One Rifle for the Rest of Your Life

[Willoughby]

any Savage model with AT in 300wm
nuff said
suitable for any chore- more than enough for most
but if I can only have one.............

[Ray Gunter]

I can have only one riffle......
that means I can only hunt with that rifle no matter where I go......
ok 375 HH .....
has to be a Savage.....
ok Savage 110 in classic wood stock, Leupold 3x9, Warne QR rings

[americanstrat98]

Just one huh? and a rifle?

It would have to be a... 22LR for me.

for the most perfect action it would have to be very durable with little to no movable parts with screws that I could take out with any thin piece of tool out there, that would negate savages all together, so I'd go with a CZ BRNO for irons, CZ 452 American for a scoped rifle, scope being a Leupold Rimfire, with CZ rings. It's about as tough as they come, and better than any american made crap minus the Coopers. Americans just dont make well fitting firearms like they used to.

CZ has excellent triggers (just like the Win 70 Pre 64)
Has double extractors,
excellent ignition
durable magazine
great stock, weight, make, fit
and finish is right at 320 which is what I like in a hunting rifle.
and most of all it can be field stripped with just a flat head screw driver, no punches and hammers necessary.


Now if I was stranded on a space ship for eternity with only one choice it would be my 1911 Colt, a roll of ductape and some channel locks!

If it was a shotgun it'd be a 870 Wingmaster.

But man o man ain't I glad I can have more than one, cuz my daily hunter is a Savage 14 american in 308

[squirrel_slayer]

if I could only do one it would be
16" .308 sr25 (ar10) with a lightweight rail/barrel/stock
leupold mk8 1.1-8x24 optic in a quick detach mount
KAC backup irons
trijicon rmr on a 45' mount
suppressor
can be done around 9lbs can cover anything from up close and personal to 1000yds can be used for defense to hunting. load it with 110gr v-max's and it's deadly on smaller kritters. thats if money was no object.

now from a realistic approach
savage 110 in 30-06
20" heavy mag/lite varmint contour, threaded for a brake/possible suppressor in the future, throated for 208gr a-max's
pillar bedded lightweight stock
2.5-10 leupold
ammo can be found anywhere or loaded from mild to wild and this is comming from someone who doesn't own a 30-06

[willcombs]

Well, since this isn't a "one GUN" thread, I can't spell out my dream shotgun.
But in terms of rifles, here's an outline of my dream rig---

Caliber : 6.5x47mm Lapua
Barrel : 22" Varmint contour, 1:8" twist, SureFire brake/adapter and SureFire suppressor
Stock : McMillan A3
Trigger : Timney adjustable, set at 4lb
Scope : NightForce 3.5-15x50mm NXS, 0.1mrad adjustments, with FFP H-58 reticle
Mounts : Badger Ordnance +20MOA 1pc rail, Badger M40A3 rings,
Badger cosine indicator, Badger Offset Mount with Burris FastFire II Reflex RDS.
Mags : Badger Ordnance DBM's
Extras : Harris BRM-S Bipod, T.I.S. M24 Sling

[J.Baker]

Have to agree with Americanstrat98 on this one.

My CZ 452 Lux LH in 22LR
Factory Barrel
Factory stock
Factory Trigger
Leupold VX-R 1.25-4x
CZ Rings
Leather Sling

I base this choice on it's all-around practicality and usefulness. I would ultimately choose a Remington 870 20-gauge over the rimfire though if the OP didn't specifically say rifles only.

[dolomite_supafly]

Savage short action (currently left hand but it may change)

Calibre: 300 Blackout
Barrel profile/ length: .920" straight taper at 17" with a threaded muzzle. 8 twist rifling for shooting heavy bullets
Stock: Currently in a Boyds Tacticool
Trigger Accutrigger currently but might get a SSS comp trigger
Glass: Haven't figured out yet but it will have a mildot reticle
Bottom metal/ Mags: Internal
Mounts/ Rings: Currently has Ferrell bases
Etc.

The reason I like the 300 Blackout is it will kill any animal in my area easily. It has very little recoil and is very miserly on the powder. I can shoot everything from 86 grain FMJ's to the 245 grain cast bullets that I designed to work with it. Brass is made from worn out 223 brass which will likely always be around. Shooting my subsonic cast bullets cost me 4.4 cents a shot and supersonic cast costs me 7.3 cents a shot. I can take 00 buck balls and light load them to take squirrel or rabbit. And if I add a suppressor when shooting subsonics it will be as quiet as a slingshot. For me being able to cast using common wheel weights is key to having a "forever" gun.


