Least favorite rifles/cartridges you’ve owned?

[someguy2800]

Spinning off from the other thread, what rifles and or cartridges have you owned that were the most disappointing to you?

The rifle I most strongly disliked was an AR10 that I built. I just hated the handling of it. I just wanted a more powerful version of my AR15 to hunt with and I found the weight and physical size pretty much ruined everything I liked about the AR15. I traded it off and built a 358 yeti AR15 instead which I’m very happy with.

The cartridge that I think I disliked the most was a 357 Herrett that I had in a contender, which is in my profile picture along the a 30 Herrett. I just couldn’t find a powder or bullet that the case really liked. The fast rifle powders were all to slow and would leave unburned powder in the barrel. The magnum pistol powders were too low of charge density and would give erratic pressure spikes. Also had to pick bullets very carefully and watch velocities because the revolver bullets would come unglued if driven too fast. Also if you overdid it the case heads would seperate. In hindsight now I know of a few powders that would have worked in it, but I sold it off and replaced it with a 357 maximum which was so much easier to work with.

 

[Jeff olson]

My shoulder will forever hate the 350 rem mag. I still have that damn 673. I don't know of why.

 

[bsparker]

Least favorite rifle has been my pre-64 Winchester model 88 in .243. Accurate but the lever action is rather fickle. If you don’t have it perpendicular to the ground and make one quick-and-forceful movement, it jams almost every time. From what I’ve read it seems to be an issue with the action on these. I’ve tried different magazines, springs and cleaning thoroughly.

If it weren’t the rifle I started hunting with and got my first deer with it might have found its way into the sale/trade pile.

 

[jmr40]

Marlin 1895 in 45-70, and I owned one for nearly 40 years.

The 45-70 cartridge was introduced in 1873 for the Army. It wasn't particularly effective and within 20 years was obsolete and lay dormant for about 80 years until Marlin brought it back to life when they re-introduced their 1895 rifle in 1972 to celebrate the 100th birthday of the 45-70 cartridge.

I found one sitting on a used gun rack in 1976 and bought it. Over the years I had 2 others. I finally concluded that the round was overrated and I sold them all. At a profit I might add. In some ways I wish I'd held onto the 1st one for a while longer. While I nearly tripled my investment, I could do much better today. That 1st production run was unique, and only a handful were made. It looked like this.

 

[troy fairweather]

Savage edge/axis
rem 700 and seven made after the mid 90s

 

[Legionnaire]

The following reflects my taste only; no slur intended either to the cartridge or those who like it:

Marlin 336 in .30-30. Don’t care for levers, and the .30-30 doesn’t float my boat. Not a fan of the .35 Rem, either; had a Contender in that cartridge.

I could also add a Remington 700 Sendero in .300 Win Mag. Really didn’t like the recoil of the cartridge. When I decided to get out of .30 cal rifles, the .300 Win Mag was first to go.

 

[czhen]

Sadly, to say any above 30.06 hit me hard enough to lose my denture. Everything above the 336 La Pua I can't even look at them.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

My shoulder will forever hate the 350 rem mag. I still have that damn 673. I don't know of why.

I had a 600 in .350. It was horrific. Got so mad at it trying to zero it in that I literally threw it in the closet when I got home. Later on I sold it to a guide in Ak for a fair price.

 

[someguy2800]

Marlin 336 in .30-30. Don’t care for levers, and the .30-30 doesn’t float my boat. Not a fan of the .35 Rem, either; had a Contender in that cartridge.

30/30 has never done anything for me either. I have a Savage 219 so chambered that will soon be heading to auction.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Had a Norinco "UZI" clone- I forget the model number, they only imported a handful for one year, '92 IIRC....
Anyway, it was ridiculously heavy and unbalanced with the 16" barrel, had a horrible trigger, sharp edges everywhere, and terrible sights. On top of all that, could never get it to fire more than 5 rounds without jamming. Just dreadful!

Least favorite rifle cartridge? Hmmm....... probably 7.65 Argentine. Punishing recoil in my old '91 Engineers carbine, expensive and hard to find.

 

[cfullgraf]

My least favorite rifle is an SKS. I guess it was good for what it was designed for but for this hobby shooter it brings next to nothing to the table. Mine have not seen the light of day in decades but it has some historic significance so I keep it.

My least favorite cartridge besides a 7.62x39 is the 6x45. In an AR-15, it just is not very impressive. Just now thinking, with the right bullets, it might be a bit better performer as a supersonic 300 Blk round.

