Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Rifle "character"

Thanks for posting fellas. There's just something about a rifle that has a lot of stories behind it and the memories made carrying it.

I have a 1961 Marlin 336RC in 35 Rem that wears an old Weaver K 2.5 w/post reticle that has tons of character. It shoots lights out too and carries like a dream. The action is as slick as glass and the trigger is the best I have ever seen on a Marlin levergun. It has scattered dings and bluing wear from being carried in the woods, but I would not trade it for 10 brand new ones. It is as close to perfection in a woods rifle as I am ever going to find.

Yep. Any time I stop at my favorite rural gunshop, always head for the used gun racks. Have snatched several old veterans out of that place over the years, plus a few more from other shops.

Doesn't do much for me to head over to the dozens and dozens of new rifles in that section of the shop, although I did once get mildly excited over a matte/laminated M7 Remington when they came out. It quickly passed and I left empty handed. ;o)

Anytime I find an old rifle that catches my eye, first thing I think about after looking it over carefully, is what tales that thing might tell, if only it could talk. Fortunately, I know the history of a few of my favorite old boys, so that makes them even more of a treasure to me.

Already told my son which firearms I'd like him to keep, when I keel over. For some reason, the same ones I fancy, also caught his attention years ago, so no worries. He can take him a vacation on the ones that are just so-so, once I'm gone.

I never used to be a 243 win. fan and I stumbled onto an ol ruger 77 RS about six years back that is just Hell on wheels,every animal I have ever hit with it just drops in their trax,No fuss no Muss,No Bull S**t,Id go after an Elk with this rifle and Id bet Id deliver it to camp.............

My stainless model 70 375 H&H has a lot of character. I actually carry, shoot and hunt with this rifle a lot, and I don't believe there is any factory bead blast finish left on any of the metal. The metal on the rifle actually looks like the shiny stainless on the mark II Ruger rifles.

The McMillan swirly stock is the only thing keeping it 'pretty'.

I have a couple myself. When I was 11 I told dad I wanted a deer rifle, because I was already hooked by that age. One thing I appreciate about dad is that he wanted me to earn things with hard work. Well, dad said my idea was "great", to my surprise. He found me a job at an icehouse bagging ice for sale. I worked for a month or so that summer, and dad prompltly loaded me up and we went gun shopping. I walked out of the store as the proudest 11 year old in history, with a brand new $89 marlin 30-30! Dad was proud too, as he paid $30 for the Weaver K4 that still sits on it to this day! My son shot his first deer with it just like I did. How cool is that?

High Brass, this thread was a great idea. I'm really enjoying everyone's stories. I can almost feel the feelings of the authors.

Mr. High Brass;
I believe that your post subject is one of the more intriguing aspects of rifle ownership. Over the years I�ve owned a few 100 + year old rifles that I often wished could talk to me.

I suppose my most personal �character rifle� is a Browning BBR in .30-06 that I bought new a long time ago. While it didn�t shoot my first deer, or even my first big game animal, it was along to shoot my first mule deer, the first black bear, my one and only sheep and many deer after that. While I used it a fair bit for a decade or so, they were kind of a heavy rifle even for that time, so it hasn�t seen much use the last few years.

Last winter, our eldest daughter decided she wanted to try for a black bear, and she will use the 100+ year old 6.5x55, �96 Mauser that I remodeled for my late father, who gave it to her before he passed on.

In the event she finds a bear and in case things need to be sorted out after the fact, I have loaded the old BBR with 200gr. Partitions and replaced the 4X Leupold that was on it with a 2.5 Leupold Compact. A couple trips to the range were like a good visit with an old friend, as it still fits me just fine!

Thanks for the interesting thread and thanks to all who responded.

Regards,
Dwayne

My 88 Classic Whelen carries a perfect deep half moon gouge in the stock.

I fell asleep in the stand and it slid onto a nail.

oiled her up and we're good. My friends freaked out but I told them it's character.

The Whelen always gets brought up every deer season about the first time it erupted in the woods.

The guy who was closest to me says he's never heard anything like that before.

After that it was nicknamed "The Cannon". The flame out the end is always a good crowd pleaser too......

One of the best deer seasons I ever had was the first year with that rifle.

Character...hmmm, that would be the Ruger 10/22 that my Dad gave me about 30 years ago. I've probably put 10,000-plus rounds through it as a kid, trying to pop a squirrel, blackbird, whatever... it was a mean machine. I let it sit for about 15 years with no action then picked it up again when my own kids got to that age.

A couple of years ago I looked it over and thought it could benefit from a new stock. I bought one, it was delivered, and I looked it over. Nice new stock. But looking over the original there was no comparison.

