successful hunts/rifle preference types/Larysa

1. How exciting is it to see so many successful hunts by so many different members in so many different locations . Elk, Deer, Antelope, Caribou, Moose, Bear all harvested by members just in the last few weeks. Actually a lot of Elk, and we haven't even heard from Scotty and Bill yet. Congratulations to everyone and good luck to those still at it

2. It just dawned on me yesterday, that Jamila, Cheyenne and I all prefer wood and blue and most the men here prefer what I call phony stocks (lol) and stainless, claiming that it is easier to take care of them and they are lighter. Interesting I thought

3. Also after reading Cheyennes post yesterday and remembering that she always take.s two rifles with her, it made me wonder how many others do the same thing. We took a back up that we could both use when traveling, but when heading out the back door we each took one

4. Larysa ( of Larysa Unleashed) created a terrible stir in Scotland when she took her goat.
AND--maybe, one of the huntress's we know may show up on one of her future hunts--if so I will let you know, but for now it is not being published .
Plus, Gil, if Susan does not follow her, she might want to catch one of her shows as Larysa, like Susan, loves to bow hunt.

For the record, I only own one rifle with a laminate stock, April. All the rest are wood and iron, though admittedly, a number are stainless rather than blued. I almost always have a second rifle with me when I go out. You never know when Gil is going to need to borrow a quality firearm. :mrgreen: I'll be most interested in hearing who is hunting with Larysa.

Certainly true that a lot of the membership has been successful this season- very nice, especially considering how much season most of us have left!

We typically have a spare rifle in camp or a plan to let someone shoot another hunter's rifle since we hunt in pairs or trios rather than single. The further we go afield, we might even have a couple of spares.

I'm only somewhat surprised about the uproar in Scotland, since it might be the premier European destination for hunting. Interesting that I've seen hundreds of hunt photos from Scotland over the years...but this is the first uproar.

DrMike":3n8hveey said:

For the record, I only own one rifle with a laminate stock, April. All the rest are wood and iron, though admittedly, a number are stainless rather than blued. I almost always have a second rifle with me when I go out. You never know when Gil is going to need to borrow a quality firearm. :mrgreen: I'll be most interested in hearing who is hunting with Larysa.

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Your so kind to look after Gil, Dr Mike lol

Interesting Dr Mike, about the laminated stock. Maybe it isn't as much male/female as old/young, at least in our case. It was all I ever knew and just wasn't able to switch over.

Makes sense Mike. We only did it when traveling out of state but for some reason when in state we each had one rifle and a handgun. However Alaska is a little larger than Arizona and also harder to return home in some cases, which is probably why Cheyenne does it as well. Plus she moves around alone much more than I ever did.

We always take a spare rifle on hunts where we aren't based out of our own homes. The spare rifle is also always in a real common chambering so it's not hard to find ammo if things really go wrong. With the great shooting budget rifles available today its easier to leave a spare gun behind the seat in the truck without worrying to much about it getting stolen. I used a Ruger American in 270 with an older Leupold VX-III as a back-up for several years until I loaned it to a buddy and he gave me money instead of my gun back. It shot 130gr AccuBond factory loads extremely well and I didn't want to sell it to bad but he wanted to own it really bad!

I tend to follow the stainless/synthetic trend. I like a stock that will not change with weather. My only complaint about the American I wrote about above was that I had to be careful not to make the forend touch the barrel or the point of impact would change. I prefer a stiff stock that I can put pressure on when shooting. I do have thumbhole wood stocks on both my 264 win mags I deer and antelope hunt with, but they have been bedded well enough I haven't had an issue with either. The light 300 win mag I take after bigger critters is stainless, synthetic, and cerakoted. I went with max weather protection on it.

It does seem to have been a very successful season so far for this group! Congrats all. And best of luck to those of you still hunting. I'm focused on upland game birds for now, with an option of a late bow-season hunt here in Washington for mule deer as well. Or whitetail in November with a rifle if I choose... Still a lot of hunting available!

A lot of the guys here are military veterans and were issued a synthetic stocked rifle - if they served anytime after the M-14 was replaced by the M-16. Maybe that explains some of it?

On the other hand, after a career in the military and another in law enforcement, I've had enough of plastic/fiberglass stocked rifles and vastly prefer wood, though it need not be fancy wood. Can't afford much of that stuff!

I've got one rifle with a laminated wood stock, and a couple with synthetic stocks, but overall, ya, I still prefer wood. Just for the looks and feel if nothing else.

On a trip - if I can - I'll take two rifles, just in case. I was asked specifically to bring only one to Alaska, simply because of the limited cargo capacity of the small plane. We had four guys and four rifles in camp on the bear hunt.

