Too Expensive for the Field?

[Panzerschwein]

Rocky Mountain .54cal, slow twist.

LOVE it!! Beaut.

 

[stringnut]

I am in the " if I can afford it I will use it" camp. I have had a couple of collectable rifles that were unfired that went out in the woods. My Kimber 82 c was pristine and unfired when purchased. Not Anymore! It has not been abused , but, shows some honest hunting scars. Still beautiful, in my eyes anyway, and a joy to carry and shoot. Keeping it in the safe would do nothing for me.

 

[perldog007]

I have them to use - if I weren't going to use them, I couldn't justify the money on them. Shoot, the most damage I ever did in the field to one was sighting in my first custom gun at the range!

Elk hunted this past year during muzzleloader season. My .62 is a $4K + rifle (not bragging, traded for it, built by a friend that is a master builder), and would rather it die in glory in the field rather than be a pretty wall hanger just waiting to be used. I also hunt with my $200 T/C Hawken kit rifle that I built in 1986. Not a gun snob, just consider them "stuff", and if I ain't gonna use it I don't need it.

What this man said. I actually got rid of both of my safe queens. Put away my last and favorite service revolvers after I got hurt. When I found out I could walk again, hunted them some. I'm not going back to work and Smith and Colt are fine arms, both a bit more delicate in nature than a good SA. My journey lead to BP.
When I get to the point that I'm concerned about taking my guns in the field, or any other concerns I get rid of them. Don't get emotionally attached to weapons. Mas wrote about this in the 17th Century .
I

 

[Dog Soldier]

I see Big game hunters roll in every Fall from across the Nation. They are driving $50,000 dollar trucks pulling trailers loaded with $20,000 dollars worth of ATVs. They set up $80,000 dollar 5th Wheels to live in..
Many of them are hunting with firearms bought on sale at Walmart. They refer to Hunters with quality rifles as "Gun" snobs.

 

[perldog007]

I see Big game hunters roll in every Fall from across the Nation. They are driving $50,000 dollar trucks pulling trailers loaded with $20,000 dollars worth of ATVs. They set up $80,000 dollar 5th Wheels to live in..
Many of them are hunting with firearms bought on sale at Walmart. They refer to Hunters with quality rifles as "Gun" snobs.

Funny story about Wyoming. Elk hunters. One SAS man, two homicide detectives, one vice detective 'nam vet. Walk into a saloon in Wyoming. SAS guy asks for gin and tonic with slice of lime.. yep a drink with fruit in it. It happened
One of the cops got guff from the others in the party for his rather plain jane .270 winchester and quality scope and sling for his 'snobbery'. It wasn't a cheap rifle, but far from the let's go in the back room and talk about this price type of gun... He also got crap for his Randalls. Why go all the way to Wyoming with a cheap dull knife? We may never know.
I ended up having a lot of Cop Friends that depended on me to keep their back up lock blades hair shaving sharp. If they would spend the forty bucks for a real steel blade Some people's kids... Don't get me started

 

[CraigC]

I see Big game hunters roll in every Fall from across the Nation. They are driving $50,000 dollar trucks pulling trailers loaded with $20,000 dollars worth of ATVs. They set up $80,000 dollar 5th Wheels to live in..
Many of them are hunting with firearms bought on sale at Walmart. They refer to Hunters with quality rifles as "Gun" snobs.

Shooters are a strange lot. They won't think twice about wearing out a $50,000 vehicle in five years but they want the gun they bought for $300, shot extensively and carried for 20yrs to still be worth at least that much when they decide to sell it. Folks who claim to love guns & shooting but will be damned if they will let it cost them a dime it shouldn't.

 

[sltm1]

I have an engraver Centaure 1860 in the white, i don't shoot it enough but it's not a safe queen!!

 

[Dog Soldier]

Thanks for all the stories. One of the things I look at first can not help it, is the scope. I have seen many expensive rifles with no name Chinese optics.
To buy a $1,000 dollar Non-Rez Hunting license and all the other over head and save on your scope. It is very common for the elk hunters to show up at the local watering hole crying over a missed shot. Humm!! and they wonder why.

 

[Dog Soldier]

If you notice the "Poll" shows a clear preference for quality custom Muzzle loaders. I expect most members on the forum are older more experienced Black Powder shooters.
If you have been a life long Black Powder enthusiast you have suffered through many poor choices in BP firearms. The one thing you learn is there are no "Good", cheap BP rifles.
Those who are serious about living on the Dark Side will eventually own the best rifle, the ugliest dog and the prettiest wife in the
County.

 

[CraigC]

Smart folks eventually realize they can buy a really good, custom rifle and hunt with it for the rest of their lives. The cheapskates suffer.