Arriving at a point in life

Journey said:

This is probably a separate thread, but my 1 big elk i had euro mounted. Several friends chastised me for not doing a shoulder mount. Smaller, easily cleanable mounts seem to fit my life better.

To admit my hypocrisy, one of my bucket list critters is a.cape buffalo. the tattered ears and a scared face tells such a grest stroy of the animal. I would have a hard time not going shoulder mount if I pull that hunt off.

Shameless photo of my elk, otc public land eastern wa bull. Its already a wall hog

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I certainly go through phases every decade or so and with new hunting interests in different continents…BUT…if I ever don’t get excited about a new gun, be it a custom revolver or rifle…give me a swift kick because I’m likely well passed dead.

I’ve always been a hunting fanatic and a gun nut. I’ve certainly had times where I had way too many of this model or that model but never regretted it. Even with my near 20-year big bore handgun phase, my hands have some arthritic issues left from the experience, but I had the pleasure and pride to own, shoot and hunt many amazing custom 5-guns from Bowen, Harton, Clements, Gallagher, and most from one of the finest gents and true friend Iohn Linebaugh. At one point I had 13 or 14 of his big bores, even had his own personal 500L which was SN 002 for a time. It was then I decided I should part with some of them since I couldn’t shoot them all regularly and they were too fine a working gun to hoard…better to share. I keep the 6 favorites and parted with the rest.

After he passed, I figured I’d likely keep those remaining ones forever…but with my hand issues, I literally never shot them anymore. So when the Africa bug bit, it happened to coincide with a new hardcore collector tracking me down and offering me way too much for them. So I did convert them into several Heym Doubles. And sold a few other customs where I didn’t feel guilty taking two safaris a year the last couple years…losing my vaulted gun room and resorting back to safes has placed a real priority on real estate inside the several I own…and looks like we won’t start the new shop for another 2-years at least, so while I am absolutely NOT done buying guns, I am finished for the time being with buying guns to simply keep them…I am at a point where I should sell one when I buy one…said the guy who hasn’t listed one for sale after the 5 added this summer and have a Dakota in Lott arriving any day now. But that’s the goal.

Just like a love a good hunt…I also love, love, love a good gun on a fair deal…and hope I never tire of the search for new exciting hunts, dangerous game, and the beautiful or beautifully accurate firearms we use to the take them.

I used to collect all types of rifles, shotguns and handguns. 10 years ago I had over 60 I know, slowly sold off till I am down to the needed ones. I have 10 now and that’s it. I still do some buying and trading, when a deal comes along.
I would rather save all I can and make a trip to Africa every year instead of buying more guns.

.......yeah, but there is a huge difference between need and want. I'm in the latter category

coreydb said:

.......yeah, but there is a huge difference between need and want. I'm in the latter category

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Reminds me of the weekend auto review show that was on cable for years.

The guy after driving some exotic car
"do you need this car?"
Well no
"Do you WANT this car?"
YES

Adam Stevens said:

Reminds me of the weekend auto review show that was on cable for years.

The guy after driving some exotic car
"do you need this car?"
Well no
"Do you WANT this car?"
YES

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YESSSSS!

In the same place as many, safe full, only use the same 6, Rem 700's all skeletonized, ultralights in different calibers, the rest only handled for their annual look/wipe down. Told myself I would never sell a gun, recently broke that rule, all the Tikka's went. Something about taking a gun off safe to unload. Then there is the ones the Gov will steal and destroy upon my death. What a waste of heirlooms.

Hording/collecting is a bad thing for those without unlimited funds (me), recently started "clearing out" spaces. Why did I have 20 ea gore tex pants, jackets, boots. 6 Boats, so many tools, 3 welders?, 1000's of fishing lures, will not be trolling for tuna again from a 450' ship so its all gone, or going with FB responses.

All sold item funds went into account for the 2027, rhino, hippo and PG hunt. Even that will be different, not coming home with D&P and work to mount all.

Maybe one day I will have to downsize the 140 mounts in the memory room and save my kids some major nightmare. But they stay for now.

