IF I COULD ONLY HAVE ONE ... Long gun. What would it be??

[MasterBates]

I was approaching this from a (insert nasty politician here) essentially bans guns, and you are limited to one long gun.

 

[DixieTexian]

I figure I'll probably eventually end up back here or somewhere close. The Winchester 94 Trapper I posted earlier is about as an ideal rifle as there is for me right now. It holds 9+1 rounds of .44 mag and handles like a beauty. In the Piney Woods of East Texas, you aren't gonna get many shots that this gun isn't capable of handling. I've never been one to like the idea of shooting deer from long ranges and such, so this gun is great for hunting. The .44 mag punches a mean hole through anything it hits out to reasonable ranges that this gun is capable of, and the gun is fast handling enough for defense purposes. It doesn't hold as amny rounds as some of the eviler rifles, but I'm not a fan of putting a lot of lead down range. I like to make sure I have a good aim with every shot I take, but maybe that is because I am a broke college student. Yeah, it takes a bit longer to fill the magazine up, but the advantages negate that to me. There is no gun more romantic to the average person who does not abhor them than a lever action. Everybody who grew up watching westerns and such associates these guns with a kind of idealism of justice inside them, whether they are some sort of gun nut or not. Sure a bolt action may be more accurate and a military style rifle may be more capable of putting more lead down range in a short amount of time, but the lever action is to me the best compromise of balance, accuracy and firepower for my needs. They are definately the sexiest rifles out there.

This little rifle is also a wonderfull tool in the battle against feral hogs, that is if I am not chasing those piggies with dogs and a knife.

 

[Ektar]

One more vote for the M1 Garand. Quite possibly the single best rifle ever produced. It's a simple design with something like 34 pieces, rugged, and accurate. At over sixty years old, my rifle can still hit cans at a 100 yards with iron sights. It's a great rifle, what more can I say?

 

[HeyJoe]

My personal choice was letting Andy Nelson (SEAL Sniper stationed at NSAWC) find me the perfect M14 receiver (Smiths) and use that to build a match grade long gun (he also builds M1 Garands and did one each for Vice Admiral Nichols and CAPT Roy Rogers for their retirement gifts after they both dropped hints like anvils that they sure would like one built by Andy). Here it is first time in desert duirng "OT" vvv

Photo by HJ

 

[HeyJoe]

My next one from Andy

Work in progress in Andy's garage/armory for presentation to CAPT Dave "Roy" Rogers

After presentation at Silver State by VADM Nichols

Photos by HJ

 

[Tex_Hill]

So HJ,

Are you as good with a rifle as you are with a camera?

 

[HeyJoe]

So HJ,

Are you as good with a rifle as you are with a camera?

I'd like to think so. I was shooting rifles long before I touched a camera! Alas, in my advanced years, I have to wear "cheaters" these days though. I have the target from my first session with my long rifle somewhere that I can scan. It's only gotten better recently with my personal tutor (Andy works for me now on site at NSAWC so we shoot whenever I visit Fallon weather permitting; he's expanded my familiarity and prowess with a wider variety of weapons including .50 cal and 105mm Howitzer).

 

[feddoc]

Andy is a nice guy and makes some very, very nice weapons. I have seen his stuff up close.

 

[C420sailor]

I think the M-14 is a great rifle for everything---except home defense. She's a little on the long side for that duty.

I've never been a fan of shotguns. Shooting slugs really beats the hell out of me.

 

[JIMC5499]

This would be my choice.

20 MM Bolt action.

 

[eddie]

he's expanded my familiarity and prowess with a wider variety of weapons including .50 cal and 105mm Howitzer).

Cool! How do you procure one of those?

This would be my choice.

20 MM Bolt action.

What kind of round does that shoot?

 

[Flash]

What kind of round does that shoot?

Ummmmm, 20mm?

 

[Flash]

Are there miitary surplus M14's available for purchase? If not, where can you get the best deal for one?

 

[skidz]

Are there miitary surplus M14's available for purchase? If not, where can you get the best deal for one?

M14? no. But there are many M1A's you can grab. For a standard M1A, the common price is around 2 grand.

 

[JIMC5499]

Cool! How do you procure one of those?

www.anzioironworks.com and $9800