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!

It would be either the Colt Light Rifle NIB for $425 or the Browning ABolt Mountain Ti with a Burris scope for $950.

Both are well under inch shooters.

KC

Model Seven SS 7mm saum on clearance.

I paid 6 bills 2 years ago for a 700 Mtn. Rifle .280 Rem with a Vari X-III 2.5-8x36 on top... pretty good deal I thought. Sucker shot pretty well...

My best money spent on a rifle was in fact spent on a pistol. When I was 12, I saved all my money from selling prairie dog hunter's fired 223 brass - and bought a 10" barreled Ruger MK II. It's really, really accurate. I've put God knows how many thousands of rounds through it, and killed prairie dogs at ranges that you wouldn't believe if I told you.

Rimfires are where it's at in the cost per use generated category.

NIB Ruger M77 dog leg bolt .284 Win back in the 70's for $200.00 still my go to Whitetail-Mule deer rifle wish I would have also bought the .350 Rem mag Ruger that the shop also had O well it was the 70's !!!!

I picked up a Pre-64 M70 in 300 Win Mag for $500 last year.

Mine may be a custom VZ-24 Mauser in 358 Norma Mag. $600 with 6 boxes of 250 gr Norma Woodleigh ammo.

Beautiful rifle, shoots sub one inch.

Gonna' kill me a brown bear with it next spring in AK.

donsm70

Best money I've ever spent on a rifle would be either the marlin model 60 I bought off the consignment rack at the sporting goods store in Missoula I worked for $100 that was almost brand new. Bought it a few years ago and I've shot 1000s of rounds through it. Left it with the factory open sites and can shoot smarties candy out of the air with it and can also split playing cards in half.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I worked at a different sporting goods store in Great Falls and someone had come in and sold us a marlin 336 with the factory camo stock and I bought it for $135. I've only killed a couple deer with it but its one of the most fun rifles I have to shoot. I put a skinner front blade and skinner express peep on it.

It's a toss up for me :

'48 BRNO Model 1 .22LR w/tuned trigger
'51 BRNO Model 3 .22LR (HB)

bought the Heavy Barrel Model 3 for parts, but I've since put many bricks through them both !

Both are shooters, and great value !

My BL22 for $90, and my two Colt Lights, one for $500, the other was $350. I won't get rid of any of them.

Great stories, and pictures of some fine rifles, gents.

Some of y'all make my best bargains seem pretty average!

I bought this T3 .223 several years ago, and have to say it's another I haven't regretted owning for minute. Got it on sale at Sportsman's Warehouse back when we still had 'em in Texas.

It has gobbled up every factory offering and hand load I've thrown at it - including Federal and Barnes factory loads in 53 TSX, and it has treated my children well.

Here's a sample from this year - a couple of first bucks for some happy girls!

A 5.5 and 6.5 or 7.5 year old buck, respectively - and lots better than their Daddy's first buck!

Neither of them could stop a 53 TSX, nor did they like them much...grin.





DJ

Those are some nice deer dj.
I was just thinking bout my best deals, I won't say that these has been my best bargains but I picked up a bl 22 for 300$ and stuck a leaupy rimfire on it and have had a lot of fun with it.
Next would be my 7mm sendero, think I paid $700 for it with warn rings and bases. Not a steal bit have really enjoyed it. Got me started shooting long range, at least for me. Shot deer at 633, and serval between 4 and 500 yards this year. It was a blast. Prolly never sell either

No pics at hand but best money spent on a rifle?
500 Euros for a Winchester 70 Extreme Weather SS .30-06 (new in the original box)
Accurate, robust, well-manufactured

A Ruger M77 in 7x57 and a Remington 700ADL in 270. Gave one to each son and the return has been priceless.

I told it once, but cant tell it again as swampy will be along to call me a liar again.

Gunner

Savage Model 340 in .222 from Pawn shop for $175.
Approx. 8 kids have killed their first TX deer and/or pig with that gun.
Very accurate and solid as a rock.

stumpy

Didn't know you were afraid of swampy.

He got a banjo, golf cart, lives in the swamp and choots critters in the bunghole, yeah, I'm askereed.

Gunner

Found a Weatherby Mark V, 270 mag, Synthetic stock w/black beaded finish.Picked up a Black McMillan MK V stock off Gunbroker to put on it; total investment $460 w/ a box of ammo. Had planned to sell it for a profit, then I took it out and shot it. First group was .68", so much for that idea. Added Blue Titanium cerakote finish and EBay acquired Swaro 3-12x50 in S&K mounts and put it to work. Results below at 194yds w/ 130g Spitzer. I think it's now a keeper.

