My first big bore was a 375h-h pre 64,bought in 1988 at the age of 43[ still have gun], now I shoot ground hogs with it,and like the 500's [500 nitro-505 gibbs--500 jeffery etc.. I'm getting to old for this " stuff"

All I have for now is a 12 gauge... Haven't even got the chance to shoot it yet. =/

Pretty big bore compared to my pellet guns!

I just bought my first one! It was from Tom Kessel and is a Whitworth in 375 H&H. Can't wait to get it. It will hunt elk with me this year, serve as a back-up for my wife on her Shiras Moose, and hopefully kill a leopard in Namibia in May 2004.

Put 30 rounds through the new Ruger .375 this afternoon. How anticlimactic. Shooting 270 grain Winchester Fail Safes, the recoil was actually pretty mild. Got to the range, set up, got in tight in the sling, braced myself, and Boom! The recoil I expected just wasn't there. A big stiff push, but no real kick. I think I wasted my money on the PAST pad.

Mine was a CZ550 416 Rigby. Hey, Urodoji, how does that 375's recoil compare to the 50 BMG? judy

My first big bore was Marlin 444P, shortly after that a Ruger No. 1 in 416 Rigby. Neither were as hard kickers as I thought they would be, but it was nice to feel less kick than more. Certainly not as nightmarish as my dad's 760 in 30-06 with a steel buttplate. This was the first high powered rifle I shot.I think I was 11 or 12 at the time and it still hurts to think about.

I don't know. The M82 isn't exactly known for being rough on shooters. Most .50's in light gun class will be a little stout off the bags, if not well braked. Skip Talbot had to replace the factory brake on the M99 he set the record with, he replaced it with a K&P clamshell brake. My new .50 is being built for me now by State Arms. She'll weigh in at 41 lbs. Recoil will be about the same as a .243 Win.

My first true big bore was a Remington Safari Grade Model 700 in .458 Win. Mag. that I purchased new back in 1977. I still have it and it's still the same except it now has a Tupperware stock because the Walnut one it came with split at the tang after about 40 rounds. Remington would do nothing about it. Typical. Bill T.

A .458 WinMag Ruger No.1 in 1984, from John Wahl Mercantile in Blairstown Missouri. It was good kicks. Traded in ignorance in 1985 for a Remington 700 Safari in .458 WinMag, which went to Alaska moose hunting, just for kicks ...

My first I only had as a loan for a few years - a Parker Hale .404. Unfortunately when leaving Australia in 1988 for a couple of years I gave it back instead of buying.

My first "owned" big bore was my Whitworth .375 which I purchased two months after my first African safari in 1994 for the next safari which happened in 2002.

My second was several months after my second safari for the next one again , a Jeffrey .450 No 2 NE. Making a fine and useful pair.

Always good for PSD.

Oops somewhere in there a Martini-Henry .577/.450.

I don't know if it counts but my first "Big" bore was a desert eagle .50 AE. If it must be a rifle (I don't know if this counts either) than a Steyr Prohunter in .376 Steyr. The Steyr is very accurate and mild recoil.

[ 09-07-2003, 00:47: Message edited by: Kahluaman ]

Marlin 1895 in .45-70 Govt.

The 1st was a Martini, rebarreled to 45-70. next one, another Martini in 577-450. and then came that Steyr-Martini in 500/450#2 musket... And they produce very nice, white clould when fired - BP rules!

Mine was Ruger #1 in 45-70...modified,30" octagon barrel,I use mostly in moosehunt,loaded upto 5000J.Bullet.. hornadys 4512 works well.

Winchester M1886 .45-70

[ 09-09-2003, 14:12: Message edited by: quattro77 ]

My first big bore was a Remington Rolling block, chambered for 50-70, that belonged to my great grandfather! This rifle was given to me when I was 10 yrs old,in the early 40s, by my grandfather, who also tought me how to load the ammo for it!

My first modern "BIG BORE" was a pre-64 Mod 70 375 H&H that belonged to an uncle who no longer hunted, because of an enjury causeing him to loose his legs. I don't know how old the rifle was, but it was old then, maybe made in 1938, or 9. OH what a rifle that was, sure wish I still had it! Next was a 458 win mag built on a 98 Mauser. From there, only God knows how many, and what chamberings! The largest I've personally owned was a 577NE 3" double rifle!

My first big bore was a Ruger #3 in 45-70 picked up new when they were released. The metal buttplate sure did beat the hell out of me. Sold it (wish I still had it). The next was a Sharps replica in 45-70 and a 16inch Contender in 45-70 enjoyed shooting those so much that when browning released the 1885 I bought 5 (thats right FIVE) plus 5 more of the 1886's. Sold 4 each of the 1885 and the 1886's to pay for other interests.

At about the same time, a fellow employee at work was selling reloading components and other stuff for a widow, bought all he had. in the stuff were 10 boxes of 458 Win mags, factory loads, so that lead me to purchase a Winchester Model 70 Super Grade (gotta have a gun if you got the ammo). A super accurate rifle, 50yds off-hand groups with open sights you can cover with a quarter. Gotta love it. May never get to Africa or Alaska but these guns are just plain fun to shoot and get alot of atention at the range!