Your "most used" rifles???

Out of curiosity, what 3, 4 or 5 rifles out of your arsenal do you find yourself shooting the most, and how long have you had those rifles? I just picked up a late 50's Savage 99F in .308 (to replace its twin that my 11 year old daughter has laid claim to) and realized (with addition of this rifle) that 3 of my 4 rifles that will see the most usage are well over 60 yrs old. The only thing I own that is manufactured by current technology is a 6.5 CM (Thompson Center Icon) while the others (the aforementioned pair of Savage 99F's in .308, and a Mauser 98 in 9.3x62) are all old school. Interestingly enough, I don't seem to have any sentimental attachment to the 6.5 CM so it could potentially go down the road if/when my interest in it starts to dwindle, but the likelihood of me selling any of the older 3 rifles are slim to none. How about you ladies and gentlemen?

This 300 RUM has seen 90% of my big game hunting for the last 10 years.


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Terrific hide on that caribou!

Last year, and so far this year, 30-06 Rem 700 CDL with an old 2-7x Redfield. Starting in September last year: black bear, pronghorn, mule deer, cow elk, wolf and grizzly:


Until switching to the 30-06 last year, it would have to be my 25-06 Rem 700 CDL with the 6x Leupold. Over the last 10+ years it has delivered rather well on mule deer, pronghorn, coyotes...


The rifles are set up nearly the same. Triggers adjusted the same. Both are pillar bedded & free floated. Thought the 25-06 was the more accurate of the two until I tried the 200 grain load through the 30-06 CDL. Something about that stock design, just feels good in my hands, and the rifles are both accurate and trouble free.

Guy

30-06 100% until the 348 showed up and now the 348 is used 90% of the time with the 275 H & H accounting for 8% and a variety of calibers are used the other 2% of the time. ( 7mmwsm and 300 H& H mainly )

All but 2 or 3 of my rifles, shotguns and pistols are inherited or were gifts from my parents.
These all have a lot of emotional attachment. My dad's old Remington 721 in 300 H&H gets the nod on elk hunts, some deer hunts and on my moose hunt last fall. The m700 in 30-06 that was a birthday gift from the 70's probably gets carried on most other hunts.
I have 3 grown sons that hunt and as of now I supply them all with rifles so this gets a few out of the safe too.

Camo

My tang safety Ruger M77 30-06 for now.

I'm blessed and have use of a fair number of rifles and I endeavor to get them all in the game. That said a certain 1952 model Mannlicher Schoenauer chambered in 270 has the most time with me. This was my Dad's rifle and I am not sure how many animals fell when wielded by him. My brother and I covet the use of that rifle and have shared it for the last 20 years. I'm fairly close to 30 animals with it.

An old model 99 chambered in 300 savage has the most time afield. 99% by my grandfather. More whitetail taken with it by him than phone numbers in Bill Clinton's little black book? Well, that would be a close one.

There are other rifles that demand some playing time and I put them in the rotation. It's hard for me to not grab that mannlicher for a hunt but, it also hard to ignore other rifles that are always begging to go too.

My goal is to get at least 3 other rifles some playing time this season, maybe 4 or 5. That is not always wise and usually I go with one or two. However, this year will be special. Elk and mule deer in Colorado, whitetails in South/West Texas and maybe whitetails in the Panhandle. I also hunt Oklahoma, almost always bow hunt it but, I've rifle hunted there too.

My most used rifles over the past 20 years are my custom Sako 7MM STW and Browning BLR in 358 Win! Have kept the freezers full.

30-06 model 70 for the last 40+ years. Now rebarreled to a 25-06, I won't get another 40 years out of it but maybe one of my kids will.

Probably my most used rifles are two I no longer have. A Browning X bolt and Winchester model 70, both in .280 Remington. Both were fine rifles but between the the couple of 7x57's and 7mm-08 I didn't see the point. I think the little Kimber 7mm-08 will get the most use as an all around gun. But for my bear hunts I'll still be packing the .300 WSM Kimber or Ruger in .35 Whelen, not that I need the Whelen but just because.

Intuitively I would have said my Ruger 06. I've owned it for 49 or 50 years. Deer, moose, bears, elk, sheep, lope, yotes, rabbit, have all ended up in the pot.
I just came in from an early morning perimeter sweep. 0500 the dogs alerted. Jumped into my sweats and grabbed the .45-70. Tracks revealed a grizzly had walked down the beach in front of camp, no big deal.
When it comes to being carried this rifle gets the nod. I walk the dogs every evening after dinner. Three miles or so. About every other day I get up early and take them for a mile or so before I start my guiding day. The .45-70 goes with every time. Every day, 4 months, that's a lot of time in the field. Additionally there are a few of the flyouts we do where I'm not content with spray and the .454. She'll go on those trips too.
Never had to shoot a Grizz with it, but I've killed a bunch of porcupines.


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Not the most used but the most taken out rifle.

Tikka T3 Superlight 30-06 Goes everywhere as a backup.



Shoots well too

Don't know if I did the photo correctly. If so, this is my 30-06 that I carry everywhere. It has accounted for about 400 animals and traveled to Argentina and Africa many times. I use it for everything and adjust the loads for the game I am after. I use everything from 110 TTSX to 240 Woodleighs.

I would have to say my 338 Win Mag or my 270 WSM.. Both of them have done really well for me over the years. Both have been primary and backup on almost every hunt I have ever done.

I am thinking my 7mm Mashburn Super Mag is going to encroach a little, but I still have a ton of love for the other two..

The 7mm MSM and 338 Win Mag



The MIGHTY 270...

JMM - That is one BEAUTIFUL rifle! Tell us more about it please?

Over 400 animals, with that rifle. Terrific! I am impressed, and by the way welcome to the forum.

Regards, Guy

For over 35 years my Remington 700 in the 270win and now in the last few years it has been my RMR in a 280AI it is just so versatile and easy to shoot :wink:.

Blessings,
Dan

jmm said:

Don't know if I did the photo correctly. If so, this is my 30-06 that I carry everywhere. It has accounted for about 400 animals and traveled to Argentina and Africa many times. I use it for everything and adjust the loads for the game I am after. I use everything from 110 TTSX to 240 Woodleighs.

Click to expand...

There is a serious lesson to be learned here. Unfortunately my affliction for guns will probably never let me follow your lead, but I like it!! Beautiful rifle too.

My most used rifle, my .300WSM... used nearly exclusively since 2006. It has some more wear and tear now, but it's decked a bunch of critters. Despite what else is in the rack, this one almost always gets the nod. I have to make myself use something else and I seldom do.

jmm":b6wax96a said:

Don't know if I did the photo correctly. If so, this is my 30-06 that I carry everywhere. It has accounted for about 400 animals and traveled to Argentina and Africa many times. I use it for everything and adjust the loads for the game I am after. I use everything from 110 TTSX to 240 Woodleighs.

Click to expand...

Wow! That is one BEAUTIFUL rifle!

Uhhhh, I am not sure if you noticed though, they put the bolt on the wrong side :mrgreen:

Been shooting Sako M995 7mm Magnum (Brux barrel) and the 7mm STW Remington 700
(3 Shilen barrels)for 20 + years. The STW has been converted to a 300 Win. Magnum and barely 150 rounds down the tube and it seems that my favorite 7mm Magnum will be shadowed by the bigger 300 Magnum soon. Those are my main hunting rifles. The new .308 Crusader is mostly a long range target rifle, but seldom will use it for hunting.