What Rifle has "soul"?

[rockstar.esq]

So some rifles have an undeniable personality, some have have character, what I really admire is a rifle that seems to evoke a soulfull response.

My vote would start with a Winchester High Wall, then it would go to an old Marlin in 45-70.

Let the list commence!

 

[jagdpanzer347]

US Rifle,caliber.30,M1.

-jagd

 

[Avenger29]

The M-1 Garand

 

[Hoppy590]

any war aged milsurp

 

[crunker]

AK-47, as it represents the freedom of the individual to fight for his motherland.

 

[dm1333]

Model 94, Marlin 336, any Enfield, any government issue 1911, Colt SAA.

 

[Geronimo45]

Enfields, lever-actions - especially old lever-actions. Especially levers in 45/70.
Thompsons... not exactly rifles, but they'll do - the original, non-military model.

 

[Dave R]

K-31. The name tag under the buttplate--that's a REAL character.

 

[georgeduz]

i think he said soul not rust

 

[TimboKhan]

Dave R, I agree with you completely on the K-31.

I would say that most all Mil-Surps have soul. Thats one reason why I have grown to love them so. Everytime I shoot one, I think about the guy that had to carry it in boot camp, or the guy that used it in combat, or that guy that died holding it. I think about where the rifle has been, and what stories it could tell me. I feel that way about all my mil-surps, but my K31 in particular does that to me, because now I have a name to go with the rifle.

Outside of that, I think soul in a rifle is hard to define, but easy to spot. I see it everytime I see an old, original colt SAA, everytime I see a Civil War rifle, or anytime I see a rifle that someone really loves, even if it is by all possible definition a POS. As far as soul in a design goes, my vote goes for the Winchester 94. Its only my choice, but every time I see one, even the fairly horrible new ones, I just can sort of feel something.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Well, it's gotta have a forged steel receiver. Sorry AR-15, but aluminum won't cut it. No stamped AK, either.

It's also gotta have a blued finish. Sorry M1 Garand, the parkerizing disqualifies you. Oh, and it's gotta be a polished blue, not that ugly matte blue.

In addition, it has to fire a full size cartridge, like .308, 30-06, .270, etc. Mouse guns can't have soul.

Wooden stocks are a must. If a tree didn't die to create the rifle, it's never gonna amount to anything.

i think he said soul not rust

IINM, blueing is a form of rust.

 

[masterplan]

m-14

m-14.

 

[wayne in boca]

M14s have extra soul.

 

[rangerruck]

parker hale , any cal . Old world English design, work, and perfection to the stock.

 

[Metapotent]

crunker said:

AK-47, as it represents the freedom of the individual to fight for his motherland.

Um...

You mean to fight at the whim of a corrupt government while they enslave and execute your own people for disobeying political norms or questioning authority...

Yay AK-47... (sarcasm)

 

[Zeke Menuar]

Family heirlooms



ZM

 

[DFW1911]

Sharp's Carbine 45/70

Yep. That's a good one.

 

[Mr White]

Winchester Model 70 Pre 64 (a true classic)
Winchester Model 94 Pre 64 (see above, but even more so)
M1 Garand (Parkerizing does count as soul)
Swiss K31 (You can't have a trigger, accuracy and workmanship like that w/o soul)
FN FAL (perhaps the perfect battle rifle... gotta have soul)
Browning Hi Power (JMB's final creation has to have soul)
1911 (no explanation needed)
Luger (Evil soul, but soul nonetheless)

 

[dracphelan]

Any levergun. The older ones have more sould than the younger ones.
An old black powder rifle and the replicas of the old black powder rifles.
Many of the sporterized mil-surps. Especially when you are talking about a 1903 that someone bought for a dollar.
Springfield 1903 (or any other rifle bought from the CMP)
An AR15 that has been customized by a father for his son or daughter. It may be a Barbie pink Mattel soul, but it is a soul.
Any rifle that has been modified and made special for a loved one.

 

[Rupestris]

Winchester Model 70 Pre 64 (a true classic)
Winchester Model 94 Pre 64 (see above, but even more so)

You could have stopped right there Mr White.

 

[screamin eagle]

i think the thompson "tommy gun" has alot of soul.

 

[LaEscopeta]

None

No firearm has a soul. They are simply tools.

(I know, I'm just a spoil sport.)

 

[USMC Tanker]

M1 Garand
M14
M2 Caliber .50 (Tanker Speak)

Oh, and the USMC M40 and it's soul TAKING capabilities!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

In centerfire rifles:

• M1903 Springfields (I have two 03A3s and a customized '03 in .35 Brown-Whelen.)
  
• Pre-64 Model 70 (mine was made in 1939)
  
• Pre-64 Model 94 (mine wears a Williams 5D sight, put on when they actually cost 5 dollars.)
  
• M1 Garand (mine is an H&R.)

In rimfire rifles, too many to list -- but my favorite is my M82 Kimber.

In handguns:

• M1911 (my carry gun is a Kimber)
  
• SAA (mine is 2nd generation, in .357)
  
• Colt Woodsman (mine was made in '38)

 

[garrett1955]

My old Marlin lever .32 spcl has a soul. My dad bought it from his uncle when he was a kid, and I got to shoot my first deer with it. Good o'l rifle.