Your retirement rifle and caliber

[200grain]

I like the rifle capable to kill deer mostly under 100 yards with occasionally reaching 200 yds. Same rifle to punch paper and capable of low vel cast bullets for small game. Ultimately, been able to stretch my shooting years longer by keeping cost down on ammo.

As he approached 80 my father, a large man, found that a medium-light .243 Win worked well given his declining strength/shoulder.
Noting that the .243 Win cartridge is simply the necked-down .308 Win thus having similar case capacity, yet substantially less sharp recoil plus excellent deer-size game ballistics. Weight, balance, and shot-type (brush/open/rest/no-rest/careful aim or jump/snap-shots) are probably large factors in your selection, as well.
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/8-gre...ints-and-more/
Alternatively, with/without recoil pad:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/907274442
https://www.gunsamerica.com/90610134...VER-ACTION.htm
https://www.iammo.com/guns/rifles/ca...n/lever-action

Alternatively, if you are hunting in medium/thick brush, perhaps a Marlin 336 in 44 Rem Mag
https://www.gunsamerica.com/91636927...-44-Magnum.htm
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/907388118
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/907378505
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/907364037

[badguybuster]

Honestly, my Winchester Deluxe 1892 in 357 mag and my S&W 28-2 Reg Magnum (VERY RARE) are my dream/go to guns for everything. The Win holds 15 rounds of 357 mag and the 28-2 holds 8 rounds. If I need more than that, I am in WAY over my head anyway

[M-Tecs]

Honestly, my Winchester Deluxe 1892 in 357 mag and my S&W 28-2 Reg Magnum (VERY RARE) are my dream/go to guns for everything. The Win holds 15 rounds of 357 mag and the 28-2 holds 8 rounds. If I need more than that, I am in WAY over my head anyway

A Registered Magnum in a model 28-2 that holds 8 rounds is something that I have never heard of??????????????

https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Smit...esson_Model_28

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_...1%842%20to%208

[PositiveCaster]

I cannot understand the OP’s requirement to have just one rifle. What a boring, limiting requirement. I retired 4 years ago and enjoy shooting all the remaining rifles and handguns I acquired over my lifetime. Some more than others, and some are limited by component availability - now. Variety is the spice of life, and I encourage the OP to widen his horizons.




.

[Camba]

I did not say “only” one rifle. I said one rifle that is my favorite and will be my go to rifle for most of my needs. I still will have 22’s and 223 rem ar since I do have a lifetime supply of ammo.
Rifles I like are single shot rifles in 35 caliber.


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[Savvy Jack]

Took me a few years after retirement to finally build my "dream rifle". It is a 30-06 on a M70 CRF action with a 32" Broughton 12" twist barrel in a McMillan A5 stock. Scope is a 8x32 NightForce NXS. I shoot 178 match bullets at 3025 fps holding 1/2 moa at 300 yards with 10 shots.

Attachment 287275

Attachment 287276

THAT would be mine, but I already have mine!!!

[Daekar]

I already have my retirement rifle: my Henry Single Shot in 357mag. Low recoil, easy to handle, dead simple, reliable, accurate with reloads it likes, and I already have peep sights for it.

I love this gun, I have largely lost interest in my other larger rifles. I can see a 45-70 assuming a place of honor though, if it has a threaded muzzle...

[Camba]

That is one rifle/caliber I do like. I have not been able to find one yet.


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[Bigslug]

The way I'm going, by the time I retire, I expect I will need. . .

A carbon-fiber wrapped barrel (that I can lift). . .

On the Martini action with the long lever (that I'll be able to force open). . .

In .22 short (so I can bear the recoil). . .

With a tapered .577 to .22 funnel cut in the top of the custom breech block (so I can find the chamber). . .

With a 36X Zeiss scope (so I can see the target). . .

And a series of miniaturized African dangerous game steel targets (so I can pretend it's a Farquarson in a macho chambering). . .

[Gray Fox]

I retired several years ago and I guess my retirement rifle is my Pedersoli 14.2 pound 1874 Sharps Quigley Rifle in .45-100 with 110 pieces of brass. It has a Lee Shaver aperture sight with a Hadley eye cup. I cast the Lyman 535 grain Postel boolit for it and also shoot the Lyman 457193 420 grain FP. I use 100-105 grains of ffg with a wad cut from 1/16" gasket cork sheet. I lub with Lyman Black Powder Gold. I'm still trying to get the best out of it, just as I am my retirement. My biggest problem is the longest range I have to shoot on is 150 yards and is 90 miles away. GF

[rbuck351]

I'm already retired and have more than enough rifles to hunt anything I want but I have wanted a 92 Winchester in 256 Win. I have everything I need to build it except the time but I'm working on that.