Getting old is a horrible thing.

MB

Journey said:

This is probably a separate thread, but my 1 big elk i had euro mounted. Several friends chastised me for not doing a shoulder mount. Smaller, easily cleanable mounts seem to fit my life better.

To admit my hypocrisy, one of my bucket list critters is a.cape buffalo. the tattered ears and a scared face tells such a grest stroy of the animal. I would have a hard time not going shoulder mount if I pull that hunt off.

Shameless photo of my elk, otc public land eastern wa bull. Its already a wall hog

Click to expand...

When I was younger and mounted more things instead of euros I had friends that criticized that. Now that walls are full and I euro mount more animals I have friends that criticize that as well. People will criticize anything and everything. That's why it's important to just do what is best for you in your current situation and what makes you happy.

Philip Glass said:

You have been on quite the rifle journey!

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I have and it has been such an enjoyable experience where I learned from both my successes and mistakes. While I am in outstanding health my lovely wife knows nothing about fine guns. At this stage of my life I have chosen to simplify things selling my two farms and only keeping the guns I will now use for hopefully the next 15 years hunting in Africa so when my time comes things will be simple for my family. Given my son Hunter is left handed after the guns I bought him that are left handed he will buy his own future guns versus keeping mine when hopefully a long time in the future I pass

Mark Biggerstaff said:

I used to collect all types of rifles, shotguns and handguns. 10 years ago I had over 60 I know, slowly sold off till I am down to the needed ones. I have 10 now and that’s it. I still do some buying and trading, when a deal comes along.
I would rather save all I can and make a trip to Africa every year instead of buying more guns.

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To be clear in addition to the two Rigbys I will keep, I have a Beretta Silver Hawk SxS 12 gauge my dads 30-06 and two 22 rifles

Rare Breed said:

I have and it has been such an enjoyable experience where I learned from both my successes and mistakes. While I am in outstanding health my lovely wife knows nothing about fine guns. At this stage of my life I have chosen to simplify things selling my two farms and only keeping the guns I will now use for hopefully the next 15 years hunting in Africa so when my time comes things will be simple for my family. Given my son Hunter is left handed after the guns I bought him that are left handed he will buy his own future guns versus keeping mine when hopefully a long time in the future I pass

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Also would love to share a future hunt and campfire with you if you need a third or fourth person

We had an epic hunt together with D&Y when you took your second great leopard!

Rare Breed said:

I have and it has been such an enjoyable experience where I learned from both my successes and mistakes. While I am in outstanding health my lovely wife knows nothing about fine guns. At this stage of my life I have chosen to simplify things selling my two farms and only keeping the guns I will now use for hopefully the next 15 years hunting in Africa so when my time comes things will be simple for my family. Given my son Hunter is left handed after the guns I bought him that are left handed he will buy his own future guns versus keeping mine when hopefully a long time in the future I pass

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I don't think there are any mistakes.

I've had guns I bought, hated and lost money on e.g. Sauer 202 Classix XT. Guns I loved and sold and lost money e.g. Sako Bavarian 85 in 300WM, Pedersoli rocky mountain hawken .54.

As Phillip said, it's all part of the journey.

I thought owning a Rigby would satiate my desire for more guns but I've already bought another since then and am really getting a burning desire to have another 7x57/275. Maybe then I'll stop

Funny your comments about your wife, when my highland stalker turned up I excitedly pulled it out and showed the boss. What do you think? I asked. "I think it looks like every other one of your guns" was the reply!

JPbowhunter said:

I don't think there are any mistakes.

I've had guns I bought, hated and lost money on e.g. Sauer 202 Classix XT. Guns I loved and sold and lost money e.g. Sako Bavarian 85 in 300WM, Pedersoli rocky mountain hawken .54.

As Phillip said, it's all part of the journey.

I thought owning a Rigby would satiate my desire for more guns but I've already bought another since then and am really getting a burning desire to have another 7x57/275. Maybe then I'll stop

Funny your comments about your wife, when my highland stalker turned up I excitedly pulled it out and showed the boss. What do you think? I asked. "I think it looks like every other one of your guns" was the reply!

