What was your first big game rifle, and do you still have it?

My first big game rifle was a Winchester Model 70 Lightweight chambered in .243 win. I worked all summer to save up and pay for that rifle. I purchased it from the local hardware store. It was about $650 if I recall correctly. I shot my first buck with it when I was 12 and a handful of deer in the following years.

I still have it and hope someday one of my kids will make use of it.
 
Remington BDL 30.06.

Bought it at a Kmart in Pueblo Colorado with funds from a 4H market lamb in 1985.

Have not hunted with it recently but will never leave my possession unless the kid wants it. First and last bools it killed.
 

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My dad had to give up his guns after a PFA court order. My grandfather took them in for a decade or so until the parents split for good. At some point around then when I was starting to learn to hunt, grandpa thrust a Remington Model Six 30-06 into my hands and said something unceremonious like "this was your dad's, get this f-ing thing out of here".

I used it to kill my first whitetail a little while later (picture below) then another doe with it relatively recently. While dad was neither a great role model nor hunter, it'll stay in the family.

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My grandpa won a Savage 30-06 in 1939. I shot my first deer and first elk with it and used it for years. It shoots as well as any rifle I have, but the trigger pull is heavy so I got a modern one for my kid's first hunt.
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Mine is a 98 Mauser my Grandfather sporterized for me about 1980. I remember hanging out with him in his shop looking at all the parts soaking in solvent and the handmade stock hanging with countless coats of tongue oil. I was 11 or 12 at the time and will pass it down to my grandson one of these days . Many great memories hunting deer and elk in Montana with the old 8mm.
 

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Savage model 11 heavy contour barrel my wife got me as a first anniversary present when we could afford much more 10 years ago. I've since swapped out the plastic stock and put a nice meopta scope on it. It's a heavy rifle but steady and feels great to me. The stock made a huge difference. It's still my only big game rifle, I probably won't be getting another any time soon.

Correction 20 inch medium contour. Besides the weight the short barrel is nice to hike with, I'll take the weight penalty for the steadiness with her.20231013_134716.jpg
 
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Mine is a 98 Mauser my Grandfather sporterized for me about 1980. I remember hanging out with him in his shop looking at all the parts soaking in solvent and the handmade stock hanging with countless coats of tongue oil. I was 11 or 12 at the time and will pass it down to my grandson one of these days . Many great memories hunting deer and elk in Montana with the old 8mm.
Ha, I've got a a Mauser gifted to me from my grandpa when i was around the same age. He built the stock on this one from scratch. Chambered in 6mm rem. He has a handful of them. One of them was a German paratrooper rifle iirc the swastika is stamped in the barrel still. Rechambered in 25-06 iirc.
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30-06 in a Remington 700 BDL topped with a Burris Fullfield. I saved all summer to pay half and Dad paid the other half. Entire setup cost $434 back in 1991. I still have it and hunt with it, although my elk gun is now a 338 WM and for antelope and deer it varies from a 6.5 CM to a 300 WM.
 
Being from NY where until about 20 years ago only shotguns were allowed, my first big game firearm is a 1921 Savage shotgun that was a hand me down from my grandfather. I still have it and it is not used anymore and will be handed down to my grandson. My first big game rifle is a Marlin XL7 in 30-06. Still have it and still hunt with it.
 
Winchester Model 70 30.06. killed moose, caribou, black & grizzly bear. Has it's place in the safe.
 
Browning BAR in .300 win mag. I sold it to the local gun dealer along with all my firearms to get my wife back from a separation. She always complained I was hunting too much. I should have sold her!! Guess what? It didn't work. That's why I have a flat spot on my forehead.
 
Browning BAR in .300 win mag. I sold it to the local gun dealer along with all my firearms to get my wife back from a separation. She always complained I was hunting too much. I should have sold her!! Guess what? It didn't work. That's why I have a flat spot on my forehead.
99.9% of all us a-holes have flat spots….
 
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