The unloved rifle

I’d love the heck out of that Mauser. If a butt pad is the only thing standing in the way of you loving it too then I think you should install one.

Usually, any gun I don't love gets sent down the road. I have learned that I can keep guns I don't love, but they just get used for specific needs and otherwise are ignored. No strings attached, no emotional connection..."do this for me and do it well, and I'll keep you around".

Savage MKII and a Ruger LCPII .22 are laying around here somewhere, and I don't love either of them. They're just here for convenience.

Probably this one:

A Stevens M200 .223
I bet I haven't put 10 rounds thru it in the last 12 years. Before that, when I lived in north central Montana it went everywhere with me on the chance I might run across a coyote or whistle pig. Now, it just languishes in the safe. Maybe I should find it a home where someone will give it the proper love it deserves...but I don't think so.

NorthBorder said:

Probably this one:
View attachment 1075803
A Stevens M200 .223
I bet I haven't put 10 rounds thru it in the last 12 years. Before that, when I lived in north central Montana it went everywhere with me on the chance I might run across a coyote or whistle pig. Now, it just languishes in the safe. Maybe I should find it a home where someone will give it the proper love it deserves...but I don't think so.

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I would love that rifle because it's pre-dingus.

just wear a shoulder pad that range day

That's a beauty. Cut the stock, add a recoil pad and enjoy it. Bishop stocks were made to be cut to fit the shooter.


(That's not a classic stock. It's a Monte Carlo w/cheek piece )

Yeah I have a tikka t3 lite .308 that’s just gathering dust I’ve killed a handful of deer with it I just can’t bring myself to sell it …. But since I’m basically switching to 6.5’s and smaller I feel the need to rebarrel it to most likely a 6.5 Creedmoor or maybe a 6.5-06 haven’t decided yet though

When I read the title of this thread I thought it was going to be yet another Mini-14 diss thread.

Maybe "unloved" is too a strong word, but I have a sporterized '03 that I am basically restricting to plain jane 150 grain out of an abundance of caution.


I also have a Savage .243 I got on a good deal that I shot 4 times to test function. Hasn't seen any further action in over 10 years.

Not mine, but, a friend has a Remington 660[?] with a 20" barrel chambered in .350 Rem Mag. HATE that rifle. Too light and too much whoomph! He doesn't shoot it much nowadays either.

That Bishop stock doesn't have any figure quality that I would consider wonderful. Cut it and put on a recoil pad ... or sell it to me me and I'll do it.

A classic stock wouldn't kick like a Monte Carlo if you want to change stocks.

Larry in wyoming said:

Mine is a 96 mauser that looks like someone sporterized back in the 60s. My ex wife bought it from a coworker who needed money for legal fees. $250 not a bad deal. It's been converted to cock on opening and the trigger is nice. I replace the barrel with a Midway short chambered a few years ago and it shoots pretty good with most ammo and really good with 120gr ballistic tips and 129gr SSTs. But the darn thing is just no fun to shoot! That plastic butt plate just HURTS when I shoot it. Whoever said the 6.5x55 was an easy recoiling round never shot one in this rifle. Over the years I've toyed with the idea of installing a recoil pad but I'd have to shorten the stock and I'd hate to chop that classic bishop walnut stock. I've toyed with getting another stock for it that I wouldn't feel bad about chopping up or a synthetic or laminated to use at the range; but I guess it's never made it to the front burner. Maybe a P.A.S.T. "sissy pad" for the range....
Anyway, do you have an "unloved gun"?View attachment 1075790 View attachment 1075792

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I often use a past pad for range shooting. Range shooting is harder on the shoulder than standard shooting positions. A tip from a gunsmith friend is the use the guncase draped over your shoulder if it is fabric or leather for range shooting. I would also consider a rubber recoil pad installed by a good gunsmith.

Larry in wyoming said:

I had an FR8 spanish mauser that I sporterized. Laminated stock, Pachmayer triple magnum recoil pad bought on clearance. Bolt cut off and tig welded 90° down then milled square. receiver milled for scope mounts. Original 18" barrel. It would shoot 150 ballistic tips (loaded to 30-30 levels) into 3/4" with a Tasco 2x7 scope. I LOVED that rifle. Unfortunately I really truly did lose it in a canoeing accident.