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If you have had a chance to use your Rigby in the field, I would love to publish a story about your experience with it. Please get in touch if you are interested!

I've had rifles from many different makers in 9.3x62, 375H&H, 375 Ruger, 404 Jeffery, 450/400 Nitro, 458 Lott, 450 Rigby, 470 Nitro, 500 Jeffery. Unfortunately Sold the 500 Jeffery due to new gun laws in Australia (straight pulls), makes it too hard to travel with it now. Kept and sold others for various different reasons.
I love Rigby rifles and thats where I have landed and seem to be staying now, especially with my Highland Stalker in 9.3x62 (my favourite cartridge) and my big game in 375H&H, I prefer the 9.3x62 over the 375 but seeing the 375 is the legal minimum in alot of African countries it made sense to have one and it's still a versatile cartridge for alot of the hunting I do in Australia. Not saying I won't buy other calibres in the future but I'm quite content with where I am at right now. I still have my Verney doble in 450/400 which I also intend to hang onto, I have always wanted atleast one double in my collection.

I really love to hunt and for me the guns are just a tool to do the job. I keep them clean and working to do a good " job". But for me the money goes to the hunting part.

Rare Breed said:

All of us are at different points in life with different priorities. Earlier on I wanted many different DRs so I bought 8 from Westley richards to Rigby etc. and enjoyed and learned from them all. At this stage of my life I know several things about myself:
1. I only need two calibers to take any animal on this earth, a 275 and a 404.
2. I prefer a Rigby Brand.
3. I now put my money in future hunts after spending decades also putting money in different calibers and brands.

I believe all of us choose to do different things at different times in our life chasing our mistress Africa!!!

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@Rare Breed
I learnt long ago that for my hunting need all I need is my 22 lr, 22K Hornet, my 25 and my Whelen.
These cover everything I will ever hunt in my life
It took me a while and a few different calibres ( but NEVER a 243) to come to this decision and it was an enjoy journey but decided this is what I can happily live with for the rest of my life.

My 22 year old son has chosen a 22lr, an old REM 288 in 222 rem my 25 and his beloved 308 for his needs.
Bob

Paul K said:

Pretty wood sells more rifles an shotguns than anything.

Paul

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@Paul K
Only if you are an old curmudgeon.
Young seem to like black plastic guns more than blues steel and wood.
Bob

Jack Stevens said:

Those here who love and play golf will understand this. My theory of rifles has always been the “golf” analogy.

You wouldn’t think of playing a course with just a putter or a driver. Your choice of club type depends on where your ball lies - the tee, the green, or in between.

Given the diversity of huntable game species worldwide - thinking squirrels to elephants - clearly more than one rifle is needed to address that diversity, or at least that portion of it one might reasonably attempt to hunt over time.

Those who’ve hunted widely can probably cull their rifle collection down to only what is really needed, a handful, maybe 4 or 5 chamberings at best, to cover all species (for the sake of this mental exercise I’m excluding shotguns, but admittedly two of those would have to be added to my own golf bag of rifles).

In my case, if I sold off everything else and put the proceeds into the “Future Hunts Fund,” I would still retain a couple of .22lrs, a .223/5.56, my .350 Rem Mags, a .375 H&H, and a .404 Jeff. But if you count just the chamberings, it’s five. Sure some redundancy even in those, but it is what it is.

Everything I would hunt in this lifetime is covered and the golf bag doesn’t weigh a ton.

Win/win right there.

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@Jack Stevens
To me a golf course is a waste of a good rifle range.
A sport I would love to try is shotgun golf.
The golfer hits the ball and you try and shoot it with a shotgun before it lands. A bit like trap shoots but with golf balls instead of clays.
Me thinks it would be an interesting sport as well as a lot of fun pissing of golfers.
Bob
Did I mention I don't like golf

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@Jack Stevens
To me a golf course is a waste of a good rifle range.

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I love that sentence !