First Chambering?

[Red Rabbit]

When you purchased your first big game rifle, what chambering did you choose and why?

When I moved to South Texas and started hunting 40 years ago, I needed a deer rifle.  After reading an article in one of the annual rifle magazines, a story by noted deer hunter John Wooters swayed my decision  He wrote that for his first custom rifle, it was chambered in the 7mm Express Remington (aka 280).  I figured if that chambering was a good choice for his custom, it would be good for my first rifle too, which was a Remington 700 BDL.  A couple of my friends had accurate 270s, but the 7 Express was a little different.

[briant_az]

My first deer rifle was a 25-06. I worked at Sportsman's warehouse while I was going to college and one of the other employees was a retired guide pilot and guide from Wyoming. He talked very highly of the caliber and kind of steered me in that direction. I loved the gun and ended up shooting my first deer with it that year. I can't remember why I sold it now, but I sold that Weatherby Vanguard to a fellow forum member. He lived in Tucson and his brother picked it up for him at my house. @swampokie was that you? I remember swamp was in the user name but that was it. 

 

[Roosevelt Mark]

788 Remington in .243. Bought it at chandler gun show at Knights of Columbus for $175 in 1987. Killed a shot load of deer with it, now it's one over my sons gun.

[PRDATR]

I bought a SMLE in 303 British for $65 from Al's Bait Shop in Mesa about 1977. Never did hunt with it though but my first new rifle was a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 30-06 I bought in the early 80's from Walk-In Auto on Southern/Mill for $269 as a spur of the moment. I gave it to one of my brothers a decade later. I shot my first deer with it, a spike Mule Deer in a wash between Cottonwood Ranch and the lake hunting by myself. I had never killed a deer before and had a bit of a time hoisting it up in a Palo Verde so I could gut it then tossed it over my shoulder and walked about 100 yards back to the truck and drove home.

The wife was at work so I put a tarp on the kitchen table and butchered it there.

[452b264]

My first rifle I bought was a used M 700 280 Rem. for $250 I then harvested a heaping truck load of deer with it. 

[Red Rabbit]

2 hours ago, PRDATR said:

The wife was at work so I put a tarp on the kitchen table and butchered it there.

That made me smile and laugh.

[lancetkenyon]

I borrowed rifles from friends and family for my first 4 years of big game hunting.  All 4 different rifles were in .30-06 Spr.  

When I turned 18, I saved up and bought an Interarms Mark X .270 Win.  Hunted with that rifle for years.  I killed several deer and an elk with it.  Paige killed her first elk with it.  My Dad killed his first deer with it too.  My cousin killed his first deer with it.  Several friends killed both deer and elk with it. 

It was not smooth.  It was not overly accurate.  It was not real pretty.  It was nothing special.  It had a cheap scope on it.  But it sure killed a lot of game.  I sometimes regret selling it.  But I hope the new owner has as good of luck with it as we did.  

[257 STW]

Remington 700 270win grandpa bought it for me at Kmart in 1989

[Hoofnit]

Winchester model 70 XTR in 270 Winchester, worked all summer for a contractor picking up nails or whatever job a 12 year old could have in '76 for .50 cents an hour, at the end of summer I had $256. Ordered the rifle through a guy my dad knew that had an FFl, when it came dad sported for a weaver 4x from Kmart. My youngest brothers kids are still hunting with it...

[10Turkeys]

Remington 700 ADL 30-06, bought it at the K-Mart on Dobson and Broadway around 73-74. That a Garcia-Astra in .357 and a RCBS rock chucker reloading kit went adios to pay some bills after I got married the first time around.

[Big Tub]

Ruger M77 .270 in 1976 from Jensen's.  It is still the only rifle I have harvested any big game to include my sheep.  Cuz Jack O'Connor said so. 

 

[10Turkeys]

13 minutes ago, Big Tub said:

Ruger M77 .270 in 1976 from Jensen's.  It is still the only rifle I have harvested any big game to include my sheep.  Cuz Jack O'Connor said so. 

 

I think ol Jack would have steered you into a model 70 though.

[Bucks&bulls]

Ruger M77 .308 bought used from the Mini Gun Shop in Mesa around 1983. Shot my first deer with that rifle. Had that and a 70 series Colt Government on layaway at the same time. Still have them both. Had a good friend that was an marine sniper who also shot Combat matches that was a big influence on my gun buying decisions back then. 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

30/30 lever gun from service merchandise

[swampokie]

8 hours ago, briant_az said:

My first deer rifle was a 25-06. I worked at Sportsman's warehouse while I was going to college and one of the other employees was a retired guide pilot and guide from Wyoming. He talked very highly of the caliber and kind of steered me in that direction. I loved the gun and ended up shooting my first deer with it that year. I can't remember why I sold it now, but I sold that Weatherby Vanguard to a fellow forum member. He lived in Tucson and his brother picked it up for him at my house. @swampokie was that you? I remember swamp was in the user name but that was it. 

 

Not me.  25-06 is one of the few calibers ive never owned.  Not that i dont want one but ive never found the right gun for the right deal.  Tanger red pad 25-06 is an absolute lust dream for me but usually hard to find one with sharp rifling