What is the best rifle ever made?

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Barn said:
Hawking was an exception in that outside of academia anyone bothered to read his theories. A great gunmaker kinda makes great guns by default.
Barn, I understand you're reasoning, but respectfully disagree. :)

But it's almost 10 pm on Sunday night, and I'm tired, so I won't respond tonight, even though I first read your post this afternoon and have given it considerable thought, based on my interaction with some world class scientists and writers, and being a science educator.

But I'm putting this here to remind me to get back to it in the context of gun makers.

My basic argument -- when I get back here -- is that your argument is a logical fallacy called "argument by authority". More asap.

This is a good discussion. Loving it. Thanks to all.
 
Here's a little non-gun factoid that illustrates jeepnik's argument.

I once met the president of the company that published Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History of Time. He told me, quoting, "It was one of the best selling science books of the 20th century, and one of the most unread."

Translation: great scientists don't always make great writers.

And great gun makers don't always make great guns.
Correct. I bought that book 10 years ago and never finshed it.
 
Just to keep this from falling off the bottom,
I think the greatest rifle ever made was .22 LR.

But ask me again tomorrow.
 
I don't have one, but my Son has shot almost every one of
North American big game with a Weatherby Mark 5 Stainless
in .340 Weatherby. He has the Grand Slam on sheep and has
shot all the bears except the Polar bear. Nothing has ever gotten
up and ran away on him.
Zeke
 
The best rifle, eh?
Could be a long thread. :)
Shift it to the most influential cartridge, possibly the most pounds of game dropped and a few other categories, I'd have to go with the .22 rimfire. Not least of all as a 'trainer' for bigger things.

Shift it to the most influential rifle and I have to look to the Mauser bolt action, considering the impact on about anything that would become a bolt.

Perhaps the 'almost best rifle' as far as an incredible missed potential, not that I'm sorry about that, could be the Ferguson Rifle. I'll leave that one for some thought.

*gets more popcorn*

Nick
 
This is probably the 'best' I've ever seen, in at least several categories;

40865x_1-tm-tfb.jpg
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2010/09/14/an-esqusit-beautiful-and-steampunk-esque-50-bmg-rifle/

-Among the best styling/workmanship/materials
-Among the strongest of actions
-Among the most powerful cartridges available to us civvies (50 bmg)
-Easily the best reproduction of a classical design I've seen
-Among the most difficult actions to manufacture (especially considering the addition of the swinging breech)
-Basically an anti-tank rifle fit for royalty

TCB
 
This is relevant.

The best rifle, eh?
Could be a long thread.
Shift it to the most influential cartridge,
possibly the most pounds of game dropped
and a few other categories, I'd have to go with the .22 rimfire.
 
I also am a fan of the Ma deuce. Used one in Vietnam 1969. At Dal Lat central highlands RVN. Also a fan of it's modern derivatives like the Barrett. As portable weapons go, the M60. A life saver for me. All the US military rifles M1 Garand, M14 and M16 are good to me. Had all three, used last two in service. My buddy featured in a couple books was issued a Luepold scoped armory built M-14 that is a special rifle. Pics in the books, "Black Horse Riders" and "Firebase Ellingsworth".
Civilian hunting rifles. My SS BDL 700 in 7 MM mag, followed by my Tikka T3 also SS in 7-08. But I have a crush on my buddies pe 64 Winchester Model 70 in 300 Holland and Holland. Now that is classy. A thing of beauty.
 
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