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From time to time I have thought about selling off most of my medium bore rifles, and just having one medium bore for everything. My 9.3x62 will serve for the big bore. It may be easier to think about it than really doing it because I'm not sure that I could really part with them all. But --- if I did, then it would be for a really good one. An example of such a medium one-rifle could be something built on the McMillan CRF short action. Certainly there are other options, but from the looks of it the McMillan would be hard to improve upon. That would certainly simplify things. I'm already willing to compromise with myself, and think -- heck I could sell off half of my rifles and have enough money to make two custom McMillans. So, I just put this notion out there for discussion. What do you think? KB ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | ||
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that would make a pretty boring tour of your gunroom, not to say effectively take you out of the reloading hobby. Two hours apiece, and you have all of the fun done. Rich More is better | |||
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If I had to do such a thing I would keep two instead of one - Winchester Model 70 .30-06 for a scoped rifle and Winchester Model 94 .30-30 | |||
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Yeah, but why?????? You'd have no reason to wake up in the morning. | |||
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I remember the relief I felt when I gave up shot shell loading, and reduced the number of shotguns down to three. I've never looked back, and don't miss it one little bit. Similarily, I remember giving up loading for pistol cartridges, and have only two pistols, and shoot factory ammo only. Feels good, and I have no desire to handload for pistols. Having a variety of rifles, and handloading for rifles is different somehow, and has endured through the years. The recent hunting trip was accomplished shooting factory loads only, which were very effective and very accurate - simple. At this time, I'm not seriously thinking about quiting handloading, just having fewer rifles. KB ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | |||
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Good choice for the big one, if it was me the other rifle would be a Remington 7600 carbine in 30-06. I've had one for about ten years and it's one rifle I will never get rid of. The 7600 is fast and reliable in the far north, never had a problem of any kind. I topped it with a 2x7 Burris compact. | |||
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Go Blaser, one rifle,many barrels. I have some really nice rifles that will be hard to part with. None are as accurate, or nice to carry as my Blaser K95. Am going to try the r93 next. | |||
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It's great that we like different kinds of rifles, and it's fun to debate over the preferences. I've never been a fan of the 7600 for a number of reasons, but there's no need to elaborate. I could be a fan of the Blaser, at half the price. But I'm just not going there, and it makes no difference to me how accurate they are. I can have two custom made sporters on the McMillan CRF action for about the price of one Blaser, and maybe have money left over. Or I could have five seriously tweeked Ruger MK IIs. Another thing about the Blaser is that the mechanism isn't something I'm familiar with, and in my old age, I'm not sure I can make those kinds of adjustments in my preferences. Anyway, I wasn't suggesting a debate or discussion about the prefered rifle in a one or two gun arsenal, although suggestions are good. I am interested in discussion about the merrits of perhaps having only one or perhaps two select rifles in the medium/small bore catagory. As an example - perhaps one rifle in 308, and another identical in 260. Also, remember that I said the 9.3x62 would serve me well for the big caliber. I have two of those, which would be too painful to sell. Speaking of the McMillan CRF action - it looks to me to be an evolution of the Remington 700, perhaps what Remington could've - should've done in the first place, perhaps in the custom shop, if not the standard 700. Of course if they did, then they would probably not be competitive price-wise. Anyway, if I could bring myself low enough to own a Remington 700, the McMillan CRF action has all the features I think should be present on such an action, including the precision machining. This is an action that will require no tweeking. If anyone knows about actions comparable to the McMillan, or in this class, please offer info and suggestions. I don't know too much about this, but it seems to me that the things that make the McMillan action interesting to me is that it is not designed primarily as a competition or speciality type action, but has retained the features that are highly desirable on a sporter. Thus the action could serve both purposes - sporter or competitor. Another thing - the closer an action is to the standard off-the-shelf Rem 700, the less desirable the action is to me. IMO, that's a great example of how an action should not be designed, and the McMillan shows how it should be done, with that style of round action. Lately, I've noticed a bunch of so-called tactical M&P bolt action rifles in 308 that cost around $1500 low and on up way past $3000 - $5000. I suspect most of these rifles are extremely accurate, and have first shot - cold barrel reliability. I recently got an introduction to a rifle capable of that kind of accuracy, and I like it. See my post under hog hunting. That rifle is accurate, but I'm thinking the barrel is longer than necessary, but it's still a work in progress. I can see that having one or two go-to rifles like that, designed as sporters, could be totally satisfying. The McMillan action could be a good starting place. KB ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | |||