I know its a bit off course here, but the best money I've spent on rifles has always been putting a rock or krieger or obermeyer barrel on them. That and finding Zeiss conquests to put on them. Looks like Z Tera in the future....

Value wise... the best deal on iron is being given a few guns as momentos of successful hunts.

Jeff

That's right on course, as far as I'm concerned.

In addition to bargains and sentimental favorites, there's a big element of bang for the buck which is pretty informative.

Good barrels sure take the drama out of getting rifles to do what they're supposed to...could very well be a major contributor to best money spent on a rifle.

DJ

Rem 700 BDL in 270 and a used WideField 3x9 in 1972, on the advice of Jack O'Connor, of course. I hunted around the country and Canada with that rifle. I didn't know any better and took elk, mulies, antelope and whitetails for nearly 30 years. Then
Al Gore invented the internet and I learned that 270 bullets barely gave big game a bloody nose, so I had to give up traveling out west.
It stills shoots pretty well, tho the inside of the barrel looks like sundried alligator skin.
That rifle took some abuse as I learned to reload with it, and there were times when I certainly pushed the envelope. Wore out a Speer #8 manual. It never saw a round of factory ammo til after it was 30 years old and I did some benchmarking.
It is wearing its 4th stock, a kidsized plastic job fitted to 2 of my grandsons that learningto shoot with it.
Think my total investment was something less than $200.

I bought a brand new Beretta Mato Synthetic with all of the accesories for $500 + sales tax. The total was either $525 or $535. Then about a year ago I picked up the a grade XXX Turkish walnut stock on close out from Beretta for $139 + tax and shipping. The stock is just gorgeous.

I've gotten better deals, but this one became my son's rifle this year:




NIB Weatherby Vanguard Back Country .30-06, $650. I bought it a couple of years ago. He'll join me hunting with it this year.


P

I picked up a refinished pre64 fwt last year for $425 iirc. I ordered an edge around Christmas. So it'll be a real sweet rig on a few months.

I've posted this in a couple of spots this week already, but its going here because its the best money I have spent er... actually money I didn't spend.
Ruger No. 1 in 450/400 Nitro Express 3" obtained this weekend.




The deal: I'd been looking for either the 9.3x74R or the 450/400 N.E. 3" for a couple of years, and had missed several deals from them either being snatched up or not having the fun money. I found this one the day it was put out for sale, and decided to sell a couple of things to get it.
I went into the shop sold my stuff and bought the rifle and managed to come out exactly 1 penny ahead on the deal!

An old Winchester 69A that I bought from a pawn shop for $40 a long time ago. With the barrel bobbed to 20",the receiver grooved to mount a scope and some spray paint. It is the most accurate and useful gun that I have ever seen.

paid alot for this little 99 250 savage barrel band, as you can see it puts a big smile on my face

and this winchester mod 54 in 30/06, it also has a high fondel factor

My Marlin .17 HMR. Most accurate rifle I own and I abuse the heck out of it.

250AI from Kampfeld -- little to no wait time!

Another story like the first one. Back in the late 70's or so I bought three Remington Nylon 66's for me and my two boys for Christmas. A brown one for me and a black one and a green one for the boys. I think they were under $100 ea. or so brand new at a big box store.
We still have them, still shoot them and the black and green one's are worth in the $800 to $1000 range to the collectors.

Another story like the first one. Back in the late 70's or so I bought three Remington Nylon 66's for me and my two boys for Christmas. They came in colors and I bought a brown one for me and a black one and a green one for the boys. I think they were under $100 ea. or so brand new at a big box store.
We still have them, still shoot them and the black and green one's are worth in the $800 to $1000 range to the collectors.

I have no idea the $ ratio on it, but based on the use/enjoyment, the best $ I ever spent was on the first .223AI I had put together. I shot more, shot at longer ranges, killed lots of stuff, learned more about reloading, learned to dial for distance and use mildot's, wife shot more, introduced friends to shooting with it...

I guess I'd have to say it cost me a lot of $ as well since I've had several rebarreled in the same chambering, but it's been well worth it!

NOT to question YOU or dispute at all.

Am I mistaken?

I am not AWARE that Win chambered the Pre 64s in 280 Rem.