 

[Gooseman69]

340 weatherby mag & 300 prc recoil was just.punishing sent both of them down the road
Within 1day of buying them no more magnum calibers not even the 7,mag if it has magnum attached or is based off a magnum caliber I won't own it.
My 6.5,cm & my 280 AI will kill anything in north america or alaska just as dead just as fast at the ranges I HUNT(my self posed maximum is 500 yrds anything past That range and i classify it as big game sniping not HUNTING) as The ,shoulder fired cannon's

 

[Hugger-4641]

Glad I don't own it, but I hunted once with my buddie's 300 Weatherby Mag. Not the best choice for hunting from a small platform 25ft up a tree. Not a pleasant gun to shoot.

 

[Bazoo]

I guess it was an H&R handi rifle in 308. I never could get it to eject. I sent it back, when marlin owned them and they polished the chamber and returned it. It still did not eject. I didn't care for the rifle much, and I don't particularly like the 308.

I have a savage 110 in 30-06, it isn't my favorite either. The gun is good, the cartridge not so much. I like rimmed cartridges.

 

[swg1]

I found the 340 Weatherby to be a bit busy for my tastes as well.

As for a rifle, while well built and a good gun, the PTR-91. Had two of them, but they were just too dirty and a Germanic Chinese puzzle all at once.

 

[rbernie]

A mid-2000’s era Remington 7400 was the worst rifle that I ever owned. Wouldn’t feed HPs, couldn't clear the inevitable jam with two hands because the magazine *is* the BHO, and it bled me every time that I touched it. I literally hated that thing.

 

[jmorris]

.22 magnum would be up there as I have never found anything that just knocked my socks off about the round.

I have had several that were disappointing for awhile before finally finding happiness and others I could never justify keeping like 357 sig.

7.35x51 because I could find more super models that would want to date and old married guy than different choices in ammunition, even as a reloader.

 

[BJung]

My least favorite firearm is my Browning T/D because it throws the hot brass down my sleeve.

 

[Onty]

340 weatherby mag & 300 prc recoil was just.punishing sent both of them down the roa

A fellow hunter in Toronto area has 338 Winchester for a moose. He got fed up with recoil from standard 250 grains ammo, so he switched to 180/185 grains (premium) bullets. His struggle, and search for right ammo are over.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Jap 6.5 and 7.7 because ammo is so hard to find!

Performance wise, I tried a 300win and really didn't like it. The rifle was "fine", a basic Savage, but it just reminded of a Honda Accord... Just bland. Shot OK. It didn't like the high performance ammo and preferred lower velocity rounds. Had a couple loads with ladders worked up, just wasn't worth the effort. But I just felt my 30-06 with good loads handled and performed better.

 

[LoonWulf]

Toss-up between the .270 Winchester, and .308 Winchester. Not for any REAL reason (I have reasons, just none that actually matter), but I dont like them......Actually,now that I think about it..... I dont think I've ever owned a .308, ill have to go look thru my registrations.

Late model 700, because Ive never owned an Axis......

 

[Gooseman69]

Glad I don't own it, but I hunted once with my buddie's 300 Weatherby Mag. Not the best choice for hunting from a small platform 25ft up a tree. Not a pleasant gun to shoot.

Nope not pleasant at all

 

[Gooseman69]

A fellow hunter in Toronto area has 338 Winchester for a moose. He got fed up with recoil from standard 250 grains ammo, so he switched to 180/185 grains (premium) bullets. His struggle, and search for right ammo are over.

I've killed 4 moose with my 280 ai and 162 hornady eldx
That combination killed them just as fast & just as dead as the magnums While allowing faster target accusation after the first shot due to less recoil

 

[Stumper]

What did you accuse the moose of?

 

[JDeere]

Least favorite rifle has been my pre-64 Winchester model 88 in .243. Accurate but the lever action is rather fickle. If you don’t have it perpendicular to the ground and make one quick-and-forceful movement, it jams almost every time. From what I’ve read it seems to be an issue with the action on these. I’ve tried different magazines, springs and cleaning thoroughly.

I have one in .308 that belonged to my Dad. He loved and it and took Elk and Deer with it. After he passed I thought I would give it shot. I developed some loads for it but the trigger was crap. No gunsmith I ever found could work on them to lighten them up. Darn fine carry rifle if it were not for the trigger.

My least favorite rifle is a Handi in 7mm-08. It would not eject and I could never get it to shoot consistent after trying many different loads. I also tried every trick the Handi crowd suggested to no avail. It's somewhere in the back of the safe.