What was the first hunting rifle you bought for yourself chambered in?

[Ardent]

I had family handed down .22LR and .30-30 for a long time prior, but the first hunting rifle I bought for myself with my own money was a stainless Ruger 77 .243 Winchester.

I’ll do a poll with the usual suspects, add as you see fit verbally.

 

[woodlotowner]

.303 British. I was in college at the time and the $25 price tag on the SMLE looked good...

 

[ForealBoreal]

..........

 

[yomomma]

30-30.

 

[cam1936]

I bought a 7mm Rem Mag. A FN98 supreme, really nice rifle that I wish I still had.

I didn't know much about ammo or cartridge selection. Bought factory loaded 140 grain ballistic tips and shot a small WT doe at about 10 yards. It literally blew her leg off, grenaded the vitals and did not exit. I learned a thing our two about bullet construction and impact velocity that day.

 

[track]

In 1977 I purchased my first rifle, Browning BLR chambered in the 308 Win. Transported it home under my arm, riding my 10-speed bike.

 

[dgradinaru]

My first hunting rifle was passed down to me : Mauer 98 Sporter in 8x57. Became a Mauser fan so my first rifle purchase for hunting was a Yugoslavian M24/47 in 8x57 to go along my sporter. Not much of a hunting rifle but it was put to good use!

 

[frabill]

308 wby vanguard. Still got it.

 

[Steppenwolf]

K-mart $27.50 special bubba'd Longbranch No4 in 303.

 

[JeffEff95]

270 WSM Browning Xbolt.

 

[Dogleg]

.270 Win was the first I bought myself.

 

[28 gauge]

None of those cartridges listed.Perhaps you should have listed "Other" as an option.

 

[peterf]

My Dad gave me a 7x57 but the first one that I bought myself was a 30-06. After all these years I still have the 7x57 but the 06 is long gone.

 

[ljones]

Centerfire was a Ruger M77 MKII in .30-06. Rimfire was a Marlin Model 60 Stainless

 

[Eagleye]

I bought an old, old Marlin 1893 Rifle [not carbine] in 30-30. Had an octagon barrel, and a good bore,
but was lacking most of its finish on the outside. Should have kept it. Believe I paid $40.00 for it.
Worth considerably more today, lol.
Second year I had an M17 in 30-06....just a great rifle as well. A bit heavy, but very accurate, and
accounted for a couple of deer. I was 13 at the time.
Last year, I shot a deer with a Marlin 336 in....30-30. Worked just fine. Dave.

 

[Dorian Gray]

308 Winchester in the unforgettable Remington 770. It moved on to a new home within a year

 

[Suther]

I voted 270win, because that was the first rifle I bought new. I did spend my first year in the woods with a sporter Enfield I bought off the EE here, but it was not a good gun for a newbie (no scope or anything) so I upgraded to something more user friendly for season #2.

 

[umpherda]

Parker Hale 30.06 from
SIR mail order.

 

[Jay]

Winchester Model 70 in 7mm Rem Mag in a laminated stock. Bought it from Laurentian Trading Post in Ottawa when I was a teenager.

I have no idea who I sold it to, or where it is now. I would pay dearly to have it back.

Sigh.

Cheers
Jay

 

[RatFink]

Ruger Gunsite Scout in .308 after watching the Hickok45 video and deciding I wanted to get into hunting. Figured it was a great do-all rifle that would prevent me from needing to buy a whole fortune's worth of other rifles since it'd kill anything in the country.

... Now I wish I had bought a .243 or a 25-06 or something and allow me to move up the calibre range in more interesting areas.