Keeping things simple

[Guy Miner]

There's a great article in the March 2012 issue of American Rifleman by a fellow who is perhaps the world's most famous professional hunter, Harry Selby. Yes, the same Selby who was immortalized in Robert Ruark's book "Horn of the Hunter."

This article, No Ordinary Rifle, is interesting to me because in contrast with our (my) obsession with the latest rifle, ever changing bullets and the newest scope - Selby details the "life" of one rifle, a .30-06 Rem 721 with a simple 4x scope and 180 gr Winchester factory ammo.

The rifle was brought to Africa by a pair of hunters who used it on all sorts of game, including dangerous game like leopard and even lion. They then left the rifle in Africa, and it was used by many members of their family as they too came to Africa and hunted with Selby. He credits that one rifle with hundreds, if not a thousand kills, on big game. Selby appreciated the rugged simplicity and good accuracy of that Remington.

It made me smile, thinking of such a basic, no-frills rifle, with a modest power scope and ordinary old ammo, doing such a fine job for many different hunters on many different species of game. I like that. Made me think of my even older, much used Model of 1917 .30-06 with a fixed 6x scope...

For an on-line version of the article: http://www.americanrifleman.org/article ... 721-rifle/

No CRF, no adjustable objective, no variable power scope, no fiberglass stock... Just a good, basic rifle. I like that idea.

Regards, Guy

 

[Elkman]

It made me smile, thinking of such a basic, no-frills rifle, with a modest power scope and ordinary old ammo, doing such a fine job for many different hunters on many different species of game

.

I also like things simple. I still have my first big game rifle, (a 721) its been modified but is still the rifle my dad bought me in 59. One of the 300's that I have is also a 721, and of course my 300 Win mag is a 66 push feed model 70. My 280 is a Mauser 98, and my 06 a low numbered 03. I do however like "new" glass, it add's a lot to a rifle capabilites. And of course my favorite bullet is the 50+ year old Nolser PT. His 721 seems to have had a much more exiting life than mine.
If it an't broke don't "fix" it.

 

[Desert Fox]

Read it last night too.

 

[muleman]

Guy,
Nice article - enjoyed it very much. If I sold off the contents of my safe and went to a 2 or 3 rifle battery they could be really nice rifles and I would shoot alot more. I could even maybe get back to Africa.........HMMMMMM.
Regards
Scott

 

[JD338]

Guy,

Good read on the good 'ol 30-06.
Thanks for posting this.

JD338

 

[Greg Nolan]

It's a good read and a reality check to boot. I'm sometimes embarrased by my efforts towards faster and better by nothing more than a thin margin in gain and a big margin in cost and recoil. My fondest memories come from a sporterized 8mm mauser with 1" rings and a shimmed 7/8" WWll British surplus scope that went 3 generations and is probably still taking deer. You could look down the top of the scope and see it wasn't aligned with the barrel. The ammo was whatever we could in partial boxes at gun shops or swap meets reloaded by an over exuberent 13 year old. Killed many a deer though.
It's amazing how that rifle became so inadequite when I grew up.
Greg

 

[Polaris]

That's the philosophy we went with choosing a rifle for my friend. He's a deer hunter, might hunt black bear or antelope some day but hasn't for ten years yet. We found him a Rem 722 300SAV and mounted a Burris FF2 3X9 found on clearance. M1907 military surplus sling from his VFW post topped off the rig. Almost everything he's fired it at is dead (found out about short range trajectory bore vs crosshair vs horizontal branch at 5 yards once). He doesn't need or want another rifle even though he can well afford one, that one does the job. If the supply of 300 sav brass ever dries up we'll rechamber it to .308 win. It's in his will that I get it someday.

 

[AzDak42]

I think that model works great if you're a hunter first and a gun guy second....

I can't speak for anyone else, but my quest for new rifles, new calibers, new optics, etc isn't driven by practical need, but a simple joy in playing with something new, learning a new caliber... Having another reason to work up a load for another rifle. The giddy joy at opening up a new rifle box at my bench.

