Named rifles

Thebear_78

Handloader
Sep 30, 2004
3,047
669
All the talk of naming FOTIS's new artillery piece got me thinking about the only two rifles I have ever named.

They were intended to be twins. I had originally wanted them to be as close as identical as possible. Since they are purpose built and different purposes in mind that wasn't as possible as I had hoped but this is what I came up with.

Named "the ghost" and "the darkness" after the lions of Tsavo.

"The Ghost" is the big brother of the twins. Built on a remington 700 that was originally a 8mm mag but was badly mistreated. I trued up the action, lightened the trigger, and installed a light contour 24" shilen barrel and chambered it in 375 RUM. Parkerized all the metal and dropped it into a high tech specialties synthetic stock. I used the XS sights back up peep sight weaver style scope base with red fiber optic front sight, and warne quick detach scope rings. Ziess conquest 3-9x40 with zplex. I didn't originally have the brake on it but recoil with scope detached was PUNISHING. Weighing in at just over 6lbs without the scope it was both a fast and hard jolt. The Vias brake helped out immensely. Finished wieght with scope, sling, and 3 rounds in the magazine is 7 pounds 9 ounces. After an unconfortable run in with a large brown bear one night while bear baiting I put a rail on the forarm for mounting a weapons light. It both illuminates the target and the fringe of the beam lights up the red fiberoptic sight like a light bulb.

"The Darkness" is built on a Remington 700 SPS action. Trued up the action, lightened trigger, and installed a factory magnum contour 27" fluted douglas barrel chambered in 300 RUM. To offset the extra wieght of the longer barrel and heavier scope I turned down the back of the action and lopped off any unnessessary metal from the action. Originally parkerized but later black Nitrided, hence "the darkness", and put in a high tech specialties synthetic stock. Lapped talley light weight ring/bases and a leupold 3.5-10 Vx 3 with lighted reticle. Weighs in at 7 pounds 10 oz scoped, slung, with 3 in the magazine. This rifle has become my go to hunting rifle. I don't think I have really hunting anything but big bears with any other rifle in several years. Its sole loading having been 168gr TTSX @ 3340fps. Extremely accurate, flat shooting, and hard hitting. Its accounted for 3 caribou, 4 moose, 5 black bear, and an illfated roughed grouse.

Lets hear about some of your guys named rifles and thier specs.
IMG_0724_zps21899913.jpg
 
All my rifles are factory guns, not customs, so the spec sheets are a little less exciting. But I like them, and they take good care of me. I have only really named two rifles, as well, in my time. Oddly enough, they, too, are named "together" but serve markedly different purposes. I affectionately call the two of them Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Jekyll is my Win94 30-30WCF. Personality is docile, relatively quiet, and focused on doing what he's supposed to do. Nothing fancy or flashy, just gets it done in plain clothes and without calling a ton of attention to himself.

Hyde, on the other hand, is the antithesis of the good doctor, and is my 270Wby Mark V. He's louder, draws more attention, and likes to push the envelope, both of hunting and range situations, and me as the shooter. My very best groups are courtesy of Hyde. He's delivered enough sub-caliber groups (smaller than .277" center to center) for me to know he's more powerful and capable than I'll ever be. But sometimes I get lucky, of course. When Hyde speaks, there's no guessing what's happening or the intended outcome. This is the rifle that taught me how to shoot beyond 300yds, and does so with authority.

So Jekyll & Hyde are my two named rifles. I've called some of my other guns names over the years, but nothing has ever stuck like those two.
 
Used to call my .45/70 Marlin "Thumper."

The .308 is affectionately known as "The Green Machine."


Our 6mm & .25-06 Remingtons get called "Deer Zappers."

The Ruger Number One is just called "The bear rifle."

So yeah, we've got a few around the place that have earned nicknames.

Gu
 
Very nice bunch of rifles. That 375 and 300 are real nice hunting rifles!
 
Nope, never named one. If I had to name my 300 mag, it would be "ugly". But then it would probably try something nasty to get even with me.
 
Like you, Bill, I don't give my rifles names. I like 'em to stay anonymous, working their magic without the animals knowing what hit 'em. :grin:
 
I've only got one "named" rifle.

My Rem. 700 FS .30-06, which has taken a lot of game in the U.S. and Africa, is named "Death Ray".

