Any Suggestions for a "Legacy Rifle"

For a Legacy weapon. You'll only come across one or two weapons in your life worthy to leave behind to others so to carry on your remembrance. Think out of the box. War weapons/ tactical or otherwise clones of> NO. Cookie cutter types> NO. Sporting weapon that have factory fitted change-out barrel set. Oh yaw.

It's not really necessary that you have used it. It's the (thought it was left behind by you to your heirs for their appreciation) that counts.

Shotguns are not the only weapons having that barrel change out ability. I have a rifle called Sig Sauer 202 Supreme having a three barrel set stored away for my Son. Never been in the field so its pristine. And it comes with a scope mounted with similar appeal. 3-1/2 to 10 Leupold VX-3 (having a fully adjustable objective.) The rifles scope was a custom Leupold build sold only from Jerry's Sports Center to FFL holders for a short time years ago. And I just happen too snag one. I'm sure my Son and his future Grandson will be pleased. Hopefully you can do the same for your family.
 
Man, please don't hate me, but this is wishful thinking. If I had a quarter for every 1st time poster on one of this gun forums asking what dad's or granddad's gun is worth so he can sell it I could buy myself a new Weatherby.

Wanting to leave something to your offspring is a wonderful gesture, but you have no guarantee that the gift will be wanted or appreciated. In my experience it often is not. You may love Mausers and leave a beautiful commercial sporting model. Your grandson only likes Ar15s. See what I mean?

If it's important to you to do this then go ahead. But understand it may not be appreciated. I think the best bet would not be to buy an expensive gun and leave it in pristine condition as a keepsake. It would be more likely appreciated if it was a well worn gun that you had used and loved as a working gun rather than as a piece of art.

Maybe I'm wrong. Like I said, don't hate me.
 
Mr. SaxonPig speaks truth.

SureShot, while I'm definitely NOT generally a fan of switch-out ANYTHING (barrels, uppers, lowers, pistol frame), someone earlier in this thread mentioned the Mauser rifles (new manuf. from Mauser Jagdwaffen), and in particular the M3. Now, after looking at some of the specialty engraving options, I am just floored at the beauty. These are incredible and indeed switch-barrel (rapid & easy). I don't know how much and I'm a little afraid to find out, for fear that I may end up spending it, but presumably less than Blasers (?), the other switch-barrel legacy strongly implied by your post.

http://www.mauser.com/en/products/m03/

http://www.mauser.com/en/products/meisterklasse/m-03/

An M3 would indeed be a great legacy, providing you know the legatee well enough to know they'd appreciate - see Mr. SaxonPig's advice.
 
but you have no guarantee that the gift will be wanted or appreciated
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Very true.

But since my son has seen what I intend to leave him. He's all for it.

In fact He'd rather have the rifle tomorrow if I were willing. So its not like its going to be a surprise or a disappointment. How I handled most can to do the same to see if their kids or family members have interest in such legacy items also.

Being our Son will be the administrator of our last Will. It's noted that certain items of ours will go to different family members. Having a Will is most important for such matters. As our grandchildren stand to benefit some Legacy weapons as well. {everybody gets a taste of what Grandpa left behind.}_ But our Son gets something a little more special from me.
 
Like others have implied, this plan has a great deal of uncertainty to it. Who knows if your progeny will like guns, share your tastes, be regulated against using them or finding ammunition for them.
If all of that is of little concern, it seems that picking a firearm that you truly love, that you use regularly, that the little ones see you cleaning and caring for and perhaps something that isn't a run-of-the-mill anything seen at every shop and range.
In that last regard, I'll give you my choice for what I'd consider worthy of a heritage rifle. Classic design modernized with todays materials, shooting a very flexible cartridge, portable by being a takedown and a classic action:
http://www.taylorsfirearms.com/cart...barrel-black-soft-touch-padded-stock-end.html
Enjoy,
B
 
A hand made flintlock rifle is going to be one that is not like many others.
These become real family treasures.





 
If the one you are thinking about is old enough to already be expressing a desire for what you have then you are home free. You know what he wants.

Hell, several of my friends have started putting sticky notes with heir names on some of my guns when they come over.

Mind a suggestion? If you want your son or grandson to have your favorite gun, and you know he does indeed want it, don't let him inherit it. Give it to him so you can be there to see his face.
 
I'm thinking about a nice Browning LongTrac in 30-06 with a Leupold VX-III. Hopefully all my guns will be "legacy guns" though.
 
Wyosmith you make me drool every time I see a pic of that Isaac Haines but flinters, even nice ones aren't for everybody. If you want a rifle that will definitely be a keeper and one to be proud of get a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe. But don't stick it in a safe waiting for the fateful day. Use it and use it hard. Put some wear on it and some dings in it and it will or at least should be even more special to him when he finally gets it. I wish I had a dollar for every post I've seen where somebody wanted to sell dad or grandpas gun. Leave him something that will be worth something if he decides that money is more important than owning something that was special to his dad.
 
A gun you built, even a decent kit gun is something. resale on kit guns isn't good, so less chance it will be sold unless you failed other places.

I'd go for a Savage 99 or Winchester 1895 in a production gun. Both available in "modern"ish cartridges with classic appeal. The 99 especially seems to be one of the most universally liked rifles out there. How many Savage 99 threads have someone bashing the rifle in them? Not many.
If I was set on a bolt gun I would get a Mauser M96 American.
All three are excellent all around rifles and are a little odd, so someone not interested in the designs generally may hold onto them just for novelty.
 
Thanks you guys for your kind words.

Oh........the rifle are not an Isaac Haynes copies. In fact these are handmade "modern originals". More what is called "new school" rifles. In other words, they are really not directly inspired at all by any old original school or maker. They are just what I came up with when they were ordered. The best guns I make are those where the customers tell me what caliber they want, left or right handed, and what type of stock wood they like. Then just let me do what I do.

I am pretty good at it, and they get my best work when I am unrestrained.
Smart buyers know that I am good at my job and that I probably know more about building than they do (which is why I am doing it instead of them) When I am allowed to just work as if I were making it for myself I can invent the art as I go, and the flow is usually better than if I have to follow someone else’s idea.

I do documentary recreation and interpretive builds too, and I like to think I do them well. When a customer likes a “JP Beck” style or a “Hawken” or a Brandenburg Jaeger, (or about anything they want) I can accommodate. But the problem with documentarily recreation is that if it’s done right you have to also recreate the “mistakes” of the old gun. Not that there is anything wrong with that. It’s just what the customer wants. I build to the whims of the customer.

But the idea of what we call “The Golden Age of the American Longrifle” was in the 1790-1830 era was only true until about 30 years ago. The real “Golden age” is here now. The finest American Flintlock Rifles ever made are being made today, not 190 years ago.

With all due respect to the masters that lived in that era, I still say that the “golden age” is now.

I and my fellow builders stand of the shoulders of giants.

We have the advantage of being able to study their work and the work of the masters for about 65 years of history by going over their guns with magnification and evaluating them as a science.
Buying books that contain the prints of hundreds of the very best made in the old days and we can study and glean more knowledge in 1-2 years than any old master could have accumulated in his life. Those old smiths have left the American Shooter of today a heritage that is worth saving and taking seriously. I am doing what I can to preserve that craft.

As the Smithsonian institute says.
“The American Longrifle was the first truly American art form”

I hope I can remind all real Americans of their heritage and the history that brought this art form into being, as well as the hand of God who led our nation to greatness.
 
I did not read every post on the thread, but I wanted to throw in my experience. When I think of "grandfather's gun", it's a Winchester 60. Single shot .22 that even back then had seen better days. When I think of "dad's gun" it's a old school Rem 700 ADL in 30-06.

The thing I think about is the time spent with those two individuals while shooting those guns. I think the gun itself is much less important. It's the memories attached to those guns.

Hope this helps.
 
Everyone who knows me knows that my Springfield M1A standard is my favorite. I will be handing that one down. Heck, I will be handing most of them down.
 
the rifle are not an Isaac Haynes
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I call it an Isaac Haines because the three scrolls on the stock are an IH trademark. That's all that separates an IH from a regular Lancaster.
 
I have a safe full of older Sako's for this reason. Sako Foresters are awesome rifle. Pre-64 Winchesters like suggested, Ruger tang safeties. All good legacy guns. Kimber rifles are also super nice for something more modern.
 
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