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I went down to one rifle back in 1993 and have hunted exclusively with one 338 WM. Two years ago, I bought a second 338 WM as a spare. Two months ago I decided to downsize to a 30-06. I intend to hunt everything but the big bears with a 30-06. When I hunt Browns, the old 338 WM will come out of retirement. | |||
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I've sort of been down-sizing too. For all the time I lived and hunted in S.E. Alaska a 338WM has been my primary go-to rifle, and I have a FN in 30-06 that I like a lot too. Lately, I've been playing with a custom barreled 8x57 on a CZ 550 action, and it sets well with me. The recoil is very tolerable, and the accuracy is great in that rifle. It would be a good candidate for a one-rifle medium bore. I tried some 175 gr Sierras because I had them, and bingo - easy load development, and great accuracy. Same with 195 gr Hornadys. IMO the 8x57 is THE cartridge which sets the standard, and by which all meduim bore hunting cartridges should be measured. I'm not talking about American factory loads, but loads to the potential of the cartridge. I've also given the 30-06 vs 308 debate some thought, and the 308 has won with me. To me they are basically the same cartridge ballistically, until you get into 200 - 220 gr bullets, which I have seldom used. So, where I'm at right now - subject to change - is that the 308 does everything I want done in 30 caliber. I believe 300 yards is about my max range, and that isn't likely to change. I say that because I've never actually shot at game at 300 yards or more, and don't forsee the future need. The 308 is plenty adequate at that range, for the stuff I would shoot with a 308. On my want list is a decent range finder. The drop at 300 yards is about a foot, which shouldn't be difficult to compensate for. Also, at this time, I have settled on a 12" twist 308, and bullets in the 165 gr class. If I feel the need for a rifle with more power, then I'm very comfortable with blasting away with my 9.3x62. Of course the 338 is a good choice too in the heavy medium bore class. KB ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | |||
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Over the past ten years or so I've gotten rid of a dozen rifles or so following your reasoning.During that period I've probably aquired close to the same number 7 of which were Stevens Mod. 200s. I too was on a similar quest and desided to try many different cartridges. The 7-08, .270, 7mm Rem.Mag. and the .243 were quickly eliminated. A number of Shaw barrles replaced the existing Stevens' barrles with these: The 6.5X55 and the .250-3000 were super pleasnt to shoot , both had MOA capability with the right loads and could handle game to the size of Mule deer out to 250yds. and maybe a little more. with the heavy gas checked bullets the 7.62X41 delivered muzzle energy greater than the venerable 30-40 Krag. It is doubtful that it would be a good deer killer beyond 150 yards. Based on killing ability (large deer) at acceptable range (250 yds.), use and adequacy of common cup and core bullets, recoil level in a truely light rifle (24" barrel)and just a joy to shoot, The 250-3000 would get my nod to be the cartridge used in building that all bells and whistles custom rifle you're thinking of. roger Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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Kabluewy ; I though I had solved that problem many many years ago . I purchased a Drilling of unusual calibers , it escalated in value to the point , I only shot it once just to ensure all was right . It IS RIGHT !!!. However because of it's value I've never shot it again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Try a Merkel switch barrel . http://www.rifleshootermag.com...ifles/merkel_122206/ | |||
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I was quite successful on consolidating shotguns. I now own a 12 Ga O/U and a 20 Ga O/U. It really bites me when I see a .410 double advertised but like any gunaholic I've learned to just say no! Same with handguns.....down to two and little interest in more.....it's the damn rifles that keep proliferating!......Me and rifles are like Tiger Woods and women....(or is it Bill Clinton) The time is coming when I'll pare down to five or six.....but until then, I'll just have to make due! /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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I have done this gradually over the last year or two. I decided on which of the chamberings in each category was sufficient for all that I would want to do with it and kept or built to fill that place. I think every one needs one of the following or something in similar category. 12g sxs AYA 22 LR Kimber 20 VarTarg XR 100 7x57 custom 1908 DWM 404 Jeffery custom 1952 FN Feel I could go anywhere and do anything with one of these and the best thing is that the attachment to each one is greater because so much time and thought went into deciding - keeping - building each one. Mind you like vapodog says a 410 double like I used to have would be nice as would a pre 1920 factory sporting 303 and a..... Von Gruff. | |||
