It's bird season (ruffed grouse) here and every year I seem to grab the same old gun to hunt them, even though I have 3 other modern type shotguns to use, a 20 ga, Montefeltro, 20 ga, Belgium Browning auto, and a 12 ga, Benelli Sport. My favorite is a Stevens 22-410 O/U that's the same age I am, 67. My Dad bought it the year I was born and it feed our family a lot of meals. What's your favorite and why? Thanks in advance. Barlow (rifle, shotgun or combo)
Whats your favorite old huinting rifle?
- Thread starter Barlow
- Start date
timeout
Silver $$ Contributor
Harvested a ton of game with my Westernfield 410 gauge. I bought it from my uncle for $35.00 when I was 11 years old. Untold number of cottontails and squirrels put on the table with it. A few pheasants also. I was quick as a cat with that little gun. A cottontail would get about one jump! It was the only gun that I personally owned for many years. Life on the farm was simpler, but hard in those days. Some meat in the skillet was always welcome. A stark contrast to the city dwellers on public assistance. Sad to see what the state of affairs in America are these days 
jr600yd said:
Exact same two here except my Remmy is ADL....LOL ;D
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
My favorite is a Remington model 12 .22 that was my grandfathers. I don't shoot it much anymore but it is a favorite along with a marlin levermatic in 22lr and one in .22 magnum ,both have steel recievers and my dad bought new. The 3 I have mentioned are all sweet shooters and the levermatics are in superior condition as my dad hardly shot them.
dixieppc
In search of one small hole...
As with you my favorite gun was a Stevens 22/410 over/under. Bought it at Sears, of all places. Sadly, I no longer have it. When I became a teenager my passions turn toward varmint hunting and I traded it for a .222, which also started the beginnings of my reloading.Barlow said:
I have one that's old, another that's old, but I've only had it recently.
First off, is my 20 gauge H&R single shot shotgun. My first gun, dad got it for me when I about 11. (I'm 52 now) It's in fantastic condition. This past Friday, I took my grandson hunting for the first time. He got two fox squirrels with this gun. We were both SO happy! And to think I'll be passing this shotgun onto him.
Second. I have a friend of mine, we met when I was 14 at school. We ended up being life long friends. (39 years now!) In the mid 80's, when he graduated from law school, I bought him a 22lr. This past July, he came to Ohio so we could go to Lake Erie together. He pulled gun bag out of his car and said it's been 30 years since I gave him a gun, it's about time he gave one to me.
It's a 1955 Spanish "Escopedas" double barrel shotgun in very good condition. It quickly became my short range squirrel gun.
And when dad dies (he's 91 and doing pretty well) I'll get his browning based 20 gauge pump. It was sold at Wards and Sears...but it's a fantastic gun. It's probably from the mid 1930's.
First off, is my 20 gauge H&R single shot shotgun. My first gun, dad got it for me when I about 11. (I'm 52 now) It's in fantastic condition. This past Friday, I took my grandson hunting for the first time. He got two fox squirrels with this gun. We were both SO happy! And to think I'll be passing this shotgun onto him.
Second. I have a friend of mine, we met when I was 14 at school. We ended up being life long friends. (39 years now!) In the mid 80's, when he graduated from law school, I bought him a 22lr. This past July, he came to Ohio so we could go to Lake Erie together. He pulled gun bag out of his car and said it's been 30 years since I gave him a gun, it's about time he gave one to me.
It's a 1955 Spanish "Escopedas" double barrel shotgun in very good condition. It quickly became my short range squirrel gun.
And when dad dies (he's 91 and doing pretty well) I'll get his browning based 20 gauge pump. It was sold at Wards and Sears...but it's a fantastic gun. It's probably from the mid 1930's.
Remington model 31 16 gauge pump.
My grandfather bought it new and paid for it by picking cherries during the summer in the early 30's. When I was 12 it became my summer past time. Hand loading the shells and heading out into the woods. When he past it made its way into my gun cabinet and to this day every time I see it, the memories flood back. The action is smooth as silk from nearly 80 years of shooting it. I have several shotguns but I grab the 16 gauge every time.
My grandfather bought it new and paid for it by picking cherries during the summer in the early 30's. When I was 12 it became my summer past time. Hand loading the shells and heading out into the woods. When he past it made its way into my gun cabinet and to this day every time I see it, the memories flood back. The action is smooth as silk from nearly 80 years of shooting it. I have several shotguns but I grab the 16 gauge every time.
Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
My personal favorite: My pre '64 M70 in .270 Win (mfg'd 1958). Been hunting with this old gal since 1971 from BC to Mexico and everywhere in between. LOTS of deer have fallen to her, and she's still going strong today.
She got a new stock from McMillan, and fresh blue from Robar 15 years ago, but still has her original barrel and still shoots right at .6 MOA today with the 130 Sierra and my old WWII batch of H4831. Many fond memories here.
I love this old rifle!
She got a new stock from McMillan, and fresh blue from Robar 15 years ago, but still has her original barrel and still shoots right at .6 MOA today with the 130 Sierra and my old WWII batch of H4831. Many fond memories here.