My Rem. 700 semi-custom .243 Ackley Improved has taken a number of pronghorns at 300+ yards, is working towards being named "Little Death Ray" at this time. :mrgreen:

George
 
My rifles have no names. I have one pistol that got a name somehow... a little Ruger SR9c that was dubbed "My Little Friend." Then I have one shotgun that has received a name... a 10ga Browning BPS named Thumper. It tends to do the work of its moniker from both ends!
 
GeorgeS":2h5yfc1m said:
I've only got one "named" rifle.

My Rem. 700 FS .30-06, which has taken a lot of game in the U.S. and Africa, is named "Death Ray".

My Rem. 700 semi-custom .243 Ackley Improved has taken a number of pronghorns at 300+ yards, is working towards being named "Little Death Ray" at this time. :mrgreen:

George


Will Little Death Ray make it here next week? :mrgreen:
 
Not a rifle exactly, but I've loaded for it and it has a rifled barrel. Not so affectionately known as "the Mooseberg"



AKA "angus" 'cause it kicks like a registered Angus.... CL
 
G'Day Fella's,

The Bear_78, good question!

Probably the best one I have heard, was a mate of mine names his rifle "VICTOR"!
This was named after an Australian brand of petrol powdered Lawn Mowers (VICTOR), and because his rifle would Mow Them Critters Down!!!

Doh!
Homer
 
The "Moose" went 5 for 5 today breaking clay pigeons at 50 yards. First time since November I really did any shooting. For me thats pretty Dang good with the 12 Ga slug gun. :) CL
 
My Remington M660 in .308 Win. is named "F'arful". A bastardized version of the word fearful. I used it for deer when I lived in Nevada and it was 11 shots for 11 deer with shots ranging from 6 feet to 426 long paces. When it came out of the closet, no gun safe way back then. It, a 1903 Springfield bubba, 12 ga. shotgun and a .22 were all I owned deer ran and hid in total fear and panic. :lol:
The second named rifle is a Ruger M77 chambered to the .375 Taylor. That's the .338 Win mag. necked up to take .375 caliber bullets. It easily duplicates the mighty .375 H&H in a 30-06 length action. I was testing loads with the 270 and 300 gr. Hornady bullets when this guy asked about the rifle and after I told his what it was he said he wanted to try it out. I told him to hold it snug and pop one into the berm. At the 50 yard line there was a fixed pig silhouette for handgun shooters to plink at and he shot it with the Taylor. t the shot several things happened. He got kicked good and hard, the silhouette when literally flying down range and he exclaimed,"WOW! That gun hits like a hammer....at both ends!" THus that rifle was named by a total stranger to be known forever as, "The Hammer".
I'm thinking of giving my .35 Whelen a name but haven't come up with one yet. It'll come to me. :lol:
Paul B.
 
My 264WM is affectionately named Maggie, as it was the first magnum I ever got. It began as a factory M70 Classic stainless/synthetic in 7mm Rem Mag and likely would have remained that way except a friend went to gunsmith school and needed rifles to work on. He offered to customize it for the price of parts. The next season it sported a cryoaccurized Shilen barrel in 300WM, B&C stock, and tuned trigger. I shot that gun with 75.5gr of RL22 and a 180gr BT or later AB at EVERYTHING around the ranch for years. I shot out the barrel and developed a heck of a flinch while doing it.

When that barrel started showing signs of the throat being shot out rather than setting it back I re-barreled to 264WM. The first attempt was frustrating as heck, the manufacturer had sent the wrong twist barrel and it shot 100gr bullets great but wouldn't group the 130's or 140's I wanted to use for big game. Once the problem was found the second barrel was right and it shoots great. I added a custom thumbhole stock and Vortex 4-16x44 scope with MOA reticle and custom turret to fit my load. I try to get as close as possible but like the ability to reach when it is the only way. It always seems to be in my hands when I get a great opportunity, it has put all but one of the whitetail on my wall, including 3 that gross over 190", a 200" muley, and my best antelope. Last night a neighbor's son used her to get his first deer. I look forward to many more trips and adventures with Maggie over the years. The biggest problem now is that once my tag is filled I have to decide who to let shoot it between my hunting buddies, they all want some of the luck.

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad33 ... l2/026.jpg
 
My Bantchni made, .270 Win Model 70 earned me the title of "one shot-Charlie" on killing mule deer, when I hunted in Utah, with a bunch of friends from work for 20 years. I still call that rifle "The Death Ray" on deer hunting to 400 yards with many one shot kills.
 
Back
Top