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My first reaction was, why? A guy can't have too many guns! But your question mirrors a thought I've had for some time now. The pages of my calendar keep turning and I'm looking to simplfy a lot of things in my life. I used to be a car guy. Now it's just me and my pickup. And happily so. I go to Africa every year and the hardest decision I have to make is which rifle to take. I've used 6 different rifles in 6 different calibers over the course of my trips. I'll probably start down the backside of the mountain with the FN 300 Weatherby I've had since I was 16, and my Model 70 375. They should be enough to get me back to camp. 114-R10David | |||
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I am not familiar with the pricing of custom rifles, but I don't believe for a minute that you can get two custom McMillans for less than the price of a R-93. Prove it! | |||
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EXACTLY!!!! I couldn't have said it myself. **************** NRA Life Benefactor Member | |||
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Used to be a Game some of us would play called "Buy One - Trade One". You would start out by buying a rifle the first year in the cartridge/brand of your choice. Every following year you could Buy One and Trade One. So your Battery would change from year to year and you tried to cover your range of Hunting/Shooting interests. I've never had a 260Rem or any 6.5mm of my own, but it is obviously better than any weenie cartridge below it - unless you are into shooting a lot. Then some kind of cartridge shooting a 0.224" bullet from a 223Rem case seems to make a lot of sense. Darn near impossible to have a better cartridge than a 308Win if you like 30cal 150gr and 165gr bullets. And I do not mean the Politically Correct Bullets. You should keep that 9.3Thingy if you like it. As for me, it would make some ready funds to rebarrel a Short Action to a 358Win. Can't imagine going without a 22RimFire of some sort. Toooooooo many from shooting them. | |||
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H C, 22's don't count. Everyone know we should have as many of those as we want. IMO, same applies to the 9.3mm anything. That's why I initially narrowed the scope of my discussion to medium bore, which to me includes the 6.5mm, and excepted the 9.3mm. I have often thought of the 358 Win, and I'm sure I would like it. However I have a custom 9.3x57 on a FN action, Pac Nor barrel, Black T, that is practically a new rifle - better than new. As far as I know, FN didn't make rifles with LaPour safty, and Blackburn trigger. I took it to the range once, and shot some factory Norma ammo to confirm that it is a shooter. My initial impression of it is that it is one of those rifles with no challange. So, I'll just have to have my fun with it by taking it hunting, rather than messing with a variety of loads to find one it likes. I'm probably doomed to fail at this idea. There are two main things that are gonna get in the way. One is that I hate to part with an especially accurate and good shooting rifle, especially at a mundane price. And another thing is that I have rifles that I don't know whether they are really accurate of just average, because I haven't had time yet to test them thoroughly. So, I also hate to sell a rifle that MAY BE super accurate. I may be able to overcome the urge to make over a rifle that isn't up to accuracy standards. Mostly that gets into real money that isn't reflected in resale value. I often look at such a rig as donor actions and stocks, but with the right attitude, perhaps I can learn to cut my losses and remove it from the gene pool. Yesterday, I finally got my new loading bench set up. Looks like I'll have a busy summer testing for accuracy, and thinning the herd. KB ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | |||
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For one do-it-all rifle a good argument could be made for the 30-06, the .338 Win or the 9.3x62. All three are versatile and I would choose the one that suits the majority of your hunting needs. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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+1 Choose either depending how much recoil you want. The 9.3 x 62 doesn't do well on longer range mule deer where I hunt. The Barnes TTSX bullets make either the .308" or .338" bullets 1 gun for everything: .308" TTSX: - 150 TTSX - 168 TTSX - 180 TTSX .338" TTSX: - 160 TTSX - 185 TTSX - 210 TTSX - 225 TTSX If you want a hobby or want to play, then tweak and shoot these different bullet weights. That is more fun and more precise IMO, than having different rifles. I can't afford to so the 338 Win. Mag. using the 185 TTSX has to do everything for me. The money I save on tweaking a load with the 160 TTSX or 210 TTSX can buy me a rangefinder. | |||
