Anyway, I got myself a new hunting rifle yesterday at the gun show. Spent three hours not knowing what the hell I wanted and finally decided on a Remington 721 in 30.06. Paid more for it than everyone else apparently, but mine is in perfect condition. I liked the smooth lines and the simplicity of the piece, and the caliber was definitely a plus. It was nice checking out reviews and looking at pictures of other peoples 721s, and realizing that mine is in waaay better condition than every other one I have seen.

The trigger pull is drop-dead sexy. Its set to about 2.5lbs and hardly even moves when you pull it. You just have to flex your hand and it fires.

It is supposed to have one of the strongest bolts in gun history, and I believe it. Its so solid and confidence inspiring. It is also supposed to, and I quote, "kick very hard for a 30.06" which means it will probably destroy my shoulder. I am looking forward to it.

Anyway, I just wanted to share. I will get pictures up tomorrow, as my camera sucks and the lighting in my apartment is awful right now.

I have yet to shoot it, but I have been invited to go hunting next weekend, prior to purchasing the gun, so it will be nice showing up with my own weapon.

No scope on it because I am poor and could not afford one at the same time as the gun, but I will be getting one soon. I also need to buy a case and some other stuff for it.

Anyone else have any experience with these guns? I hear some people don't like the fact that they can't unload it with the rifle cocked, and that the safety can be a little weak, but all this will be avoided by not shooting it until I am ready to shoot it.

there's a lot of options...don't go cheap though, you'll regret it if you get a look through someone else's good glass.

Falcon is a very good scope for the money...when I get around to building a precision rifle, they're one of the companies I'll look to first.

First things first, I need to get used to shooting it, which will require about $120 worth of ammunition.

Congrats on your purchase. Remember, recoil is simply a state of mind.

the '06 isn't all that bad anyway.

I still need to get a .300 Win Mag for some 1000yd shooting fun.

I just bought a deer rifle today also, but I decided to go a different route. I wanted a little more of a challenge, so I decided to go old school with an iron sighted Marlin 336A 30-30 levergun.

I figure if it's been killing deer for over 100 years, it should work for me!

(My wife is about to kill me as this is my 5th gun this year )

Yes I did! Did you see the black chrome and gold plated Mac 10? Talk about street cred.

Okay, so I only have one picture for the moment. My digital camera is MIA so I'm having to take pictures with my cell phone and email them to myself. Its a double-whammy on the image quality, so bear with me here.

So I put 10 rounds through it on Sunday and um....wow. Its like a cannon. Ive shot 12ga shotguns, AR15s, 1911's, etc. etc. and this thing makes them all seem like kids toys. Damn near took my shoulder off!

sissy.

looks like it should work on most large North American game quite well.

plain jane stock too.

put on some flannel and grow a beard.

and play Russian Roulette.

I already have an awesome amount of facial hair, which is good because its the only hair on my head these days. Flannel shirts are coming soon.

I looked at those 30-30 marlins, but there were so many for sale I was a bit wary of them. I knew they were good guns, but when you see 500 of them for sale and no one biting, you have to wonder...

I would still like to shoot one though!

I hit the woods with my 30-30, a pair of $50 coveralls, some Rocky boots and the deer I kill will be just as dead.

not much love for Leverguns anymore

I however wanna get one of them in the big game chamberings.

the next best thing to a double gun for that short of hunting.

you're hard pressed to find a better balance and handiness than that of a shorter lever action rifle.

they're very fast for follow up shots too (you really wanna have this if you're after bear of bull moose)

Nice choice. I have a 336CS.

I also have a Marlin XS7 30-06. What do you guys think about getting it drilled for open sights? Scopes are a PIA if you're not extremely careful with them

Freedoms lost are seldom restored.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have" Thomas Jefferson

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." Cesare Beccaria, 1767 (Later quoted by Thomas Jefferson)

30-30's been taking them for over 100 years.

you can get the 336 in .35 Remington as well...it's got more thump.

I kinda want one of the the .45-70 lever guns...go bear hunting!

30-30 has been killing everything on the planet sinse its creation.

It's funny how everyone talks about "that's too small"... Give me a break, people killed polar bears with spears!

I want a nice hard hitting double gun for that, but jesus, I can get a new car for what they cost.

I'm just saying, it's interesting that people these days say, "A 30-30 is too small for Elk and moose" or something along those lines.

It has killed those animals for the last 100 years!

Also, I can buy ammo from Dick's sporting goods for $11.68/20. Not saying the 30-30 is hard to find ammo for, but there are literally billions of surplus 30.06 rounds. Thank ya' US Gov't.

Isn't there a .458 round? I'll bet that makes you feel pretty full-in-the-pants awesome. You could go .50, but that is totally outrageous. Its like, too big to kill things with.

go watch guys try to shoot the .577 T-Rex on youtube.

.416 Rigby is a fine round, as is .416 Remington.

a lot of the surplus 30-06 is a slightly lower power than most of the commercial loads now.

shoot new stuff in an M1 Garand and you're begging for trouble unless you rework the gas system.

where'd the M1 come from?

I will watch this youtube video you speak of.

Not sure. It's a buddies.

8 shots IIRC. The clip automatically ejects when it's empty.

The .30-06 isn't that bad. Try shooting a .460 Weatherby Magnum without a muzzle brake.

I will bet it would knock me out of my shoes. Ammo is probably like $2/round as well. You pay dearly for manliness when it comes to ammo.

Actually, I just looked it up and its more like $7/round. I could get two Thai hookers for that much.

Modified by r34 gtr at 4:56 PM 10/28/2009

It's pretty hardcore if you hunker down on it. The rifle is designed to be shoulder fired standing, and that leaves a pretty gnarly bruise from one round. It makes a 12-Gauge look like a punk b****.

If you want to make it a number the .30-06 with a 150 gr. bullet will put out about 17 - 18 lb. ft. of recoil energy. A .50 BMG in a Barret M82 puts out approx. 70 depending on the bullet weight. Without a brake the .460 Weatherby Magnum puts out 99.6 lb. ft. of energy.

I <3 the vids on youtube of the Arab fellows with the .577 Trex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIWuNV9ozfo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EVqT3XEzss

you really gotta know how to handle one of these to not hurt yourself or the rifle.