Old Faithful

[TCLouis]

How many of us have one or more guns that match that description?

Post yur hunting guns/ammo info here.

I'll post for target shooting in another place here on the site.

[Mica_Hiebert]

I have used my Ruger m77 mkii all weather 7mag to harvest 99% of my big game for the last 14 years. Guess that counts. I have many guns, that one just seems to be to meat getter.

[Djones]

Dad has an old smoothbore Berreta 12 ga auto slug gun that we call the "getsum gun". Seems like over the last 20 years or so we are always fighting over who gets to use it. Indiana recently started letting us use some cartridge rifles so we don't lean on the getsum gun like we used to, but we broke it out this year and I brought down one doe in early January with it. She still can bring home the meat.

I have a feeling my winchester 375bb is soon to be my new favorite to replace the slug gun. Brought home a great buck this year and two does. Seems to be just about perfect for my kind of deer hunting.....and I can easily shorten it to 1.8" for our hunting regs.

[dnepr]

My old .444 marlin I have taken most of my big game with it and a fair bit of small game with shot loads

[ammohead]

"old reliable" My 338-06 built on a 98 mauser action. Serious elk medicine. 185 gr triple shock barnes and RL-15 for 2900 fps. Took the buck in my avatar with it.

[Hickok]

7mm Remington Magnum has always been my "go to rifle." when I get serious. I have shot more deer at long range over many years of hunting with this caliber than with any other. It just works for me. I have shot and used the "7" so much, everything about it is just "natural".

[white eagle]

funny ,when I first saw this thread title
the first thing entered my mind was
rifle then geyser [smilie=w:
I don't have I named old faithful but did
hang the title Moosedick on my 10 ga.

[Lucky Joe]

Probably the Stevens Crackshot .22. Was my fathers when he was a boy and helped feed the family during the depression. Will still stop a rabbit, dispatch a pest, and take a squirrel out of a tree. I have newer .22's but still enjoy the old Crackshot.

[mold maker]

Perfect description of my Dads LC Smith 12 ga. One of 2 guns I (and now my Son) inherited, and it hasn't failed to bring home the bacon for 3 generations.
The pattern was slightly off (high left) so only its owner favored it at turkey shoots.

[fastdadio]

Guess I have to step outside the box here. My 'go to' old faithful is a muzzle loader. While I have plenty of center fire rifles to chose from I'm restricted due to population density to shotgun/pistol/muzzle loaders for deer. I have a .50 cal.Traditions carbine with a 1/20 twist stoked with 80-90 gr 2f and topped off with a saboted Speer 265gr half jacket fp and ignited with a small rifle primer, it consistantly groups 3" or less. Been hunting with it for over 30 years now and no corn cruncher has ever walked away from her siren song. I promise to begin using cast in it as soon as I run out of the remaining copper condoms I have in stock.

[TXGunNut]

One of mine started out life as a Winchester 670 in 30-06. It's seen over half a dozen scopes, three stocks and even got re-bored to 35 Whelen a few years back. It filled the freezer with a couple of deer this past season, just like several other years. The other one is a Marlin 45-70 Guide Gun. If I go hunting, this rifle comes along. If things aren't going well with my primary rifle the Guide Gun gets uncased and takes care of business. I may have as many as a dozen hunting rifles but these two are the ones that would tell the best stories, if only they could.

[GunnyJohn]

I have a Savage 110LH that started life as a 30 06. I hunted with it the first year that way. Got one buck and a doe with it. The following year I transformed it into a 35 Whelen. Since then it has become my designated elk rifle. 225 grn Nosler Partition, 54 grns AA2520 @ approx. 2500 fps. Out to 300 or a bit more, we own it. It has taken 8 elk, so far, only one required a 2nd shot. I'm still waiting to draw a rifle deer tag, to try out my 3030 with cast. It's been years since I've drawn one.

[quilbilly]

I have two old faithfuls. Both are muzzleloaders. One is a T/C Seneca 45 that makes deer fall over with regularity even though duct tape holds it together. The other is a T/C White Mtn Carbine 50 I named "Sweet Thing" because it shoots better than I do at long range with open sights.

