...away animals? The 17 hmr i had order (Rem. 504T) is backordered and they have no idea when they will get one in (i'm leaving for Japan in two months and only have one month left here in NC) so i was thinking about getting my 2nd choice which is a savage w/ thumbhole stock and stainless barrel. the concern i have is that the barrel isn't a dull stainless it is a bright stainless and is shiney(sp?) so do you all think this would be a problem while hunting small game including fox, crow, and close range coyote(with in 100 yds)

I have that same savage on order. I have held them and they are not that shiney to me. I have other stainless Savages with bull bbls and I shoot alot of yotes and pdogs with them.

Your body movement, at the wrong time, will scare more away than your rifle, sot saying that a glance of a shiney object reflecting sun at the wrong time won't, BUT too much movement at the wrong timewill be more of a concern!

If anything you can get some black tape that dosnt leave a residew and put that on the barrel just to cut down on the shine.

Another tip for calling and hunting predators is to always set up in a shadow...don't set up with the sun on you.

I wouldn't worry about the stainless, we have killed several with em. Just use the shadows or if you can't, place a shirt over the barrel.

[ Well, that may be a luxury for some, BUT where I do 90% of my calling, there are no trees and no shade high enough to get in, but yet we kill coyotes on a regular basis! SO, sit where you can see downwind, and if possible, have the sun at your back!!

even the glare on a shiney blued gun has been a concern of mine, what I did was take a piece of camo fabric and create a sleeve that can be used to cover the end of the barrel just after the stock forend. no glue no tape just slips on and off as i need to. you could also look into rifle wrapping techniques used by yours truly the Marines. heres what I started doing when I got into coyote hunting heres a picture and website of a product I highly recommend you can get them in just about any camo pattern I am greatful they even make it in a desert pattern which matches my guillie suit perfectly.

http://www.camo-store.com/rifle_wrap.htm

Buy a rifle condom at Walmart. Problems solved. Putting tape on a new rifle is a dumb idea to me.