Unicorns

[TNBillyEarl]

Great thread. My first unicorn was a 16ga Browning, built on a 16 gauge frame with a schnabel forearm. Browning came out with a special run of the 525 about 5 years ago and I found my first unicorn to be a new unicorn. My second unicorn is still in the wild: an M70 featherweight in 7mmWSM. Certainly not as rare as some of these posted above, but I have to find my unicorns in the wild and physically encounter them before pulling the trigger.

-B

 

[TNBillyEarl]

Who would have thought I would find my unicorn in my backyard of east Tennessee? Original owner from 2002, only 6 shots ever down the barrel, 20+ years in the back of the safe. I am beyond thrilled.




Bill

 

[DrMike]

Who would have thought I would find my unicorn in my backyard of east Tennessee? Original owner from 2002, only 6 shots ever down the barrel, 20+ years in the back of the safe. I am beyond thrilled.

View attachment 20278


Bill

Those Featherweights! They are my favourite!

 

[Blkram]

That's the funny thing about hunting unicorns...sometimes they appear when and where you least expect them! A true hunt of its own!
Therein lies the beauty and excitement of the hunt for the unicorn...if you don't dream it and search for it diligently, it may never fall into your lap! Best of luck to all in their quest!

I found and acquired a LH Steyr Mannlicher Model M with full stock in 270 Win earlier this year and have it home. The next challenge was in finding a gloss Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x36 scope w/ B&C reticle for it...but have now found one and have it mounted on the rifle!
Nice, light and handy rifle package, that I need it get out to the range and sight in (if we get another nice day w/o all the smoke - visibility has been down to less than a half mile the past few days!).

 

[Vince]

I’m not much on unicorns but I seem to have acquired one once I finish paying it off.

.416 Taylor with a left hand CRF action. Thank you, Gil.

Vince

 

[PJGunner]

One of the drawbacks to the rifle, Mr Gunner, is it does not produce the necessary Joules to legally hunt buffalo with it in Namibia, but it is an adequate caliber for all plains game. The girls in my family have looked at and had several rifles made of women, from Europe and America. One of the best "fits" is the Weatherby Camila, but we liked the engraving of "Artemis, goddess of the hunt" on the Borovnik


But I doubt they will decrease in price in the future. If you find one, buy it to go with your collection. I dont think you will regret it. What are you taking to Africa ?

Call me PJ. All my friends do.
Paul B.

 

[PJGunner]

I'm a real freak for Ruger #1s so one unicorn herd would be one each of every model including special order guns like those from Lipsey's. However, an even more difficult unicorn is finding a reasonably affordable Dakota model 10 in 7x57. I have a thing for hunting with single shot rifles.
Paul B.

 

[6mm Remington]

I think I'm very lucky to have 3 Unicorns. I hope it's allowed to have more than one. I couldn't just pick one out of the three because they each are special.

Ruger 1B 6mm Remington Oh man I love this rifle. Shoots great and just love hunting with it.
Ruger 1B 30-06 Same as the above.

Winchester Model 70 280AI. My father told me before he died that when he was gone that he had a small amount of money stuck away for me. ($3000.00). He said it wasn't much but he told me I want you to do something nice for yourself because you never do anything for you. You take care of your wife and kids but there's never anything for you. He reminded me that I often talked about having a custom rifle built and it kind of got me excited about the possibility of doing something special.

So I found this Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter in 270 that might have had a box of ammo down the bore. It had a walnut stock that was attractive and scratch free. I've always wanted a Model 70 with the controlled round feed/Mauser action and wanted it to be a 6mm Remington. Well I gave it to my gunsmith and had him build a 280AI. Not sure what made me switch calibers but I think it was the fact that I have this amazing Ruger 1B in 6mm already. Shilen match grade barrel, pillar & glass bedded, trigger made perfect at 2 1/2 pounds, and the barrel and action coated with Norrell Arms Moly Resin. It shoots great and I shot my grizzly bear with it on my once in a lifetime hunt. Well crap I guess I settled this debate didn't I. I guess it might be the top of the list, but I still consider the other two right alongside this one. I can't believe that everyone doesn't want a Ruger #1 of some configuration.

 

[6mm Remington]

Who would have thought I would find my unicorn in my backyard of east Tennessee? Original owner from 2002, only 6 shots ever down the barrel, 20+ years in the back of the safe. I am beyond thrilled.