[Blanket]

1903 Springfield that is on it's 3rd barrel since I have had it(45 years). 165 Hornady/IMR 4350 and 180 cast/Unique

[skeettx]

Remington 721 in 30-06
Texas Fork Horn
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/deer210.jpg

[Wolfer]

When I was in my very early 20s I acquired a 760 in 30-06 that fit me like a glove. I couldent even guess how big a truck it would take to haul all the critters I killed with it.
The gun shot where I looked and the 06 cartridge is extremely reliable even though it may not be as flashy as the newer stuff.

Several years ago I built a 7x57 on a Turk action. Cut the stock to fit me. This is another gun that shoots where I look. The 7x57 is another extremely reliable cartridge. Even though I still hunt with the 760 some and it fits me as well now as it did then the little Mauser became my favorite hunting rifle.

This year I built my 34-57 very near my 7x57. I've only got to use it one season but it handles like a grouse gun and terminal performance has been superb. I can see it becoming a new favorite.

I have a 223 I built on a Savage action that sees most of my coyote duties. I'm quite fond of it but it's never held the place in my heart as the others.

Pistols. I have a few but my New Vaquero in 45 colt is hands down my favorite. It too has taken a good pile and selection of critters. Times will be bad indeed when I willing part with it.

My 98 Krag and Marlin 336 have been good producers also.

[HangFireW8]

My Marlin 444SS, originally MicroGroove but rebarreled by Marlin to Ballard on my dime. That and handloads of 265 gr jwords and a case full of 322 or 4895 brings home the venison year after year.

After that, several '06's. I have other calibers I hunt with, but never get a deer in my sights with any of them.

[birddog]

I have had several of the game getters per say, the 50 cal Hawkens, 44 Mag Mod 29 S&W, and lately I would have to say it is the 257Imp that will be the grandson's gun when he gets big enough to take it from me!!! I should be careful as he's only 4yrs old and the way he's growing it may come along sooner than I think!!!!LOL
Charlie

[Hickok]

I would really have been disappointed if no one had said 30/06. It is the standard all others are compared to. When ever I have used it, it has never failed.

[marshall623]

I'll have to call old faithfull, my Rem 700 in 308 . It's a tack driver, has never let me down . Until I got into reloading it was feed a steady diet of Rem. 180 round nose core lok's. I've dropped deer so fast with that I've had to kick them over to see their hoofs. Since I've been loading for it , the diet is 165 sierra ' s over 42.5 gr.of IMR 4064 and it let's all the air out of what ever I hit with that. I been casting for it lately , it likes 150 lee FN 's over unique , 4759 , or RL7. I got it when I was 13 and 33 years later it's still called the meat getter.

[murf6656]

Old faithfull would have to be my contender carbine in 30-30, 22lr. I haven't carried it on opening day in years, but its so light and handy, it almost always sees some action every year.

[Swede44mag]

Started with a Rem 700 30-06 switched to a Win mod 70 in 7mm then a Rem 700 300Win Mag now shooting a Winchester Coyote Light 300WSM.
All have taken deer but I had more fun using my CVA Acura 50Cal this year 175yrds one shot and one large DRT doe.
I also have taken my TC 50 cal flint lock deer hunting but all the deer I seen were over 200 yards to far for me to shoot with open sights.
But some day I will make meat with it.

[Joe K]

Marlin 36 A 32 Winchester special. Passed to me from my father and first hunting rifle I used. One of our sons usually takes a deer every season with this rifle. Deer always drt. Recently began casting two different boolits and still working on this project.

[TXGunNut]

Welcome, Joe K. Sounds like a sweet old rifle with lots of memories. 32 is a fine cartridge to cast for, one of my favorites. Looking forward to hearing more about that project.

[Tenbender]

You might laugh at my Old Faithful . JC Higgins 30 06 with a 4X Redfield wide view. I have owned it for 40 years and not about to part with it.

[Uncle R.]

"Old Faithful" as a Hunting Rifle?
I guess first place would go to my Remington 700 in .25-06.
It was one of the first ones Remington shipped, and I took over fifty deer with it through the years. I've enjoyed a lot of fine venison, and shared a lot with my family, thanks to that old rifle.

It's showing some pretty serious throat wear, and accuracy is going downhill a little bit too. It's more like a 2 minute rifle than a sub-minute rifle now. I semi-retired it a few years ago and do my hunting with newer rifles, but I keep it around for old times' sake. It stands quietly in the safe, ready to serve again if needed.

