I'll start by saying that I've always wanted a "legacy rifle", by that I mean a rifle that I can pass down through the family and it will alwas be "Dad's Rifle" or "Grandpa's Rifle". For instance, the gun that my grandfather passe down was a Browning Sweet 16ga. That will always be his gun. So I ask if anyone has any suggestions? Preferably in an all around caliber, i'm thinking in .300 win mag, and wood or laminate stock. I already have a .270, 7mm rem mag, and an 06. (Yes I know that's a little redundant, but I have hunted with a friends 300 recently and fell in love with it) But they are cheaper savages and vangards. I currently leaning towards a good ole model 70, but just want to hear some other opinions. It will be used mostly for deer, elk, or anything else I can draw a tag for. Thanks for any input!
Any Suggestions for a "Legacy Rifle"
- Thread starter arcaveman
- Start date
I would be thinking classic guns. Nothing today fits my idea of a classic. I already have one, but if I didn't own one to hand down I would find an older 1894 winchester that hasn't had a single thing done to it. But a classic has to be wood and blue steel and made before the instructions/warnings were written on the barrel. IMHO
nemesiss45
New member
Every gun I own will be handed down at some point... I think the one or ones that will be though of as "dads gun" will just develope over time depending one which I use the most
Go to the Mauser website and look at the new Mausers.
You can get the economy model there for around 1200-1500 bucks, and it will far outshine the any of top models to be found in the US. The upper-end Mausers are almost too beautiful to describe.
The top-end Sako rifles are of the same extraordinary quality. Expensive - but as they say, "You get what you pay for."
If you buy a Remchester model, they will not be seen as anything particularly special - because they are not.
For a legacy firearm, you want to treat yourself ( and your heirs ) to something that makes typical Remchester owners green with envy. - A legacy forearm should be something a cut above the rest, something really special.
A top grade Weatherby might also serve, if you'd prefer an American product.
You can get the economy model there for around 1200-1500 bucks, and it will far outshine the any of top models to be found in the US. The upper-end Mausers are almost too beautiful to describe.
The top-end Sako rifles are of the same extraordinary quality. Expensive - but as they say, "You get what you pay for."
If you buy a Remchester model, they will not be seen as anything particularly special - because they are not.
For a legacy firearm, you want to treat yourself ( and your heirs ) to something that makes typical Remchester owners green with envy. - A legacy forearm should be something a cut above the rest, something really special.
A top grade Weatherby might also serve, if you'd prefer an American product.
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Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
I've thought on this subject a bit.
First off, it needn't be just one, obviously.. Maybe two or three or four, depending on how many kids there are and budget.
If it is one, I'd make it a centerfire turnbolt or a manual repeater .22lr rimfire (levergun, pump, or turnbolt).
In a centerfire, Cooper, Sako, Kimber, or full custom of some kind ideally (or at least Browning A-bolt, Winchester 70, or Wby Mark V) with an interesting wood stock - bang the stock up while you're alive so that the kid won't be afraid to use it. Chambering - think .243, .257 Robts, .25-06, .260 rem, 6.5x55, 7x57mm, .270, .280, 7mm WSM, .30-30, or .30-06 - something in that general 6mm to .30 cal range in more standard or classic chamberings. Oh, turnbolt or levergun. I don't think that a .300 maggie is a good choice (ever, for anything, but especially this purpose).
In a rimfire, something like a Browning BL-22, Marlin 39, Rossi 62 pump, Henry pump (espec. the yellow boy ones), or CZ 452 / 455 turnbolt are nice yet fairly inexpensive (all sub-$550) legacies.
Lots of other pretty good choices too. Browning BLR centerfires, Anschutz rimfire.
Thank you for that info, and here is the link:
http://www.mauser.com/Rifles.61.0.html?&L=1
However, on the M12 and the M03, the two new designs of turnbolts, they went with detachable mags on two otherwise-impressive designs -sad. Detachable mags are a detestable abomination, particularly in those very expensive Meister Klasse M03 where said detachable is impressively engraved. They took a great idea and ruined it with detachables, just as several American makers have done (X-bolt for one).