There is NOTHING wrong with a re-barreled rifle, Pre 64 or not. Rem brought out the 280 in 1957, so it's possible.

Can someone help me??

about 5 years ago I bought a like new looking Rem M7 in 260 with Leupold mounts and a new looking Ziess Conquest 3.5-10x40 I think that is the power for a total of $550

Best Bargain for me EVER.

I'm the 2nd owner of a Rem 700 BDL in 8mm Rem Mag. I was with the guy when he bought it in the 80s. He got a steal of a deal when a store was closing out their sporting goods dept.

Somewhere @ 2000, he sold it to me for a price..................

I will not disclose.
_________________________________________________________________

I don't own a gun I don't like.

ONE of my favs & best $$ spent is a Ruger 10-22 SS in laminate stock. I bought it from a Wally World on closeout > $160.
It's my fav 22 ever. Great carry gun and DEATH & DESTRUCTION on squirrels and other small game.

I don't have a pic ready to post yet.

1927 7x57 single square bridge Waffenfabrik Oberndorf with factory fitted Zeiss Zeilvier in Akah mounts for $1600.00, used it and turned it over for $3000.00

Got a 100% tax deduction for the purchase as well...sometimes the sun just shines!

In a 22LR, a BSA Martini Model 12 for $125 years ago. Have had a lot of fun out shooting folks with scoped 22's. Centerfire best buy was a NIB Steyr ProHunter in 6.5X57 for $475 when they changed distributers. I guess the best one is a '55 Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 300H&H that was passed down to me. I also got all 5 boxes of 50's ammo. 2 1/2 were not shot. Never even had a scope mounted.

Hunting rifle wise...Ken, firearms44 who I shoot and hunt with, came up with a like new Remington Custom Shop 7KS/.350 RM for $800.00... He kindly let me buy it and it is probably the last one to be sold when I pare down. They were $2500 new at the time and had just been discontinued... Killed a nice doe with it this past fall in Pennsylvania at 120 yards...



Bob

4 Kimber Montanas.

I don't remember how much money was involved, but the year after I got out of college I traded a Remington 700 classic in .270 for my first left-handed rifle. It wasn't a real bargain, but a fair price. It is a LH Ruger Mk II. I chose a .30/06 because I figured I could use it for whatever opportunities arose. Well, the opportunities at bigger game haven't come around yet, and I have some other rifles to choose from now, but that old /06 has had a good run. I don't know how much meat it has put in the freezer but with a few antelope thrown in with a bunch of deer, it has to be getting close to 50 big game animals. It is one of those rifles that will shoot most anything you put in it into around 1.5" or with proper handloads, you can often cut that in half.

I'm sure part of what makes the rifle so special is that about 10 years ago, my Dad started hunting again and he used the rifle to take his first several deer. One of my cousins who also shoots left handed took his first 2 deer with it as well.

I have been shooting some other rifles, so for the past couple of years I haven't hunted with the old .30/06, although my Dad pick it back up this year and took another buck with it. I realized the other day I was kind of missing the old girl. There is just something about the familiar and the memories and knowing from experience that if you point it right and squeeze the trigger you have meat.

That story brings another one to mind...

I was a kid and saved up and my Dad and I bought a 270 Rem 700 BDL years ago - late 70's, early 80's maybe - with a 3-9x40 Leupy for $400 and a nice aluminum 2 gun case. A fellow won it in a raffle, didn't hunt and sold it cheap.

It was my first really nice rifle that was new to me. I hunted with it for years, and killed lots of critters with it, and then my Dad had a 7 Mag that was misbehaving and borrowed it from me to go on a hunt.

I never got it back, and it's his first string rifle to this day - running 130 TTSX's. He's had it for at least 15 years.

He killed this buck with it a few years back....His all time best whitetail.



It's worth more to me the longer I don't get it back...

DJ

Sweet thread DJ.

You guys get any moisture?

Sam,

I'm enjoying this thread a bunch.

Had no idea it would strike such a chord with folks, but glad it has.

We've had precious little moisture, Sam. It's better than the last few years, but we're still in serious drought and a long way from out of the woods.

Fewest cows we've had that I can remember, and still probably too many.

How are things up your way?

DJ

DJ, hope you guys get a good rain soon.


It's okay here, can't complain, we are right on the edge.


That is a great pic of your dad.

270's rule....grin

Hard to say.