In target rifles, I've long thought of my National Match M1A as "Old Reliable." We did some amazing shooting together when we were both younger, kicked tail in some plate matches, pin matches, tactical matches. It always works, always serves well. Reliable as an anvil, consistent sub-1.5 minute accuracy, nice trigger, just a high quality rifle that does what it should every time and never gives me nasty surprises.

In more recent years I shoot my ARs a lot, and my M1A very little. No matter - that rifle's too good to let go. It won't get sold by me - my sons or my grandchildren can decide for themselves what they want to do with it after I'm gone.

Uncle R.

[leadman]

For big game my 1891 Argentine Mauser that I have had for 34 years. On the second barrel that shoots less than moa. It is being stalked by my Encore Pro hunter stainless 28" barrel in 7mm Rem Mag.
For small game it would be my Remington 581 left hand 22 LR. Bought this used in 1975 for $35 with no magazine. Used to use the CB ammo to head shoot squirrels with. Farthest shot was over 250 yards on a black tail jack rabbit with the original Stinger.

[toallmy]

I will say it if nobody else will , 3006 model 70 Winchester . I have bigger and smaller but this one is just right , I use it to blow out the front tires on the 4 legged critters . Max charge of imr 4350 under Speer 130 . When I go to get meat I take this gun and the first one that steps out , and pile them up until , my seasonal goal is met 50-75 lb ground .

[clintsfolly]

Have had a few that fit the name started with my Rem 700LH in 270 win. Fit it with a Brown Precision stock turn the barrel down. Light easy to carry and killed! 5000+Rds later it became a 30/06 for a few seasons. The 30/06 barrel was given to me and had a Shay Tool brake on it. Shoot and killed great but the blast made me hate it! My brother now has it on a spare rifle. The 700LH now has a 280 Rem barrel and shoots and kill great. But my go to gun know is a Zastasa Mod 70LH in 9.3x62 with a NOE 286 cast it kills and is just fun to shoot! My grandmother left me a inheritance that I used to get this rifle and my Bois Blanc island land. She loved her venison and would have love the island too! Get to think and remember her every time I set in the blind!

[725]

I'm lucky enough to have a few that seem never to fail. A .308 Rem 700 BDL that took all the African game I sought, a H&R .45-70 that imparts the "Matrix effect" (switches off the life force), and of yesterday a 1903 Springfield with a Lyman American scope & a 220 round nose load that just buckled a 273 pound boar without a step. That .30-06 has become my favorite.

[RU shooter]

Mine would have to be my ever faithful Rem 600 in 35 rem. With an old weaver 3x scope . Been hunting with in since I was 12 on my first deer hunt I'm 47 now we put a lot of miles in together over they years and a lot of deer in the freezer haven't had to shoot a deer more than once with it . Serves me well in the thick stuff I hunt in . Another would have to be my paps old win model 12 20 ga. Just seems like you can't miss with it bagged a lot of rabbit , grouse and dove and a few turkey before they knew they couldn't be killed with anything less than a 12 ga 3.5" mag . Will have good memories for the rest of my days using those two guns

[44man]

Never found a gun I did not like when loaded proper. End of my story!

[Preacher Jim]

My old faithful is a winchester 1917 rebarreled with a pre64 30-06 barrel homemade maple stock. I have taken over 50 deer and loaned it to friends who have had great success with it. Of all the fancy rifles it would still be my head to the woods rifle.

[TXGunNut]

Never found a gun I did not like when loaded proper. End of my story!

I have my favorites but on a given day any of a dozen or more can be my "favorite". Looking back, tho, there are a couple that I could always depend on to take care of business. Almost any of them "could", only a few have put meat in the freezer over and over again. Confidence in a rifle is a wonderful thing.

[geezer56]

Mine is a 1972 built H&R Shikari in 45-70. Every year for the past 20 I carry her a bit. Used it on a couple of hogs and about a dozen deer over the years. And one coyote. Hornady 300 gr HP over 3031, upper end of trapdoor levels. Kind of like dropping a house on them.

