Which one

Chambering
Age
Make
Model
Origin (new / used / handed down)

And why it holds the spot of the most trust worthy rifle you own

My "Campfire" Rifle:

.300wsm
I bought it from Steve (338Rem) in Feb. of '07 IIRC
Remington 700
Bought used, bought a McMillan MR stock from DoeSlayer and mounted a Leupold in Talleys (bought from RicBin).

It's been a one-shot killer on everything its been pointed at and puts 180 and 165 TSXs into little bitty groups. It balances damn near perfect and is the first rig I "put together" for myself.

George

Remington 700 300saum about ten years, used bought on the campfire. It has been customized and has lost some of it's original weight. It just shoots lights out, and I like it, although I don't have any rifles that aren't dependable and accurate...Second would be a bought new around 20 year old 6mm BDL...

i would have to say my remington 700 .308
I bought it in 1990. Actually traded a remmy 7400 jamomatic for the bolt. It's wood stocked and nicked up but it has always been a very reliable shooter. I've shot a lot of deer with it.

Navy Arms import of the Rossi '92 in .357.

It always works, is handy as hell and Stainless & wood.

Pre 64 by about ten year, M70 fwt 270win.

That's a nice one for sure. I notice you didn't leave it laying around in Tenn.

George

300 Savage, Savage Model 99F, the one with the most time in my hands.

.30-06, 52 years young, pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Fwt, bought new the summer before my senior year of high school (1960). Has a classic custom American walnut stock now, but still shoots just as good as ever.

I wouldn't turn my back on any of 'em!

M70 Classic, about 15 years old, (yeah, a New Haven gun), in .270. It's never "not worked" and shoots great.

Got that right, need to keep it on a tight leash so it don't run away!

I don't have it anymore, my kid snuck it out of the house. Rem 660 in 308 w/20" barrel. With that walking off, I really don't have a most trusted one.

.375 H&H
Unknown age, it is a push feed, likely from 80s or early 90s.
Winchester
Mod 70
bought used.
Its never missed a critter (by me at least).

I have hunted it in AK, MT, ID and WY.

Its killed elk, whitetail, mulies, antelope, caribou, wolf, black bear, coyotes and probably some others.

Marlin 1894C, Lever Action Carbine, 357 Mag./38 Spl. ~ Fast, accurate, & dependable.

Ruger PC-4, Police Carbine ~ Semi-Auto, 40 S&W ~ Same as above.

Same for me and mine wears an old Lyman 66 receiver sight. It's the one I usually grab when I head out the door to handle a critter problem on the ranch.
It used to be my Contender Carbine in .22lr Match, but the .357 is getting more use now that the 'yotes are getting more numerous.

Ed

Savage 99EG in 300 Savage made in 1945. Picked it up at a local gunstore about 7 years back, and I'm now at 19 deer taken with 19 shots fired. Son took his first deer with it also, ten hours driving round trip for 20 minutes of hunting and one shot fired.

Though it does seem to have gotten to where I can't even see a decent deer to shoot at until I take the EG out and let it count coup first. Greedy little gun.

Winchester PF M70 in 270 win
Bought it brand spankin new in Spokane Washington in the early 80's.
Accurate, reliable and gets the job done, every time. I've taken everything from whitetails to Alaska/Yukon moose with it. It is my go to hunting rifle.

I spoze it's my M70 PF in 6.5x55. I have others that are pretty and cost more, but this one should be illegal for Deer.

This one --- a Browning Abolt 300 WinMag M1000 Eclipse. Never missed with it yet, and all one shot kills. (New in 2001.)




And this one --- it now is fitted for my wife. An Ithaca LSA 65 in 30-06. Killed a trainload of game. (New in 1976)



Here it is with her continuing to kill with it.



I now have a Tikka M65 in 30-06 (made in 1978 and bought by me in 2006 - never fired.) which is the Tikka version of the Ithaca my wife has. Equally as good a rifle, and it bagged two deer last year as well.

What with 700's being the first three posted at least I am not going to participate in this thread. LOL.

.44 Mag Marlin 1894S. My wife bought it new at Wally World back in 1995. My birthday present that year.
It just keeps thumping deer and hogs dead.

All mine are very good...

My best is a 15yr old MGA 338WM

It is just what I want in a rifle.