[sharps4590]

I have double rifles, drillings, combination guns, custom Mausers, 2 Shiloh's, 2 Mannlicher/Schoenaur's, some other goodies thrown in for good measure and have had long range smokeless rifles as well. For me only one remains, a vierling. Tastes have changed regards cartridges and today, and today only, it would be two, side by side barrels in 8 X 57R, bottom barrel would be 16 bore and there would be a 5.56R Vierling in the top rail. Secondary cartridge considerations would be 16 X 16 with 9.3 X 74R as the bottom barrel and the same 5.56R Vierling in the top rail.

[Randy Bohannon]

I’m on my third ‘retirement’ rifle ,all three ‘retirement’ rifles have been Shiloh Sharps. The third just went to production for a 1877 English Sporting Rifle #1 ,Cecil Freddi English walnut, stock fore arm,AA finish,32” round polished barrel with a Rigby flat 45-70 ,polished fire blued screws,brass escutcheons ,steel butt plate,D/T for MVA ‘A’ scope 8X .This is my first rifle I get to pick the wood and not be surprised by what someone else likes although I got very lucky with a semi fancy choice and got fancy from Shiloh. I waited,made payments for 4 years 4 mos. and some days now wait 5-6 months for it to be finished. No one pays attention to detail like Shiloh, you get what you pay for and then some.

[Camba]

That is awesome!


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[versa-06]

Pondered for quite some time & settled on, Browning 1885 454 Casull, 26 in. oct. barrel, 1;24 twist. "Lighter than I expected", 2-7x33 Leupy. Does well with heavies at low velocity, Loves 255-325gr. pills 1650 fps range less range PC'd fast powder. Haven't tried any checked loads yet, but I have a load of 26.5 gr. W-296 314 gr. boolit PC'd, flat base, HP, guessing 1800fps range that is impressive to me, 2-3 shot rounds 75 yds. all touching. Doesn't eat the powder or lead a 45-70 might. far less recoil. Just got a Chrono gonna get some real #'s.

[NEKVT]

Retired last year and approaching it prompted me to look at getting a Criterion barrel for my Krag Sporter rather than another rifle that I really don't need. Rebarrel cost alone is more than the Sporter will ever be worth but wasn't done as an investment anyway. It became an adventure of screw ups that took a year from getting on a wait list and when the dust settled I ended up with the new barrel and the sight configuration I really wanted rather than what I planned to settle for but for about a quarter of the proposed cost.

[Finster101]

The way I'm going, by the time I retire, I expect I will need. . .

A carbon-fiber wrapped barrel (that I can lift). . .

On the Martini action with the long lever (that I'll be able to force open). . .

In .22 short (so I can bear the recoil). . .

With a tapered .577 to .22 funnel cut in the top of the custom breech block (so I can find the chamber). . .

With a 36X Zeiss scope (so I can see the target). . .

And a series of miniaturized African dangerous game steel targets (so I can pretend it's a Farquarson in a macho chambering). . .

That's too funny! Sadly, I can relate.

[lar45]

A retirement rifle, what a topic...
I'm sure there are going to be wildly different end game rifles coming up.
I'm from Idaho and love to hunt Elk, but I'm in Arkansas now and it rains a ton down here. So my locations would suggest two very different rifles. For Idaho, blued steel and Walnut are just fine, for Arkansas' wet weather, a Stainless rifle with either a synthetic or laminated stock would probably be much better.
Idaho's game opportunities consist mainly of Deer, Elk, Antilope, and possibly bear or Moose. While I was in Idaho, I mainly hunted with a M98 Mauser in 30-06. It's taken a pile of Deer and Elk. It could be pressed into Antilope duty, but I have a 25-06 for that. The 30-06 would work fine on Moose, but I might take the 338 Win mag just because.
I've been in Arkansas for about 10 years now and have been using my Idaho rifles mainly, but feel I need something abit more suited to the task. I'm looking at a stainless Kimber with synthetic stock in 6.5 Credemoore. I love the rifle, but the caliber is the question. It seems like everyone is jumping on the 6.5 Credemoore bandwagon, that would generally be more of a detractor for me. I'd probably prefer the 6.5x55 Swede just to be different. There's nothing wrong with the Credemoore, it's a very versitile cartridge that should handle Arkansas' Deer and hogs without any problems. When loaded with a heavy bullet, it might even take down an Idaho Elk.
The rifle belonged to a very good friend that died from Covid complications, and if his widow doesn't want it, I'll probably buy it to use every year and remember the hunts we did get to go on.

[farmbif]

I'm already retired and have more than enough rifles to hunt anything I want but I have wanted a 92 Winchester in 256 Win. I have everything I need to build it except the time but I'm working on that.

a winny 92 in 256 win would be quite unique without a doubt
the only lever gun I know of made too chamber the 256 win was the marlin Levermatic model 62. if Winchester ever chambered an 1892 in 256 I don't think they released it for public consumption.

[KCcactus]

Retirement is still 8 years or so off for me. I expect to still be using my 6.8 ar on deer and pig's. Light recoil and very effective with 115 gr Federal Fusion. Will probably set up another 6.8 with thermal or night vision for nighttime pig's, but that will have to wait until the kids finish college.