[tdoyka]

old faithful.....a 30-30 model 94 top eject(1973 i believe), alot of deer have fallen to it.

the two i have that want to be old faithful are tc encore in 444 marlin with a 23" MGM barrel and a 1898 springfield(bubbasized) in 30-40 krag. the 444 has either the 275gr ranch dog or the 280gr wfn gc and the krag uses a 165gr ranch dog.

[richhodg66]

Marlin 36 A 32 Winchester special. Passed to me from my father and first hunting rifle I used. One of our sons usually takes a deer every season with this rifle. Deer always drt. Recently began casting two different boolits and still working on this project.

I used a very similar rifle to kill a small doe on our opening day. The .32 Special is a good cast cartrige, worked just fine.

[dk17hmr]

I have so many rifles I rotate them through out the various hunting seasons I draw tags for. I have killed big game animals with several different things from 22-250s to 58 caliber muzzle loaders it's hard to pick just one, but mY 280 Remington Mountain rifle is probably my favorite rifle to hunt with.

[rosst]

2 rifles . .. treble 2 Sako which started off as a light varmint rifle with various fixed 6 power scopes, then became my Deer rifle with great results out to 200yds if i neck shot them. In time and a 6.5-20x50 Leupold it has become a good 250-300yd varmint/walkabout rifle.
rifle 2 would be my 601 Brno in .308 - a good honest 1.5MOA rifle with anything you chuck at it. My first real rifle i bought as an apprentice some 40+ years ago . .. others have come and gone but not the Brno, its a keeper.

Honorable mentions should go to the Marlin 336, Sako Quad, Rem700

[Goatwhiskers]

All these modern rifles! Mine is a Martini that I built back in '69. Has a 26" Ackley barrel chambered in 30/40AI, stocked with crotch cut walnut. Using 49gr H4831 and 180 gr Hornady RN always puts 3 in 3/8" at 100. Lately I've stated working with cast, seems more fitting, and I think accuracy will be on par with the original load. Love single shots, that's all I shoot any more. GW

[Hamish]

All these modern rifles! Mine is a Martini that I built back in '69. Has a 26" Ackley barrel chambered in 30/40AI, stocked with crotch cut walnut. Using 49gr H4831 and 180 gr Hornady RN always puts 3 in 3/8" at 100. Lately I've stated working with cast, seems more fitting, and I think accuracy will be on par with the original load. Love single shots, that's all I shoot any more. GW

Now surely, if a post ever needed a pic of the rifle and cartridge, it would be this one,,,,,

[Von Gruff]

Now surely, if a post ever needed a pic of the rifle and cartridge, it would be this one,,,,,
Hear,hear.


Having had several Martini's I heartily agree. My present favourite martini is one I restocked and tidied over in 577-450.
I would have to say I have a favourite for the different animals I chase round the hills and other favourites for range play.
They include my 20 VarTarg, 6.5 Grendel-Max, 7x57 DWM custom, 303 Lee Speeds and the list goes on.

[Goatwhiskers]

Lemme see if I can come up with a pic. GW

[Goatwhiskers]

Let's see if this works. Ammo is out in the shop, but it's the classic Ackley steeper shoulder moved forward. Was a piece of cake to fireform. GW

Edit: The butt wears a Niedner checkered steel buttplate and grip cap. Scope is a Redfield 3x9. Used to be a Leupold 4x, till I took it off and put it in a "safe" place, never to be seen again. Just had to have a variable.

[Goatwhiskers]

That might be the best I can do, had 2 more uploaded I thought.

[Djei5]

I was thirty years old when Jim Carmichael and Remington developed the .260 Remington. I had never bought a brand new rifle before, so I decided it would be the Remington Model 7 since I live in a very mountainous and laurel thick country.
That Model 7 has killed more deer than I can remember and 1 good sized black bear.
I am ready to get a Boyds stock for it as 19 years in the mountains of N E Tn. has not been kind to the factory stock...

[Huntsman]

My two levers; Win 88/308 & Win '94/30-30 in that order. Also my goto cast boolit guns. My TC Pro-Hunter w/30-06 barrel is a close third.

[Von Gruff]

Let's see if this works. Ammo is out in the shop, but it's the classic Ackley steeper shoulder moved forward. Was a piece of cake to fireform. GW

Edit: The butt wears a Niedner checkered steel buttplate and grip cap. Scope is a Redfield 3x9. Used to be a Leupold 4x, till I took it off and put it in a "safe" place, never to be seen again. Just had to have a variable.

