What's your all-around favorite gun?

[Skillet]

Been a while since I've sat around a campfire and just had the opportunity to choot the chit with my hunting buddies, hoping you'll all indulge me here.

 Was looking through the rifle safe today and got a little nostalgic about some of it's older residents.  There's the gun I killed my first deer with, the gun(s) I got from Grandpa, the first real rifle I bought myself. I've had a lot come and go over the years, bit there's a few that are never in danger of being evicted.

Of those, I've decided the 1957 M70 Featherweight in 30-06 is my favorite. Bought new by Grandpa when he was 30, it's topped with an M8 Leupold 4x, and all wears the leather strap he died it with back then. It bears the dings and scratches of a solid lifetime of hunting by Grandpa (35 solid years).  I can't guess how many deer he killed with it, but I'll bet it isn't too short of one-a-year. There were some dang nice bucks in there, too - for a meat hunter. I've killed a couple with it as well.  It's just a boring old 30-06, but Grandpa said "if it can't be done with an -06, it don't need doin'."  I don't think he's wrong.

I've got lighter rifles for high mountain hunting. I've got more accurate rifles, more powerful rifles, more valuable rifles.  They all have some combination of better glass, composite stocks, stainless everything.  But if I had to just have just one of my guns for the rest of my life, it would be this old unit.

I think she's among the prettiest rifles ever made, and definitely has a look to it that makes me want to grab the old Filson Mackinaw and start hunting mountain mulies in the November snow.  It's a nostalgic gun for me, and I acknowledge I won't get a shot on that bruiser buck 600 yards away unless I can halve the distance.  But that's ok, it's about the total hunt experience. Wall tents, meat poles, good partners.  Every hunt is a good one as long as I'm toting this gun with me.

It's my favorite gun.

What about the rest of you?  What's your one all-around favorite gun, and why?

[johnbmyersii]

I'd have to say my Henry 44mag. It's my go-to truck gun and a goal of mine to get a bear with it this year. With a skinner pear rear sight and a fiber optic front this thing is a tack driver out to 125 yards. It's probably my favorite cuz I love the history of the old west, the nostalgia of an old school lever action and what the old timers could do with them and the beauty of a Henry yellowboy

[Magnum_Willys]

My Uncle made me my first shotgun.  16 ga bolt action two-shot clip.   Had “Shotflinte” engraved on the side.   I could shoot trap with it at age 6. 

Also inherited his self-converted mauser 30-06 with german double set triggers.  A beauty. 

Then theres the Weatherby 300 Win Mag my dad gave me as a college graduation present - 42 years ago.  Still can shoot 3” groups at 500 yds.

Then the 338 Vanguard my buddy gave me as a wedding gift thats downed many a bull.

My 12 ga model 12 my dad left me. 

My custom 338 Lapua thats taken trophies over 900+

Favorite?  Tough to say!   

[Skillet]

My Uncle made me my first shotgun.  16 ga bolt action two-shot clip.   Had “Shotflinte” engraved on the side.   I could shoot trap with it at age 6. 

Also inherited his self-converted mauser 30-06 with german double set triggers.  A beauty. 

Then theres the Weatherby 300 Win Mag my dad gave me as a college graduation present - 42 years ago.  Still can shoot 3” groups at 500 yds.

Then the 338 Vanguard my buddy gave me as a wedding gift thats downed many a bull.

My 12 ga model 12 my dad left me. 

My custom 338 Lapua thats taken trophies over 900+

Favorite?  Tough to say!

Gotta pick one to post! 

[Skillet]

I'd have to say my Henry 44mag. It's my go-to truck gun and a goal of mine to get a bear with it this year. With a skinner pear rear sight and a fiber optic front this thing is a tack driver out to 125 yards. It's probably my favorite cuz I love the history of the old west, the nostalgia of an old school lever action and what the old timers could do with them and the beauty of a Henry yellowboy

I'm getting back into leverguns.  Picked up an 1894 AE in 45 Colt, but thinking I want a 44 now.  Probably going with a Henry.  Buddy got a Henry in 357 with side gate feed, it is an awesome rifle. Slick, and accurate.   

[jay.sharkbait]

Colt 22 that dad carried as a Naval Aviator.

2nd place is a Nelson built M1a.

[johnbmyersii]

I definitely wish mine had the side gate, bought this one before they had that model. The Henry's have trouble cycling the Hornady leverevolution unfortunately and I have to slightly sand the plastic ballistic tip to feed properly

[Skillet]

Colt 22 that dad carried as a Naval Aviator.

2nd place is a Nelson built M1a.

What barrel is that on the Woodsman?  Mine is a standard.

[Skillet]

I definitely wish mine had the side gate, bought this one before they had that model. The Henry's have trouble cycling the Hornady leverevolution unfortunately and I have to slightly sand the plastic ballistic tip to feed properly

Roger, good to know

[jay.sharkbait]

Colt 22 that dad carried as a Naval Aviator.

2nd place is a Nelson built M1a.

What barrel is that on the Woodsman?  Mine is a standard.

They were target pistols based on the woodsman. I grew up with it and found out later they are collectable. I’ll pass it on or be buried with it. Lol.

It still shoots very well.

[Skillet]

Colt 22 that dad carried as a Naval Aviator.

2nd place is a Nelson built M1a.

What barrel is that on the Woodsman?  Mine is a standard.

They were target pistols based on the woodsman. I grew up with it and found out later they are collectable. I’ll pass it on or be buried with it. Lol.

It still shoots very well.

That's a great looking Woodsman.  Little bit different frame too.  Much better looking than mine

[jay.sharkbait]

Colt 22 that dad carried as a Naval Aviator.

2nd place is a Nelson built M1a.

What barrel is that on the Woodsman?  Mine is a standard.

They were target pistols based on the woodsman. I grew up with it and found out later they are collectable. I’ll pass it on or be buried with it. Lol.

It still shoots very well.

That's a great looking Woodsman.  Little bit different frame too.  Much better looking than mine

Thanks! That said, i like the ones like yours as they a timeless.

[BigGoonTuna]

It’s tough for me to pick a favorite. If I had to pick one, it would probably be my Savage 99F that I had converted to .358 Winchester. It started out as a .300 Savage that I picked up from an old timer for cheap (he was selling everything but his 30-06 and 12ga since he planned to retire and live on the road in an RV).  It was built in 1960 and had seen some hard use, but it had been refinished to a really nice deep blue at some point. It shot alright with my hand loads, but the bore looked like a sewer pipe. I found that if I cleaned it, it’d take about 10 rounds to start grouping again.

Last year, I got furloughed from work for a month and started going through the gun cabinet. I had wanted a .358 for some time, but the odds of finding a 99 in that caliber in my price range is pretty low. I had heard good reviews from JES reboring out of Oregon, so I got in contact with them and sent the rifle down to have the barrel punched out. 10 days and $250 later I had my .358.

I put a Leupold 1.5-5x scope on it and worked up some 200 and 225gr loads.  It shoots at least as well as I can. It’s a bit of a kicker but that’s to be expected from a rifle that weighs 7lbs. Those wide 35 caliber bullets punch big holes in game and leave a heck of a blood trail.  It carries more like a shotgun than a typical hunting rifle, like an extension of my arm.

[kselkhunter]

It's not "valuable" in terms of collector value, but it's my all around favorite.  1961 Parker Hale.  Bought it as my first rifle when I turned 18, got it used.  Was a 30-06 back then.  For decades it was my only rifle, so it's seen many hunting trips many of them backcountry trips with many hundreds of days carried in the woods and many animals harvested.  I had JES rebore it to 35 Whelen a handful of years ago, and refinished the stock, new recoil pad as the old one dried out, and cerakoted the barrel.  Gave it a new lease on life.  Not a fancy rifle. More of a tool in the woods.  With 250gr bullets, it hits with authority.  I have shot it so many times over the years that I know it well.   Lots of memories with this rifle.  Sure I have other rifles now, but this is always my "go-to" or favorite nostalgic rifle for my lifetime. 

[Jolten]

I'd have to say my 26 nosler. First do it myself job.