Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles It is a sad day when Dad gives you his rifle.

Dad is in his late seventies now and was always a one rifle hunter. Since the mid sixties that rifle has been a Rem 760 in 30-06 with a Bushnell Scopechief IV-M 3X9. He handed me the rifle this afternoon and said "This is yours now, I won't be able to use it anymore."

That is a little gut wrenching in several ways. It also kind of signals the end of an era.

I have been working for two hours on the bore, with J B paste and high strength copper solvent, not really sure why, the barrel dearly needs replaced. The crown and exterior muzzle end of the barrel have suffered the worst pitting I have ever seen. This is evidence of some really poor storage conditions over twenty years ago.

I find it absolutely amazing that the last time I shot this rifle, about nine years ago it would still group under two inches at 100 yd.

I am thinking the old girl is deserving of a new barrel, maybe in 6.5-06, and maybe about 24 or 25 inches. Just a little heavier contour than original and slick.

Now to find a Gunsmith who wants to work on the conversion.

Maybe you should shoot the rifle a bit for old times' sake and see just how bad it is. Maybe try a good 165 gr bullet with 55 grains IMR-4350, or some other under-max good load?

I know what you mean about an era seeming to pass...

If it still does not shoot try shortening barrel slightly and recrowning. Watch how you hold the 760 from a bench
I have had the best results resting on my magazine rather
than forend for consistent groups.

Idaho shooter, I know what you mean.
My Dad had told me that Deer season 2003 would be his last, and that I could have his guns after that. It turns out truer words had never been spoken, as he died of a heart attack in the blind. I later picked up his guns from Mom. Still kinda hurts, but they both have gone hunting with me since then. Use it and think back on the times you hunted with your dad. It's a good sort of connection. And anyway, you can still discuss the hunts with your dad and make the most of your time together. Old70

Any hunter who can make it into his late 70s and pass his rifle onto his son has a lifetime full of great memories. Sure, I think we all wish we could have our father's around forever, but hunters better than most understand the fleeting nature of life. Your father just didn't give you a rifle today. He gave you a symbol of decades in the field, of a life well lived and a heritage of hunting and freedom you can pass to your children. When we talk about our right to bear arms, we should talk less about the 2nd Amendment, and more about what a rifle can mean to man, and to a family.

Idaho_Shooter,

I know your feeling. My dad's model 100 .308 Winchester is now in my safe instead of his house. At eighty-five, he still talks about it and brags about one lucky shot. I showed it to my twenty-one year old grandson just last Monday. There are four grandson. But he is the most likely canadate to inherit it.

I sure wouldn't do anything with it. In years to come, you will want to take it out and just look at it, remembering old hunts. If you want a tack driving shooter, go buy one. You will be sorry in years to come if you change this one.

My dad is 93. He still has ll the rifles and [bleep], but hasn't use dthem in years . They only come out to get an occassional cleaning, but the bores are all prestine. I will get a Model 94 Wincester 30-30 and an Ithaca double when the time comes and my brother will get the Marlin 38-40.

They will become wall hangars,with occasional shootings

I'm with saddlesore. I think that rifle would make a couple of trips to the cabin with me and go for a couple of walks ... Pop's rifle and some quiet deerwoods would make for a wonderful afternoon.

Yes, I'd surely try to keep the rifle in use as it is, if possible, and kk alaska made a couple fine points that are worth looking into. I bet if you take a nice buck with that rifle you'll remember the hunt forever. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Idaho,

I agree, it's a sad but happy day. I'm with the boys that recommend shootin her first to see how she does. If the bbl is shot, why not get it recrowned and rebored to 35 Whelen (or 338-06) and in that way keep it more like the day pop handed it over? Just a thought.

Even Dad has recognized the need for a new barrel on this rifle. He has been talking about having it fixed ever since it got damaged.

The only real consideration is whether to make it original with a factory barrel and a new bluing job, (I am sure Dad would be tickled to see it restored) or to rebarrel it to a cartridge which my son would prefer, in preparation to handing it down to him. My son really likes bullets of .264 diameter.

I do intend to pop a few caps in the old girl this week anyway. I am fortunate in that I have a shooting bench just a few yards from the front door of the house. This rifle used to shoot my favorite load of 165 gr BT's over 60 gr of H4831 very well. I will have to put a few together and see if she wil still group them.

When I was a kid Granddad had a Remington .22LR semi-auto (Browning�s design) that he paid $25 for during the Great Depression. Granddad used it to head-shoot small game and Grandma used to use it to head-shoot chickens. On occasion Granddad would let my brothers and I shoot it. After I got out of the service in �84 I decided I wasn�t going to live long enough to inherit that rifle so I bought a Browning in the same design.

Granddad and Grandma just celebrated 74 years together. He doesn�t hunt any more but he still has that rifle. My Browning is now older than the Remington was when I fell in love with it. It will be a sad day when Granddad�s gun gets passed on.

Idaho,

Search for a local'Smith that is worth his salt, and have the thing recrowned.

Leave it as it is ,as long as possible.

Do not ever change the chambering even if a new barrel is in order.

The thing is a legacy.

Your grandchildren will be in awe of the thing, as we are nowi n awe of Gramps old rifle that gets attention if only for old times sake, and passing of the times spent spent with him.

It is what he is, and sadly,what he was once he is gone.

Rifles are personal.

Millions ofdollars can be left without a cents worth of connection.

But pick up gramps rifle, and the man is still there, and always will be.

Don't mess with it.

A recrowning should correct the damage done and preserve the thing for the children you cannot fathom 100 years from now.

Just make sure the stories of the hunt and the discipline of the rifle go with it, when you are at the point your Dad is.

Trust that it will continue.

It got both of us here, didn't it?

Just my .02
E4E

Amen to what E4E just said. Don't touch it if you really don't have to. 2" at 100 is fine for most deer hunting, and besides, this one will probably only go out with you/your son on "just one of those days."

If you do anything to it at all, go back to near factory original; same barrel, same caliber, and keep the stock that's on it.

You can always buy or build a new gun in whatever caliber and configuration your heart desires.

You will only have one rifle that was "Dad's gun."

My dad died 5 years ago and now I have the only rifle he ever owned (an old Marlin 30-30) it doesn't have a scope, and the blueing is worn out in some places, but I will never do anything to it. That was the way the gun was when he hunted with it, so that's the way I will keep it. I shot my first deer with that gun, and hopefully my son will shoot his first with it. I guess I'm just too sentimental to change it in any way.

Don't change it at all. You will kick your self later if you do.

I hear you and know what you mean.

About 4 years ago, my dad handed me his Browning Light Twelve and his Browning .22. With tears in his eyes he simply said, "I want you to have them". He silently walked away. Initially I had hoped he would have stayed around and talked about it, maybe even re-visit the days that had past. Now I know why he didn't. It was because he made a point to take me hunting and fishing with him every chance he could so that we could create our own memories. The memories were now in my hands to share and create with my son.

Thanks Idaho_Shooter for sharing what is truly real and matters,

J Scott

I brought my father home from the hospital last Thursday. He was there for a stroke. He is 84 and had to give up going out hunting several years ago. When he offered me first pick on his hunting rifles, I chose his deer / elk rifle. It is a Rem. 721 in a 30-06. BUT.... it is in a one of a kind hand carved stock. It sported a 4X weaver post and cross scope.

To shorten this post.. The barrel was pitted, very pitted, and the scope very difficult to see through.

Dad said he wanted me to be able to use this gun with success. He suggested a rebarrel. SOOOOO...., now I have a 35 Whelen with his blessing and it sports a 3x9 leupold. After all the work was done and before I shot a round through it, I took it by for his approval. He spent close to a hour holding it and telling me hunting stories of days gone by.

This was his suggestion, but I also still have the origional barrel, scope and rings. This is for me.

The legacy and the stories will be passed down again. So when I tell my son to get me " Grandpa " he brings the 35 W.

Best to Ya Whatever You Decide.. BP...

I vote with those who say "don't change it". My dad died in '77 and sometimes he and I still hunt with his 270. And his M740 '06 is still in the safe....He called it "lightin"..not because it was fast, but because it never struck the same place twice...

I reckon someday in the not too distant future I'll inherit most, if not all of my dad's rifles, shotguns, and pistols, but they ain't going in for changing.

Everyone of them has it's own memories and good stories......some of which I was privy too and others I've heard since I was too young to hunt.

I'm with most everybody else on this page.......Don't change it. Hunt with it and take your dad in spirit when you do.

There's no better memory for me than the days I've spent hunting with my dad. I aim to pass that on to my two boys, so they might say the same thing in 40-50 years.

Good topic and one that brings a tear to a fella's eye.