The Browning semi-auto .22 I bought new when I got out of the service in '74? Cost me $125 and I've put thousands of rounds through it. Best .22 rifle design ever IMHO, but 'm a bit biased. Grew up shooting Granddad's Remington version that he paid ~$25 for during the depression. Figured I'd never live long enough to inherit it. Granddad died last year at age 100 and Dad has the rifle now. I'd still be waiting.

The Ruger 7mm RM that served as my only bolt-action big game rifle for 20+ years and took everything from prairie dogs to coyotes to antelope to deer to elk? Maybe the used Ruger #1 in .20 Rem I stumbled into at the LGS that scratched a long-standing itch?


Maybe the Marlin levers? $250 for a 336CS in .3030, $350 for the Model 375 in .375 Win or $249.95 for a 1895 in .45-70, all used but in excellent condition?


How about the Ithaca Model 49 for $105 to replace the one I got as a pre-teen but later foolishly sold?


One of these .30-06's? Got the Ruger M77 on the left, used, while my wife was receiving leukemia treatment at MD Anderson in Houston. Thought I'd go pig hunting but it didn't work out. Two years later came the Remington M700, a bargain at Dicks. Then in 2010 the used stainless Ruger MKII.


Nope. This is the one. A 1989 Ruger M77 in .257 Roberts, my favorite rifle. Literally bumped into a guy carrying it at a gun show in 2004. He claimed it had less than a box of ammo through it and the lack of scratches in the bluing under the slide safety, something I 'fixed' in the first couple trips to the range, attested to its lack of use.

Best $300 rifle I've picked up... Brother has mastered it

A Winchester model 67 .22 single shot that a co worker sold to me for $50 for my boys to start shooting with. Fun little rifle!

For me it's a tossup between my Kimber Hunter .22 or the Montana 223AI I bought from a feller here on the fire!

Husqvarna 8000/9000 series bolt rifles.

Buy/sell/trade:
Model 12 in a tattered box, little use. In, $250 - out $900 LGS would not give 250.
Model 70 Super Gd .270. In $325 cleaned it -out $850. Not pristine.
Model 70 .300 HH nice, in $500 - out $950 + a 2-7 Leupold.bought these last two from dealers. Once in a while I gave too much, but not often. Once, I walked into a LGS, bought a Walther PPK .22 from the patriarch at a very reasonable price. His son saw me with the pistol, a few minutes later and told me that it was not for sale. I told him that he was correct, I had already bought it from his dad and intended to keep it. Apparently he had called one of his collector customers and sold it on the phone. I left the store with a minty cased Browning Medalist, no boot.

Keepers:
I have a small group of what I think are nice pieces, some I gave a good price for and some I should have had license to steal, but I never took advantage of the elderly and widows. A few are:

Three Browning Safaris, a bunch more came and went,
Browning Pigeon Grade 20 Ic/M from 1963 - my heirs can fight over this one,
Grade III and Grade IV BARs,
NICE pre war S&W unregistered (much rarer than registered) .357, also a nice 60s Model 28, and a nice M&P. A .32-20 from 1919 that we inherited from wife's grandad.
An A-5 that I skipped lunch to save for in 1963. I took a pickup load of quail with that one when younger.
A nice old pre war M70 that is used smooooothe.
A Colt 1911 from 1948 and a .380 pocket pistol from the thirties.
First edition S&W 37, 42, and 60.
Speaking of 42, a Winchester 42 almost new bought at a gun show 6-7 yrs ago
Several older Marlin lever guns. My favorites are a Mountie and a Glenfield 30.

And others. I have way too many guns, but the bride of my youth has told me that they are better than money in the bank. Most of what I have kept either keeps up with inflation, or appreciates in value.

Tom Burgess/Monty Kennedy G33/40. Jerry Fisher built rifles, any one of the five I have owned. Echols Legend 7RM.

It always saves money to get the very best first time around.

sako 243with 3x9 busnell $169 +$40 new in box . a long time ago . 2 deer last and one this past fall.

My money...




Only gun I have bought... yet.

Years ago in the 80's the CMP had a limited amount of M1D rifles with all accessories that they were selling by means of a drawing. I put my name in and lo and behold - my name got drawn! I was traveling and when i got back it was past the deadline but i sent the 650 bucks in anyway and the gun came a short time later. It is complete with scope, mount, cone flashhider, etc. Many of the accessories were in the wrap - unopened. Gun is a SA in very good to Exc condition. 650$ is the most I have every spend on a gun in my entire life... I have no regrets.

