Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best money you ever spent on a rifle?

I was shooting 22's with my boys yesterday.

They were taking turns shooting my Ruger 10/22 prone off a pack at Spinner targets at about 60 yards. My nine-year-old was batting .1000, while his seven-year-old brother was hitting about .800 and his five-year-old brother well over .500. All with a little 4 power Nikon pro staff.

I've got 3 magazines for it, so each boy could reload his while his brother was shooting. Worked out great!

I was shooting offhand at another spinner a little further off with a Kimber 82 with a little 4x Leupy. This is a phenomenal little rifle that I picked up on a consignment from a little hole in the wall gun store before any of the boys were born. It was priced way too cheap, store owner told the man, but that was what he wanted and I was the first one to look at it. Right place, right time.

I don't know when we've had more fun shooting.

Our family went in on a 10/22 for my Dad with a little 4x Leupy for my Dad's birthday, & it's his favorite rifle.

It got me to thinking, I wonder if I've ever spent better money on rifles than I spent on these .22's?

I've got some rifles i really like, but I'm not sure I have any that have provided more shooting fun for the $ spent. Fun, I might add, that has made for better shooters when the target had hair and horns.

How 'bout y'all? What's the best money you ever spent on iron?

DJ

Best Money my Wife spent on me this past Christmas.

1953 Savage 99 with orignal 4x Bushnell Banner post scope.

One of the accurate rifles in my collection. 1953! Go Figure.

ruger 96/22, looks like a savage 99 and takes 10/22 mags. i don't know how many people have wanted it. $175 was a good buy

I shoot the same, including the Nikon scope with my boys! Last week I went by myself and guess what I took...yep, the 10/22!

This is an easy one for me.

A number of years ago, I found a nearly-new Browning BL-22 with a decent scope for $165, including tax and a box of LR's. Home with me it went. It has been my most-used rifle over the past 20 years. I cannot count the boxes of shells run through that thing.

Interesting that each of our best-bargain rifles so far have been 22's.

I'll have to say two custom rifles

1. Dakota Predator and tiny Nesika J action, Douglass SS Match barrel, Jewell trigger, beautiful walnut stock in 6.5 Grendel
2. Longshot Rifles Inc. 7mmWSM, Stiller Predator action, Broughton Barrel, Rifle Basix trigger.
3. The Blue Whisper, Tony Kidd Supergrade .22lr
4. Tar Baby, benchrest .22lr

All have been sold except the 7mmWSM

Lot's of money but I still cannot find a "factory" rifle which will keep up with them. But that's what you pay for. I just can't afford another..........for now......

CZ452 .22lr. Got it new for $280, and wish I had bought 5 of them at that price.

m77 Ruger in .257Roberts with Leupold vxII 3x9 from a pawn shop for $450. One of my all time best buys.

If I miss with either, it's my fault.

$625 OTD for a Pre 64 FWT .280 in a Brown Precision stock, with Vari-X III 2.5-8X36 mounted on it.









I only owned it for a couple of days then sold it to my buddy so his now 10 year old could have an elk rifle. $325 sans scope, since it was for a good cause. I was probably going to filp it anyway as I don't much care for .280's.



Next is a Savage Anschutz .22 lr with Vari-X III 4.5-14X40 AO, picked this one up for $560 OTD IIRC.



[img]http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/taylorce1/Savage%20Anschutz/P1000486.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/taylorce1/Savage%20Anschutz/P1000484.jpg[/img]

This thread might get pretty interesting.

Liking what you guys have posted - interesting, cool, classy, functional, mega-bargains, sentimental favorites - all neat contributions to best money we've spent on rifles.

I have very little buyer's remorse over this little Model 7 223 - all my children have killed their first deer (and a bunch more) with this little rifle.







DJ

I know you're not going to believe this but, CZ-452 Special .22lr. Bought it when they first started importing them for $90.00 from Gander Mountain. Got a K2.5 on it and it is simply a wonderful rifle.

@ DJTEX, Great pix! The smiles on those kids faces says it all!


Picked up a 1980 Ruger Mini 14 for my Wife. Bought it over the phone.
Ended up being a 181 series GP. Stainless. $200.00
I am almost sure it has ties to a Police Department, but Ruger will not release records from State/Town related contracts.

My Model 700 ADL .30-06 that I bought at Walmart. $400.00 with a cheap scope and rings. I sold the scope on ebay for $40.00. It's the most accurate rifle I've ever owned. I don't believe I'll ever part with it.

A model 70 pre 64 Westerner for $125..with scope, sling, 2 bx. of ammo, and a carring case...

DJTex: I often remember all the pride and joy I got (and still get to this day!) from the first Winchester pre-64 Model 70 I purchased!
I believe the year was 1966 and I paid $200.00 for a mint condition 1950's vinatge 22 Hornet standard Rifle.
I have turned down cash offers of more than ten times the amount I originally paid for it.
That Rifle and the pride I get from owning it has led me to near half a century of collecting Winchesters.
I thank all the Gods I worship for finding that Rifle and acquiring it and the lifetime of pleasure I have enjoyed "chasing" Winchesters and other fine arms.
Another fine Rifle (extremely accurate!) that I obtained many years ago was a Remington 40X-BR single shot in caliber 222 Remington.
And I never handed over a penny for that Rifle.
I actually just worked off its value.
I worked for the late Warshal family who owned Warshals Sporting Goods in downtown Seattle.
These fine folks were Jewish and had a definite case of the "ass" for the "urban youths" who would come into their store and steal the Nike tenny runners and anything else they could lay their hands on.
I stood around in uniform and made like a "scarecrow" whenever a urban youth would enter the store.
It took me 5 Saturdays of standing around to pay off that brand new 40X which had been ordered by a customer and by the time it arrived at the store that customer had passed on.
I spoke up for it and arranged for turning my off duty pay into equity in that Rifle.
That incredibly accurate Rifle has taught me more about "accurately firing a Rifle" than any other Rifle I have ever owned.
I also have fond memories of an 1866 Winchester Musket that I owned for some time and made a tidy profit from it when I sold it - I sometimes wish I had it back.
I am happy your youngsters made such a day full of memories for you - that was nice, and humbles money (profit) in the long run.
Many happy returns of the day with your children.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The best money I've spent on a rifle was my bone stock, NIB Ruger M77 Hawkeye stainless 358 Win. I think I paid just over $500 for it. It shot well out of the box and has become my all time favorite rifle. With the right bullet, it works for deer, elk, hog, black bear and other game within a 250 yard (maybe a bit more) range. It is an easy round to load and is a pleasure to shoot.

$800.00 for my Pre 64 fwt '06:

Had to let a couple of my other 30-06's go after getting this pre 64 fwt...

This one is a pretty cool rifle that I think I did well on: 2008 limited edition model 70 300 wsm: Paid $600.00 for it:

Great pics as usual DJ'.

There's two sides to this question, the father-child thing based on shooting, and the best deal on a quality gun. Neither my dad nor my son where what I'd call hunters or gun enthusiats. I envy those with that. The other side doesn't mean that much right now. Now if we were talking fishing stories I might have something to offer.

This Gander Mtn Guide .243 - I stole it from fellow campfire member darrenK. I feel bad about it, not so bad that I'll sell it back to him though:) Its such of a good shooter I just can't stand it sometimes, but dang it sure puts a smile on my face!!

Brno Model 2 .22LR!