There are a ton of things that make a rifle interesting, but one that really interests me is one that I will own in the future. A Win m94, made in the 50's, that was my grandads. Dad inherited the rifle, and I will from him. Grandad, Dad, and I have shot deer with it, and I love the plain silly thing. It's of absolute no interest to anyone else and is as common as a '94 can get, but I find it very interesting do to it's history, and excellent upkeep.

I'd be surprised if it shot under 3moa, but I know I'll cherrish it when it is passed down to me.

Very good question, and one I have oft pondered. I believe that in my case I am prone to get led astray by the glitz of the internet, and of hearing all the stories about how well everyone elses rifles shoot. Is a 1/2 or 3/4 MOA rifle interesting to me? Of course it is, and I own several of them.

What I have found though, as I get older, different things make rifles "interesting" to me. There is a Winchester 94 in my safe, that rolled out of the factory in 1913. It is beat to heck, with little collector value. It was my father-in-laws, and I just helped him get the barrel relined on it and get it shooting again. It will hold about 4-5" at 100 yards with factory ammo and iron sights. He left it with me, and he intends for his grandson to shoot a deer with it in 2013 when it turns 100 years old. That, to me, is interesting. Like AC said, if that rifle could talk...

I have a little FR-8 that I rebarreled to 7x57 with an old takeoff barrel. Did all the work myself, teaching myself along the way. It will shoot 1-1.5 moa and is an excellent woods rifle. It is interesting to me as well. And my grandfathers old pre-64 model 70 featherweight in 30-06 that came to me when he died of cancer 20 years ago. Definitely interesting.

To me, the interest of a rifle can come from many things. Whether it is utilitarian and based off the job it does, the rifles inherent accuracy, its historical value, or a some combination of all the above. True, the end purpose of a rifle is to put a bullet on target, but what is the target and what is the distance? There are too many factors involved to me to put an absolute number on it. Bottom line, does it do the job it is intended? Even then there are many other variables to consider in my mind. But then again, that is just me. Doesn't mean anyone else is wrong at all, we all have our own opinions.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:

So, what is a sensible maximum distance?

Depends on the size of the quarry:

50yds on wabbits.
100yds on foxes.
200ys on small(roe) deer.
400yds on elk.

I'm confident that if I do my stuff a 2moa rifle will easily hit the heart/lungs at those distances.
What I'm NOT saying is that I wouldn't work to improve the accuracy of whichever rifle/ammunition combination I was using.
That's half the fun in shooting & recent load development I've been doing for the .243 has been very enlightening; from a 3moa plus "pattern" to .8moa accuracy in five load increments.

Now THAT to me is interesting.

"Interesting" startsfor me with blue metal, walnut stocked, bolt guns (except Savage) that are based on the 30-06 case and topped with good Leupold scopes.

I prefer controlled round feed, but have been known to buy push round feed Rem 700s during moments of severe weakness.

Everything else -- synthetic stocks, stainless, laminates, ARs etc -- you are free to praise, pursue, and own... but my $$$$s will not flow in that direction.

In the future I am considering some single shot rifles (blue & walnut) just to show I am not stuck on bolts.

What "interests" me in pistols are wheel guns (of the magnum variety). Carried 9mm Baretta for years and not impressed. Like my 357, 44 mag, and 500 smiths. Fun to load for, fun to shoot, fun to cast bullets for them.

Barstooler

Expectations are different for different guns. I wrote about my 1" grouping hornet yesterday. I also have a 22-250 with a stainless heavy barrel, light trigger, 24 power scope that shoots .2's .3's and almost never over a .5. Hell I have trouble seeing that well. Even with the big scope. Its a dead prairie dog if its inside 350 yards. I can even call a head shot now and then. I shoot farther but not unless I have to. DW

Under an inch to start with. Then the fun begins.
My wife thinks I am nuts, and tells me "The deer don't know any better".

I like them all! There isn't a bad one but some might be better than others! The one I take hunting has to be comfortable, fit good, light etc. and know where first shot is going and must put three quik shots into 1 1/2 inches!

I've never shot a group in the field.

Bullets need to touch on cold barrel POIs.