From what I can see of the butt stock that is a superb piece of walnut you have stocked it with.
This is the one I did.
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv39/VonGruff/577-450%20Martini%20Henry/Photo0985_zps4b901e49.jpg (http://s667.photobucket.com/user/VonGruff/media/577-450%20Martini%20Henry/Photo0985_zps4b901e49.jpg.html)

[Goatwhiskers]

I know it ain't gonna happen, but anytime you want to get rid of it-------
GW

[TXGunNut]

Very nice walnut indeed, GW. Von Gruff, if your heirs want to sell that rifle I'll be a happy bidder. I'd like to hear the story behind that rifle and a few more pics. Looks like a Martini action but I'm just starting to learn about them.

[fast ronnie]

You might laugh at my Old Faithful . JC Higgins 30 06 with a 4X Redfield wide view. I have owned it for 40 years and not about to part with it.

If that's the one I think it is, it is a Mauser.

[TXGunNut]

You might laugh at my Old Faithful . JC Higgins 30 06 with a 4X Redfield wide view. I have owned it for 40 years and not about to part with it.

Not me! I will never laugh at another hunter's rifle. If you have confidence in it and she's a proven rifle she meets the criteria. Hard to argue with a straight shooter and a full freezer.

[Von Gruff]

Very nice walnut indeed, GW. Von Gruff, if your heirs want to sell that rifle I'll be a happy bidder. I'd like to hear the story behind that rifle and a few more pics. Looks like a Martini action but I'm just starting to learn about them.
A bit on it here TXGunNut
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?239387-LSA-Martini-Henry-577-450

[victorfox]

It's a shame we in Brazil cannot usually share so many cool histories and firearms due to gun control, but my father still has the .22 rifle he bought in 1989, which was our only and main firearm against wannabe criminals, varmints and to put the occasional meat on the table. It's a Winchester 62 knockoff by Rossi (before the Taurus thing) and after all these years of service it lies in semi retirement under the old man's bed. Only thing we did to it in all these years was a magazine tube replacement since the original is bent. Very accurate and nice little gun I'll keep it until I live and hopefully will pass it to my children and theirs.

[Ballard]

Two favorites. A Savage .338 Magnum, and a Winchester 86 extra light in .45-70

[Cowboy_Dan]

I am the current caretaker of a Remington 11-'48 in 16 gauge. It was given to me by my grandfather about 10 years ago. When his health still allowed him to hunt, it was his favorite pheasant gun. I recently went on my first couple of pheasant hunts and understand why he liked it so much. I've only come across one factory load that does not function the action, and I was using it to take birds at about 25 yards with only an improved cylinder barrel. This gun will definately be a family heirloom for generations to come.

Another likely "old faithful" in my collection also came from grandpa, this time inherited. It is a Winchester 1894 in .30 WCF dated to early 1897. I've only shot it a little, but the accuracy I've gotten without much load work and its age suggests that it may have taken quite a few deer. Someday, I want to take a whitetail with it, but the cartridge is not legal for hunting in my state.

Sorry but not sorry for bragging, if anyone is interested I can post pics later.

[TCLouis]

Tenbender
First of all I don't think anyone should laugh at anyone's gun, no matter the reason.

That said one of my goto guns is a 3006 Searschester

Model 70 with blind box magazine and cheaper finish on the receiver.

Does what I ask of it (cast and coated) and it can not help it that I have not seen a deer when it was with me.

My "Old Faithful" type 38 6.5X257 done by John Hannah and I back in 68 or 69.

Bore is too ugly for cast.

129 Hornady's is a different story.

[J257]

Ruger m77 in 257 Roberts. I've hunted with it almost 30 years. When I grab something else to go hunting, I almost feel like I'm cheating on the old rifle.

[Don Fischer]

I guess it doesn't matter if it's jacketed bullet's. Well I had, my son somehow got it, a Rem mod 660 in 308 with a 2 1/2x Denver Redfield scope that was the hand of God! Right now I don't have a rifle I put the faith in that I did in it. But for Deer, my Rem mod 700 ADL in 25-06 has counted for a lot of deer over the years. Neither if those rifle's has ever required more than one shot. This year I'm gonn try hunting deer with a Rem mod 788 in 308 with 180gr cast bullet's, it'll be a first for me.

