ORIGINAL: Folically Challenged
ORIGINAL: linvillegorge
ORIGINAL: heeze gutshot shortee
linville...DM is rite..youve got a hunting rifle...just get a new scope and keep shooting...Hunting weapons are not runway models...at least, not to me.....scratches and scars...what memories! I read your post and say" hey kid sell the gun to me" , cause , imop, youre not really appreciatin it for what it is.............so how much???
I think you misunderstood my intention here. I don't want to replace the rifle. I'm not upset that it has a few scratches and dings. I just want to keep the rifle is as close to the same condition as my Dad gave it to me as possible. That's why I was considering a synthetic stock. I'd hate to slip on a scree slope and take off a side of the stock or something like that. It's not a matter of wanting to replace the rifle because I don't WANT to hunt with it, it's a matter of FEAR of possibly ruining a heirloom. Other than dogging bears (where the rifle got all the dings - and the reason my Dad never put an expensive scope on it), it's been a tree stand whitetail rifle. I could still use it for such pursuits and use another rifle for chasing elk through canyons.
Here's what you do:
1) Invite your Dad over for whiskeys & steaks, and spend the evening with him as he reminisces about his hunts with the rifle. Be sure to get some of it caught on cassette tape or video tape. This will describe the gun as you received it: HIS gun.
2) Replace the scope with upgraded glass: at least $150. I'd recommend VXII, FFII, 3200, & Browning as a good starting level, but spend more if you can. Get some good rings, too. Leupold Dual Dovetails are rock-solid.
3) Start creating your OWN memories with the rifle. That stock is the recorded history of the rifle. You'll have a baseline of those scratches that came before you, & you'll get to pass on the stories of those that accumulated under your ownership. If the faded bluing is resulting in rust, then re-blue it. Otherwise, keep it as-is. If the bore is shot or rusted, then go ahead & re-barrel it.
4) Plan on having your son (or daughter) over for whiskeys & steaks in the future, at which time you can recount your own stories of both the hunts you've taken it on, as well of those of your Dad. You'll then pass the rifle on toyour offspringto start making their OWN memories.
Heirlooms are great, but safe-queenrifles haveno stories to tell. This rifle can be a way to span the generations, and link you all together.
FC
Yeah. Ya know what, you're right. I know all the stories behind all those scratches and dings because my Dad is the one who put them there. That's the thing. I'm still thinking of this as HIS gun. In my head, this is still his gun. I just don't think it's really sunk into me that this is MY gun now. I wasn't looking to really upgrade this gun out of lack of appreciation. Instead, I was afraid to use the gun, as he did for many years, out of fear of messing it up. But to not use it as he did would be more disrespectful than going out using it and potentially messing it up.
That settles it. A new base, rings, and glass for the gun and it will live on. Thanks man, I really appreciate it. I do.