Remington 511 .22 with Alaskan 2 1/2 scope, plain fun blinking

Marlin 1893 38-55 octagon barrel

Sold my Stevens 44 1/2 heavy barrelled 25-21 with original Winchester scope several years ago and owner called last night and sold it back to me. January at the range will be FUN!!!

Mike, Rich, and Craig are speaking my language. I have a rather large covey of customs, varmint rifles, single shots, and my favorite .22 is an over the top prewar custom M2 that looks like it came from Griffin and Howe. I get to the range about twice a year. My last trip was to the 200 yard range at Fairfax Rod and Gun club to break in one of my Van Orden snipers. Things were going great and into one hole at 100 when my Unertl mount screws came loose. My fun was over for the day. I have a 100 yard range about 12 minutes from my house, but its on hilly ground, not suited to my debilitated condition. I'm looking forward to shooting the .375s, the next project on my list. I'm especially eager to try the iron sighted four digit Super Grade Model 70, stocked by John Oberlies in 1937.

Favorite Rifles
 

My first high power rifle in 1973, when I turned 21, was a Belgian Browning Safari Grade Mauser in 30.06 with a beautiful stock that resembled tigers eye. At that age, I could put 5 shots in the same hole, prone at 100 yards. Browning marketed to 'The Browning Man' with the slogan, "It must be flawless." And they were: beautiful wood, deep blue, superb machining and finish, total reliability with controlled round feeding, and superb accuracy. Since then, I have added Belgian Brownings in .270, 7mm Mag, .308, .458 Win Mag, and .243 (Finland) to my collection.

For today's choice for foul-weather, deep woods hunting, I prefer Tikka (owned by Beretta) T3's made in Finland, push-feed, synthetic stocks (no worries about dinging walnut in the woods), stainless fluted barrels, guaranteed 1 MOA, light weight and regarded by some as, "The Modern Model 70."

Old World Brownings for collecting, admiring, and shooting under controlled circumstances, Tikkas for hunting under any conditions. How could you go wrong?

Love my Winchester 71's in 348. Just heard an old bear guide on Kodiak Island say he tells his clients to bring whatever gun they want as long as it is a 375. He carries a pre war model 70, of course 375. I hope to own one of those one day but for now my 7 mag built by Sako on an AV action is a poor mans tack driver.

My favorites are Ruger #1's. I have them as follows: Lilja barreled 17 Fire ball, 22 PPC, 6mm Bench Rest, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 338 Winchester. I also have a Browning single shot in .270 Winchester. I really want to add a 1A in 275 Rigby and a 416 Rigby.

.17 Fireball! Now you're diggin' where the taters are!! :clap:

I am late to the game as usual. Going with the varmint theme, I picked up this Ruger #1 in .218 Bee with a 26” barrel that has just been a dream to shoot. It is my first #1 and gosh I like it…and want more!

My other passion is Sharps rifles with a mix of reproductions and originals. I really enjoy paper/percussion Sharps. I have a few originals in this category along with a Shiloh. I have a 45-70 in a Shiloh sharps that is wonderful and a 40-70ss on the way. What I need to find here near Rhode Island is a shooting range that is longer than 100 yards to really have fun with these rifles.

.218 Bee!! That was a heck of a find in a #1 action. Jay, I like the Sharps rifle too. See my post in the Off Topic forum. :)

Mike, that was a great hunt with your 50-70. I agree if only that gun could talk. From the Civil War to putting meat on the table. Did you ever look up the serial# to see if there is information on it?

I bought a conversion Sharps early this year and the barrel was just too rough, but everything else on it is pretty nice. I am having it re-barreled in 50-70(which is a new caliber for me).

Rhode Island? Isn't that one of those states where 100 yard ranges have to be built on a side hill to stay within the state boundaries? :rotf::rotf: