RE: Are you Fickle?
 

Hey Rebel, have you been talking to my wife....

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

Guess I'm "different"...The guns I hunt with the most are like old friends...When I use a shotgun...Its either a 12 gauge double that dad gave me when I was 12 (I'm 51 now)...or either the Browning B-80 that I bought used from my younger brother about 20 years ago...I still use a Remington 552 Speedmaster that I bought when I was 16...Although I did buy a Remington 541-T with a blonde curly maple stock about 10 years ago...

When it comes to deer rifles I'm lucky...I have several fickle friends...Seems they change calibers every 2-3 years...I usually mount their scopes, adjust the trigger and sight them in for them. They even let me clean their deer!!! :D I've just kept my Ruger M-77 in .243 that I bought in 1980, although I did replace the Bushnell Scopechief a few years back and put a Leupold VX-II 3x9x40 on it...

Heck...I've even been married to the same woman for 27 years...Guess I'll keep her... ;)

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

Yep! Me too

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

I have changed guns a lot but the wife was a keeper. Almost 39 years now.:DI imagine that it will last a lot longer yet if I don't trade off her 250 Savage. That might ruffle some serious feathers.;)She is not fickle, the first time she shot the 700 Rem Classic in 250-3000 it was a done deal. She will shoot the 6.5x55 and she didn't mind the 7mm-08.

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

When i was 9 years old i fell in love with the drillings i saw in my dad's Shooters Bible. I know i was 9, because i still have the book and it's dated 1959. I use to try to talk my dad into buying one, and he always said they were too expensive even though he also liked combination guns....

Those thoughts never left me, and i bought my first drilling in 1983 and i still have it. Nope, i haven't changed my mind, it's still the gun i hunt with the most!

As for cal's, i started out likeing the 30-06 and to this day i still think it's the best cartridge ever invented. But many years ago i found the 7mm's, and i've used a lot of them over the years hunting much of Alaska. I build a custom 7 Express Rem. (280 Rem.) many years ago, and it's still my favorite all around cartridge, but if i had a drilling made today it would be in 7x65R....

For a stopping rifle, i tried many and settled on the .338 and it also has been a good choise, never leaveing me feeling undergunned!

I've found what works for me, and i haven't done much changeing since that's happened so there's no need to change anything now.

The REAL secret is to use theproper bullet weight and constructionfor the game hunted, not the caliber!

Drilling Man

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

Your chices show a lot of common sense DM. I couldn't argue much with that. You are absolutely correct about bullet choice and picking the right bullet for the job. Many calibers will do a lot of jobs with the right bullet. The 280 is the first rifle that I built and will also remain a favorite and very verstile rifle.

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

I was brough up on a 303 brit hunting from 12-15yrs old. It was a non sporter. But as I got older, my dad would let me use his 742 remmy 30-06 when he wasnt hunting. I fell in love! When I turned about 18, I used a remmy sportsman 78 in 30-06 that I borrowed from my boss. Done this for 2 yrs in a row then filally bought a 7mm short mag. It's a sendero SF. I love it, hunted with it for 2 yrs, still have it. This year I have went back to my roots. I bought a new medallion in ole 30-06! Cant wait to hunt it this year. Now it's my woods gun and the 7mm is my field stalking gun. Now I want a 22-250, varmint gun
a 25-06
a 45-70 lever. Then who knows...:D

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

Well, I killed my first deer with a Winchester 32 special, that my grandfather gave me...it's been the gun I've used ever since. I purchased a Browning A-bolt 300 win. that I might have to take out this year (it's my back up gun).

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

I had a 32 Special as well. I took several deer with it. I just sold it a couple years ago.

RE: Are you Fickle?
 

Not me. I have 1 deer rifle...my trusty old .280 Mountain Rifle. I bought it new in 1987, and haven't used anything since. I shoot handloads with Hornady 139's, and it is deadly.I shot a 1.5" group at 300yds several years ago with it. It's better than I am, no doubt. I am 100% confident all the time with that gun, it feels like an extention of my arms. Leupold 3x9 as well. Great set up IMO.

That's why I'm leaning towards getting one for my son, but in .260.
The .260 is the first gun that has really had me "itching" for one. I do alot of bowhunting now though, so that is why I probably haven't gotten one yet. My son will be 9 this fall, so he's ready and I guess the .260 will fill both of our needs!! :D