Snake

Win M70 FWT, 270 wcf.
A christmas present from my brother in 1995.Shoots sub MOA with 130gr Partitions and with it killed my biggest mule deer.
Nice, dependable rifle.

Springfield 30/06 M1 re- barreled in '56
If I do my part, it'll hold X's at 600 yards
If I get the wind right off Lake Erie!

my old 336 30-30

Kind of a thought provoking question, normally it's "best", or "favorite" rifle.

Let's see, trustworthy - I'd say either a k98 Mauser, or Ruger #1.

Bought new in 1972, M700 BDL 270. Now in a B&C Alaskan stock( TI takeoff with BDL cutout) and a Pac-Nor tube. After using it this many years it'd better be trustworthy!
Ruger 257 Roberts is catching up for local use but the ol 270 still holds top spot for all around use.

This old FrankenFAL I screwed together a decade or so ago,...goblins, griz, or the 300 yard gong. It'll do it all.

1970s remmy 788 in .308

nothin fancy, always dependable- even after being my test bunny for 20 years worth of reloading. Still my goto deer stick.

what a piece o crap.

This 1952 Savage 99EG in 300 Savage. It kills...
Bought used here on the fire. Easy to carry and kill with.

I go through a lot of rifles. Couldn't think of one that particularly stands out. Then I realized there's one I totally overlooked.

The rifle is a Winchester model 1906 pump .22 "gallery rifle." It was given to me about 40 years ago, somewhere around my 8th birthday, by my father and my grandfather (mom's dad). I did most of my early shooting under my great-grandfather's (dad's mom's dad) watchful eye.

Trustworthy .. because we've been over more hills and through more woods (and to grandmother's house more times) than I can begin to count. I have no idea how much use it'd had before I got it, but it was well worn then and I've put over 100,000 rounds through it since. It still shoots CCI mini mag hollowpoints into about 1/3 of an inch at 25 yards with the coarse iron sights. It just ... works.

Tom

My Ruger No. 1 RSI 30-'06 with my VX II 3X9. I would post pics but it's a PITA with a Mac on this site.

Mine is a Mex Mauser in 7x57 I made about 30 years ago.It has never failed yet.Wait a minute I just jinxed myself.

Kimber Classic 300 Win Mag..or, any of the other safe dwellers.

I won't keep a rifle that is not trustworthy. I'll repair them, or sell them. I use different rifles for different things - much like golf clubs (my wife wishes I'd limit myself to 14 guns, er, clubs)!

Mark

All of 'em. Broke gets fixed, case closed. Some get more use than others but that is driven by application, not function or capability.

A Rem 700 CDL 243 when I was 13 to 16 when what you ate came out of the garden or what was eating your garden. A dozen deer a year+ he!! We were so poor we even ate the whistle pigs I killed for a local farmer. Don't ever remember missing. One day I even hit a milk jug that was a 2 min drive away on the tractor. Pure luck. Best I can remember I was throwing about out there about 8 feet of hold over. Pure luck. Pre Internet, pre ballistic calculators just got lucky

My 1906 Remington Springfield 30-06 is my most trusted rifle. Point of impact doesn't ever seem to change. I don't think the Redfield Widefield scope has been adjusted in the last 30 years. I don't hunt with it very often anymore, but it usually makes the trip just in case a backup rifle is needed.

Chambering: 30-06
Age: Unknown (Have owned rifle since 1982)
Make: Springfield Armory
Model: '03 A1
Origin: Used


And why it holds the spot of the most trust worthy rifle you own?

It's taken everything from Deer to Elk multiple times over the years.

I guess it'd be my Ruger 77 MK II stainless compact in. 223. It's always been a very consistent performer. Not spectacularly accurate, but plenty good enough to shoot 3 shot groups between 5/8" and 1" with loads it likes. It's never been finicky and has never been anything but a solid performer. In fact it's never missed, but I have.

Trust worthy is or is not.

