Firearm Choices

[chuckdog]

I never imagined the responses I've gotten to my early morning ramblings.

Absolutely great posts in this thread.

Great group of folks telling of life!

 

[georgia_home]

reflections on youth and stuff.

A bad trade of my first SG dad gave me for a mossy bolt SG taught me a lot, but not until too late. Worst I did gun related.

two different pistols taught me more. A franken1911 and a modern sub compact. mistakes, to some extent, but not the worst. Still have both.
and a 12g dbl. but I still have the pistols and SG’s. And anything else I ever bought. Haven’t sole nary after the bolt from the first trade.

re: alcohol and scotch.
Bad experiences with a loved one and the cheap scotch taught much displeasure and what awful tastes like.
some old hunting friends taught what good scotch tastes like. Thanks gents!

the mrs and old hunting friends taught the grace of great drinking partners and a great desert wine. Chadds Ford Niagara If you’re into desert wines. From a fine feeling to something approaching a lobotomy. (No pain, just relaxation, mellow)

 

[rosewood]

I've always enjoyed shooting T/C Contender pistols. Bought my first Contender around 1980. I admire the company's customer service and I have a first generation $200 Compass 5R turnbolt that with a little trigger work outshoots many target .308's I've owned. This brings me to the Encore rifles. I don't know how many I've owned, (a bunch) but I've yet to find one that lives up the hype they enjoyed 15 or twenty years ago. In all honesty, I don't recall a single centerfire combo I've shot that would do better than 2" groups. I swear at them while other folks swear by them. I ain't ever wanted something to shoot well anymore than this design.

Then I discovered the CVA single shots (Hunter) with the pressed in pin, and they would shoot sub-moa for about $200. Recently got a couple of the take down Scouts (which cost more) and they don't group as well as the fixed pin ones.

Man, I am with you. I love the Contender and Encore platform. I have several Pistol length barrels that outshoot lots of other bolt guns, but the rifle length barrels in both the encore and contender will not consistently shoot good groups. Will stack 2 bullets then throw one 1" away. Drives me nuts. I think it is the removable pin, seems to be more of a problem with the longer barrel. I have even tried the lockers, but never made the Encore really shoot any better. They are accurate enough for white tails, but just not enough for my OCD.

Then I discovered the CVA hunter with the pressed in action pin and they will shoot sub-moa for $200. Recently picked a couple of the newer Scout IIs that are take down and they don't group near as well.

Rosewood

 

[Ruger#3]

I think I’ve come full circle in the weapons that please me when in hand. I started my hunting with shotguns Rabbit, squirrel, quail and pheasant were the game most pursued. I carried a Savage 20 gauge double or Winchester 1200 20 gauge most of the time in my youth. Both belonged to family members.

I started deer hunting later in life and there was hogs about. A Ruger 77 .270 mountain rifle or Ruger#3 in 45/70 were in my lap many frosty mornings looking over the AR swamps. Both were a good fit and brought much game to the table. The weapons of my early manhood.

As I’ve aged, 70, lighter weapons for small game, Yildiz .410, functional weapons, R-77 all weather .308 have become my weapons of choice. The world we live in drove my interest in a Savage Patrol .223 Wylde, a long step from the 70‘s M-16 I was issued. All function reliably and serve their purpose well.

Now on quiet mornings, I pull the Savage double from the safe and lovingly oil my old friend. On a good morning the crunch of frozen grass and the cry of a beagle on the jump echo far away and a boy is on the hunt again.

 

[pacecars]

My friends used to tell me I changed rifles more than I changed my underwear. I started out thumbing through the old Savage, Weatherby, Remington, Ruger, Marlin, Colt and Steyr catalogs back when they mailed them to your house. It took a long time before I started accumulating some of those guns but even back then I preferred buautiful wood stocks and gloss blue. I went through a few plastic stocked guns and even still have a few and just bought another but I still return to my roots most of the time. I have always been a Shiloh Sharps fan and have had a bunch of them. In handguns I am still a revolver guy at heart especially single actions but my everyday carry is a Wilson Combat in 9mm of all things and the 10mm is still my favorite round. I could go on but I need to find a shotgun, I seem to neglect them

 

[hayseed_theology]

My tastes have changed as well. At heart, I'm a bit of an old soul. I've always loved walnut and blued steel.

Killed my first deer with my grandfather's Winchester 94. First deer rifle I bought myself was a Marlin lever action. I cut my teeth on DA revolvers, so that's what I bought when I was old enough to buy a handgun (and it had to be a .357 Mag). Not owning a semiautomatic pistol or rifle was a bit of a badge of honor to me.

For years I wanted a S&W 340PD (.357 Mag) with Crimson Trace grips. In my mind it was the ultimate carry gun. I finally got one, and it was my primary carry gun for a decade. I never imagined in a million years that I would sell that gun or that I would carry a bottom feeder.

Times have changed. I've sold off a couple of revolvers, and I almost exclusively carry autoloaders. Certainly never thought I'd buy a polymer frame striker fired 9mm, but I have been pretty happy with my Shield. Never owned a Glock yet, but I don't hate on them like I used to.

I was a late adopter on the AR platform. I finally saw the brilliance and assembled one. It's a great platform, and I have grown to really enjoy shooting that gun.

I still prefer more traditional guns, but I've really expanded my horizons.

 

[Nimrod71]

The old saying of: All things change in time, it is very true. I to was only a wheel gun and 1911 only guy. I only carried big guns, hand cannons and I could shoot them too. But time and age changes all things. The roar of the lion is about gone and now it's more of a purr of contentment.

 

[ChidJ]

I don't have much to add as I haven't been around as long as most here. I will say that it is funny to see so many here having shifted from the old wheelguns and moving to newer autoloaders while me, a comparatively young guy, have gone from exclusively carrying larger glocks and the like from the time I could to using pocket wheel guns religiously. Go figure. I don't sell guns, generally, so I've still got all the striker fired, tupperware guns from my "youth". They're just safe decor these days

 

[rosewood]

I started with bolt guns and thought I had no need for an auto loader. Then as time went on, I decided I should have auto loaders. Even hunted with an AR-10 308 for awhile. Really quit because it is just too heavy for toting in the woods. Back to bolt guns after than. Now I have switched to single shots and almost exclusively hunt with them.

Early on, I had both autoloader pistols and wheel gun. Had no interest in a single action Vaquero, then got a couple for cowboy shooting and ended up really liking them. I doubt I will ever have an EDC that isn't an auto loader however.

Rosewood

 

[Darkhorse]

As a young boy I relished in all things hunting. I carried the rabbits through the briars and mosquitos. Loved every minute of it.
As I got older I worked hard to gain skill as a woodsman. I had a pump 12 gauge, but I learned to love a good double barrel. I was a killer then and never hunted squirrels with a .22 because I could kill more with a shotgun.
I was raised in Plant City Fla. and every year the hunting got worse. It seemed nobody wanted us hunting thier property, it didn't matter who we asked. Soon we had nowhere to go.
So a move was in order to middle Georgia. Here I had lots of land belonging to relatives I could hunt whenever I wanted to. And this land held lots of game. I was a young man then and the boy was never far away.
So passed the years. I knew the old ways. Had owned bird dogs when quail were still plentiful. Had traded many guns I should have kept. Knew many women, some good ones. Knew many men, most not so good. I'd had some good times and some times only heartbreak. And had many good friends go under, but I'm still here.
Now I'm 70. The boy hasn't been around for many years. He is lost to time and can't find his way back. I still like my guns. But what I really love are the 2 flintlock rifles I built.
Some times feelings overcome me and I'll fetch those flintlocks out and pull a chair up to the fire, Then hand rub those old guns with paste wax looking over every inch of them. At my side is a glass of ice cold tequila, a very good tequila. And my feet are warmed by a good dog.
And for a little while the old man is content to be just an old man.

 

[Dub]

As a young boy I relished in all things hunting. I carried the rabbits through the briars and mosquitos. Loved every minute of it.
As I got older I worked hard to gain skill as a woodsman. I had a pump 12 gauge, but I learned to love a good double barrel. I was a killer then and never hunted squirrels with a .22 because I could kill more with a shotgun.
I was raised in Plant City Fla. and every year the hunting got worse. It seemed nobody wanted us hunting thier property, it didn't matter who we asked. Soon we had nowhere to go.
So a move was in order to middle Georgia. Here I had lots of land belonging to relatives I could hunt whenever I wanted to. And this land held lots of game. I was a young man then and the boy was never far away.
So passed the years. I knew the old ways. Had owned bird dogs when quail were still plentiful. Had traded many guns I should have kept. Knew many women, some good ones. Knew many men, most not so good. I'd had some good times and some times only heartbreak. And had many good friends go under, but I'm still here.
Now I'm 70. The boy hasn't been around for many years. He is lost to time and can't find his way back. I still like my guns. But what I really love are the 2 flintlock rifles I built.
Some times feelings overcome me and I'll fetch those flintlocks out and pull a chair up to the fire, Then hand rub those old guns with paste wax looking over every inch of them. At my side is a glass of ice cold tequila, a very good tequila. And my feet are warmed by a good dog.
And for a little while the old man is content to be just an old man.

Powerfully written, sir.

 

[Railroader]

Powerfully written, sir.

Dang right it is...

 

[Jester896]

I miss ole chuckdog

 

[Big7]

I miss ole chuckdog

What happened to chuckdog?

I see he hasn't posted since 2022 but he don't have the "Gone But Not Forgotten" banner.

 

[Dub]

What happened to chuckdog?

I see he hasn't posted since 2022 but he don't have the "Gone But Not Forgotten" banner.

I’ve messaged him here and on another forum….no responses.

Sure wish he’d come back.

 

[Jester896]

I don't know what happened...I have messaged him several times here to

 

[chase870]

I go through stages and shoot different guns from time to time. Most days if its a shotgun its a 870 I shoot them in every gauge they make them in but been shooting the sub gauges a bunch. When I get to thinking about my Grandfather, I shoot his 1935 A5 Browning with paper shells. The gun and smell of paper shells brings back lots of wonderful memories for me, and words of wisdom, life lessons, and everything else he taught me. In rifles I used to shoot a 7600 in 30-06 it was pretty much the only deer rifle I had for years. My Grandfather told me a 30-06 would kill anything on the North American Contenant, and he was right. I lost that rifle years ago and started shooting a M1A cause I had one and couldn't afford a new deer rifle at the time. The M1A got good to me and caused several deer mascaras, any time you kill 5 or more at a time it just turns into work. I now shoot 700's, figured it would slow down the multiple kills, and it has to some degree, but I find I can shoot a bolt gun faster than I thought.

 

[Jester896]

I now shoot 700's, figured it would slow down the multiple kills, and it has to some degree, but I find I can shoot a bolt gun faster than I thought.

3 is my record with a bolt gun...2s are frequent

 

[mwood1985]

I can't stand the modern fad of tacticool long range hunting rifles. You dont need a 13lb sniper rifle with a 50x scope to kill deer in Georgia or elk in Montana. Give me my Mauser 98 Sporter in .257 or a good Winchester or Browning ABolt .270 or 30-06 and send it. Is it really hunting if you shoot an elk out 1300 yards.... no. Indian lore was still be touching the arrow feathers when it hit the animal. Learn hunting skills get close... that being said I hunt hogs with a AR15 and thermals. 30rd mag and blast em

 

[rosewood]

3 is my record with a bolt gun...2s are frequent

I have done 3 also. Once. Once I started processing them myself, I limit myself to 1 kill per hunt. And think real hard about killing more than 2 deer a season.

Rosewood