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As the title says, it's up to you to provide content for this post, either in the comments or on your own blog if you feel so inclined (in which case, please ping this entry with a big fat trackback to let me know. Or drop me an email if you believe trackbacks to be worse of a Devil's scheme than President Shrub's Evil Damninistration)Here's the pitch: my birthday is coming up, and since I'm hitting a new landmark in the History of Me — a two numbers figure with a zero at the end — I'm working out various ways to mark the event.
In the "it's now or never: live the instant" Department, I'm considering either taking a jump out of a perfectly working airplane, or a ride in a Lamborghini Murcielago — behind the wheel, and on a race track of course.
While that should fulfill my need for adrenalin, I'm also looking for something that will last longer, and I feel like offering me a boomstick to mark the occasion for the years to come — assuming the chute will open properly.
So here's where I put you to work: I'd like suggestions.
Guidelines as follow:
- I'm more of a rifleman than a pistolero, so let's leave handguns aside.
- It doesn't have to be a luxurious, expensive boomstick with gold and engravings all over the place. I'm a simple guy with simple needs(1), not one of Saddam Hussein's degenerate sons. Good rifle, at a good price for good value is what I'm looking for.
- Closely related to the previous point: I'm looking for a rifle that I will actually use, not just place on display in the living room. By "use", I mean (mostly) hunting big game by all sorts of weather (in a forest, and frequently thick and thorny underbrush environment). Usually at close range.
- Big game means adapted caliber. It doesn't have to be magnum all the way (as 1. Most European big game is not too big and 2. Size is not everything, I believe in bullet placement) but .22 is definitely a bit small and a bit slow.
- Rifles, not shotguns. Have enough shotguns, thank you.
- I like wood as much as composite. I like bolt as much as lever action. And semi-auto. Okay, I have just a slight preference for bolts.
Oh and if you don't know jack about guns, I'm thinking of having a few words engraved on my Rifle of the New Decade. Any idea?
Comments
Comments thread (90)
2591 - Lady Cincinnatus
Lady Cincinnatus Ohio & Kentucky
A Remington Model 700 is a good sniper rifle. Hey and there's nothing wrong with cannon. I'm exposing my nerdy-history-buff side, but there's nothing quite like experiencing 4 or 5 cannon going off simulateously on either side of a civil war reenactment battle field. As for the engraving..."I will not Submit" in both English and Arabic would be my personal choice.
2592 - Gabby
Gabby
Steyr Scout Rifle in .308. Long eye relief scope. Bolt action beauty designed with the help of Co. Jeff Cooper--RIP.
Enjoy for the rest of your life, and pass down to future generations!
Gabby
2593 - NevadaDailySteve
NevadaDailySteve Nevada, Missouri
I don't want to get anyone upset but I prefer the Marlin 30-30 over the Winchester. It's a personal preference thing, I like the ergonomics better. The Winchester seems to have more recoil than the Marlin, at least to me. I definitely have memories from my childhood of Chuck Connors spinning that modified Winchester (which would probably result in me shooting my foot if I tried it) so there is some cowboy attraction to a lever-action rifle.
I mostly have used my Marlin for target shooting. I prefer shooting a bolt-action or semi-automatic to the lever-action, it's easier to get another round in the chamber while maintaining a sight picture. I usually use a 8mm Mauser, lots of punch and cheap ammo.
For something completely different you can always go black-powder. Talk about a boomstick! Lots of boom, lots of smoke, and if you're a good shot, accurate as well. You can do the reproduction route and get a rifle resembling one from the past or you can get a modern black powder rifle, either way they can be awfully fun to shoot.
Whatever you decide you just can't go wrong with a good boomstick.
2594 - Iwo Gina
Iwo Gina Maryland
DF: I vote for the Remington model 700. (and BTW - turning 50 ain't that bad)
2595 - the dissident frogman
the dissident frogman France
Iwo: I confess being tempted by a US brand and maker, as all my rifles so far are either Swiss or German (yeah okay, go ahead with the surrender monkey jokes)
And BTW, I'm neither turning 50 or considering it "bad" - Heck, I'd be glad to turn 100, but 40 will do for now, and the quip about the cannon was some kind of an inside joke.
2596 - Iwo Gina
Iwo Gina Maryland
DF - I can't tell you how relieved I am to know that I'm only old enough to be your older sister, and not old enough to be your mother! (now that would be depressing!) But don't let my decade up on you fool you - I can recognize an inside joke when I hear one, sonny!
2597 - SisterToldjah
SisterToldjah
Definitely go for the Lamborghini ride, DF, especially if it's at a race track! Several years ago, I was at a party at Lowe's Motor Speedway (when it was still called "Charlotte Motor Speedway" - I think) for the promotion of a CD of NASCAR tunes from different country artists (I was an intern for Sony music at the time) and was given the opportunity to go around the track in the pace car. Now, I wasn't driving it, because they wouldn't let me, but let's just say the driver was going wayyyy over what he would be allowed to do on the open road ;) He went around the track several times. It was so freaking exhilarating! I loved it and wished they would have let me behind the wheel.
The Speedway is on my route to work, so everytime they do a race there - big or small - you can sometimes drive by it in the afternoons and hear the cars out there practicing. They sound so powerful :) And I've gone to a couple of NASCAR qualifying events, which are less crowded than an actual NASCAR race, and you can get a better seat to watch the action as the drivers fly around the track. It's awesome. I would love to own a fast car, or fast motorcycle one day - maybe when I turn 40, that's what I'll do ;)
So yes, DF, definitely do the Lamborghini ride, and try your hand at taming one of those beautiful cars. There's something to be said for having all that power and speed in your hands on an open track! I really think you would like it.
As far as the gun recommendation, I don't know much about guns, but you did say you were looking for engraving ideas for the rifle you do get, and I have a couple for you. If you display the rifle anywhere near the entrance to your house, how about "Socialists Not Welcomed" or "Socialist Deterrent"? That way, if a Socialist ever does knock at your door and demand you stop being a dissident, they won't have to look far to know you mean business ;)
2598 - SisterToldjah
SisterToldjah
Iwo wrote:
No way! From your avatar I would have guessed mid 30's - tops. Start passing along those beauty secrets, please - the big 4-0 is creeping up on me, too, but I've still got a few more years to go :)
2599 - AllenInWV
AllenInWV
Not sure what your budget is DS, but I think for a traditional bolt action, I'd try out that Tikka T3 Hunter. It looks good and, at least in this part of the world, it's uncommon. I've heard good things about it as well. I'm afraid I am not much of a rifle guy outside of the AR family. Now if an AR interests you, you can build virtually any type of rifle you want off of it, including something to hunt with in the dense forest.
2600 - Valerie, Texas
Valerie, Texas
IwoGina -
Glad to see you here, is your son better?
BTW, I am only ten years older than sonny boy.
"They got to be OLD men by being this way!" young gun slinger to fellow outlaw after both being shot down by elderly Texas lawmen in Larry McMurtry's The Streets of Larado.
That's what I'm going for in my declining years.