The Story of...

[1899]

Volume I - Rifles I should have bought

Volume II - Rifles I should never have sold


Let's see.

Volume I :

M1908 Mannlicher-Schoenauer in 8x56MS. This rifle was absolutely mint in every way; a real gem. The action was typical, that is so smooth that it almost cycled itself when the though entered your mind.

There have been others - several Mannlicher-Schoenauers, Brno 21Hs and a Remington Safari Classic in .416RM (the only one I have ever seen), but they seem replaceable, whereas I doubt I will ever find an M1908 in the condition of the one I let go.

Oh yes, and a Sako Fiberclass in .338 Win Mag - one of the sweetest shooting rifles I have ever owned. What was I thinking?


Volume II :

Savage Model 1920 in .250-3000; it was in very nice condition, unmolested - no cracks, holes where there shouldn't be any and all the parts were there. Price? $425. I went and looked at it twice. Like a fool I left without it...both times.

I also passed on a nice pre-64 in .300 H&H, but it had the bold ground a little for scope clearance. Other than that the rifle was top notch. Still, at $1000 it was a great buy on a rifle you don't see every day.


What are your stories?

 

[pharaoh2]

Should have bought. Well there are two that are fore front in my memory, and I'm not sure why. The first was a 700 BDL Deluxe with nice engraving in .338 Ultra. The second was also a 700, a stainless/synthetic in 7mm Ultra. I really liked them both.

Should have kept. There are a few. First was my Model 70 in .300 Winchester. It shot like the devil himself and I shot it well. The second was another Model 70, a heavy barreled .243 that put ten 55 grain ballistic tips into a hole you could cover with a dime. The third would be my stainless with rosewood grips Ruger Vaquero in .357. Fourth was a Browning A-Bolt II .30-06 which also shot great. Fifth was a Ruger Hawkeye, one of the first in .30-06. More recently was a Browning Gold shotgun, but I didn't deserve to own it.

This is one of the should have kepts.

 

[Kilo Charlie]

Shoulda bought:
Win 86, very nice shape, at Trail Guns in Edmonton in 1993. I just didn't have the $700.00
Marlin 1895 in .33 Winchester at Ellwood Epps in 1988. Price, coincidentally, also $700.00, very nice shape.

Never should have sold my Win 70 Featherweight .257 Roberts. Or my Savage 1899 .250-3000. I also once sold the Savage Model 5 .22 rimfire I bought when I was 15, but I got that one back.