Probably the best is $35 for a Brazilian mauser in 7x57. It was in very good to excellent condition and like an idiot I used it as a donor action for a 308 target build. I still have the 308 still kick myself over that move. I sold the barrel, or rather traded it and the stock to the gunsmith for the price I paid for it. He sold the barrel for $100 to a friend of mine and everyone was happy.

I bought a model 38 husqvarna 6.5x55 for $75 that I still own and shoot. The cock on closing seems odd at first but it became familiar very quickly

My 375 CZ550 was for a time my most expensive rifle but I got a sweet deal on it drastically reduced in price from the $1100 original. I didn`t steal it but I kept expecting the police to show up.

Nice buck and pic!

Sporterized 1939 Berliner-Lubeck Mauser 98 with nice wood, a gorgeous bluing job, and a long-chamberred 30-06 barrel someone installed with excessive headspace for $125. I put on a stainless .308 Win barrel I picked up for $50, fitted a new recoil pad, and mounted a Burris 4x scope I got for $35. And I love the way it shoots.

I bought a new Marlin Glenfield semi-auto.22 for $39 when was in High School at K-MART. We actually bought three (3) that day. They came with a little "toy" scope. We all refinished our stocks and rescoped them.
I have used and abused that poor gun and I am still using it.
Only 40 years worth.

stumpy

Bought some nice rifles over the years. As a young man enjoyed reading O'Connor and Wootters all the time. Wootters stimulated me into searching for and finding a 1964 Sako L579 Mannlicher .308 later in life when I could afford it. Topped it with a USA made Burris Signature in 2x8. Probably my favorite rifle. An absolute joy to carry.

However the best money spent was last year. Found a FN Browning Safari in .257 Roberts at of all places a local Cabelas. Wasn't initially that interested but after getting home and doing some research, I literally could find nothing about that gun in that caliber. Found enough however to realize it was somewhat rare.

Interesting thing was as I searched the gun library most Safari's in the same shape were priced much higher than this one and they were not even rare...i.e. 270's, 30-06's, etc starting at $1500-$1700. Those on the rarer side (i.e. .284)were 4-5K. Usually Cabelas is on the high side. The Cabelas gun shop person obviously didn't know what he had in hand when he priced it. Funny thing is it had been on display for almost three weeks before I saw it.

Went back to the store when it opened the next morning hoping it was there, it was, and I bought it. Had it verified by letter from Browning. Apparently estimates vary, but it appears only about 25 were made in that caliber.

One report in Eastman's guide indicates more on one specific order with some in 25-06, but I feel that is suspect because it the 25-06 which was a wildcat then. According to another report FN would not make that gun in that caliber for that reason. As far as the Bob, that offering wasn't even listed in any of the Browning catalogs at the time.

Sometimes even a blind squirrel can find a nut.

First is the Sako Mannlicher .308. Next two are the Browning Safari .257 Roberts. I added a vintage Browning 2x7x33 (Burris made) scope.

Add the pic.

Also, you can't really see the detail but my pond is 'running over'. 3 good rains in 1 week. Too wet to shoot into the dam.

Stevens .223 cost me 269 and shoots honest 3/8 moa all the time.

Wacenturion, nice rare rifle and you are right to be proud.

I have a rich eccentric acquaintance (i suppose he is still alive?) that has or had (he rarely sells anything) one of the .25-06s. And, I have had the Sako actioned .22-250 Varminter and seen dozens more. Browning caused a stir in the industry with the introduction of that one when it was still a Wildcat. Because they had been scooped, Remington soon went to work to standardize both calibers and hung their name on them.

I have found Eastman to be straightforward in his writing. He tells you what he knows. He also tell you when he is estimating, based on what he knows to be in collections or what he has seen offered at the big collector shows.

I would have to dig through some of my stored files to come up with the name because of a bad case of CRS, but the gruffy old gentleman that used to run Browning's repair/warranty facility at Arnold, MO was a wealth of knowledge. I once called him about a shotgun. In describing the problem, he told me that what I was describing was impossible. He asked me to send the gun to him. A few days later he called and said that he had my gun and that the "SOB" was exactly as I had described it. He fixed it. Another conversation with him convinced me that at Browning, never say never.

