My first "High-Powered" rifle

[71fan]

I saved my 4-H pig money for two years and bought my first CF rifle the spring before my first mule deer hunt when I was 12. It is a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 243, mfg about 1984~1985. My dad pretty much told me what I was getting and I think he chose perfectly for the Nevada hunting we did. I used my paper route money to put a Bushnell Sportview 3-9 on it. It has killed a lot of game and is still in the original configuration except a recrowned barrel and a trigger job.

[dkmlever]

My first was a Ruger M77 in '76 in 257 Roberts. Still have the action but it has a new barrel and stock and now is a 25-06.

[madman4570]

1969 Ruger#1 45-70 bought new in Feb 7 1970

[AJMD429]

My first was a Ruger M77 in '76 in 257 Roberts. Still have the action but it has a new barrel and stock and now is a 25-06.

Man oh man, I know an old geezer who would 'hunt you down' for dismantling a 'Roberts'
Still, the .25-06 is a pretty nice round itself.

[Nobody]

[C. Cash]

Deleted...sorry to double post.

[mescalero1]

Winchester .30 carbine (YES)
my brother traded it for I forget what
After he said he traded it, all I remember is his friends beating me to a pulp.
Still mad at him for that.

[Kansas Ed]

Model 70 FWT in .223 Remington. Would keep everything in a Skoal can at 300. But I hit a coyote one day at over 250 with FMJ cheap ammo and he got back up. I got disgusted (stupid) and sold the rifle. I'm still disgusted...that I SOLD the rifle...but I ended up with a BB94 in .375 and never looked back. Not much of a long range coyote gun though.

Ed

[mescalero1]

Well,
At least you owned up to your bad choice of ammo, thats progress.

[Bruce Scott]

.30-06 FN Mauser . I bought it in Queensland sometime around 1972. Saw it, bought it and walked out with rifle in hand and a couple of boxes of ammo. There was absolutely no paperwork involved in the transaction.

Things have changed somewhat......

[Bogie35]

The first rifle I had was an 8mm Mauser that my dad restored. The first rifle I actually purchased is the Marlin 336C 35 Remington I have now.

bogie

[Brian in FL]

My first centerfire rifle was a Remington 700 BDL in .30-06 that's now in a synthetic stock. (I still have the original walnut.) I bought it in 1970 or 1971, I don't exactly remember which. It's still one of the most accurate rifles I've ever owned. Other rifles I've bought and sold or traded, but the .30-06 Remington is still with me. Though I've come to really love leverguns nowadays I'll never let her go.

[marlinman93]

I want to start laughing when I think back to my first "high powered" rifle! It was a pretty minty 1891 Mauser in the old 7.65 Arg. MAuser round. Bought it out of the paper for $15, and it cost me another $15 to buy a bolt and have it checked by the smith who sold it to me!
But the good news is it brought down my first deer in full military form, and on my first hunting trip! Didn't know where to begin cutting to field dress that buck, but somehow I muddled through!

[dbateman]

Lithgow 303 when i was a kid
first one i bought is a ruger m77 chambered in 308
still have it real nice rifle

[Bogie35]

The first "high-powered" rifle I ever fired was my dad's 30 cal. M-1 made by Singer. He ordered it from the Rock Island Arsenal I believe in the late 60's or early 70's. I nailed that pine stump on Fort Jackson from about 40 yards! My brother has the rifle now. It has never malfunctioned! A real sweet shooter!

bogie

[Henry McCann]

The first one I bought for myself was a 1949 Marlin RC .30-30. Which led to owning 8 Marlin levers at one time. Now I'm down to four.

It took me a long time to buy a rifle for myself as I hunted with my dad and he had everything from a .257 and .300 Weatherby, to BLR's in .308 and .358, a Winchester 94 Big Bore in .375 and lots of bolt actions in between.

[rjohns94]

Mine was a remington adl in .270, followed quickly by a Garand from springfield armory.

[dbateman]

.30-06 FN Mauser . I bought it in Queensland sometime around 1972. Saw it, bought it and walked out with rifle in hand and a couple of boxes of ammo. There was absolutely no paperwork involved in the transaction.

Things have changed somewhat......

+1 and not for the good

[zack coyote]

My first high powerd rifle was an 1861 Springfield, .58 caliber. I bought on my first trip to Texas in 1959. Found it behind a door in a little antique shop. Can you believe $25. It was all painted black, and I didn't even know what it was. 70 grains of 2f for about 1000 fps. I shot it for a couple of years, and traded it for a 1902 Winchester 94 rifle, which my son now owns, I wish I had the Springfield back.