[shredder]

The one that never failed to put meat on the table for me is my Remington 700 ML .50 cal muzzleloader shooting Hornady 240 grain XTP under 100 grains of Pyrodex. I have shot so many deer out here in years past when seasons were longer and bag limits generous that I have lost count. We have both Mule and Whitetail deer. WT tags are over the counter but Mule is on the draw system. I have had years when I was drawn for either sex (trophy) mule and also drawn for antlerless mule deer. You get 2 antlerless tags. I would often get calls from local farmers who had depredation tags issued for their land and that would account for another 2 antlerless mule deer. Along with a whitetail that is a truckload of venison. Some years I would also get drawn for antelope and once or twice Moose as well. My kids grew up eating venison!!

That rifle will always have a special place in my rack.

[Echale3]

Mine was an 870 express 12 gauge with a rifled slug barrel that accounted for a lot of deer when I lived in Indiana, and I'd switch barrels out to a smoothbore for rabbits and turkey when deer season was over.

Now that I'm back south of the Mason-Dixon Line, my go-to is a LH Savage 11 in 300 WSM. The 300 WSM is a bit of a case of overkill for deer, but the rifle was a gift from my dad and it's accounted for quite a few deer here in SW Virginia..

[kawasakifreak77]

Guys you need to share more pictures of these wood & steel workin' guns!

Mine isn't old at all but has been totally reliable in all conditions. A semi custom 300 blackout bolt action, suppressed of course:

https://picblaze.com/thumbs/n2130n/20151116151530.jpg (https://picblaze.com/user/n2130n/album/20151116151530.jpg)

It started life as a Micro 7 (remington model seven built by AAC with a 5R barrel) but I layed it in a youth wood stock. I don't have a plastic stock in my safe & I'm not starting now! I had my smith put iron sights on it & tweak the action a bit. The bolt is greased lightning & the trigger breaks like glass.

Last winter on me & my dad's annual hunting trip an ice storm rolled in & by morning I had to use my lighter to unfreeze the action. I once made a pretty serious boo boo trying a new load. It was so hot the brass was frozen inside the bolt face! The headspace has been pretty loose since then but I have so many cases fired in this rifle alone there's no worries. The stock looks like a beaver got ahold of it, its been through the ringer & never skipped a beat!

I've taken all manner of small game for the pot & eliminated lots of varmints with it. I pretty much don't leave home without it.

[Four Fingers of Death]

My old favourites were an Interarms MkX (Zastava M70) 3006 that had a rather noisy RamLine stock and a Sako in 223. They accounted for most of my hunting and were always reliable.

The front stock screw with the 3006 used to walk as a result of the plastic stock flexing under recoil and wasn't a problem after I worked out what was going on and nipped it up before each use. My son now has it and it is affectionalely known as 'Old Painless.'

The 223 I had rebarrelled and the gunsmith fitted a heavier barrel than I ordered and gouged out the lightweight stock to fit it, spoiling the rifle. I lost interest in it, stuck it in the safe for a few years, used it fr awhile then sold it.

I have a swag of rifles now and don't seem to have any real favourites, although a pre Hawkeye or whatever they call them now 300WM Ruger M77 Mk2 is performing well and winning favour, as is my little 223 Ruger American Compact which is shooting the pants off another 223 that I have that cost me exactly twice as much!

[pls1911]

Ok I've been off line awhile, but have to add a line here.
I'd say a favorites choice "depends... "
--- '93 or 36 pre micro groove Marlins in 30/30..
--- Colt .45 in a Blackhawk or Redhawk
--- Remington 870 in any gauge
--- 45/70 in a Sharps or Rolling Block

All with cast bolts or shot of course!!

[kir_kenix]

Old Faithful...that's going to be tough. I would have to say my late 80's Remington 7600 in '60 with fairly nasty looking laminate wood (second set). Not sure why, but I love pump action rifles and I've acquired several 760's and 7600's in several calibers since.

