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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)
2632 - Mike H.
Mike H. Spokane, Wa
Marlin 336C 30-30.
Inscription either, 'From the time of upheaval' or,
'When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your initial objective was to drain the swamp.'
2633 - floridasuzie
floridasuzie Florida
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DF!!!
I'm just as relieved as the other ladies to find out we're not old enough to be your older sister, aunt, or mother. It feels much better being your peer :) I hated turning 40 too, but much to my surprise, the Forties are Fun!
I vote for skydiving, but then I'm partial as that has been one of my lifelong dreams, too. In fact, a few years ago my sons were going to treat me to a skydiving lesson for Mother's Day but alas I broke my foot a couple weeks before and wasn't able to, blast-it-all. If you do decide on skydiving, you might first want to see if you can buddy-jump with a female instructor unless you wouldn't find it uncomfortable "hugging & holding" another man through the sky ;)
My sons had a mad passion for Lamborghinis - my oldest son still does - and I'm sure if my youngest son had lived longer he would still love them, too. (BTW, did you get the photo of him that I sent to you? That's my fave pic of him. He was so beautiful, was he not? :) ) I know my sons would have hopped in a Lamborghini in a heartbeat had they ever got the chance, birthday or any day.
Gun - I could have sworn you said big game such as bear? I re-read all of your posts and couldn't find anything but wild boar. Those suckers are some mean sons of a gun but trying to take out a bear with a gun before it takes you out is not something I'd want to think about. They are VERY hard to kill. Everyone's already made excellent suggestions but here's some more (pardon if someone has mentioned any of these) .280 Remington .308 Win 30-06 Springfield .35 Remington An inscription suitable both for hunting as well as defending yourself against terrorists and other scum: FEAR THE FROGMAN
Now for the Par-Tay Celebration...I shall provide a cake in the shape of the gun of your choice. The cake batter will include gunpowder, rum, and distilled sugar cane (Blackbeard's favorite drink, 'Kill Devil'). For entertainment, some most excellent comedians - the awesome Asian Southern comedian (he's from Tennessee with more of a Southern accent than even I have) Henry Cho; my fellow-Floridian, Dave Barry; Craig Ferguson, who desperately loves the USA and wants to get his citizenship ASAP (plus the guy is a great dancer and just too much fun). Heck, I want these guys at my birthday party. Y'all don't tell anybody but if I weren't already married, I'd marry Craig Ferguson so he could get his American citizenship (well anyway, that would be my way of convincing him to marry me).
Canker, I love the poem, INVICTA. It's definitely a keeper, I'm going to add it to my poetry folder.
Suzie
2634 - JoeA
JoeA
The 6.5 that Jim B suggested looks great. I have an old 6.5 Swedish Husqvarna that is a terrific flat shooting rifle. Mine's an old inexpensive military model, so not what you're looking for to mark this milestone in your life, but the 6.5 swede is a great all purpose choice.
If you're considering a lever action with some punch, consider a Henry Golden Boy in .44 magnum. Classic lever action, brass receiver, octagonal barrel (I think), familiar but also different because most people think Winchester or Marlin when they think lever action. In Indiana we can hunt deer with pistol, shotgun or muzzle loader, but not with rifle. The legislature is considering allowing rifles chambered for pistol cartridges, though, and when they do the Henry will be my choice.
2635 - JoeA
JoeA
I checked on www.henryrepeating.com and the .44 lever action is the Big Boy, not the Golden Boy (small caliber). $1895 for deluxe engraved, $879. Take a look at
http://www.henryrepeating.com/h006dd_bigboyengraved.cfm
2636 - BeelzebuDashell
BeelzebuDashell
If I may so bold Mr. Frogman wants a big Boomstick for the outdoors so I'd recommend the Alaska CoPilot take down rifle from Wild West Guns. Shoots up to a .50 caliber bullet at 2050 fps for 4200 foot pounds of energy and it can be taken down for easy carry.
2637 - Grimmy
Grimmy Where I'm at.
To B-52 Gunner:
"Si vis pacem, para bellum translated means:
"If you seek peace, prepare for war".
I've always have been fond of this phrase. "
I do agree with you. Good phrase and time honored reality in meaning. I did not intend to sound mocking of the phrase. I do apologize to you if I came across that way.
2638 - tinga-tinga
tinga-tinga
Bears? Who mentioned bears? In Western Europe? Didn't the last two bears that were released in an attempt to repopulate the European "continent" get "theirs" just this past year after they'd munched their way through several dozen farms on their paths northward?
It's pathetic to see how self-righteous the Euros can be about the environment. We've got bears sleeping on our property, got people around here who had to build a stockcade around their house - one city-slicker fellow who thought the 500 lb forest thugs were cute had the siding peeled off his weekend double-wide after he failed to put out his usual stale donuts for the critters. (wiser neighbors turned him in as a public nuisance for feeding the bears). Two miles from here, a guy woke up one fine morning to find twelve bears languidly stretched out on his lawn and deck. Europeans couldn't scare up a bear in their woods if they tried - and when they got one, artificially introduced, they had to shoot it. WHen Euros talk about preserving the environment, put fingers in ears and go "hmmm hmmm. I'm not listening!" Course, the Frogman is not to be counted in that group, being made of sterner and more practical stuff.
2639 - floridasuzie
floridasuzie Florida
>Bears? Who mentioned bears? In Western Europe? Didn't the last two bears that were released in an attempt to repopulate the European "continent" get "theirs" just this past year after they'd munched their way through several dozen farms on their paths northward?<
Tinga, Err...How embarrassing! I was the dummy who mentioned bears, my bad. I didn't realize there are no "French" bears, heh. Frankly I'm totally ignorant on the whole French big-game & rifle topic, so I'll hush up like I should have done in the first place :)
Suzie
2640 - B-52 GUNNER
B-52 GUNNER
Grimmy,
None taken.
I just wanted to add what the phrase said when translated.
I forgot to add the translation in my original post and I didn't think I came across as being upset.
Scot
PS. Sorry for Highjacking the thread.
Back to the topic at hand.
2641 - Grimmy
Grimmy Where I'm at.
B-52:
You didn't come across upset at all, I just realize I can sound like a jerk sometimes when I'm trying to be humorous.
No apology from me for hijacking...that's what threads are for :)
Back on topic for a sec...
How about Bane of Tyranny! Or Tyrants' Bane!