Yesterday, I spent a frustrating day at the range chasing a set of hand loads that just wasn't grouping. Tonight, I'll be back at the bench changing out powder and seeing if another load works better for a trip to the range this weekend. I'm positive in the rifle in question, I could grab a box of off the shelf federal and my brother in law would never notice the difference. But what the heck kind of fun would that be?

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

What an amazing article? My Grandfather won a brand new Remington 721 in 30-06 in 1955 in a raffle when he was a senior in highschool. He still has it as his go to rifle. This story is a great reminder to all of us of the importance and power of well placed shots from great rifles.

While I get excited when I see all of the new toys, I am just as happy to be privileged to handle Grampas old 30-06 or any of my own "working man's" rifles. Some of my guns may have more cosmetic appeal than others but to me they're all just as pretty as can be. Oh the stories they could tell...

Thanks for posting this, you just made my night! :mrgreen:

 

[300WSM]

Makes me think of this state right here. PA

There have been more whitetail killed in this state with a 30-30 lever and maybe now surpassed by a Rem760/7600 in 30-06 than any other rifle. These rifles often had a kwiksite style mount to use the basic scope or the iron sights if needed. Or the infamous goofy looking side mounted scope on some of those 94's with an objective lens the same size as the main tube. 8) Handloads? Yeah. Taking the round from the super x box or core-lokt box and loading it into the rifle with your hand. That was the hand load. :lol:

Oh yes. As simple as it gets.

 

[SJB358]

Great read Guy. I like rifles to much to just own one. I know life would be easier, but I like em...

I could get by with the 270WSM and 338WM pretty easily I think...

 

[BK]

Great read Guy. I like rifles to much to just own one. I know life would be easier, but I like em...

I could get by with the 270WSM and 338WM pretty easily I think...

Change that to your 7 Wizzum, and I could probably adapt...

 

[RiverRider]

More evidence that the .300 Whelen is the most under-rated cartridge in the world!

 

[R Flowers]

Wow, great story Guy, thanks for posting that. Quite interesting, to be sure.

While I will never get to see that kind of hunting, my first centerfire rifle was a Remington Model 722 chambered in .244 Remington and fitted with a used 4X Bushnell scope. I killed lots of game with that gun, including the largest mule deer I have killed to date.

Unfortunately, I have succumbed to same disease as the rest of the folks here and now have what is probably too many guns. So much so that since my safe is SO full, I relegated my old 722 and and old Remington 22LR to a closet since they are not worth much financially. I guess it had to happen, some low life sorry SOB broke into my house last weekend while we were gone and some of the things they stole were the 722 and the 22. I have been saying I need another safe for some time now, should have done it.

 

[SJB358]

Wow, I am sorry for your loss buddy! That is horrible! I would be torn up should someone steal one of my rifles!

 

[DrMike]

Theft is one of the lowest imaginable crimes. The criminal needs to be horsewhipped. Unfortunately, in today's world, that will never happen.

 

[SJB358]

Theft is one of the lowest imaginable crimes. The criminal needs to be horsewhipped. Unfortunately, in today's world, that will never happen.

Well, I would love to catch them in the act... It may be worth the litigation that follows. Might be hard to steal awhile with broken digits!

 

[noslerfan]

Thats terrible. I sure hope they turn up.

 

[Guy Miner]

"some low life sorry SOB broke into my house last weekend while we were gone and some of the things they stole were the 722 and the 22"

Lousy no-good thieves.

I hope you get your guns back - sometimes stolen property is recovered, sometimes not...

Guy

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Theft is one of the lowest imaginable crimes. The criminal needs to be horsewhipped. Unfortunately, in today's world, that will never happen.

He owes you twice what he took. But instead he'll likely get a roof over his head, free dental and health care, complimentary wardrobe and 3 squares a day with T.V. and a weight room for his trouble. We need to break out the chain gangs again. That would be a great way to get free repairs made to the infrastructure....and less people would be apt to develop sticky fingers.

Hope you get your guns back friend.