Oct 17th 2007 turned a canoe over in the snake river. Almost drowned then almost froze to death waiting for search and rescue to come get me from the wrong side of the river. Bad night. I don't like being cold and wet still and I'm really leery of rivers still.

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I love my FR8, in original configuration, and I think it's a great knock around the woods rifle, but I just don't ever get it out, or choose it over a SMLE, Trapdoor carbine, Savage99 or Winchester if I want to take a cartridge rifle. Mine is also extremely accurate.

Dang it Larry, I'm glad you are still alive. Bet you learned to never get in a canoe or kayak with out a waterproof means to start a fire on your person. I'm an avid kayaker, been on the Snake recently too. Been out in some really rough stuff and survived. Not too long ago on one of my favorite big lakes, (Rock Lake, South of Spokane) some idiot took a Parks and Recreation kayak class out there, lake got rough, some of them capsized and two died from hypothermia. The "instructor" should have been charged with something, but he skated. There was no excuse for sending them out on that lake. They could have lived with a means to start a fire. So yeah, congrats for living through it.

Rifles to hate content: I will post that separately. !!

Y’all need to sell those unloved rifles to someone who will enjoy them. Or better idea know someone who likes to hunt but can’t afford a rifle gift it to them. All else fails take to a gun buy back and buy ammo with the proceeds.

Okay, rifle I love to hate, or hate to love I guess. Certainly unloved at the moment.
I've had this rifle since I was 16 years old. In my early 20's I had it scoped. I shot a lot of deer and coyotes with it. It's a 7.7 Arisaka, and was cut down when I got it. But then the girlfriend and later to be wife got me a Ruger .44 Carbine, and she just gathered dust from then on. (the 7.7, not the wife) An unloved rifle.

Lately, I decided that with all the sentimental value I'd scope it again. Now I know that 90% of you love scopes, but I hate them. (I hate using them, I don't hate you using them) I thought that short little shotgun scope would be a good choice for it. It was/is, and I really wanted to take it out in the mountains again just for sentimental reasons, but I just unlove it as a scoped rifle. It's the only rifle I have with glass on it. (except my replica No.4(T) SMLE) So now she's unloved again. Not hated I guess, as she's been with me most of my life, but unloved as I can't think of any reason to use it again.

One of these days, I'll put some nice open sights on her, and then I think I'll love wandering the woods with her again.

Meeks36 said:

All else fails take to a gun buy back and buy ammo with the proceeds.

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I'd throw a rifle in the lake before I'd sell it to people that want to deny me ownership of any firearm, and then do unspeakable things to me after that goal was achieved.

I’ve had s number of them. Somebody else owns them now. Either I use it, or it goes away. I’ve owned dozens of cars in my life. You can’t keep them all.

I had a Marlin .45-70 lever. Before I even took it home from the LGS I put a Decelerator pad on it. Even with very stout loads it was pretty mild. I’d have a pad installed and not give it a second thought. It isn’t like it’s original and you’re going to hurt the value

Larry in wyoming said:

I had a survival kit in the pocket of my jacket. It floated out as I was being tumbled down the rapid. Now I keep a survival kit ATTACHED to my person when I'm out and about.

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Dang. The River Spirits were out to get you that day. It didn't float out, it was SNATCHED by them spirits.

Ugly Sauce said:

I love my FR8, in original configuration, and I think it's a great knock around the woods rifle, but I just don't ever get it out, or choose it over a SMLE, Trapdoor carbine, Savage99 or Winchester if I want to take a cartridge rifle. Mine is also extremely accurate.

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Another upvote for the FR8 as a great all-round scout rifle. I drag mine out and shoot it pretty regularly.
Probably the most unloved of my rifles is my M1917 Eddystone. Ive shot it exactly twice since buying it 7-8 years ago. I like it just fine and it shoots great, but its heavy and usually gets passed over for an M1903, Carbine, or something handier.

Mossberg Maverick .270. I have about $300 in with rifle, scope, rings, and sling. I bought it as a loaner but I may use it some next deer season.