Classic American Rifle

[52grain]

I am reading the book American Rifle a Biography by Alexander Rose and was wondering what people's opinions were on what the classic American rifle would be. I thought of several possibilities:

Hawken style muzzleloader
Lever action Winchester 94 or Marlin 36
Bolt action Winchester 70 or Remington 700
M1 Garand
AR-15 variant

I am torn between the Winchester 94 in .30-30 or Remington 700 in .30-06.

This seems like the kind of thing that would be discussed to no end on here, but I did a search and didn't find anything.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Probably the lever gun.

The gun that won the west. One of the premier American designs that has not caught on anywhere else on the planet.

Purely American.

 

[lopezni]

The classic American rifle has to be the model 1895 Winchester. It was the favorite rifle of one of our greatest presidents. No other lever rifle looks as good and the lever gun is uniquely American.

 

[dirtyjim]

the classic american rifle is a springfield 1903 built by ludwig wundhammer or griffen & howe

 

[joed]

I have always wanted a 94 and I now own one. But, it is not really fun to shoot so spends time in the safe taking up space. My Rem 700's and Win 70 on the other hand seem to go with me a lot more.

 

[TheDriver]

The "Pennsylvania" or "Kentucky" Longrifle. The American Longrifle helped to birth the nation.

 

[P.B.Walsh]

Remington 700 in 30-06.

I don't know though, this is splitting hairs!!

 

[paintballdude902]

model 73 winchester

 

[Sunray]

"...The gun that won the west...." That was a shotgun.
"...not really fun to shoot..." Too much felt recoil for the power of the cartridge? Dumped a Win 94, long ago, for the same reason.
"...what the classic American rifle would be..." Depends on who you ask. And for what period. A scoped, bolt action is a classic, but I suspect most non-Americans would say a lever action. John Wayne movies did that. The M16 is a classic American rifle too though.

 

[svaz]

Sharps rifle

 

[Sunray]

"...Sharps rifle..." Which one? snicker.

 

[nathan]

Garand and the 12 g shotgun.

 

[svaz]

"...Sharps rifle..." Which one? snicker.

The Russian one? Maybe the German Sharps. The Japanese Sharps, possibly? The one usually associated with the Vatican's Swiss Guard.

 

[lefteyedom]

Winchester model 70 with a 3x9 scope chambered for 270

 

[mackbob]

Classic American rifle?

There is no rifle in American history that is identified with the might of this country and the dominance in the world than the Garand has been.

By the same token, the AR and variants are today's modern version of the same dominance on the world scene. Nothing says "Can do" like the American military arms.

The lever guns or, more correctly, the Winchester 73, dominated the West and opened that land for settlement after the Civil War.

I would also put some of the single shots in the same category of wilderness conquerors, whether these be flintlocks, percussion or some of the "buffalo rifles."

To confuse the issue, why not throw in the Colt revolvers from the Patterson to the SAA in the 19th Century and the 1911 in the 20th Century.

Which is best? They were all the best at their particular moment in history, because they evoked the same spirit of taking charge.

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

Garand

 

[AStone]

See sig line.

 

[rangerruck]

tough call, for a boltie, the 1903 or anything resembling, I also like the remmy 721, the new savage american classic is quite nice. Cooper Arms makes some fine looking all american rifles. outside that, i would have to say a lever, and for youngsters that came up in the hard times, some type of single shot 22 or 410 gauge.

 

[Nugilum]

Winchester / Marlin Levers

 

[earlthegoat2]

"...The gun that won the west...." That was a shotgun.

I know but that quote is most often used with the lever rifle and since we are going with what is American we might as well throw in some American ignorance while we are at it.

 

[eastbank]

one of the best liked classic rifles i own is a first year fourth month rem. 721 in mint con. in 30-06. the rear reciever ring is not tapped and the serial number is in the left bolt race way. not worth much,but not for sale. eastbank.

 

[Wanta B]

For what it is worth,I asked some of the folks I work with and around my current area...In order of most to least...

Leveraction and M16...

M1 Garand...
1903 Springfield...
Thompson smg/Tommy Gun...
BAR...

I was kind of suprised that so many mentioned the Springfield Model 1903 and the BAR. Old war movies were mostly the reason given.

 

[52grain]

After some thought, as much as I might love the Remington 700, and even though a good share of the guns that I see at the range are bolt guns, the bolt action is not really an American invention (in my opinion at least).

Also, I may not have framed the question very well. A better way to say it is when you think of an American rifle, what do you think of?

 

[AStone]

A better way to say it is when you think of an American rifle, what do you think of?

Lever actions of any flavor.
They were invented by an American.
(Well, ok, his was the first "significant design".)

Bolt actions were not.
Neither were muzzle loaders.

Don't know about semi-autos, but they at least came after the hey day of the levers.

 

[Bill B.]

I am reading the book American Rifle a Biography by Alexander Rose and was wondering what people's opinions were on what the classic American rifle would be.

My vote goes for a Ruger No. 1. It roots goes back much further to some of the classic single shot's before the turn of the century.