This one is -

I've got 4 that I could conceivably drop to one rifle and get most of what I need to do with a rifle done.


mod 700 .338 that loves (blasphemy) 250 gr. Nosler Partitions, it sits in a McMillan stock with an old style (read bit bigger objective) Leupy 1.75x6 on top of it.

mod 700 7mm mag. in (more blasphemy) an MPI stock with a Leupy 6x 42 atop it

Nula in 7mm-08 that loves 120 gr. TSX has a Leupy 2.5x8 atop
(I give up some power for where I live with it, but bullet construction and placement cure a lot of sins)

Marlin 45/70 guide gun, parkerized and has a detachable scout scope 2.5 EER Leupy of course I give up range, 200 would be my limit and much prefer 150 or closer but it has plenty of power

I could make do with any of them as a one rifle battery but I've listed them in my preference

they are all dead nuts reliable and far more accurate than the guy that mashes the trigger on them

Chambering 270 win
Age god only knows. (well, I guess Remington does too)
Make Remington
Model 721
Origin (new / used / handed down)
Very well used, handed down from grandfather, father, now me.

And why it holds the spot of the most trust worthy rifle you own:
My grandfather hunted all over North America with it. My dad killed his first deer and elk with it. I killed my first mountain lion with it. It has a extensive history and lots of stories to tell. It is extrtemly accurate and is 100% original.

Pre 64 Mod 70 Standard

30/06

60 years old

used

Because it is dead nuts reliable, accurate, can be used for most anything that I hunt with a rifle, and is a pleasure to shoot, carry and hunt with

Chambering: 5.56x45mm
Age: Approximately two years old
Make: Del-ton, Inc.
Model: 16" AR15 w/ A3-style upper
Origin (new / used / handed down): New, assembled by myself.

It wears a Bushnell TRS-25, rear MBUS and standard front sight, single point sling plate w/ sling, and has a single lower rail attached, with a VFG. Will be replacing that with an AFG, soon.

It's the most versatile firearm I own. It's in an extremely common/cheap chambering. It takes common/cheap mags. It will probably outshoot me until I'm dead.

I did in a bear, a couple pronghorn, a moose, a javelina, and a few wild boar with my model 70 synthetic/stainless in 7mag. I don't know that it makes it the most trustworthy, but when something needs to die, I go to grab my 7RM.

mauser 98 stocked in plain walnut with a stainless 22" featherweight barrel in 6.5x55 with timney trigger.

first gun i built and my favorite.

Sako 75 in 300 RUM. It was my first Sako and I bought it new in 1999 (I think). I have made shots from a few feet to 503 yards and from standing shots to a antelope running full out at 239 yards.

Dink

that had to be pretty satisfying seeing that antelope crumple up when it was going top end at that distance! nice shootin

This lightweight, 7 twist WOA skinny barreled job with a carbon fiber tube, COLT BCG, RRA 2 stage match trigger, etc, etc.

I built it for an all around practical field rifle for me. Topped it with a 4x ACOG. It is a tack driving, coyote killing, joy to carry.

I ain't a black rifle guy but I could like that one!

Ruger 77 6 mm rem.

.....and it's pretty bad azz too....

I have two closet queens that I don't trust to function when I need them to function.
They will become something useful one of these days.

Jim

It's so hard to pick just one....all of them are so trust worthy.....Can I show you my least trust worthy???:





Sorry but facts is facts.....

1952 model 70 FWT, .308, Burris Signature 1.5-6x.

The rifle I've had the longest, killed the most critteers with and allways comes on every out of state hunt ( sometimes its a backup)
Rem 700 BDL in 7 Rem mag.
I got it for Christmas in 1985, it's goten a face lift but is still the same basic rifle.
700 in a Clasic stock, trigger at 2 1/2#, talley LW,s Leupold VXIII 4.5X14X40 w/M1's

For me, its my Weatherby Mk V Fibermark, .257 Wby. I bought it new, in I believe 1984 or so.
This rifle has been used on countless hunts, for coyotes, mule and whitetail deer, antelope, a Grand Slam of NA sheep, caribou, and elk..
It''s just one of those rifles that you point at game, squeeze the trigger, and stuff falls down, regardless of weather or other adverse conditions.

Which one; For Today my Model 70 SS Classic. Tomorrow my SS FW '06. They are that close.

It has been shortened to 23", is threaded for a KDF Varmint brake which I don't use-I have a knurled thread cover.

It has a Warne Premiere bases & the peep sight setup in the back with a Williams ramp up front. It has a 2.5-8x36 Leupy in Warne QR Premier rings for the main scope and a K-4 Weaver in rings for a backup. It sits in a McMillan stock they made for the AHR rifles.