Regards, Guy

Well I haven't been able to get out yet but have seen plenty of game in my own yard.
As for the rifles I didn't start getting rifles with synthetic stocks till I came here to Nosler and I only owned 2 center fire rifles before I came now i own 6, 2 in walnut factory stocks, 2 in laminated wood and 2 in synthetic. All the 4 I bought after coming here were in cheap plastic factory stocks that I up graded to either laminated or quality synthetic. So April I have more wood stocks then synthetic. Oh and I forgot only one stainless which I bought on the cheap and is the only reason I have it. >)

I like nice walnut and blue steel. I like traditional style rifles and handguns. I always carry at least two rifles for what I intend to hunt and a varmint rifle for fun. It seems to me that the liberal "only our way of living is right" folks are picking on more women hunters. Perhaps they think it makes a bigger splash. I can't believe that politician in Scotland said she was gonna have to look at the law concerning hunting. She could suffer some serious feed back from some of the very influential folks in Scotland. I would be interested in hearing from Elmerthud on this.

1: It is frustrating as hell to see all these successful hunts. I have time off for one a year, locally. Seriously, congrats to all the successful hunters, I will live vicariously until I retire.

2: I hunt with wood and blue (except waterfowl). The wood is lovingly sanded and oiled by myself, and the blue has plenty of blemishes, also lovingly installed by myself.

3: I have a camp rifle. It's old, ugly, reliable, and accurate since it was made in 1918, and a do-all 30-06. My wife and I are both comfortable shooting it, so if I were to go on a traveling hunt, it would go with. When I travel for waterfowl or pheasants, I absolutely bring a spare shotgun.

4: My wife doesn't do forums, but I'll try to post a pic of her first deer on our property from a couple years ago with her blue and walnut rifle that has the bolt on the wrong side. Not a fine MS or Sako, but a nice, accurate Savage in .308.

Wood and blued steel for me. Not because I think it's better, it's just what I like.

I got one mauser 98 that I picked up cheap for a donor action for a build someday that was barreled with a 22-250 and synthetic stock, and a Savage 22 synthetic that I've used as a beater squirrel gun for the last 10 yrs plus. Everything else including shotguns is wood and blued.

April I really am partial to wood stocks and love a nice wood stock with checkering that has been pillar and glass bedded. I also really like the nutmeg and brown laminate combination. I think it's very attractive. My 280 AI I had built had a blued action and a stainless barrel was attached. I had it coated with John Norrell Arms stuff in a matt black color that is very attractive and matches the tones of the Leupold VX3 I have on it perfectly.

Best of luck to everyone this year!

Had to add that yes if I am going any distance from home I like to have an extra rifle just in case. Have not needed it, but nice to know it's there.

David

Spent a few hours in a blind this afternoon. It was rather windy, but I was there, so I didn't want to leave. At last light, I was glassing the trees when I saw a branch that looked just like an ear. That caught my attention. I moved the glass down just a bit and, WOW! the branch below looked just like an eye. Whattaya know! It was just for a brief moment, and then the mature whitetail moved away, keeping trees between us. I didn't have a proper shot, so I passed. I'll see if I can sneak away for another go tomorrow. I'm scheduled to take some youngsters out on Monday. I don't do much hunting when I do that, but I sure do have fun watching these lads hunt.

1. Glad to see so many people here living grand adventures, creating memories, and having successful hunts!

2. While I do have several rifles with laminated stocks, I only have one rifle (custom LH Rem 700 in 280 Rem) that has a second stock (synthetic) for rough country/bad weather hunts so I won't damage the really nice laminated stock it normally wears. But, the majority of my rifles are wood stocked and blued steel!

3. Usually have a back-up rifle with me (usually my BLR 358 Win) when I go hunting, or at least a second firearm for small game such as a rimfire or shotgun.

4. We do watch Larysa from time to time on her hunts and fishing trips. Neat to live vicariously through others hunting/fishing in interesting locations after unique species that we would also like to go after, or may never get a chance to experience for ourselves.

Europe":1jggxj9k said:

2. It just dawned on me yesterday, that Jamila, Cheyenne and I all prefer wood and blue and most the men here prefer what I call phony stocks (lol) and stainless, claiming that it is easier to take care of them and they are lighter. Interesting I thought

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Nope not me. Like wood and bluing.

I have a few wood stocked rifles that I love but my main battle rifles are glass\carbon fiber and Kevlar.

Blued guns take some extra care, just from sweat dripping on them, let alone snow, rain and ice. Honestly, I’d like a real nicely made wood stocked rifle like a Biesen, Brownell, Echols, etc.. someday.

Little brother with his synthetic stocked 270



Mashburn in a snow storm. Gun was frozen solid.



Cleaned up easy though.



375 in the snow





They are most all P64’s, so I do have to pay attention to the metal, but I’m a bear on wood.

I have one rifle that has a Tupperware stock. A savage that I bought in hopes or rebarreling to a 250 Savage "beater". After Dad was gone I lost the enthusiasm for that- and there is nothing inherently wrong with a 243 that goes sub inch with Winchester Silver box stuff. I 'spose that would be my back up... although I never take one. I discovered after I took it apart that it was an "accustock" so my plans for walnut or a laminate wont be happening. I have one plywood stock because the Tupperware stock on a Savage 22Mag was a joke. everything else is blued and walnut or stained Elm or some such. CL