Thankfully, the old standard 98 model is still available and doubtless well-made by the original Mauser Jagwaffen in Deutschland.
First off, it needn't be just one, obviously.. Maybe two or three or four, depending on how many kids there are and budget.
If it is one, I'd make it a centerfire turnbolt or a manual repeater .22lr rimfire (levergun, pump, or turnbolt).
In a centerfire, Cooper, Sako, Kimber, or full custom of some kind ideally (or at least Browning A-bolt, Winchester 70, or Wby Mark V) with an interesting wood stock - bang the stock up while you're alive so that the kid won't be afraid to use it. Chambering - think .243, .257 Robts, .25-06, .260 rem, 6.5x55, 7x57mm, .270, .280, 7mm WSM, .30-30, or .30-06 - something in that general 6mm to .30 cal range in more standard or classic chamberings. Oh, turnbolt or levergun. I don't think that a .300 maggie is a good choice (ever, for anything, but especially this purpose).
In a rimfire, something like a Browning BL-22, Marlin 39, Rossi 62 pump, Henry pump (espec. the yellow boy ones), or CZ 452 / 455 turnbolt are nice yet fairly inexpensive (all sub-$550) legacies.
Lots of other pretty good choices too. Browning BLR centerfires, Anschutz rimfire.
Thank you for that info, and here is the link:
http://www.mauser.com/Rifles.61.0.html?&L=1
However, on the M12 and the M03, the two new designs of turnbolts, they went with detachable mags on two otherwise-impressive designs -sad. Detachable mags are a detestable abomination, particularly in those very expensive Meister Klasse M03 where said detachable is impressively engraved. They took a great idea and ruined it with detachables, just as several American makers have done (X-bolt for one).
Thankfully, the old standard 98 model is still available and doubtless well-made by the original Mauser Jagwaffen in Deutschland.
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Willie Lowman
New member
If you have to ask what gun will should be the one that you loved so much that you hand it down to be further appropriated... You are doing it wrong.
Well I'd suppose ours would be my great-granddads western field M-842. Which at this current time, my Father has. Grand pops bought it for my Dad when he was about 9. To hunt rabbits, tin cans and such when Dad would come to visit him on the farm down in Petersburg.
The 'ol WF 842 isn't a particularly special rifle by any means. It's accurate and durable, but that's about it. It special to us....because of who, how and why we have it. In my mind, for a legacy rifle; the brand, action or caliber isn't really what matters. Its where and why the rifle came to be in your hands. Hope that makes sense to everyone.
That being said, my personal rifle I held on to like grim death for hell or high water is an early 80s 336 30-30 I lucked into, that has extraordinarily nice wood on it.....If only I had someone to pass it to
Maybe when I'm old I can be one of those kindly ol sages that befriends a bright young ragamuffin, and after teaching them many life lessons I can say....Here kid, I want you to have this 
The 'ol WF 842 isn't a particularly special rifle by any means. It's accurate and durable, but that's about it. It special to us....because of who, how and why we have it. In my mind, for a legacy rifle; the brand, action or caliber isn't really what matters. Its where and why the rifle came to be in your hands. Hope that makes sense to everyone.
That being said, my personal rifle I held on to like grim death for hell or high water is an early 80s 336 30-30 I lucked into, that has extraordinarily nice wood on it.....If only I had someone to pass it to
Maybe when I'm old I can be one of those kindly ol sages that befriends a bright young ragamuffin, and after teaching them many life lessons I can say....Here kid, I want you to have this 4runnerman
New member
Silly as it seems- I will be leaving all my rifles to the kids. I don't have one I really like more than the others.
