Dream Rifle

[tkhuntsman]

Stainless Marlin 444 w/ a 22" barrel

 

[kodiakisland]

Kodiak, I love that photo and rifle - I've seen it before. I actually took a screen shot of it and sent it to a friend when I saw it! Mine isn't any special grade, it just happened to be a good stick on the regular Select Grade, same as yours. I bought mine used, so it has some handling marks, which is fine by me. I do intend to use it.

It looks good with the dark lines. Hope it shoots as good as mine. The Bob is a great cartridge too.

 

[kodiakisland]

My first dream rifle in .250 that I saved for a couple years to get as a teenager and still have today. Try to get it out every couple of years and shoot some deer with it, but it's a coyote magnet.
As a kid I was reading about Bell's exploits with his M-S, dreaming of Africa and this was my modern equivalent.

 

[Brad]

Kodiak, we have the same taste in rifles. Here’s my 250 Savage, circa 1990:

 

[Brad]

I also had a 7x57 M77 RSI (limited run from around 1986) and a 308 RSI.

 

[kodiakisland]

I also had a 7x57 M77 RSI (limited run from around 1986) and a 308 RSI.

My RSI is a tang safety mid 80s production. Had one in .308 on Kodiak that I full length epoxy bedded and sealed the stock for hunting in the rain. A buddy has it and kills a few deer with it every year.
My go to deer rifle now is a Cooper M54 in .250.

 

[Don Fischer]

Strange thing about the dream rifle. When Ruger brought out the #1 I though I'd die before I'd ever afford one. Then after a divorce I found one in a shop in Loveland, Colorado. Bad enough it was a #1 but also a 25-06, cartridge I dreamed about. $265 brand new. Looked at it and handled it quite a while then put it back. Never gave it another though. Still to this day I think the #1 is a beautiful rifle but these days my 25-06 is a 700 Remington! I have a feeling what really impressed me was I could almost but not quite afford it. Never lusted for a #1 again.

 

[Jnasa]

Strange thing about the dream rifle. When Ruger brought out the #1 I though I'd die before I'd ever afford one. Then after a divorce I found one in a shop in Loveland, Colorado. Bad enough it was a #1 but also a 25-06, cartridge I dreamed about. $265 brand new. Looked at it and handled it quite a while then put it back. Never gave it another though. Still to this day I think the #1 is a beautiful rifle but these days my 25-06 is a 700 Remington! I have a feeling what really impressed me was I could almost but not quite afford it. Never lusted for a #1 again.

What decade was that? I wish I could buy a new #1 for $265. I really would like a #1 but I have a hard time passing on a good bolt gun to spend what it would take.

 

[Jnasa]

Practical would be a lightweight 280 AI possibly Weatherby Mark V.

With soul would be a solid bolt action with a nice Walnut stock. Probably in 257 Roberts or 7x57.

 

[Brad]

My RSI is a tang safety mid 80s production. Had one in .308 on Kodiak that I full length epoxy bedded and sealed the stock for hunting in the rain. A buddy has it and kills a few deer with it every year.
My go to deer rifle now is a Cooper M54 in .250.

Incredible. My 308 is the only one of my RSI's I full length bedded and sealed!

Here's my small rifle collection I had accumulated by 1991... notice the lack of stainless

Top To Bottom
Savage 99 EGG 308 Win (1956 mfg - I bought in NIB for $285)
M77 RS 358 Win (limited run carbine)
M77 RSI 7x57 (limited run)
M77 RSI 250 Savage
77/22

 

[Forkyfinder]

Incredible. My 308 is the only one of my RSI's I full length bedded and sealed!

Here's my small rifle collection I had accumulated by 1991... notice the lack of stainless

Top To Bottom
Savage 99 EGG 308 Win
M77 RS 358 Win (limited run carbine)
M77 RSI 7x57 (limited run)
M77 RSI 250 Savage
77/22

View attachment 354105

That 99 savage is gorgeous

 

[Brad]

That 99 savage is gorgeous

I edited my post while you posted - I bought it new/unfired for $285! At the time, Leupold had just brought out a reproduction of their old 7/8" steel-tubed 2.5X scope, so I mounted one in Redfield mounts. About as period correct as I could make it. Thing was an absolute tack driver! Of course, being a broke young guy with a family, I eventually sold it right before I moved to Montana a couple years later!

 

[noharleyyet]

Of all the ones I currently own plus the ones who've found homes with our son & son in law, this one, thanks to @p_ham , fits my 'dream rifle' category best.
It will soon have a worthy stable mate also thanks to Paul.

7mm Rem Mag

https://flic.kr/p/2p11psC

 

[Redmt]

I love my #1's There's a beautiful stainless .257 On GB now for a buy it now of $2350.00 when you add in all the fees and CA 20% tax it just isn't worth it, but I still want it BAD!

 

[geetar]

Have you been hunting with it with the open sights?

Yep! I like the factory irons on it so good I think I'm gonna keep it that way for now.

 

[6mm Remington]

I'm very lucky in that I have 3 dream rifles. I have a Ruger 1B in 30-06, a Ruger 1B in 6mm Remington, and a Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter (USA Made) that I had a gunsmith work his magic on with a new barrel, metal finish, pillar & glass bedded, and trigger set to a crisp 2.5 pounds. Oh and it's chambered in something Winchester should have in their line-up, the 280AI.
6mm Remington

 

[Redmt]

I've been lusting back and forth between the .257 Roberts and 25.06. I'm looking to reduce recoil a bit but still be deadly to around 300yds.

 

[OntarioHunter]

For those with a hankering for historic CRF, why not build your own? Pre-64 Model 70 has nothing on 98 Mauser or 1903 Springfield or 1917/P14 Enfield actions. Find a donor rifle on Gunbroker and go for it. Last year I built this 404 Jeffery on postwar Czech 98 Mauser. Altogether I have about $2300 in it.

One could certainly pick a less challenging cartridge to build with (e.g. 30-06, 270, 35 Whelen, etc.) and save some money (avoid changing bolt face and bottom metal). Mauser actions are easiest to find stocks and aftermarket parts. I personally think the Springfield action is slickest but converting it to 3-position Model 70 style side safety is quite expensive (requires changing striker as well as bolt shroud). Mausers can be converted for ~$200. 1917 Enfield comes with 3-position side safety but I don't care for the ugly extra-cartridge "guppy belly" magazine/stock or cockk-on-closing (but both can be fixed). They are the toughest actions for sure. Getting rid of the military sight "ears" on the receiver can be an issue (very hard metal).

Anyway, stop shopping for a dream CRF. Build your dream. In the long run it may cost a bit more than a gun off the shelf at Cabelas, but it will be your dream that you made come true. Not something a soulless robot made overseas.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

@mtmuley, I bet you wouldn’t turn down a right hand version of this Remington 700 KS in 300 RUM.

BTW - it shoots 124 gr Hammer Hunters really well, and really fast. 181 gr HHs at a little under 3300 fps shoot well, too.

View attachment 354029

That 124 HH probably cruises 3,800fps? Maybe break 4k with AHs. That’s beautiful insanity right there!

 

[BAKPAKR]

That 124 HH probably cruises 3,800fps? Maybe break 4k with AHs. That’s beautiful insanity right there!

They are going a little over 3800 fps with H4831sc. My last reading with Retumbo was over 3950 and I went up in charge weight from there but my chrono didn’t pick them up. The groups with Retumbo weren’t what the rifle was capable of so I “settled” for the nearly sloth-like H4831sc load.

BTW - using a light for caliber bullet is a good recoil reducer. 200 gr Accubonds were pretty punishing in this rifle.