Ah, I LIKE to play with most of it, actions, calibers, cartridges, and I BELIEVE it amuses me. What I believe is that none of it really matters that much, it's the hunter/shooter that counts, not the tool. It's easy to be too far away, but you can never get too close.

I have been thinking about how the internet forums is a great place to share ideas and knowledge. At the same time though, such a wealth of information and knowledge from other hunters and shooters can somehow muddy the waters and make us question our own descisions. So I thought of a small list of things that "I have come to believe in" from my own experience and decided it would be fun to share a few!

1. Optics; I still havn't found a reason to stray from the old standard variable, 3x9x40. I like Leupi's and Burris but for now have fell in love with the Zeiss Conquest. Not sure whos glass will get the nod for future projects but it's a sure bet I have learned my lesson with the El'Cheapos!

2. Rifles; I like the Mauser, Win. M70 type actions, especialy short actions. I have nothing bad to say about push feed or most other actions in general but after years of trusting, and learning the ins and outs of one type action, why switch? Again, just stick with what works!

3. Caliber; Yell, I know I'm getting a little specific here but I realy like the 7mm ceterfire rifles. I have a few and with such a broad selection of bullets (wich I have collected at least a box of about all over the years) I can set at my reloading bench and come up with a combination that will work well for almost anything that walks or crawls. The same versitility could be applied to the .30 cal's but I have hung my hat on the 7's so let it be written, so let it be done! AND, speaking of bullets,

4. Bullets; I have used many different brands of bullets over the years and will most likely use many more. This seems to be the one area were I can't just "stick with what works" but if I had to choose one brand to finish out my days with it would be the Hornady Interlock. I've allways had predictable, excellent results with them and could move up to heavy for caliber when facing the big stuff!

Well, my rant is getting long so I'll stop here! As I stated, these are all things that have been tried and proven to work for "ME" so the normal disclaimer "Your mileage may vary" applies here.

It should be fun to here from you, in your part of the world, just to see how diverse the selections can get!

Steve, this is a great thread.......

Here's my personal Top-Ten list what I've come to believe in for hunting:

1) Model 70 Winchesters, especially custom rifles built on Model 70 actions with fiberglass/Kevlar-type stocks

2) Leica binoculars, specifically 8X42s

3) Two cartridges for hunting the world: .300 Win. Mag. and .416 Rem. Mag.

4) Nosler Partition bullets

5) Scott Cook knives

6) Boots: Danner's for NA hunting; Russell's for African hunting

7) Ford F-350 pick-'em-up trucks

8) Weekly rifle practice at the range

9) Six-day per week exercise programs, including cardiovascular and weight training

10) Last but not least, Leupold VX-III riflescopes

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A hunter/fisherman can never have too much stuff.

A lot of people who work their ass off are not on the receiving end of fortune, yet a lot of the people receiving the fortune are undeserving. Blue, I hope the people you are helping are the ones who are deserving. Most of the people who live and receive under the guise of being downtrodden victim are there because of their lack of effort. Don't let the teary eyed useless mezmorize your better judgement.

SteveM70, I agree with allen, great topic.
I am very happy with Pre-64 Mod 70's, 264,7mm and 338, no real need to change but I also have a couple of fine Beligum Browning's that fit in well also.
Glass for me is totally Leupolds, Vari X III's Mark 4's and LR targets and of course U S Optic's
Binoculars, Leica and Swarovski and then some of the older Zeiss Classic's
Knives, just depends on what I happen to pick up on the day of the hunt, could be a Randall,Gary Little, Shaka, J S Selburg or a Pardy Bugta.
Bullets will be Nosler
Clothing is mostly Browning Hydro-Fleece
Boots will very with the type of hunting, sometimes I even wear Nike's if it is just a day hunt close to home
7 day a week exercise program, sit at puter and type, drink 30 cups of coffee and smoke at least 2 pack of Marlboro's

Blue, where do you dream up this sort of stuff: 2. that all socioeconomic levels should have the same opportunities at wild game.
Is this some sort of east coast thing?

Life is really very simple--You get out of it,what you put into it

Draws for the trophy animals doesn't have two sections,
1. rich people
2. poor people we all have the same odds

You really seem to be Hung up on this I work for poor people that can't afford to pay me thingy

It all boils down to CHOICE Me, now I choose to work for the man that pays me the very most I can get and it involves putting in at least 90 hour weeks but it affords me the bucks to hunt and go where I want, not sit at a computer and complain about fairness in life

Blue, you made the statement that "all socioeconomic levels should have the same opportunities at wild game". Well that's a great Mother Goose theory, but it's an unworkable, illogical mindblower in the real world.

What's supposed to happen, anyway? Is the foodstamps guy who won't work, or the guy who chooses to work for peanuts supposed to be donated the trucks, horses, mules, tents, stoves, and sundry other equipment he's going to need to hunt elk here in Oregon by the benevolent citizens of the city of Prineville, just so he can have the "same opportunities" to hunt wild elk on public land? He's supposed to have the same exact opportunities as the guy who works hard to pay for his own equipment and pay his own way?

Is the Texas rancher who invests heavily throughout the year to manage wildlife on his property supposed to grant free access to the foodstamps guy?

Is the Montana rancher who has a healthy population of wild elk and mule deer on his property supposed to let anybody who wants to hunt on his place free access just because 'free' is the only price they can afford?

What are we supposed to do, hold a bingo night in order to send the foodstamps guy to Zimbabwe as well?

Here's your problem: You want it both ways, when 'both ways' is something you'll never be able to have, and neither can anyone else. You choose to donate your time for little pay or no pay, which is certainly your right, but then you want the same opportunities as everyone else. Everyone else -- the system if you will -- is supposed to somehow adjust itself make up for your self-imposed deficit.

All I can say is, dream on.......

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Everyone should have the same opportunities?

That sounds like Kerry/Edwards socialist's bullshit to me.

Education, risk, hard work, and reward go hand-in-hand. The guy who lays it on the line and works for it should get the opportunities -- not some guy on food stamps who has the daydreams but not the work ethic. Where I come from, you get what your EARN, nothing more and nothing less......

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