hardcastonly

wearing out your hunting rifle... caliber tends to have a big effect on the number of cartridges fired, they have manufactured many millions of cartridge firing rifles, especially in the last 150 years , and a great many of those are still functional and reasonably accurate if they received even minimal maintenance care and cleaning and lubrication,
lower pressure cartridges like a 44 mag or 45/70 are almost impossible,
too wear out, using cast lead bullets,with the rifling in typical hunting use,
and if the rifles properly cleaned and maintained,
small bore high velocity cartridges like a 257 wby , 7mm rem mag, or 300 win mag,
are far rougher on potential bore and rifling life span durability
I can tell you from decades of helping new hunters and going on dozens of out of state hunting trips,
that the vast majority of hunting type rifles never get shot, nearly enough to come close to wearing out due to use..
lack of proper maintenance maybe, but not worn out.
if your looking at a military clone in 223, or 7.62/39 it might get shot a good deal, and shot rapidly and over heated, thats a bit different.
Id bet most used rifles have hundreds of cartridges shot through them in only months not years,
if its a 308, 30/30. 30/06 or 270, it may or may not have seen extensive use.
as always it helps to know what your looking at!
I stopped by a local gun-shop this A.M. to pick up a few rifle cleaning supplies along with a buddy that was looking for a new elk hunting rifle.
he was kind off fixated on buying a 450 marlin BLR after,
borrowing and using mine for a few local white tail hunts last fall.
as we got out of the car, in the gun shop parking lot, a pickup truck pulled in and a guy opened the crew cab rear seat doors,
and brought out a rem 700 in 416 rem, I commented briefly "Nice looking rifle" he smiled and said..
yeah, Its a darn shame but I need to unload/sell it.
I asked him what he wanted,for that rifle,and he said I was hoping to get $500,
I doubt its had more than 60 cartridges through it since I bought it back in the early 1990s,
but its been taking up space in my gun safe and does not get used.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.416_Remington_Magnum
my buddy pulled me aside...ask me if I thought the rifle might be worn out?
I said, its very VERY unlikely due to the cost of ammo, and the rifles recoil level that the rifles even properly broken in yet,
most big bore rifles have had very few shots through them,
I know of one ruger #1 in 458 win ,
thats had been passed through 3 owners, "members of my hunt club",
and has had less than 6 boxes of 20 cartridges though it yet!
if it was a 257 weatherby that might be a valid concern, but with a 416 rem..
I bet hes telling you the honest truth...
I bet the vast majority of the rifles like 416 Remington, 458 win and 458 LOTT,
are purchased, shot a few dozen times a year at most,
and theres a good deal of time passing between uses,
if the rifles cleaned and properly oiled and cared for,
it will last several owners lifetimes of usage.
most people don,t have my masochistic tendency's, and recoil tolerance,
and most people don,t reload high quality , reduced velocity , accurate ammo for big bore rifles.
I also mentioned that that was darn good rifle for cast bullets and reduced loads
,and most people don,t appreciate , accurate but heavy rifles with noticeable recoil.
that rifle would make it a decent thick timber elk rifle, out to easily 300 yards, with proper hand loads.
mean while the guy, , he went inside, .....the gun shop offered him $375 , he was not happy.....
my buddy steps up and listening to the conversation, was talking too the guy who owned the 416,
while the counter guy looked over the rifle,
and surprised me and the guy behind the counter... when he said,
Ill give you $425 cash right now, if your really interested in selling.
this did not make the counter guy happy... but the guy who owned the 416,
and my buddy walked out while I paid for the cleaning supplies.
the end result was my buddy now owns a 416 rem rifle with a signed bill of sale,
and we got a photostat of the guys drivers licence , and cars licence .
on the way home my buddy said I just saved about $600 and got a bargain..
I agreed but Im sure hes on the gun shops counter guys S%^T list

http://us.castbulletengineering.com....le/416-calibre

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010265854?pid=282505