Stay with the old classics? Or go with the new-fangled?

I enjoy older firearms. However I have a new M70 Featherweight in mind for a mountain hunt next year.
 
Earlier this year I picked up a Kimber Classic in 270 WCF. It is a really nice rifle so nice in fact I don't want to take it hunting until it gets it's first war wound.
I like the old as well as the new and I am not at the point and probably never will be that a rifle is just a tool for the job at hand.
As far as the Kimber is concerned I will take it out this winter for a coyote hunt and see what it will do.
I am also looking at another 270 stainless and synthetic for the rough stuff.
An older Model 70 Featherweight in 270 when they were available in stainless would be nice. I think they also made them with a synthetic stock.

David
 
Back to the classics for me. The "boutique" stuff was no more effective and never really appealed to me.

My favourites:

9mm Mauser (aka "9mm" or "9x19")
32-20 (BSA Martini Cadet)
7.62x39 (SKS)
6.5x55 (Mauser-based)
30-06 (Mauser)
12 gauge (Remington 870)

(I did cheat and bought one new fangled, Kriss Vector, but nobody's perfect. :) )
 
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go whit a good post-64 m70 in .270w still nice blue/wood but not to much value for collector so you can work whit it just dry it over the night and hunt again tommorow
 
bud69 said:
go whit a good post-64 m70 in .270w still nice blue/wood but not to much value for collector so you can work whit it just dry it over the night and hunt again tommorow
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What bud69 said put the money into a good Leopold scope and rangefinder you can always sell the rifle and upgrade later
I am in the same boat as you to me long rang is 200 yards at a moose
Wanting to stretch my shooting out a bit for pronghorn sheep and goat I do like the 300 yard zero with the 7mm RM
It all come down to how much money your willing to put into a rifle you may only use once in a while
I recently traded a modern Hunter for a HS Percision in 7mm RM the rifle is a lot of money for a rifle that going to have limited use in normal hunting scenario in northern BC and northern Alberta
 
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If you go classic, an option would be to coat barrel. Same look, more weather protected.

If you go stainless, treat yourself to a solid stock. The lower priced units in hollow plastic give me the heebie jeebies...
 
I like having a couple of stainless rifles for wet-weather hunts. As much as I prefer hunting with classics, I find myself using the s/s rifles an awful lot as time passes.

Keep in mind that an antelope hunt tends to be done in beautiful weather, on easy terrain with little in the way of climbing. It's not hard on rifles or people and is a perfect opportunity to put some miles on a beautiful old classic without too much concern about beating it up.
 
I am a wood/blued rifle lover as well, but have one stainless/synthetic M700 that I reserve strictly for nasty
weather hunts.
I have a 38-55 Marlin 1893 that was built in 1906. It started life as a 30-30, but erosion and corrosion took it's toll.
Because I liked the platform so much, I had Ron Smith rebore the rifle to 38-55, and I have no intention of ever
getting rid of it.
I am weak when it comes to highly figured walnut [or even maple] and have several rifles that have a fair amount
of classy wood. These are keepers, also.
To the OP......your suggestion of a 270 in a classic rifle is superb, IMHO. Flat shooting, effective, and easy to feed.
Dave.
 
Most experienced hunters will have some classics and at least one stainless. The best one can do is put a decent scope on the rifle where reliability and clarity are key to making each outing an enjoyable one.
 
Two favorites of mine are Pre-64 model 70's. I took the .300H&H out for the first time last year and didn't make it to my stand before tripping over a branch and marking the barrel..Rrrrr. This season I carried a new 7X57 Featherweight and didn't worry about scuffing it up because it was "new". Killed a buck with it so now it's "broke in". My one and only stainless is a 1999 Rem 700 SS/DM 7m/m mag that is my general "tool".
 
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