View attachment 20278


Bill

What Caliber Bill. Your'e killing us here!

 

[TNBillyEarl]

Great thread. My first unicorn was a 16ga Browning, built on a 16 gauge frame with a schnabel forearm. Browning came out with a special run of the 525 about 5 years ago and I found my first unicorn to be a new unicorn. My second unicorn is still in the wild: an M70 featherweight in 7mmWSM. Certainly not as rare as some of these posted above, but I have to find my unicorns in the wild and physically encounter them before pulling the trigger.

-B

Sorry, I was just continuing with a post above from last year. Truly, I never thought I would find a Superposed or a true sized 525 16 gauge w/ the schnable forearm; nor did I ever expect to find a FW M70 in 7mmWSM. Each of these speak strongly to the affective side of my hunting life b/c of stories similar to 6mm Remington's. Age is softening the cold rationalism that has brought me thus far.

-B

 

[Blkram]

To each their own unicorn!
Yours may be different than mine...and that is perfectly OK!
So glad to hear that people do find their unicorns, whatever that may be.
Pure desire...
Purely sentimental...
Or as described, that gift from someone special that is priceless.
Congrats to all!

 

[RoHa]

Who would have thought I would find my unicorn in my backyard of east Tennessee? Original owner from 2002, only 6 shots ever down the barrel, 20+ years in the back of the safe. I am beyond thrilled.

View attachment 20278


Bill

What a stock! Is it really 20yo or did you do some restoration? Looks like mint condition
I saw mint condition old Desert Eagle(I think it was IMI, since it didn't look like Magnum Research ones, those have kinda more modern Desert Eagle i.e https://blog.gritrsports.com/the-magnum-research-desert-eagle-specs-features-performance-review/ like those. That one was like old ones from the movies). Kinda sad I didn't have budget and then it was already sold the next month...

 

[JD338]

I’m not much on unicorns but I seem to have acquired one once I finish paying it off.

.416 Taylor with a left hand CRF action. Thank you, Gil.

Vince

Vince,

This whole deal between you and Gil is very cool!
I'm happy for both of you guys.
Post some pictures of the big 416 Taylor when you get it home.

JD338

 

[Vince]

These are two Gil sent me.

 

[PJGunner]

I understand that the .416 Taylor does everything the .416 Rigby does, just in a standard length action. I do know that the .375 Taylor matches the .375 H&H in power. It's also a very accurate round. Extreme spreads were not all that extreme using H4350. 5 FPS with 300 gr. bullets and 6 FPS with 270 gr. bullets, both from Hornady. Groups hovering right at one inch.
Paul B.

 

[Blkram]

This 416 Taylor has printed 3 shot groups using 350 gr TSXs @ 100 yards with the Trijicon scope of .4"!
My previous 416 Taylor (rh Ruger M77 built by Ralf Martini) would produce true clover leafs with 3 shot groups using 325 gr X Bullets @ 100 yards with open sights!

Like the Brad Paisley song says, "I'm going to miss her"...but I am looking forward to my father/daughter hunt!

 

[SJB358]

Sorry, I was just continuing with a post above from last year. Truly, I never thought I would find a Superposed or a true sized 525 16 gauge w/ the schnable forearm; nor did I ever expect to find a FW M70 in 7mmWSM. Each of these speak strongly to the affective side of my hunting life b/c of stories similar to 6mm Remington's. Age is softening the cold rationalism that has brought me thus far.

-B

Man, you score big time with the 7 WSM in a Featherweight buddy... That's a ripper!

 

[Vince]

I’ve been blessed more than I deserve when it comes to rifles.

Currently have a Winchester Model 70 in .338 Win Mag, Ruger FTW in 6.5 Creedmoor, and a Ruger Guide Gun in .375 Ruger. I will soon be adding a .416 Taylor to the stable. Those are the bolt actions currently.

All of these are left hand actions. I’ve got to where I won’t own any bolt gun with a right hand action so that limits my possibilities some. I’d like to have Patrick Holehan build me a left hand CRF with a Bastogne Walnut stock. I’m saving up for it after I finish paying for the .416 Taylor.

My best friend’s last name is Taylor. When I die I will leave it to him. Now I have to ponder what cartridge to chamber the Patrick Holehan rifle in.

Vince