What was your first big game rifle, and do you still have it?

[redhaze]

It was a Winchester Model 70 30-06 with a Weaver K-4, sold out long ago

 

[shannerdrake]

Thompson Center New Englander 50cal. It had a black synthetic straight stock, a shoot through scope mount and a Tasco 4x32 scope. I bought it off the used rack. I think someone traded it in because of how ugly it was.

Convinced Dad to “purchase” it with my hay pitching money when I was 12. Lived in Indiana when we were a shotgun only state. However, you could use muzzleloaders in the gun season AND during a late December ML season. The way I looked at it, I couldn’t afford a shotgun and a ML but a ML would let me hunt twice as long.

It was a tack driver. A PITA to clean and I loved it. I sold it when I was in my 20s for some incredibly stupid reason. It’s the only gun I ever sold that I truly want back.

First “hunting rifle” was a 450 Bushmaster upper I put on an AR lower when we were granted permission by DNR to hunt with straight wall cartridges. That was an honest to God .5 MOA rifle and is still the most accurate I’ve ever owned.

 

[pwrwgn57]

Started hunting with a Remington 760 in 270 when I was 14. Had the see thru scope rings which were horrible actually trying to see thru the scope. Still in the back of the safe 30+ years later, changed out the rings but I’ve never killed anything with it. May need to change that this year.

 

[MT Super Puncher]

Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08. Still have it. It’s a tack driver. Will be my kids’ first hunting rifle too.

 

[Cornbread]

99.9% of all us a-holes have flat spots….

Well fish master, I'm sure. I needed to do that. What was at stake was a 21 yr marriage and 2 kids, 15 & 18. My son was struggling with drug problems, cause his stay at home mommy couldn't discipline him and wanted to be his friend. Selling the guns was a small price to pay. It put her on the spot, and it made my decision to file for divorce when that didn't get her back. People tip their hand without even knowing it. I ended up buying all new firearms after I filed. And I don't have to carry her ass any more. It's been 23 years come December since I filed. Best thing I'd ever done. It cost me a lot of dough too. Know why divorce is expensive? It's worth it!!!

 

[starvingoutdoorsman]

Sporterized Springfield 30-06. We still have it.

 

[Zellhouse]

Third Generation family member to harvest with this rifle. This is my Grandson Johnathon's first deer, taken this last week in Utah. The rifle was a Birthday present from my Dad, who worked a side job in exchange, when I was 12 years old. It is a Remington Model 721, in .300 Savage. Serial Number dates back to early 50's.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

Savage 110 in 7mm Rem Mag and nope sold it the moment 19yo me realized he didn't need a 7mm Rem Mag to blast whitetails at 75 yards over a pile of apples...

Bought a Savage Axis in .308 Win after that, it killed many more deer over apples and carrots. Kept it when I moved out West and my wife uses it for the odd time she goes out hunting.

 

[TheTone]

Yep, gun show buy Rem 700 mtn rifle in 7mm-08. I haven’t carried it in years but my wife has basically claimed it as hers

 

[Eric24]

1950's era Savage 99 in 300. Shot my first buck and my younger brother got his first buck and bull. He ended up with it and his two girls used on their first buck as well.

 

[00BUCK]

I saved up money when I was 16 for a Rem model 700 in 30-06. The trigger came set at 9ibs. Once I had the trigger smoothed to 3ibs it shot sub moa. I still have it and use it. I have taken 19 big game animals with it.

 

[Howie]

Iver Johnson’s Arms and Cycle Works 20 gauge single shot. Was my grandfather’s, then my dad’s and now mine. Will eventually be my son’s. Growing up in OH, it was shotgun only for deer.

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I've got a 12 ga. "Champion" that was my grandfather's uncles. Built in the 20s. Still use it. My only shotgun. I love carrying "Isaac"

 

[Papsqueeg]

Dad gave me his Remington gamemaster model 141 in 35 rem that he bought from his brother for 30 dollars. killed my first buck with it in 1979 still have.

 

[Walkathon]

First big game rifle was a model 94 30-30. Don't have the gun anymore. I think I sold it to my brother. Bought a .30-06 Rem 700 put a VX1 on it, and still have it, and use it occasionally.

 

[fellas2]

Winchester Model 94 in 30-30 pre64.
Dad paid $55 in 1968 and wish I still had it. Sold it in 1981 for $125 and bought a REM 760 in 30-06 which I still have today.

 

[Slm864]

Model 99 300 savage that was my grandpas. Shot my first ever deer with it in 2000 and decided to get it back out last week. Shot another doe with 23 years later.

It’s not one that I used very often over the years. It was special to my grandpa and after he passed it wasn’t something I wanted to shoot for a variety of reasons. That changed this year, I’ll be shooting more with it now.

 

[bucdoego]

A beautiful Remington (mid-70s) 30-06, Bolt action, LH. Loved it. Gift from my parents. Carried it on several hunts with my brother and father. Sadly, I never fired it other than annual, pre-hunt range trips. Kept it for decades. It made many moves with me throughout my career. Ultimately sold it... dammit.

 

[MS 9x56]

First rifle was a Browning Gold Medallion in .270 that I bought when I was 15. It was pretty special taking my billy and my ram with it last year.
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Nice timber and great ram.

 

[Perlodid]

I grew up in SE Michigan, which was a shotgun zone. So for all intents and purposes my first deer rifle was a shotgun - a Remington 870 Express. I took my first deer with that, and although it has been retired from deer duty these days I still use it for just about everything else. It was a freedom group gun, and it rusts if you look at it funny. But it has never failed me functionally.

My first "traditional" deer rifle was a Winchester 94AE black shadow. 1990s production, synthetic stock, short mag tube. Bizarre gun. Could never get it to shoot how I wanted, and to this day have not seriously hunted with it in any meaningful capacity. I will probably sell it some day.

 

[WVmike]

Winchester Model 70 Sporter .264. My dad bought it back in the 80s before I was born and he has killed many deer/turkeys with it. Shot my first deer with it. Still my favorite and most reliable rifle I have.