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

[3855WIN]

Marlin 30-30. I still have it.

 

[blackbeard]

Winchester model 70 270wsm, still got it and still kills deer.

 

[6mm Remington]

Remington Model 600 Centennial made in 1964. 6mm Remington 1020 of the Centennial models made. This was my first big-game rifle. Not sure of the number of antelope and deer I've taken with it, but it's a lot. Many years we could get 3 antelope tags. It now belongs to my son and he shot his first antelope with it and still uses it also. What a great little rifle. My father gave it to me in 1972 and started me reloading for it under his watchful eye. It still wears the same Weaver K4 rifle scope that we put on it in 1972.

 

[Wvhntr81]

Win 94 hand me down from my dad and his dad
still have it and passing it down to my daughter

 

[EastTNHunter]

1970s model Win 94 30-30 that belonged to my grandfather, then my dad, and now me. I never killed a deer with it. Hunted with it for several seasons with no kill opportunities before I got a job and bought a Rem 700 270 in the mid 90s. Killed a pile of deer with that before gifting it to my daughter, and she continues to kill them with it as well. The 94 30-30 is still in the safe and I loved to shoot it until it started giving me some problems. Need to get it to a smith to install a new extractor and figure out the light primer strikes.

 

[darthbeaver]

Christiansen Arms Mesa in 300 Win Mag. Purchase winter of 2021. Still have it, love it. freezer filler. Its favorite round is the Federal Premium 180gr Nosler Partition.

 

[TX Trophy Hunter]

Winchester M70 featherweight 30-06. Killed a deer and elk then got rid of it cause it had a lot of reliability issues

 

[CForest]

Remington model 7 youth in 7mm-08 for me, got a lot of critters with that thing. Eventually grew out of it and it's just a safe queen now. Too much attachment to let it go ha, maybe the kids will use it if I don't get them something of their own first

 

[Dan-06]

For me I bought a 1972 model 70 30-06 used. Still my favorite. Wouldn’t trade for love nor money. Still at 1/2 in moa with trophy bonded tipped bullets.

 

[mutedblade]

I’ve still got my Glenfield 30A in 30-30 given to me as a gift back in the early 90’s. Killed my first fifteen or twenty deer with it. My dad still uses it to dispatch cows on the farm that are beyond helping. I grab it if I’m headed to the woods to hunt.

 

[oldspice]

Still have my first hunting rifle Remington 7400 in 30-06. Now, it is my favorite center firearm for target shooting after I fixed it. It will shoot 168 Amax, 168 and 175 Sierra HPBT. You can see the results here https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/rem-7400-weathermaster-poi.293484/.

 

[eshunt]

Ruger M77 308. I didn't get a chance to kill my first buck with it, but have taken quite a few bucks over the years with it. Still have it, but haven't shot it a few years.

 

[Moserkr]

Remington 700 in 30.06. Was stolen 15+ years ago and in Nov of '23 I got a letter that it was recovered. Doing the paperwork, paying fees, and jumping through hoops in CA to get my property back. Supposedly its still in good shape and has a scope on it. I dont even remember what scope I put on it back then. Hopefully someone gave it an upgrade.

I checked the arrest records for the county it was recovered in. Only person arrested for possession of a stolen firearm within 2 months of the recovery was a native lady who left the res with a handful of loaded guns. Likely trafficking firearms to sell somewhere. Id guess my rifle was traded to someone on the res at some point for drugs considering it was in northern coastal CA.

Never killed anything with that rifle but its the first one I started big game hunting with, and was a present from my Dad. I will be glad to get it back, put it to use, and give it to my son when hes older.