O.k.; Now How About the "Best Rifle"?

[Jeff Higgins]

I'll start. Model 70 Winchester in its original form or in its newer reincarnation. The few times I have been able to travel to hunt, it has been the rifle of choice. No doubt that it will work when I get there. Absolutely reliable, as accurate as any, safe, easy to field strip, and available in any caliber you want. Mine are 6.5 x 55, .30-'06, and .375 H&H.

It's kind of a weird relationship I hold with the Model 70, however. It is far from my favorite rifle. It does what it does very well, but with too little personality for me. My favorites are the old black powder cartridge guns, followed by lever guns and round-ball muzzle loaders. When I'm hunting near home just for fun, I will grab one of these. All of my match shooting any more is with the black powder cartridge rifle. My favorite saying is "smokeless powder is a passing fad", originally uttered by Steve Garbe, multiple time NRA national champ.

[tobster1911]

Remington Model 700. Mine in 7mm Mag. Any caliber will do though. Great shooting guns.

[id10t]

Mauser '98 or FN-FAL (specifically either the argentinian bush model or the israeli heavy barrel)

[targa911S]

Winchester model 1894 "The gun that won the west" Mine's a 30-30 but if I could buy it again I would have bought a 45 acp model. One less type of ammo to buy. Mine was made in 1951 same as me.

[Tim Hancock]

I just built up a Rock River Arms AR-15. It is a 16" 1-9 twist barrel, mid length grips, flat top. I have not shot it yet, but hope to this weekend. I am now having flashbacks from the 80's of my Army Reserve drill instructors yelling at me!

[Drago]

Originally posted by targa911S
Winchester model 1894 "The gun that won the west" Mine's a 30-30 but if I could buy it again I would have bought a 45 acp model. One less type of ammo to buy. Mine was made in 1951 same as me.

I'll second the model 94. My Granfather basically gave me all his rifles a while back. In the collection was a model 94 that was built in 1904 in 30-30. There was also a Winchester model 70 in 30-06, a Springfield Trapdoor built in 1878, and a Royal Enfield 30-30 w/ a Leupold scope.

[targa911S]

Thanks Grampa!! Wow!

[Shuie]

For what purpose?

Here are my favorites:

Winchester 1892 carbine - favorite levergun
Galil - favorite evil black rifle
M48 - favorite bolt gun

[Drago]

Originally posted by targa911S
Thanks Grampa!! Wow!

There was also a Sears and Roebuck 12 gage w/ a manual choke, probably built by Mossberg, and an old 22 cal. rifle of unknown origin that looks to be older than dirt. Oh, and an old Daisy BB/Pellet gun he used for quieting the yappy dog next door.

He's holding on to the WWII issued German Luger, for now.

[MikeCT]

M1 Garande

[skipdup]

Originally posted by MikeCT
M1 Garande

I've always wanted an M1 Garand made by International Harvester.

[HardDrive]

I'll take my Norinco MAK90 thanks.

Pack it full of mud, clean it out in a river, slober some vegtable oil in for lub....thing just keep on trucking. Accurate? Nope. Easy to shoot. Nope, bucks like mule. Good for a fine afternoon of spray and pray? Yep.

(No, I have not tried the vegtable oil idea..... )

[KevinG]

My best?
1950 winchester 94 in 30-30
Sako Finbear in 7mm Rem that I stocked myself, so I'm partial

What I would like?
Ruger #1 in 300WM
Pre-64 Model 70 in .270
Pre-64 Model 70 in 375H&H with express sites

In current production rifles the Remington 700 series is hard to beat

[skipdup]

I'm quite fond of my Rem. 700 Custom Kevlar Mountain Rifle in .270 Win. It makes even me a decent shot.

[skipdup]

Tim- If you have time, I sent you a PM.

[vash]

i have a non pre 64 winchester model 70 in 30.06, with a beater WEAVER scope on it that will drive tacks. and a weatherby .257 that is a picky eater. will sell it cheap soon.

i want a .300 WSM badly. one gun for everything on this continent.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by targa911S
Winchester model 1894 "The gun that won the west" Mine's a 30-30 but if I could buy it again I would have bought a 45 acp model. One less type of ammo to buy. Mine was made in 1951 same as me.

My official hat I wear for the black powder matches says "Sharps made the West safe for Winchester".

Carlos Gove, eh? Worked with J.P. Lower in Denver. I have an original Borchardt military carbine in .45-70 marked "J.P. Lower, Denver, Co." on the receiver ring. My favorite product from Mr. Gove was the under lever conversion on the Rolling Block. Great idea, and pretty darn valuable today. I believe Lone Star was talking about making them again; don't know if they ever did. Anyway, the rifle in the photo looks like any other "plains rifle" built in the mid-1800's. I was not aware that Gove built them; he was kind of late coming on the scene if he did, like well into the cartridge era. Not that they quit building the front stuffers, but demand had to be way down.

[ronin]

Originally posted by tobster1911
Remington Model 700. Mine in 7mm Mag. Any caliber will do though. Great shooting guns.

ditto. mine in 7.62 NATO (308)

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally posted by skipdup
I've always wanted an M1 Garand made by International Harvester.

Funny, me too.

I must be playing too much Wolfenstein: ET.

[tabs]

Gove joined the 1st Cav and fought in the Seminole Indian war circa 1833...later he moved to Council Bluffs and made Trade Rifles...about 1860 he went to Denver and had George Schoyen working for him as well as JP Lower as a partner....Gove made "Super Accurate" rifles, and was a known marksman, he at various times served as an Indian Agent, and Mayor of Denver...he retired in 1882 and passed in 1900 at age 83.

The marking Denver City..indicates that it was made prior to Colorado becoming a state in 1876.