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been there,..tried that....doesn't work... interesting to hypothesize about but very few gun nuts go there by choice.... Out of what I currently own I'd have to pick my McMillan stocked stainless 700 BDL with Jewell trigger and 3.5-10 X Leupold in 7mm Rem Mag....but it aint gonna happen at my house.... | |||
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Kabluewy - Understand exactly where you're coming from. Been there a couple of times myself. Twice I even gave up guns of all ilk completely...was into exotic cars...Lotus 11's, Modified D-Jag race cars, etc. But in the long run, I found I am like one of my favourite women in my former life...she gave up heroin, valium, and Southern Comfort highs I don't know how many times. But she always went back. So now, though I have gotten rid of an awful lot of guns, I have pretty well resigned myself to having at least four or 5 different "using" guns of pretty much every type and bore size. Maybe the relatives and undertakers can have fun when I go, building a big enough box to throw them all in with me? I've simplified other areas....still have the Toy 4x4 pickup I bought new in Alberta 31 years ago and have driven it all over the north slope and down into Mexico. Buy two new pair of Levis & a couple of Carhart shirts every year to have something I actually wear, (still have the same walk-in closet full of Saville-row suits, none of which will close either trousers or jackets around my waist...they seem to keep shrinking). Still use the Browning down jacket from 1984, and the Woods brand parka from 1968. Have lived in the same house for over 20 years now, and on and on. If I was to make your move, I think I'd get along pretty well with a .30-BR throated for up to 200 grain bullets as my "all-around", a 7x65-R or .280 Rem as my "longer range hunting" rifle, and my .404 for everything requiring a biggish medium bore. Might also squeeze in an original 9x57 Mauser sporter. None because they are better than other cartridges of the same applications. No, just because I have had them for years. They understand me and I know them as dependable friends. Anyway, I suggest you will be fine with whatever choices you make, so long as you don't try to get too logical about it. Just sort out the ones you like emotionally, and go for the finish line with them! And best wishes all the way to the end of the race! AC My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | |||
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If you owned a Lotus 11 (or any other Lotus) you can put up with anything. Here's your battery: 1.22LR, perhaps a Browning semiato; 2. 30.06, maybe an Ed Smith Savannah 3. .375 H&H (or .416 Rigby if you insist), pre-1999 Dakota 76 or any Empire Rifles model. 4. Whatever shotgun blows your skirt up. That'll do ya'. Lotus? D-Jag? Are you mad, sir? | |||
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My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | |||
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The choice is easy for me since I only hunt Alaska. I use my customized "Stainless Classic" Mod. 70 .338 Win. Mag. and 250 grain bullets. I have a pre-64 Mod. 70 and a "Stainless Classic" in .375 H&H. I never use them for hunting because the .338 works so well for me. If I had a steady diet of Brown Bear hunting on my menu I would use them. I also have a pre-64 Mod. 70 Featherweight 30-06 and a "Stainless Classic" 30-06. If I was doing almost all my hunting in the "48" states I would be using the old Featherweight 30-06 for every thing. It has a plain old piece of walnut on it, the rust blue is good and durable and the bore looks great. It is more capable then I am. Long live the 30-06. | |||
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Recovering Jaguar owner, et al. Alberta, almost hate to say it: get a 'Vette. And yeah, I'd say you're OK on the shotgun front. | |||
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My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | |||
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Years back I contracted a serious and incurable case of small caliber madness . I spend a tremendous amount of time shooting varmints compared to time spent hunting elk, deer and antelope which I do every year. After a few years of adding numerous .17 and .20 caliber wildcats to my .22 caliber varmint smuckers (Hornets, K-Hornets, .223's .22-250's etc) I started running out of gun safe space. When that happened the unneeded hunting rifles started finding new homes and I kept what it takes to satisfy all my big game needs. A tweaked .300 Win Mag, a .7-08 Mountain Rifle the wife is fond of, a Model 99 Savage in .358 Winchester and of course my .44 mag handgun which I hunt with mostly anyway. As to the ones I sold, quite frankly I don't miss em a bit. I have all bases covered in the big game dept with proven shooters and I spend all my spare time playing with stuff I use all year. Works for me. "If a man buys a rifle at a gun show and his wife doesn't know it"...Did he really buy a rifle? Firearm Philosophy 101. montdoug | |||