I had trouble getting it to shoot consistently in the Tupperware stock. The McMillan truly fixed that. It is as accurate as my '06 FW and RRA AR which are the proverbial 3 shot 1/2 inch grouping type.

I had trouble getting it to pick up the second round from the magazine. Allison & Carey in Portland fixed that. It will now feed empty cases. Loaded ones too for that matter.

Chambering; .338 Winchester Magnum
Age; early 90's
Make; Winchester Model 70
Model; 70 SS Classic
Origin; New

Why is it my favorite? It is very easy for me to shoot from any position, particularly off hand and prone.

Mine is a Weatherby Vanguard that I won at a DU banquet in about 1997. It is chambered in .30-06 and has never let me down. It holds its zero, functions smoothly and works as good as it did new.

Steyr Scout, 308.

Which one

Chambering - .270
Age - late '50s
Make - Remington
Model - 721
Origin (new / used / handed down)

And why it holds the spot of the most trust worthy rifle you own - Because it hits everthing it is fired at ... without fail.
_________________________

My Mk X 458 Win as I have carried it now for 27 years and it has never let me down

I won't keep one that's not trustworthy. It either fixed or sent down the road. My favotite is my 1984 Winchester PF M-70 Carbine in 30/06 with an older Redfield 2X-7X AccuTrac in Leupold QR rings and mounts. Very accurate with 165 grains bullets of any brand. I've killed the most and the best of my deer with this rig. It's perfect for slippin or stand hunting. I got it in 1992 used. Second rig is A Ruger M77 RSI tang safety in 308 with a Browning (Burris) 2X-7X. I don't use it as much because it is so pretty. I got it used in 1984. The rifle was $300 and the scope was $10. I found the scope in a pawn shop with broken crosshairs. Shipped to back to Burris and all it cost was the shipping. Kids are already arguing over who gets it it at my demise.I hunt MS and both are used for deer, hawgs, coyotes, bobcat and the occasional hardshell possum (armadillo).

I recognize that rifle from a story I read some years ago. That gun looks to be a great example of pretty is as pretty does.

700 Mountain Rifle that I bought from the late Timberline because of this Epic Classified Ad.

Sweet shooter & a 1-shot killer.

In fact, a certain Teutonic 24hrcampfire member used it to de-face the burrower below, forever ending his squirrelly insolence:



Most recently, Karnis directed some love toward the stock:





FC

1) Remington 720 30-06 Basically a very well sporterized military action with pre WWII workmanship and a great barrel.

I'm sure I've seen it if you've posted a pic of it but if you haven't, nows a good time . I share your sentiment though. I really like my pre 64 fwt's......tough as nails and always dependable.....or like the OP puts it, "trust worthy"......

How much???$$$$ and can you post some pics??

I've always had my best luck with ether an SKS or AK,ether gun works well on the eastern coast game and I've found them to be accurate enough for short range hunting.

With a five round mag an AK is a very nice compact rifle,with about as much energy as the old 30-30.

Winchester M-70 Super Grade "clasic" CRF .30-06. "The rifleman's rifle."

All of them.

I understand the "wouldn't keep an un-trustworthy" gun thought. All mine are "trustworthy" as well.

But the one I "feel" will never let me down and is the one I grab time after time is my Marlin 94 in .45 Colt. Bought new in 2004 and goes with me every time I go out.

A Model 7 LSS from circa 2000 that I bought new, was my main blacktail rifle for "several" years, but which had a cruddy 7-08 barrel and in the end got rebarreled to .358, in which capacity it has just flat whacked & stacked the deer for me.

Chambering: .338 Winchester Magnum
Age: 51 years old
Make: Winchester
Model: Customized pre-'64 Model 70
Origin (new / used / handed down): Bought new in 1961

And why it holds the spot of the most trust worthy rifle you own: Because it has never failed to bring down, with a single shot, every big game animal at which I've aimed it using my hand-loads.

Having seen this rifle used; having used this rifle and having, through your ad seen the kind of man you got that rifle from; I will go on record:

"This rifle is not for sale."

Repeat after me.

MOST trustworthy?? That gotsta be the rifle with 135 years of actual experience that is still doing what it was made to do-kill big critters very dead very quickly.