I've shot a ton of whitetail, mulies, antelope, coyotes, a few black bear, 1 mountain lion, elk, swine, etc with this rifle. Was wearing a Leupold 2.5x for about 15 years until this last year when I was home on leave and I banged the scope a tree stand step. Dropped a 1.5-6x32 "Scheels" brand scope on the old girl and took home a big doe the next evening. Accuracy is nothing to write home about 1.5 moa with various j-words and nearly equal with a variety of cast boolits. Carries easily, points like a shotgun, and hits like an '06 should. Cold blue splotches cover where my gloves have worn through the original finish, and the second laminate stock is peeling where it has gotten dinged. One of these days I'm going to have it bead blasted and parkerized.

My wife has gone a similar route...on older 760 gamemaster, also in '06. For some reason she wanted these goofy (to my eye anyway) "see through" rings and an old Tasco 3-9 she dug out of the scope orphanage box. She took her first rifle antelope with this rifle, and carried it during the first Nebraska Mountain Lion season. I suspect this will remain her "old faithful"/beater whenever she doesn't want to scratch up her sporter Krag.

I love rifles that you can tell have years of honest use and have developed a bit of character. These are my favorite to find at gun shows and pawn shops, especially old lever guns. Who knows how many hunts they have been on, and how many generations they have served faithfully for? I hope my kid (7 months old) will appreciate my worn out 7600 when he gets it some day and understands how much time I spent with that rifle to give it all of that "character."

[Four Fingers of Death]

It seems you either love pump rifles or you don't fancy them at all. I carried an 870 Wingmaster at work amd hunted with one exactly the same and when the foolish Government banned them, I picked up a 7600 Police Patrol in 308W (the fools making the law were determined to bam pump action shotguns, but didn't know about pump action rifles or lever action shotguns for that matter).

I have since picked up a 358Win barrel (a Sydney based company makes the barrel extensions).

The 358Win barrel is a bit longer at 20" as opposed to the 16.5" 308Win barrel.

I would never have bought a rifle with such a short barrel, but had a big credit at a store that was about to be closed and go into recievership. I walked in, my mate whispered that I should collect a rifle and cancel the credit immediately as the other partners were at the accountants drawing up paperwork. There was nothing I fancied in the shop when the Remington rep walked in. The Police Patrol was the only rifle he had on him, so I ended up walking out with the Patrol and 120 rounds of Rem factory ammo in pretty much every calibre I shot. I buy 120 so that I can always come up with 100 reloads).

[kir_kenix]

Yeah, pump action rifles aren't for everybody. I've found they are alot less finicky to ammo than most semi-autos, and nearly just as fast. Whenever I visit the family and hunt in western Michigan, I find it difficult to find a shooting lane that affords much more than a 75-80 yard shot, so .5 moa is hardly necessary. They seem to be pretty popular up there (Michigan) and my hunting guide in Maine said they were extremely popular in the woods there too. '06 still shoots flat enough and the rifle accurate enough to be used on my farm here in Nebraska where its a "little" more wide open.

Four Fingers of Death: I also have a .358 win somebody had done on an older 760, but with a 16 or 16.5" barrel. I haven't shot it much (mainly pistol boolits at 25-50 yards), but it would no doubt be an excellent big game rifle around these parts.

The only thing I don't really like about the Remington pump guns is the trigger. My gunsmith worked over my 7600, but he warned me he couldn't do miracles because of the geometry of the set up. Honestly it's not much better than it was before he worked on it, just a little less creep. Oh well, they were never designed to be bench guns anyway...even though I see people bragging theirs shooting sub moa on the internet. I've had a few groups creep under that magic 1", but there is no way I could honestly say that any of mine are legitimately any better than 1.5 moa, some more like 2 moa.

[trails4u]

Sentimentally, it's my old Rem 742 in 30-06. Was a gift to me from my old Scoutmaster years ago, when he left the country for England. He couldn't take it, so I got it. Not a shooter by any means....I'd say it 'patterns' at roughly 6 inches at 100, no matter how hard I try to find something it will shoot better. I try dutifully to kill one deer a year with it......mostly because he cursed it for a *** with a bent barrel when he gave it to me. It's probably put more meat in the freezer here than any other.....just because.

Not so sentimentally....it's the Tikka T3 Hunter in stainless/laminate that my wife and kids saved last year to buy me for my birthday. Sonofagun is a tack driver....better shooter than I am!!