Best wishes and enjoy, jack

Jack, the reason I mentioned that the way I did was, is that I ran across an article (about the .257 I believe) written years ago by John Wootters. He mentioned in that article that a friend of his wanted to order a FN Browning Safari at that time in 25-06 and Browning would not build one in that caliber because it was a wildcat at the time. So instead Wootters friend had to order a minimum of six rifles from Browning, in this case in .257 Roberts, as a special order to convert one into a 25-06.

Wootters went on to say that his wife ended up with one of the original six .257's in that order that his friend placed, which apparently she cherished. Another interesting bit of information.

That's why I was somewhat suspect of the Eastman guesstimate in regards to that Hollywood Gun Shop order he referred to as far as calibers and numbers. Who knows, FN Browning either made some in 25-06 or those guns in that wildcat cartridge were re chambered from special order .257's.

If indeed it is the latter and .257's were converted to 25-06's back then or later, then that in itself reduces the original number of Bob's still out there.

Might have mentioned that to you before, but just in case. Hopefully I run across some additional information as time goes by.

Every rifle I ever bought is a shooter with the exception of a post 64 model 94 Winchester in 30-30. That thing was an absolute piece of junk. If you tried to ease a cartridge into the chamber, over half the time it would release it under the stamped lifter plate, and it was jam city. Got good at fishing the cartridge out of there with a power saw file.

One of my favourite rifles is a CZ453 in 22LR. That thing is an absolute dream to shoot. Tiny groups with boring regularity.

Another one is a M1000 Eclipse Browning Abolt in 300 WinMag. It shoots just over 0.5 moa groups regularly. I wish I lived somewhere that I could test it at long range. Longest shot I've made so far is 300 yards on a deer.

Personal current favourite right now is the Tikka T3 in 6.5 Swede. Just over 1/2" groups from three different loads and two different shooters on the same day. Gotta love it!

I also have a Ruger #1H in 405 Winchester that shoots under an inch with 300 grain Barnes X bullets at 2450 fps.

Prolly these two:
A Dick's special in .243, and a 1966 BDL in .243.
$399 each without glass and mounts.

The $650 LH Winchester M70 Stainless I bought off of Armslist right here in MN.
Just the rifle would be a great buy at that price but this one came with a Leupold Vari-XIII 4.5-14x40 attached.
I traded the scope here, straight across for a 3-9x40 Conquest, added S&K rings and added a used McSwirly, also bought here at the 'Fire, then tripped it right here in MN for $1800.
Very nice rifle but I just couldn't pass up the profit since I've never warmed up to the 7RM chambering. If it'd been a .270 I'd still have it I presume.
Another rifle I own also pleases me very much. My rather rare LH Kimber of Oregon M84 in 6x47. This rifle is uber light (6# 1.7oz scoped) and handles beautifully. Got this one off of GB. Wouldn't sell this one for double what I paid.

Two rifles one centefire on rimfire. Bought a 700BDL in 1966 with a K4 Weaver scope in Redfield Jr mounts for 150.00. In 79 bought a Ruger 10-22 for a Pawn Shop in Lawton Ok new in a box for 45.00. Still have both.

My custom build from Robert gradous

My old ADL in 243 bought it in '65 don't even remember the price.

Have read every post with interest, guys.

Really enjoying all the variety of rifles, and why they represent the best money you've spent on a rifle.

Some real beauties, some sentimental favorites, some bargains that border on criminal...grin, some old and faithful with decades of good service and pleasure, and some top class custom shootin' irons...

That's a lot of what's fun about this stuff.

Thanks, and keep 'em coming.

DJ

sure as hell wasn't my Rossi/Braztech M92

great little rifle...C/S is non existant.......

Reading through these posts reminds me of a couple others, with much sadder endings. Remington Ti in 270 for $750, sold for some other purchase that is no longer around. Of course it only put the first handful of assorted handloads into .75.

Winchester Classic Sporter in 7RM, $400 delivered. Gone. But maybe not a total waste 'cause I sold it to a friend who sold me his 70 Classic in .375 for $450 a year later. That one belongs in the topic.

KC

Nice rifles you have there! I love the old browning safari's and sako's.

My new-to-me $900 Kimber Montana 7mm WSM with a pac-nor super match barrel screwed on. This one will never be for sale.