I spend too much time on reloading for bullets not to touch. I've gotten rid of plenty a rifle that didn't cut the mustard.

Interesting to me is the entire sport of shooting.

1. The physics and dynamics of ballistics

2. Weapon design & development.

3. Reloading and the quest for the perfect round.

4. Building and designing tactical courses.

5. Chemical science behind propellants.

6. Aerodynamics and bullet design.

7. Watching people enjoy shooting.

8. Getting opinions, ideas and knowledge from this forum.

9. Teaching what I know and learning what I don't about the sport.

10. That I don't find other activities as interesting as shooting.

Interesting to me is the quality of the firearm. There are many very inexpensive rifles out today that will shoot MOA. However I haven't seen many that 'feel' good. I got hooked on Sauers in the early 70s and have never looked back. Couple Colt Sauers in magnums and a couple of 202 lightweights in 270 and 243. These guns all shoot 1/2" with factory ammo but the best part is the engineering, the smoothness of the action, the innovative safeties, the overall workmanship,etc. The 202s have the fluted barrels and weigh just over 6# yet they don't lose their accuracy like many American guns do when the barrels get warm. Neither do the older heavier Sauer magnums. They just keep on laying them in. CONSISTENCY is what I want in a hunting rifle. I haven't lost a game animal in many a year and most died within a few feet of being hit. I feel you owe the animal a quick and clean death. When I go to the public range and some idiot is sitting their throwing rounds down range and finally hits the bullseye, proclaims the gun 'sighted in' and packs up and leaves I have the urge to deck that sorry sob. I'd wager 9 times out of 10 he couldn't do it again whether the rifle was really hitting there or not. A hunter respects the game and doesn't take shots that aren't a sure thing. Better to pass and come home empty than to wound with a bad shot or pos gun.

Blacktailer, Alberta Canuck

I ain't seen me no critters, nor hunted me no critters that was gonna stand around and wait to be hit two more times after that first shot.

I ain't never met me NO person that is even remotely normal, whose blood pressure jumps a hundred points or so when staring at a piece of paper they are fixing to perforate.

If accuracy is your thing, that is great.

Mine is dead meat on the ground.

When I first lay my eyes on any particular rifle. That's when interesting starts. I typically know within a couple of minutes whether to be more interested, and how interested I'm going to get. I know that rifles are inanimate objects, but it seems that certain ones just call out to me.
Best,
GWB

Heck Mike, 7/8ths is kinda sloppy, huh? I don't tolerate anything over 13/16ths

I may buy a rifle for a specific purpose, or a specific grandson-grandaughter, or simply for looks. It may even be something I already have and am very pleased with it's performance. I may buy one for a specific hunt, or something else of the same caliber but different chambering, to utilize bullets I may have of that particular caliber. Goal is always a one hole group, meaning three shots touching each other, I have never failed to get that, although some have taken considerable more time than others. 1 MOA is good enough for hunting, but for me to keep it in my vault, it has to achieve the one holer. That makes it interesting for me. Good shooting.

I want a hunting rifle to shoot sub MOA at the longest range I plan to shoot it at. For example, 5 inch groups at 500 are rather gratifying, and more than good enough for hunting use. Whether that same load shoots 1 inch, 1/2" or 1/4" at 100 means exactly nothing.
I've seen way too many bughole @ 100 yard loads crap themselves at longrange.
I like a target/varmint rifle to hold 1/2 MOA at the longest range it will be shot at. The fly in the ointment is that the target rifle has to be able to do it hot, and the hunting rifle has to do it cold.

</= 1" @ 100 yds. with out me trying too hard and I am OK with them.

The most interesting rifle I have is a Destroyer carbine. I can hit 2-3 pop cans out of 5 shots at 100 yards. Just love that rifle.

390ish;

I can agree with that.

My first CF rifle- Sav M99F in 308Win, kills deer every time, hits pop cans at 100yds w/generic 150 grain reloads quite reliably, yet has never been printed on paper to see what "MOA" it will hold. I do not ever intend to do so, either.

My Dad, now deceased, gave me that rifle when I was 12. It is perfect.

Best;