Second one is a rifle I built for my wife
Calibre: 45 ACP
Barrel profile/ length" 17" Shilen straight taper with Tech sights at the front and Williams WGRS at the rear
Stock: Factory polymer to keep the weight down
Trigger: Factory but it has been cleaned up some
Glass: None, ghost rings only
Bottom metal/ Mags: None
Mounts/ Rings: None
Etc.
Here are pictures of my wife's gun, enjoy:
Front sight:


A few views:



Rear sight:


Sight picture:


I like the idea of a 45 ACP bolt gun for close up work on problem "animals" that show up regularly. This makes quick work of almost anything that wanders onto my property. My wife didn't want any optics to mess with so irons were a must and ghost rings seemed like a natural for this setup. Having a 17" barrel with 15.5" hanging out makes for a handy little carbine. Recoil is light and managable enough that my wife actually likes it. I realize it is not a long range gun but I think it will work well within 100 yards. I also shoot cast out of this gun with amazing results.


I was considering building the 300 Blackout identical to the 45 ACP except add a Matech rear sight like a modern day tang sight for those really long shots.

[jb6.5]

I have a lot of guns and like em all. That said my 16 creedmoor does everything all the others will do. Don't shoot in matches just like to hunt. 95 gr varmint to 160 gr hunting bullets it shoots most everything in a half inch. Leupold bases rings & scope. Everything else is slightly modified trigger bedding ect.

[Appleseed]

ds: I was considering building the 300 Blackout identical to the 45 ACP except add a Matech rear sight like a modern day tang sight for those really long shots.

Not to hi-jack thread, sent you a pm about sights. Good set up for northwest NC mtns where I hunt.

[big honkin jeep]

Here it is. I bought my dream rifle back in 1996 and had to order it through a local gun shop. It was a factory offering from back when Savage offered all their centerfires in both right and left hand configurations. It came with all the bells and whistles from the factory and is stupid accurate. Best group is 10 shots into .446 at 100 yards. It's a Model 116FLCSAK chambered in 30-06. I topped it with Leupold bases and rings and a Leupold 3-9x40. The only modification was to tune the 3 screw trigger. I've never been undergunned with it. It has been a great rifle and is easily my favorite bolt rifle. I'm sure glad I got it before they discontinued it and I'm kind of befuddled as to why they don't still offer a factory model with all the bells and whistles?

[rattfink]

That's a really nice rifle Jeep.
define bells and whistles? What does Savage not offer anymore that you wish you could get?

[Hatari]

If I could only have one rifle for life, it has to be the rifle that Fred Moreo kicked butts with.
Here is a picture of the beast

Fred is gonna die from lack of sleep, yet his phone will keep ringing.

[big honkin jeep]

That's a really nice rifle Jeep.
define bells and whistles? What does Savage not offer anymore that you wish you could get?

In my opinion all the bells and whistles include a 22"OAL stainless semi heavy fluted barrel with the adjustable brake,(I love the brake) a detachable box magazine,a synthetic stock with a good recoil pad ( a full length aluminum bedding block would be nice but wasn't offered in 1996) an adjustable trigger,chambered in standard calibers. weighing in at a reasonable hunting rifle weight (around 7#) The closest thing currently offered is the 116 bear hunter but the magnum calibers are way too much for most medium game species and hunting the southeastern US. The rifle I have has the right balance of ease of use (pop in the mag you're loaded without fumbling in the dark),weight (not too heavy to hump up a mountain or too light too be unstable when propped up for a shot), size (not too long to sling and walk through the woods catching on everything or hunt from a stand. It is right at home across my lap on the ground, in a tree or easily slipping out the window of a box blind) , recoil( a real kitty cat to shoot from a bench and being able to turn the brake off to prevent excessive blast from a box blind is nice), power (Hey it's a 30-06 what's not to love? Never undergunned rarely overgunned with plenty of range and a huge selection of bullets, most often drops em right where they're hit ),accuracy( a one shot wonder that puts em exactly where you point it both in the field or at the range It makes double lung and heart shots a breeze on larger game and head shots on smaller critters a piece of cake. Brings custom rifle guys over to my bench asking Those are some tiny groups whatcha shootin?)
Left handed they used to offer all the models in a lefty option this is no longer the case.

Currently the rifle I have (116FLCSAK) would be a special order from Savage and after calling to check on it the cost is up there compared to off the shelf offerings. I would love to see them offer such a rifle again. Maybe a "Bear hunter" rebranded the "Game hunter" model in standard calibers both long and short action right and left handed models. If they can keep the MSRP in line with the competitions standard models as they have done historically then I'll get in line for 2 more for my sons and maybe a couple for the grandsons.

[ODA 0121]

The rifle I'd grab and go with for all things is my HK417, I love the G36K but for one gun the 7.62 would win out.