[JSnover]

An old Hi Standard 12ga. pump (20-6). Good for most anything in thick brush, light and handy for sneaking through the swamps back when I used to do that sort of thing. Hard to beat for home defense, too. I replaced the wood and upgraded the sights a few years ago. Thought about getting it re-blued but I dunno. Seems like telling a woman she'd be gorgeous if she wore some makeup; don't want to upset the balance of the universe.

[Texas by God]

It would have to be the Tikka T3 Hunter 25-06 my wife gave me for my 50th birthday. So beautiful, so deadly. Just like her! And my ugly 1958 Browning A5 skeet gun w/Cutts Compensator. Imade a triple on dove with that heavy thing! And my first two guns- a Nylon 66 and an H&R Topper jr. 20 gauge. I would trust my life to any of those. Best, Thomas.

[hillbill]

mine is a old model 7 rem 243. had it for 30 years or better. shot maybe 50 deer with it. have never fired it at a deer that did not die in short order. a couple i missed first shot and hit second shot.

just this last season killed a massive 300lb buck with huge 10 pt rack at just shy of 300 yrds.giant deer for my area.

for a pipsqueek round and 18 in barrel not bad.

[koehlerrk]

My version of Old Faithful would have to be my Swiss K31. Dang old Swiss Miss shoots like she has eyes of her own... I can say that rifle has made me a much better marksman over the years, and any missed white tails have been my fault. The hits though... the rifle gets half the credit, and other than three clean misses and two finisher rounds, every other deer has been one shot kills. As of last year, that's been 32 dead deer in fourteen years. Distances have been from spitting distance to 300+ yards, the old Swiss just keeps putting meat on the table.

[tygar]

I have to say, that I have a number of "go to" guns. A Sako 22-250 (now a AI) for varmints, custom Rem 700 .308 for medium game to 500yds along with a Kleinguenther 7mmMag for the same. For moose, elk, griz/brown, 2 Kleinguenter .375s, or a Mark X .375. All are .5 moa or better & smack the dog poop out of whatever they shoot.

[longranger]

All of mine qualify as "Old Faithful" however a favorite is a 98 Mauser 338-06 AI 20" Shilen barrel and gorgeous.

[izzyjoe]

Mine is a mark x 270, that was used when I got it from a pawnshop, it actually belonged to an older guy I know, and he didn't take very good of it. I've killed 15 deer with, mostly using fed 130gr power shoks, cause they shoot the best for factory loads, the last two were shot using
handloads. 130gr sst's, and a big dose of 4831! But it's the rifle I grab when deer season rolls along, I use a Marlin 30-30 sometimes, but the 270 has spoiled me!

[ammohead]

Somebody say they wanted pictures? It is not wood and steel but pretty is as pretty does.
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF3361_zpsusjcmrtb.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF3361_zpsusjcmrtb.jpg.html)
My "old reliable" in 338-06 built by my good friend Steve Zihn back when he lived in NV. A 190? Danzig action. A lady friend starting out learning engraving did some work on it for me.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF3360_zpsxotugzp7.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF3360_zpsxotugzp7.jpg.html)
Putting my monogram just ahead of the bolt handle and some more scroll work to dress up an old war horse.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF3359_zpsafes0mop.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF3359_zpsafes0mop.jpg.html)

[GLynn41]

For me "Ol Faithful" is a 5.5" Redhawk in a .410 GNR-- 41/454-- and a Mountain mold for a 255 gr WLNGC or same in a cast soft point over 27.5-29grH110 mv is 1480-1580-- - it can go up to 1630fps+ but I have only done it once just to see--

[Four Fingers of Death]

She was doing ok for a beginner Ammohead.

[ammohead]

FFoD,

Shame is she gave it up. I ended up buying her GSR setup when she needed money so I have begun to teach myself. So far I am no where near her quality but I only do stuff for myself as of yet. I need to force myself to practice more. I have some rifle projects that I would like to be able to embellish and not mess them up.

[Four Fingers of Death]

My mate used to practice with lead. I melted some linotype into an inch deep bottom of a 6" coffee tin. When he finished messing it up he would bring it around and I would hit it with the torch and remelt it for him. he was getting ok and starting to do small work for friends and then moved interstate.