All of those stock dings riding around in Dad's Ford through the fields. The burned up factory clips and the firing pin that misses about ever fifth round or so. That's what I got left and it's alright. Great memories of a youth growing up with a good pa that gave me more than a gun...but a lot of good advice and lessons along the way.

Well it isnt a centerfire but I have 2 guns that would fall into this category.

When I was 7-8 years old, I wanted a .22 in the worst way. Not a borrowed 22 but MY OWN 22. The deal was that I earned $80 durring summer vacation an dad would fill in the rest of the cash. Did more Bullshit jobs that summer than you could shake a stick at until grandpa got tired of it an hired me to clean some guns of his that were allready clean, at the sum of $10 per gun Mom is still pissed about that lil stunt.

Anyways I wanted a lever action. So sitting in the corner now is my beloved winchester 94/22. The blueing is wore off the bottom of the action and is slowly creeping up the sides and down the barrel. Pulled it out the other day and was amazed at how many dings, and scratches were on that lil gun. Odd thing was, that they looked...well, they looked right on it.

Its the gun that got me in trouble one summer vacation when dad discovered that his 21,000 rounds of 22 ammo were completely gone

I remember that bottomless pit feeling when I totaled my BroncoII a few years back. I rolled it an then it flipped end over end down a ditch coming to rest on the lid. When I crawled out of the wreckage I noticed the rear of a gun case underneath the truck. forgot all about the truck, but was in a panic to find out the condition of that 22lr. Im happy to say that only the back sight was bent and a few dents were added to the wood, and its now back to slaying digger squirrels.


The other is a Smith&Wesson M3000 12gauge. Times were tough one particular christmas and Santa brought me dads shotgun. It was virtually new condition then. That was a while back, now the blueing on it is fading away and the thick finish on the wood isnt so thick anymore. lotsa quail an grouse have fallen to that full choked gun, its also humbled more than a few skeet shooters.

Most of mine are gone because I have this bad habit of shooting the crap out of my hunting rifles,and after rebarreling a couple of times I move onto something else.A favorite 7 mag that I cooked the barrel on was rebarreled, but the smith did not follow my instructions on the contour,so was sold;and another that I used extensively was gotten rid of due to a cracked stock and a burned out barrel. Both rifles had been hunted a great deal; ditto a pre 64 M70 in 300 win mag that took a lot of game in my hands and those of many others who liked to borrow it for their hunts.It took whitetail, mule deer, elk, caribou, bison, black bear,antelope,and god knows what else.

But there is a pre64 M70 FW 270 with a Brown Precision stock in the safe that is on its' second barrel and that has been around for maybe 12-15 years now.The first barrel went about 3 years ago,and was replaced. I've used it in Canada and the West pretty extensively and have no idea how many animals I've taken with it.But just through circumstance more than deliberate intent,a lot of the animals taken have been hightailing it for other parts and were on the move. The rifle fits and handles so well, that it can be rapidly brought into action and seems to pretty much have a mind of its' own.

Another is a similar 8.5 lb 375 with two brown bear to its credit.It also wears a Brown Precision stock and Kreiger barrel.

I will never get down to one rifle,as I believe a guy needs at least a 270 and a 375; these will never go anywhere..

This has been a good post to follow. The 7600 I mentioned before was given to me by High Brass so it's the most special I've owned. The only firearm I now have with "character" is an 870 16ga. I had a Remington 760 30-06, a Remington 572 .22 pump, and a stainless Ruger .22 pistol. They are now in High Brass' safe. That's where I want them to be. That's where they should be. When I get to visit him we take my old friends to the range and catch up on old times.

I've got a 35 Whelen I had done on an military FN 98 action. Has an old and nicely-figured Bishop stock on it which fits me like a second skin. Got it topped off with a Leupie 2.5 X 8 and it seems to shoot where I'm thinking. A few scratches and shallow gouges on it now, and they are staying there.

It doesn't yet have the memories attached that many have related here, just a few hogs. But it is going with me to Botswana next year where it will build it's "resume."

Yeah you knew what you were doing when you had your old guns back in your hands when you were down. I figured you wouldn't mind shooting them (grin).

I appreciate everyone's posts. Glad to see that you fellas appreciate rifles with "character". There are so many well used (but not abused) great rifles out there that just beg to go out. I've heard way too many guys tell me "the gun might be nice, but it has scratches on it and some bluiing wear". I try to tell them but some folks just don't get it. I guess it's like the new truck vs. well used truck syndrome.

Shame it don't transcend to women, then again maybe it ain't a shame.........