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Dear Kabluewy: I guess, if I were going to give you any advice, it would be in a question: Would you think that you had made a mistake in selling any one or more of your firearms? Like you I had loads of rifles, but not all at one time, probably 25 over the past 15 years. I stupidly traded a Sako AV in 6.5x55 SM. The others, I don't miss. Also, had a number of pistols, now far fewer. Don't miss any of the ones I sold. I had a fair number of shotguns, too, and I'm whittling them down. Would never sell my original Savage 444 O/U, nor my more recently acquired Superposed or the 1951 Auto 5. In general, if it sits for two years, its gone. On the other hand, I'll be building some specialized rifles and restocking some more specialized shotguns for particular applications. That seems fun, too. For years, I tried to come up with the perfect one rifle battery, then the two rifle battery, and now I think that I can barely live without a nine rifle battery. May have to pare them down in the future, but not the 7x57 AI, or the 6.5x55 or the 35 Whelen AI or the .... Well you're getting the message. Sincerely, Chris Bemis | |||
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Dear Alberta Canuck: Run, run away as fast as you can from anything British. Lucas Electrics - non-conducting material, right? I used to eat Porsches and Jags with my modified 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator. Outran a Lamboughini on the 10 freeway near the Pacific Coast Highway exchange in Los Angeles once at 150 mph, but later got stuck in traffic. He should have beaten me, but the engine probably wasn't set up right. That 944 with the vette LT1 in it should get out its own way. How did you set up the suspension? Sincerely, Chris Bemis | |||
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I've done what you're talking about twice now. I seem to always just end up with a different set of rifles after selling the collection. I'm down to about 10 bolt guns and small brace of rimfires, a shotgun and a few patriot rifles. I think a 7X57 would complement your 9.3X62 very nicely (until you buy a few more to go with it ) Terry -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
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KB, the 9,3 is a medium .. and you can take anything with it ... if you do this, THIS time.. do it all metric to be remaining? why? makes about as much sense as consolidating in the first place I have some rifles I can't get rid of, just to who gave them to me or to the family ... a couple I built that I am fond of ... but if i can replace them .. which can be many to 1 trade up, i will, from time to time. Chris http://www.renegadehybrids.com/ start with a 944T and have no problems opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club Information on Ammoguide about the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR. 476AR, http://www.weaponsmith.com | |||
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Discussion sends chills up my spine!!!! Consolidating??? Don't tell me you married the wrong woman!! | |||
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Why a Dakota 76 made only before 1999, may I ask? I bought mine in 1994 and "fixed" a few minor issues with it and it is going to Ralf Martini this week to have a Hill Country "Micky" and irons installed. So, what is the deal with 1999? | |||
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Lotus 11 for sale in San Antonio Lotus race coming up at Barber in Birmingham Ala. this spring. | |||
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I'm really hooked on handloading. I'm also very kind and considerate, regularly helping the "less fortunate" with their problems. Taking this into consideration, I would love to help you all with this horrible problem of having too many rifles. I know the problem is widespread, but I think I'm up to the task. Just think of the relief you will have after you've sent me the extra rifles you have that are like "thorns in your side". I'll even bend a tad and accept shotguns and pistols too. Just PM me to make arrangements. Your location or mine! | |||
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Thanks Chris. Best wishes to you. If any further on this we'll have to take to PMs. We are getting too far off-topic for this thread. My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | |||
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I've been being careful on rifle purchases to avoid this kind of decision in the first place. I have only 4 rifles at the moment, have an almost perfect take anything in the world battery, but bought a couple of actions more for the fun of DIY projects than a need. Long story short, I am now worried about getting away from "beware the man with one rifle" Caleb | |||
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Yes, the 7x57 has always been a favorite too. Just before Christmas I acquired a CZ 550 in 7x64, along with dies, a bunch of RWS & Norma Brass and some Norma ammo. I have become quite enamored with it. Really, it is just about the easiest shooting rifle I've owned. Perhaps it's the ammo, or maybe the Euro stock style, but the recoil is very mild and although I've never shot it without hearing protection, the blast seems mild too. The accuracy is more than acceptable, but I'm gonna have it bedded anyway. It is not on the for sale list. Frankly, I already know that I'll have trouble parting with any of my CZs. But I have others to put on the list first. I am looking forward to consolidation, but for the forseeable future I'll keep the CZs. KB ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | |||
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