I would have to say thou I owned a lot of rifles over the years. I kept three out of the some 60 I owned when I paired down some years back. I would have to say the $ 400 dollars I paid for a Styer Mannlicher Model M Professional in 7 x 57 back in 1975 was by far the best money I ever spent on a rifle- I had it for almost 38 years and it still shoots as well as the day I bought it, It wears a newer 6 x 42 mm Leupold on it right now, I planning to buy new rings and bases this year and up grade the scope to a Leica 2.5-10x42. That is the reason for new rings and bases. Warne's .

Early Sako Finnbear in 30 06. One of my all time favorites

DJ;
Thanks for the fine thread and the wonderful responses it's been getting. I hope that this finds you all doing well and it's good to see that your kids got out hunting a bit this fall. Please pass along congratulations to them on the very nice deer.

For me there have been a few rifles that were good decisions, but I'll have to say that first place is a tie between two.

In 1984 we'd moved off the farm and out here to BC where my folks lived. After a couple years of going along on occasion with my wife and I hunting, my now passed on father decided he wanted to get back into hunting. As he'd given me his hunting rifle he asked me to look into what he should buy.

So unbeknownst to him, I ordered up an "extra clean" 96 Swede from Century Arms in Montreal. If memory serves it was something under $60 landed here. Anyway, I bobbed 8" off of the barrel, remade an end cap from the existing parts, recontoured and checkered the stock, bedded it, drilled and tapped it, installed a low scope safety and had a local welding shop mig a different bolt handle onto it.

We were buying those Bushnell 4X Sportviews for around $30 US back then in Oroville, so including some used rings and some trading I was into the rifle for less than $120 give or take.

This is the day I gave it to him in 1986.


That rifle was a catalyst to get him out hunting with us for the next decade and a lot of great memories were forged between us - in part because of it.

As time passed, Dad's health deteriorated to the point where he couldn't ride in the pickup on the mountain roads anymore. He gave the Swede back to me, saying he hoped that perhaps one of the grand kids could make some use of it someday.

Here is a shot of the rifle with a different scope on it.


Although Dad passed on before she claimed it, as it turned out it was our eldest who claimed her Grandad's rifle, though I did have to add a Dayton Traister cock on open kit to it for her to manipulate it when she was younger.

Now about that time our youngest decided she wanted to hunt as well, so I looked around for something to suit our budget and the low recoil that she preferred.

A good friend of mine - now gone as well - had recently purchased a number of rifles from an estate and offered me a screaming deal on a .250AI built on a Remington 722 using an RKS stainless barrel, complete with a 2-7 Leupold Compact on it. I don't think he asked more than $450 for it, which even then was very, very reasonable.

I extensively modified a 788 stock that had been cut down to 12�" pull and that met our youngest daughter's needs to a T.

Here it is with it's most recent ADL stock, a 3-9 Leupold, Talleys and a 700 trigger now too.


Anyway DJ, these two bargain rifles allowed this "best hunting day ever" to happen for me.


Well, I just got a call that I need to go pick up the .250AI shooter from her basketball games, so I've got to fly.

All the best to you and your family DJ and thanks again for the thread.

Dwayne

Perhaps it's my 99F in .358 that I got in 1966. It was perfect for the forests in VT where I had just bought a hunting camp.

That rifle is not optimum these days as I am hunting in more open land now.

The rifle that's on my mind now is the M70 action'd custom that I got last summer in .300 WM. I did not pay a lot for it.

I have shot it some and so far I have not got it just right.

It's too cold now for testing and other rifles have been ready but I just looked at it again tonight. I like it's stock and action!

The loads ready for the range are 165 and 168's over H4350. So far I got 2" two shot groups at 200 yds. I could not get 150's to shoot really well last fall but after just looking at the records I will try 150's again.

A grand for this pair of Walther Model B Mausers, a 7x57 left and an 8x57 right.

BC30cal

Money well spent indeed.....priceless!

Dwayne,

Good to hear from you, my friend.

I believe you have taken the prize for best money spent on a rifle!

While I have some rifles which have brought great joy to 3 generations (for which I'm grateful!), I don't think I have any that quite have the history of yours!

Thanks for sharing your story, and all the details of both family fun, hunts, and pouring thought and special effort into rifles for your Dad and daughters.

It's something how a rifle sparks some special sentimental fondness and attachment as one uses and enjoys it.

I'll take a stab at one of the runner-up spots with a couple more pics...grin.

A very happy Granddad and Grandson with my son's first buck - photographed by a very happy Dad!





I sincerely hope that you and your family are well, happy and blessed!

DJ