Bittersweet Rifle

[Guy Miner]

Months ago a very good, old friend died unexpectedly. I've noticed this happens with guys who served in the military and/or law enforcement. Sometimes they have ailments that defy treatment. He was a good guy. Lived 3.5 WEEKS after being diagnosed with cancer. Only one member of his "team" survives... The others all died of bullet wounds or... (no surprise) cancer.

His widow recently found a letter, telling her to contact me in the event of his demise, and make sure that I had my choice of several different Savage rifles. She called me yesterday while I was up in the Cascades, looking for mule deer. I was overwhelmed.

Choices included both a .338 Lapua and a .300 Win mag, "tactical" rifle. Since I'm familiar with the .300 Win mag (30+ years) and have the dies, brass & bullets, and knowing that the .338 Lapua was major league expensive to feed... I chose the .300 Win mag with the 6-24 Vortex scope. Lordy, what a rifle. It's heavy. Much heavier than my .300 WSM Model 70, and much heavier than my .308 Win "Green Machine" Remington. I think this thing is meant to be fired only from the bipod, or a rest.





More later, after a trip or two to the range.

I treasure this rifle, out of respect for my friend. I never expected him to leave me anything. Am still overwhelmed.

Regards, Guy

 

[Vince]

Guy,

I'm sorry for your loss.
Vaya con Dios mi amigo.
May you shoot that rifle and treasure it in memory of your friend.

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[DrMike]

Bittersweet, indeed; but what a great and thoughtful gift from him. I know you will treasure such a gift.

 

[truck driver]

Guy that is an honor and a rifle to treasure for a long time. May your friend rest in peace and may you cherish his memories threw the rifle he gave you.

 

[balew6254]

Guy,
Condolences on the loss of your friend.

b

 

[cloverleaf]

Guy-
Sorry for your loss.... I get the feeling he would be pleased that you have it. My 243 sets in the safe waiting my Dad and I to re-barrel it to 250 Sav. I have done everything needed except re-barrel and shoot it. Cant bring myself to do it. Don't let that be the case with this one. Obviously he meant for you to shoot it. Looks all business and really cool. Steel at 600 me thinks...?!? CL

 

[Osprey78]

Sorry for your loss Guy. may every trip to the range, every shot and every cleaning remind you of your friend.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Guy, sorry for the loss of your friend and colleague. He left you a terrific gift to remember him by though. I was thinking about the fact that nearly all of my friends have passed also. In fact I don't have a single close friend that I have hunted with who is still alive.

Enjoy the rifle, it is a really nice gesture.

 

[Guy Miner]

It's going to be interesting, working up a load for this rifle.

I have my old fallback load that I used many years ago: 200 gr Sierra Gameking over a max charge of 7828.

Have quite an assortment of heavy .30 cal bullets to mess with as well.

Just standard RCBS dies, from a long time ago. Got them sometime in the 1980's.

Looks like a very fun range toy, but I'm not sure how much hunting I'll do with it. The rifle alone is 16 pounds, without optics or bipod. I think it's about 20 pounds all up. Good grief. But recoil should be very light. I might be able to lighten up the rifle a bit. Not sure I want to do so. I have other light rifles, maybe I just need to think about this as a heavy rifle, and deal with it.

Woke up in the middle of the night, thinking about my old buddy, and the wonderful gift of this big, black rifle.

Just musing a bit.

Regards, Guy

 

[truck driver]

Not a problem Guy we know where your coming from.

 

[Dwh7271]

Speaks well that he thought so highly of you.
That's a fine bequest.
Sorry about your friend.

 

[longrangehunter]

Sorry for the loss of your good friend Guy. He must have thought highly of you and wanted you to enjoy what he left behind. It was important enough for him to leave it for you so enjoy the gift where ever and whenever you can.

 

[.280 Remington]

Speaks well that he thought so highly of you.
That's a fine bequest.
Sorry about your friend.

This^^^^

Sorry for the loss of your friend Guy

 

[6mm Remington]

Sorry for your loss Guy. Very nice thing he did for you and what an honor!!

 

[elkeater2]

This does speak well of both of you in so many ways. Congratulations! I am finding out it seems more important these days to know people consider me their friend. He left you no doubts.
EE2

 

[FOTIS]

Speaks well that he thought so highly of you.
That's a fine bequest.
Sorry about your friend.

This^^^^

Sorry for the loss of your friend Guy

I AGREE! Enjoy his last gift to you!

 

[nosler06]

Guy,

I am so sorry for your loss. You have a piece that you can cherish and remember those moments of time everytime that you are out.

 

[SJB358]

Sorry for the loss of your teammate Guy. It seems a lot of these letters are written and found a little while later. It's always sorta happy when you see what we Marines want to go where. I must say the 300 Win Mag is one of the coolest leave behinds, but a few 1911's and other things have been the standard for a few Marines that have passed.

Hope you have some fun with it Guy. It's a cool steel wacker. I imagine its guilty sorta accurate as well!

May your buddy always be remembered. I'm sorry to hear of the loss but I'm sure on a bright day on the range, he might help guide that 5th shot into a 1/2" for you.

 

[sask boy]

Guy, I am sorry to hear that you lost a good friend. That rifle will keep some real good memories you shared with him.
I am sorry for the delay in me seeing this post!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[chrispbrown27]

When I lost my dad the only semblance of a will was what he had scrolled on a scrap of paper he left beside his chair....."Guns-Chris." My dad hadn't shot in many years....a lifetime of providing for his family had taken away something that he once loved to do. During his tour in Vietnam he was exposed to agent orange, which eventually took his life....stage 4 lung cancer. He served his country and then served his family and each of those things took away from him something he loved to do....and Dad never batted an eye. Each time I hold one of those guns in my hands or even look at them I remember all he sacrificed for his country and his family and it makes them even more special to me.
I am so sorry that you lost a good friend, but I am so glad that you have something to look at and hold that reminds you of the man who is no longer with you.