no one in my family has any firearms, parents, grandparents etc, NOTHING
since i moved to georgia it seems all my buddies have rifles and shotguns that granpappy left them, i am always pretty jealous
so i am going to make sure my son is the luckiest SOB ever in that regard, hes only five now, but i already store 25% of all the ammo i load so he will actually have something to put in all his guns when i hit the dirt
i am sure he will make up his own mind on what is THEE rifle that was special to me, i personally like most of my guns equally, the favorite being whichever is newest to me atm
since i moved to georgia it seems all my buddies have rifles and shotguns that granpappy left them, i am always pretty jealous
so i am going to make sure my son is the luckiest SOB ever in that regard, hes only five now, but i already store 25% of all the ammo i load so he will actually have something to put in all his guns when i hit the dirt
i am sure he will make up his own mind on what is THEE rifle that was special to me, i personally like most of my guns equally, the favorite being whichever is newest to me atm
Just to be clear, I will be handing down pretty much all my guns. The guns that currently mean the most to me to hand down right now are my first gun, a nef 410. My fist rifle, a savage 10 .270, mossberg 870 12 ga, and a ruger 10/22. Not at all my most expensive guns, but they mean the most to me. Along with my dad's .50 hawken, grandpa's browning sweet 16c and great grandpa's 28 ga side by side and m1a garand he used in the the great war. Just want a big rifle to add of mine to hand down.
To me it's not just the gun that makes it special, but the memories made with it...
To me it's not just the gun that makes it special, but the memories made with it...
That's exactly right. A legacy gun should be one that is immediately recognized as one that a forefather used.Buzzcook said:
My brother has my father's rifle, a Browning Semi-Auto .22 that my Dad used for many years. It is immediately recognized as Dad's rifle, it's the only one he used around the farm to shoot squirrels and dispatch vamints. Every one of us know's Dad's rifle. I don't begrudge my brother, because I got Dad's shotgun, a Winchester Model 12 that he used to shoot everything that the .22 wouldn't handle.
I've got lots of gun to give to grandkids, and I"m whittling the collection down pretty well as the grandkids age. However, my son's will have to quipple over my rifle, a Savage 111, and my shotgun, a Remington 870. Those two are the ones I'm apt to grab when I head toward the woods, and the ones most identifiable with me.
Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
Here, This one.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=395368268
Or this one (much better value):
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=397115102
Or if you have $70K,
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=397751856
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=395368268
Or this one (much better value):
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=397115102
Or if you have $70K,
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=397751856
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Magnum Wheel Man
New member
ya know... I've got a good good selection of "classic" bolt actions & while I love my Browning Stainless Stalkers, ( they get used ) they just don't have that "heritage" look...
... but you need to think a generation or two down the road, will a blued & wood rifle still be the apple of your grandson's / granddaughter's eye ??? the AR would seem to be the obvious choice there ( IMO ) but I just can't wrap around them being a "heritage" gun
when I look at my rifle collection, & try to think 2 generations down... it would be hard to predict where America will be with the semi rifle... they could be banned, or could have been made in such numbers, that they are common place, & aren't "special" anymore ???
my preference right now, are my vintage Remington 700's I have a particularly nice one in 223...
but you just never know what will be cool when your grandkids are picking a rifle... maybe it would be something like this...
My Ruger 77 in .243 Winchester with a 3.5 - 14 Nikon Prostaff 5 with bullet drop reticle, & custom wood inserts ( yes this rifle goes hunting all the time ) & if I had grandkids, may have been the one they shot their 1st deer with
... but you need to think a generation or two down the road, will a blued & wood rifle still be the apple of your grandson's / granddaughter's eye ??? the AR would seem to be the obvious choice there ( IMO ) but I just can't wrap around them being a "heritage" gun
when I look at my rifle collection, & try to think 2 generations down... it would be hard to predict where America will be with the semi rifle... they could be banned, or could have been made in such numbers, that they are common place, & aren't "special" anymore ???
my preference right now, are my vintage Remington 700's I have a particularly nice one in 223...
but you just never know what will be cool when your grandkids are picking a rifle... maybe it would be something like this...
My Ruger 77 in .243 Winchester with a 3.5 - 14 Nikon Prostaff 5 with bullet drop reticle, & custom wood inserts ( yes this rifle goes hunting all the time
) & if I had grandkids, may have been the one they shot their 1st deer with