Besides, it is stamped in a cartouche right on top of the barrel "Old Reliable"

My Winchester Model 70 Featherweight (push feed) chambered for 7x57 with a Leupold VXII 3x9 and Standard Leupold mounts. It will put 5 of my 140 NP handloads into less that one inch at 100 yards and this combination has never failed me.

M70 Classic Stainless 30-06. I bought it new in 1994. Out of the box it would shoot 1 1/4" groups all day long. I have since restocked it and lightened the trigger and it will shoot better than me. I have only shot 150 thru 180 grain Nosler, Sierra, and Hornady bullets. All will shoot MOA or better with a preference for the Hornady SST 150s.

Mine would be 'Old Trusty'.

My old one is a 30-06

But lately it's been my 25-06 death ray machine.

Sako A7, 100 grain TTSX 55.5 grains of H4831SC and deer drop fast

Gotta be my 94/22. Had to earn something like $75 for it and dad payed for the rest. Was maybe 7 years old. So have had it for 16 years. Learned how to shoot with it, Both open sights then scope now back to open sights again. Rolled a broncoII down a ditch for a ways, somehow it managed to go through the side window and ended up under the truck roof when it finally stopped its cartwheel. Rear sight was a lil tweaked, bent it back and its still rockin an rollin.

In 2004 I bought a new M70 Fetherweight in 270 WSM. This rifle has never failed to chamber or eject a round. Not ever a hesitation or hang up in feeding or ejection. Every time I pull the trigger it goes bang. The 270 WSM is fast and flat and has put down everything I have shot with it quickly.
I will admit that I have not been able to shoot a variety of animals with it. I live in a non rifle state for deer, so it has only been used for a trip to Wyoming for antelope and a couple of coyotes and a ground hog around here. I have complete faith in this rifle, so I guess that answers the question.

Ernie

I have 2
One is an old (around 1906) Lithgow single shot .22 I bought a few years ago for the kids to learn to shoot.

The other would be my Rossi '92 .44-40

Neither one has ever failed to go bang and put a piece of lead where I needed it to go as long as I do my bit.

Thanks.

The best part is there were witnesses to both the running antelope and the 503 yard shot. I often wonder what that antelope done to be that unlucky....

Dink

Chambering 300 Win Mag
Age 12 years, bought it in 2000 with my first re-enlistment bonus
Make Ruger
Model M77mkII stainless
Origin new

And why it holds the spot of the most trust worthy rifle you own
Has a Timney trigger a Leupy VX2 and a Mickey stock. Bunch of one shot kills and any target it's aimed at is hit dead center.

Winch. M70, .264 WM.. Circa '72, used.. Never, ever let me down... I paid about $175 for it.. And I wouldn't sell it for five times that price..

Ruger Ultra Lite .270, the very first I saw back in the early 80s has a VX III 2.5-8. The one I can always count on. 54grs IMR 4350 and a Sierra 130SPBT and Wam Bam Thank You Mam.... Meat in the freezer. RustyL

I would have say I have two of them. Rifles I can grab any time and know they will do the job at hand.

My 35 Whelen is a 1941 model 70 that was converted to left handed. I came to own it ten years ago, chambered in 30-06 and immediately sent it off to Cliff LaBounty to be rebored to 35 Whelen. I shoot 250 grain bullets in it, mostly Nosler Partitions, and they all shoot sub 1 inch groups. It wears a 3x Weaver with a post and cross hair reticle. It amazes me how well I shoot that reticle even at extended ranges.

My other go to rifle is my Remington KS Mountain rifle, left handed of course, in 300 H&H. I bought it nearly 20 years ago and have taken many deer, elk and antelope with it. It seems to shoot an incredible range of bullet weights well. Right now it is shooting 220 grain Nosler Partitions and wears a Leupold 4x. I loaned it to a buddy last year to take his caribou. He was duly impressed with it's performance.

There are other trustworthy rifles in my safe but are more specialized in their applications. My Swift can be counted on to anchor coyotes with authority and turn ground squirrel inside out. My Marlin 1895 45-70 is an awesome close quarters rifle and the TC renegade with a Green Mountain 62 caliber barrel will put those big round balls through the same hole time after time.

The 300 and the 35 I can grab and depend on to work in any North American scenario.