I love this old rifle!
thekriebles
Gold $$ Contributor
My first centerfire rifle is still my favorite one to shoot for hunting... Rem. 760 Gamemaster pump in 308 Win. I even shot plenty of groundhogs with it using the discontinued Rem. Accelerator ammo and handloads using 110 gr. pills.
And, I still enjoy shooting my late great uncle's High Standard target pistol in 22LR.
Plenty of great memories using either always puts a smile on my face while they're in my hands.
And, I still enjoy shooting my late great uncle's High Standard target pistol in 22LR.
Plenty of great memories using either always puts a smile on my face while they're in my hands.
Gee - these kinds of post are fun
Never been much of a shotgun guy but my favorite would have to be my grandfather's 12 gauge double barrel "Ranger". Have no idea who made it but he gave it to me on my 16th birthday since he was unable to hunt any longer. I took a bunch of rabbits and pheasants (when they existed in the 60's in Western PA). Have very fond memories of those days unfortunately I never go to hunt with my beloved grandfather but hunted extensively with my dad, those times I cherish - he passed in 1987.
Pistols - this is an easy one for me. The S&W Model 17, K22, 22 long rifle, 6" barrel. My father bought this gun for me when I came in home on leave from the Army in 1970. It was my second pistol, the first an H&R revolver. The S&W had been my dream pistol but out of reach for me financially. When Dad presented it to me I thought I'd died and went to heaven. This pistol was like a fine Swiss watch - the trigger was perfect and the pistol fit my hand like a glove (with the target stocks). It was like going from a Volkswagon (H&R) to a Corvette (S&W). I've been shooting his pistol going on 44 years and have put literally thousands of rounds thought it. I competed in Bullseyes matches (achieved Distinguish Exert rating), competed in Hunter's pistol small bore silouette (achieved AAA rating), and shot numerous ghogs (close range of course - under 40 yards). You can probably guess how much I love this pistol since my handle on this site is "K22". Still shooting it for fun these days since my competition days are long over.
Rifles - a little hard to pick a favorite - but forced to choose I'd select my first rifle, the Winchester Model 70, 243. I did just about everything with this one rifle, deer, ground hogs, predators (foxes in those days) and later shoot a little silouette with it. I was a superbly accurate rifle even with factory loads and handled like a dream. Never lost a deer to it even without fancy bullet - Remington Cokt Loks did just fine.
Never been much of a shotgun guy but my favorite would have to be my grandfather's 12 gauge double barrel "Ranger". Have no idea who made it but he gave it to me on my 16th birthday since he was unable to hunt any longer. I took a bunch of rabbits and pheasants (when they existed in the 60's in Western PA). Have very fond memories of those days unfortunately I never go to hunt with my beloved grandfather but hunted extensively with my dad, those times I cherish - he passed in 1987.
Pistols - this is an easy one for me. The S&W Model 17, K22, 22 long rifle, 6" barrel. My father bought this gun for me when I came in home on leave from the Army in 1970. It was my second pistol, the first an H&R revolver. The S&W had been my dream pistol but out of reach for me financially. When Dad presented it to me I thought I'd died and went to heaven.
This pistol was like a fine Swiss watch - the trigger was perfect and the pistol fit my hand like a glove (with the target stocks). It was like going from a Volkswagon (H&R) to a Corvette (S&W). I've been shooting his pistol going on 44 years and have put literally thousands of rounds thought it. I competed in Bullseyes matches (achieved Distinguish Exert rating), competed in Hunter's pistol small bore silouette (achieved AAA rating), and shot numerous ghogs (close range of course - under 40 yards). You can probably guess how much I love this pistol since my handle on this site is "K22". Still shooting it for fun these days since my competition days are long over.Rifles - a little hard to pick a favorite - but forced to choose I'd select my first rifle, the Winchester Model 70, 243. I did just about everything with this one rifle, deer, ground hogs, predators (foxes in those days) and later shoot a little silouette with it. I was a superbly accurate rifle even with factory loads and handled like a dream. Never lost a deer to it even without fancy bullet - Remington Cokt Loks did just fine.
My favorite rifle is no longer original. I bought a Remington Sportsman 78 in 30-06 about 30 years ago. It was Remingtons way of making the cheapest hunting rifle back then. It is a poor mans Remington 700 ADL. Not engraved or polished really well. It shot really well after free floating barrel and glassing it but it kicked like a mule. I got a used Bell and Carlson stock and the first time I shot it with this stock I thought I had a squib load because of how much felt recoil it reduced. After using this for abut 5 years I decided to use this action to have my first custom rifle built on. I had a 26" Shilen SS match #6 in 25-06 Rem put on it and over time changed the stock to a HS Precision full bed with BDL metal. It is a tack driver and a deer stacker. My favorite shotgun is a Rem 1100 12 ga that I bought about 33 years ago. It originally had a 30" FC barrel on it but I got a 26" RC barrel for it when they first came out years ago. Untelling how many rounds it has through it and it still looks in 90% condition and still runs like a sewing machine. I have shot on a skeet and trap team with it as well as killed everything from a mouse to deer with it.
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