I have a Howa 1500 in 308. Barrel was very rough and fouled bad until I got it broke in. I adjusted the trigger. It has an ugly plastic stock but shoots well. It's my pickup gun and I've killed several hogs with it. I don't worry about scratching it. I think in addition to the Weatherby Vanguard...
I carry and an old Model 28 with factory Remingtons. Out on the ranch it's mostly reloads but in my go to meeting handguns it's factory. I have very little factory rifle ammo but they are hunting guns.
I plan to be retired by next hunting season or soon after. I have lots of load work to do and lots of hogs to shoot. I am 67 and the winters are colder and summers hotter. Time to have a little fun. I've worked forty five years. Not too many winters left.
Wonderful. I still have Hawkins stuff to build. I hope to start next year. In 1977 I met the American Mountain Men in Kentucky. Most had 54 flints, some caps. I helped the wildlife people remove a jawbone for aging. They got some big deer. Got to watch them shoot offhand and they were marvelous...
The bobcats in my part of Texas seldom run as large as yours. I shot one with a 1911 years ago and have let the others alone. I mainly just shoot hogs. We have lots of hogs. Shot over thirty last year. Back in the oil patch so only a few shots of whiskey in 2017.
You got a good one!
A sad situation. It appears much more common to see the tree huggers attacked by mountain lions, wolves and even coyotes. There may be a few grizzlies who will listen for the dinner bells and whistles the tree huggers so often promote.
I have fifty years worth of RCBS dies and have spare parts. It's a mail order deal to get parts. Just have had no problems with RCBS but I'm not a bench rest shooter.
I helped a buddy who'd bought 200 new Norma 7mm mag brass. It was so long that much of it wouldn't even chamber. We sized and trimmed it all before even loading it.
I know of only one failure with a Remington 700. My brother bought one of the 700 Classics in 338WinMag. The extractor failed and was replaced. I have several 700's and have had no problems. A few M77 Rugers and a couple of Savages. a HOWA, Mk V Weatherby and a few pre-64 Model 70's. My favorite...