Mart

Chambering: 7mm WSM
Age: Later 1990's I would guess
Make: Winchester
Model: 70
Origin (new / used / handed down): Bought used here on the 'fire. It was kind of a train wreck when I bought it. It had some weird yellowish gunk on it (WD 40?), it wouldn't feed off the left side, and the inside of the action had some weird knicks all through it. I was NOT happy. Then I shot it.

And why it holds the spot of the most trustworthy rifle you own: It shoots tiny little groups, even with me driving it. Even though, I don't need that kind of accuracy at the ranges I normally hunt, it just fills me with confidence. Hopefully though, this rifle will soon be replaced by my Kimber .280AI--but, we'll see...

Would have to say a very old, tried and true FN-FAL.

Gunner

Somehow, an old 270 wby mag. from Japan with the lightweight barrel of 24 in. fits me well and has made some amazing shots on moving game (often in thick timber) in split second situations. It wears an old 2x7 VXII. Close behind is a Pre-64 FW .243 Win.

Steyr SBS Tactical LW carbine. 2.5-8x36 matte duplex, Warne Maxima bases and rings LOW.
165 Hornady BTSP over 41.5gr H4895 and CCi primers.

Winchester Model 70 270 featherweight Classic purchased approximately 1990. Bought it after thinking the pre 64's were to expensive. Easy to carry, extremely accurate with factory ammo, attractive and does any job put in its sights. Now if I could just find the same gun in 223.

Love the cal(less recoil) and handling of a recent purchase Savage 99 F in 300 Savage. Will have to bag a few whitetails with it to make the final decision, but the Winchester is going to be hard to knock out of first place. G

My pre 64 model 70 Winchester in 270..1957 model...It will shoot most any bullet or load inside a inch..It likes everything...

What a gun!!!

My Model 98 Mauser chambered for 30-06. It's a military action that my dad bought sporterized at a local department store back in the late 60's. It is set in an inexpensive hardwood stock that I had glass bedded back in the late 80's. The only other work done on it was a Timney trigger that was installed when the stock was bedded. It wears an old Weaver Microtrac 3x-9x, It's heavy, ugly, and has a nasty habit of killing anything it's been pointed at. With Federal Premium loads with the 165 gr. BTSP Sierra Game Kings, it's way more accurate than I can shoot it.

Well, my "Old Reliable" is a Win 70 XTR Featherweight 30-06 with a factory HS stock and a Leupie 4x long tube. It has basically been an on-demand killing machine for me since I bought it one month before I got married in 1994. I always feel treasonous when I don't take it.

My current favorite (my new old reliable?) is a Rem Mod7 XCR in 243 with an old Brown KS stock added. Probably the easiest, lightest but best-pointing, accurate little gun I've ever used. It is just plain easy to shoot, easy to carry, easy to care for, and kills really well. Has half the recoil of my -06, so probably will be what I use most going forward.

243win
~20yrs
Ruger
1rsi
new
it works!

Rem 700 ADL 270 Plumb boring... point..aim...shoot and the work begins.

I'm gonna have to say all of them. I guess I'm a bit like a butterfly flitting from flower to flower playing with whatever happens to strike my fancy. Currently my choice would be my Oberndorf Mauser custom chambered to the .35 Whelen. It was what I used on my last elk hunt and most likely will be used on my upcoming elk hunt. For deer and smaller game I like several that have always worked for me including an FN mauser (J.C. Higgins M50) in 30-06 that has been one hell of a lucky rifle. It was given to me by a late friend who couldn't use it anymore due to a serious shoulder injury. Currently is sits in a Butler Creek synthetic stock that I used to replace the original on the gun which got broken when I took a nasty fall. Funny thing is the rifle is a lot more accurate in the new stock than the rather fancy one that got broken. Another trustworthy rifle is Ruger RSI in .308. Ever der taken has been a one shot kill at ranges running from 6 feet to 250 yards.
Another rifle I may get to trust is a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 7x57. It's very accurate and it feed slicker'n snot on a doorknob but I've only hunted it once and bad luck and a ruined knee cost me the deer I shot with that rifle. If I draw a tag for deer this year I'll take it but the RSI will come along as back up.
My wife has only one rifle so it has to be her trustworthy gun. It too is a Ruger RSI in .308 and she shoots it well.
I really would have a very hard time picking out, "Just one."
Paul B.