a magazine ad campaign? Was it because of a fad like WSMs? Perhaps it was the Interwebs. Maybe a friend, mentor or gunwriter praised a rifle or handgun, so you bought one.

Whatever happened, consider that you led an interesting life! You have some very unique memories!


Safe Shooting!
Steve Redgwell
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Originally Posted by murkydismal
I believe it was none other than JOC who wrote decades ago (paraphrased) that anyone with a .22 rimfire, 12 gauge, and 3006 could effectively hunt everything and not be disadvantaged.

Add a 223, and I agree.

But it wouldn't be NEAR as much fun!

Now excuse me - I have to go to the gun safe, as I have grandkids to spoil. smile
Who should get what?


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I could have just stuck with my favorite push feed Model 70 Winchester XTR 300 Win Mag, a 22lr and a 12 gauge Remington 870. But I would have not have the interesting trip and the research opportunities that I have had researching guns. I don't think people really recognize the wonder and greatness of living today when we have so many great opportunities to hunt for wonderful guns and those guns that need to move down the road.

People might chime in that I might have gone on more hunting trips if I had just stayed a hunter and not an accumulator. However, I would know a lot less if I hadn't gone on the grail hunt. I also want to get to a place where I have achieved something with that research and hunt.

I am still relatively young and hope to finish what I feel I need for guns.

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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
I pretty much agree. In fact, after hunting various kinds of big game in 14 countries, from animals weighing under 100 pounds to some around 1500, I am sure all would have been killed quite readily with a .30-06 and 180-grain Nosler Partitions, including Cape buffalo.


My experience though no where near yours has brought me to the same conclusion. When I was younger I had to have the latest, greatest magnum. Then one day I was in a local gun shop and bought a JC Higgins M-50 in 30-06. Jeez. I now believe the 30-06 is the greatest cartridge ever designed and if I was starting all over again knowing what I know now, I’d have saved a lot of money and I’m sure I may have been even more successful in my hunting. I now own 3 30-06’s, the JC Higgins and a couple of M-70’s. Down to one magnum and it’s retired.

The 30-06 just works.

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Originally Posted by JBabcock
Originally Posted by Mule Deer
I pretty much agree. In fact, after hunting various kinds of big game in 14 countries, from animals weighing under 100 pounds to some around 1500, I am sure all would have been killed quite readily with a .30-06 and 180-grain Nosler Partitions, including Cape buffalo.


My experience though no where near yours has brought me to the same conclusion. When I was younger I had to have the latest, greatest magnum. Then one day I was in a local gun shop and bought a JC Higgins M-50 in 30-06. Jeez. I now believe the 30-06 is the greatest cartridge ever designed and if I was starting all over again knowing what I know now, I’d have saved a lot of money and I’m sure I may have been even more successful in my hunting. I now own 3 30-06’s, the JC Higgins and a couple of M-70’s. Down to one magnum and it’s retired.

The 30-06 just works.


Don't say that so loud! You'll conjure up Llama_Bob

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I am old, but have reached this point and hope I never do...


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I am old, but have reached this point and hope I never do... I think if I had just hunted with the .30-06, I would have quit long ago...


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Like several of you I just turned 68 and now I'm wondering what to do with everything in my gun lockers. I got into AR's about 12 years ago and I built way too many of them. My son can't use all of them so I have decided to reduce the numbers. I find I just can't seem to let them go. I built all of them but one and they are like my kids, I don't want to lose one. I have tried trading them but everyone wants to make a killing. I'm finding bolt actions are the direction I want to go. But, I have a .308 and several .223's. I have 3 12gauges and several .22's. Really, what more does a guy need ? I don't want to burden my wife with them and my son only needs a few. He is not a hunter, just a pleasure plinker. I enjoy reloading almost as much as shooting.

Although I remember a day when all I had was a double barrel Stevens 20 gauge and I used it for everything. Deer, pheasants, quail and even duck hunting. My .22 rifle was a Coast to Coast semi auto with a 5 shot "clip" my dad bought for me when I graduated 8th grade. No one in my family owned a gun, hunted or even fished. I had to learn it on my own. I spent many a day off hunting quail and pheasants with friends in fields that are no longer opened to us locals. They are leased out and posted no trespassing. One spot even has a number of houses on it in what used to be an old rail road right of way. Myself and some friends chased out a ton of quail there one day. Man, it was fun !

Like many of you I know I need to downsize in the near future and the wife wants to move to a condo or town home. (what a disgusting idea !) I really don't want to haul all of this stuff across town to a "retirement village" but the day is coming. I know what I need to keep and I know what needs to go but I'm having separation anxiety just thinking about it. They are all works of art to me. My personal treasures.

kwg


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I agree with Steve. Some people like cars, coins, horses, saddles, clothes, etc. I like firearms.
I can recall the “reasoning” on most of the purchases. A lot of them was “hmmm, that’s a good deal”. Or, “I really like that rifle, revolver, pistol” or “don’t see many of those anymore”..
Most have been no issues, other than have personal preference modifications done. Some have been a challenge.
I enjoy the firearms, even the ones that I have not gotten around to firing yet.


Originally Posted by Steve Redgwell
Originally Posted by drover
It must be an early onset of the winter blahs but I was thinking about all of the various rifles and handguns I have owned through the decades and I realized that I could have had a much simpler, and possibly, more fulfilling life if I had kept it things simpler in my choices...

drover


Would life have been more fulfilling? Think of all the times you were pleased with those choices...or were horrified, discovering that your dream cartridge or firearm was a huge disappointment. Remember the daze before the Internets, when you would discuss your choices with friends. Even the disappointments gave you things to talk about and left some interesting memories. Perhaps it wasn't a firearm, but rather your chunk of the Internets. It may have been the worst thing you have owned. smile

Have you ever thought about why you bought what you did? Was it a magazine ad campaign? Was it because of a fad like WSMs? Perhaps it was the Interwebs. Maybe a friend, mentor or gunwriter praised a rifle or handgun, so you bought one.

Whatever happened, consider that you led an interesting life! You have some very unique memories!

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Originally Posted by WyoCoyoteHunter
I am old, but have reached this point and hope I never do... I think if I had just hunted with the .30-06, I would have quit long ago...

Shidt, I would've hunted just as much had I been forced to use a 12 gauge slug. I like hunting more than guns

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I noticed on my bench two uncompleted project rifles. a 308NM and a 358NM . I should get them done even if I never hunt with them . They are both on P-17s . The P-17s were an affordable pre-war M-70s, same steel , with a better, longer and deep mag. When I started their weight wasn't even remotely an issue . Now with worn out knees, a lot of my hunting uses a quad. They are not quad friendly .


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Originally Posted by moosemike
Originally Posted by WyoCoyoteHunter
I am old, but have reached this point and hope I never do... I think if I had just hunted with the .30-06, I would have quit long ago...

Shidt, I would've hunted just as much had I been forced to use a 12 gauge slug. I like hunting more than guns

I’m more of a gun nut that hunts.

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Younger days, I hunted with several different rifles with different cartridges.When I got older, I figured it out that it didn't matter too much what was on a cartridge head. I said screw this, grab an .06 and go hunting and quit worrying about all that.

I can't remember a time when I thought I had too much gun or not enough.

Last edited by saddlesore; 11/25/21.

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Old rifles are a cheap restoration projects, at least in comparison to cars and trucks. As kid in high school, instead of a '55 Chevy, I wanted a Dodge Custom Royal 2dr hardtop hemi .My collection wouldn't even come close.


You can hunt longer with wind at your back
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