ever purchased a rifle, based simply ..

[340wby]

have you ever purchased a rifle, based simply on the results youve seen someone else have in the field, on game?

one of my first rifle purchases was a 444 marlin, lever action in 1966,back when they were made with 26" barrels, I purchased that rifle after seeing a friend I hunted with drop two deer,from the same group, the first was at about 130 and the second was at about 150 yards in about 5 seconds, both dropped instantly! now at the time I really knew little about deer rifles and that was VERY impressive to a guy about 18 years old.(yes it was totally legal,not smart , but legal, we have a two deer a day limit)
I hunted with that rifle for several years, I only sold it after a friend offered me $70 dollars MORE than ID paid for it new!
I purchased a new 45/70-marlin with the money,due to its ability to handle much heavier cast bullets better,due to the more comon heavy bullet designs,that rifle served me even better for many years, that 45/70 loaded with 420 hard cast gascheck bullets was my back-up ELK rifle for years

how about you guys?

[Bill]

Great Gun there 340. Anything .45-70 I like.
And yes I did and still regret it. A 660 Remington Mohawk in .308. Wanted one for years as I was alway told how great a gun it was. Then I got one finally and find that there are a lot of better guns out there.

[deputydon]

I too saw what a .444 Marlin will do first hand; (it knocked a buck damn near over a fence) and lusted after one for years. I was never able to find one that my pocket book could afford.
Than I was turned on to the 45-70 and I haven't looked back.

[Jack]

"have you ever purchased a rifle, based simply on the results youve seen someone else have in the field, on game?"
Well, sorta, except it was my friend, not me.
I loaned a friend of mine a Ruger 77 Mk11 in 25-06. Had a nice Zeiss Conquest in 3x9 power on it, in a set of Conetrol mounts. I'd glass bedded the rifle, done a trigger job , and worked up some good handloads for it.
Anyway, my friend killed 4 deer with 4 shots, and promptly made me an offer too good to refuse on the rifle ;D

[Bill]

Just goes to show you that a .25-06 will impress anyone that uses it. :-)

[dakota]

When I was perhaps 12 years old I saw my brother shoot game with a 30-06. Since the time I could afford them I have always had multiple 06's. (Garands, Springfields, Remingtons, Winchesters, Rugers etc.)

[calsibley]

I purchase rifles for an equally benign reason. I have an idea (not a sound one) of what every man should own and try to work in that direction. I like to think that if you call me tomorrow morning to go hunting regardless of what you wish to hunt I've got a rifle suitable for it (except Africa). I guess it's like the handgun owner who simply has to own one of almost every caliber. There's no real need for it, just a desire.
I don't know how much sense this makes. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[twomoons]

Hell
I bought a rifle one time because it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen! By the same token I got a 270 after watching my father in law shoot one. He dropped everything from fox to deer one shot, one body for over 30 years.

[bounce]

D*D had a .32 Win SPL. So I bought a .32 Win SPL. It worked out for me just fine!!! I useually buy one just because...... I don't allready have one, and I never had a .32 Win SPL.

[deputydon]

I think everybody at one time or another buys a gun like someone elses because they were impressed by it. That's
part of the gun makers marketing.

[klsm54]

I have to admit to always hankering for a 270, mainly because of all the nights I fell asleep reading a Jack O'Connor book, or one of his tales in Outdoor Life... And eventually I bought one.

Most of my other gun purchases were because the caliber was not like everybody elses. I have owned 2 6mm Remingtons, my friends shoot 243's. I bought a 257 Roberts back in the 70's when it was all but dead in the gun companies eyes. I fell in love the Remington Classic idea, especially in the early days, because the calibers they chose were not available in normal factory rifles. I jumped on the first one in 7x57, and just had to have the 35 Whelen. Later I bought a 222. I bought a Model 70 in 6.5x55 at a time when I couldn't find ammo for it.

Heck, when muzzleloader season started in PA, everybody was buying .50's and even .45's. I went out and found a .54, just to be different.

Anyway, I guess I'm guilty of playing "me too", but not as often as I go the other direction....

[calsibley]

Hello Scott,

I can share your feelings on that one buddy. I have some of the calibers you mentioned, and they're damn good ones. I think you selected wisely. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[calsibley]

I'm currently trying hard to sell mysef on a .204, but not having great luck there. I own too damn many calibers that bracket it. Besides, I've always had a soft spot (in the head maybe) for a .221 which I guess is all but obsolete now. One of these days I'm going to say, "I want this gun for no rhyme or reason so I'm buying it. The devil be damned." That'll be the day, huh? Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[klsm54]

Here is a sweetheart in 221, Cal, if you can find one.

Remington 700 221 Fireball

IT WAS A SPECIAL RUN A COUPLE YEARS AGO. I KNOW THERE ARE STILL SOME ON DEALER SHELVES HERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D FIND ONE IN CANADA.

[calsibley]

Hello Scott,

And with a laminated stock no less. Ooooh that's a sweet looking rifle, and it seems pretty reasonably priced. I thought they were more expensive. You're right I'd never find one in Canada My best bet would probably be to go through Hart in Nescopeck, Pa. (near Berwick). He's an authorized Remington dealer and can pretty much get anythig they make or have made.
This is so tempting. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal