25 RPM

[skydiver386]

I like pretty rifles.

But, in my mind. A rifle is a tool.

In my safe are tools from Blaser, Voere, Winchester and Sauer. Enough that I don't have to buy another safe, and to cover the hunts I do here in Germany.

There is a $10,000 out the door Blaser R8 with a Zeiss V8 on it. Still a tool.

At that point it's a blue collar vs white collar thing.

The people I grew up with would never spend more than $1,500 on a modern firearm. Others wouldn't consider any firearm BELOW that price, because they have the income to afford something better.

We all buy what our incomes allow.

 

[Muskox]

At that point it's a blue collar vs white collar thing.

The people I grew up with would never spend more than $1,500 on a modern firearm. Others wouldn't consider any firearm BELOW that price, because they have the income to afford something better.

We all buy what our incomes allow.

Please forgive me. I don't think I am writing this clearly. That is not my point at all.

A rifle for me is a tool. I move a lot and buy and sale rifles regularly. In the past 30 years I have moved abroad and back to the USA eight times.

A $500 Winchester XPR or a $5,000 Blaser it doesn't matter.. A shovel is a shovel, a hammer is a hammer. Nice to have a nice hammer, but at a certain point it is still a hammer, and a gold engraved hammer with diamonds on it, doesn't do anything for me.

I prefer utilitarian rifles, I don't get emotional about them though.

Plastic, fiberglass or carbon fiber stocks.

Good finishes that are tough.

Good optics that hold zero.

I have 3 grand sons but none of them will likely hunt. I have 4 daughters and none of them hunt.

Can't take it with you, but I don't think of guns as having a soul. Emotionally attachment, isn't my thing.

I can see owning a rifle that someone in the family owned as a nice thing. But, it doesn't really work for me. So I have abandoned that idea.

 

[DaddyFlip]

There's a pre-owned rifle available on the market right now I've been pining for that costs the same as every long arm and sidearm I presently own combined. I could buy it and enjoy owning it, but it wouldn't add any new utility to my battery; it would be a pride of ownership thing. Unfortunately, buying it would put a psychological dent in my financial plans, but I have considered it. A tool can be a nice tool if being nice makes the job easier or more enjoyable.

You can't blame Weatherby or anyone else for bringing something new to market. Their objective is to generate revenue and continue to grow. You can't make new claims with old products. It's like fish baits; you can still catch new fish with old baits, but new baits catch more old and new fishermen. Has nothing to do with the utility.

 

[Safari Dave]

I'm good with my .257 Weatherby...

 

[Hedge774]

Holy.... I am so sick of new cartridges. I'm over it.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

I hunt and shoot in competitions, and the thought processes between the two are quite wide.

My target rifles are usually kept no more than 4-5 years max before the barrel is toast, or the lugs are set back from having fired so many rounds. They are temporary things, quickly replaced when they wear out. A barrel life of 1,000-1,500 rounds is acceptable.

My hunting rifles are a different thing. I consider them heirloom possessions that someday my son and grandson will treasure, so barrel life is a completely different consideration. Any barrel life less than 3,000rds I won't even consider for this purpose.

So a .308?

Seriously though your rationale makes sense. After seeing rail cars full of heirlooms on GB I've given up on all of the passing down idea's. Even the sparkly ones can be re-barreled and refinished fast so I shoot what I like. I go though 2 or 3 barrels a year and haven't had anything go past 1500 rds. so I don't get too attached. The only fears are how the replacement will shoot.