sageadvice
Long Time Member
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Some of you probably remember me talking about the first rifle i ever bought with my own money, a first production year Rem 700 ADL in 25-06.
I bought the rifle in 1969. I spent my summer bucking hay from the field stacked into the Barn for $.05 a bale. By mid summer, i ordered up the rifle and straight 6 power Redfield scope from a little sporting goods store on the edge of Livermore Ca.
Back in those days, ammo wasn't too expensive and i was always working on the ranch so i had money to buy ammo and shot this rifle quite a bit. Blackbirds swinging in the breeze while perched on a mustard plant was a favorite target. Had to time the swing but more times than not, there was a big puff of black feathers at the shot. Ground squirrels, quarters, crows, jack rabbits, and most else in those hills at the time, all got attention from me and my rifle.
Deer all the sudden became easy targets when before with the ol Winchester 94 30-30 long tom, any deer within easy distance had at least a 50-50 chance of dodging the bullet. With the new gun though, i became not only a hard hunter but a good hard hunter that hardly ever missed and the word was around that joey and his new rifle were going to be a team to recon with both in the field and at the Rod and Gun Club that my Family belonged to for many years. The rifle was a natural shooter by anyone's standards.
As was the usual, anytime there was a birthday in the Family, friends and family would gather up at the ranch i grew up on. The Gals would be in the kitchen of the ol ranch house and us men, i was still a kid really, would gather out in the yard where we had a bench set up and hundreds of ground squirrels to shoot at. Long story short, i won a fair amount on side bets with that 25-06 and my Uncle Mike paid attention to that as his Winchester model 88 in .308 was giving him problems and more missed deer than he cared for me to talk about.
Some years later, i just had to have a new fancy wood stocked Weatherby mark 5 in .257 Weatherby Magnum. Once i had the Weatherby in hand, my Uncle Mike was quick to inquire of my plans for my 25-06 to which i asked if was interested in buying it. I sold it to him cheap and to this day, i have always regretted selling that very first great shooting rifle of mine.
About 11 months ago, my Uncle Mike passed away. He had hundreds attend his services and many also came up to the ranch BBQ afterward to which i also attended. A few weeks ago, my Auntie called and asked if there was something of Uncle Mikes that i would like to have... She just now called me back and after checking with my Cousins, they were all for me getting this most precious, to me, rifle back in my hands. Uncle Mike hunted it from the day he got it but he never really put very many rounds down the tube. He always reminded me though, of just how good a shooting that rifle was and was proud of that fact.
Well, it is coming home. I am feeling awful Blessed!
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
I bought the rifle in 1969. I spent my summer bucking hay from the field stacked into the Barn for $.05 a bale. By mid summer, i ordered up the rifle and straight 6 power Redfield scope from a little sporting goods store on the edge of Livermore Ca.
Back in those days, ammo wasn't too expensive and i was always working on the ranch so i had money to buy ammo and shot this rifle quite a bit. Blackbirds swinging in the breeze while perched on a mustard plant was a favorite target. Had to time the swing but more times than not, there was a big puff of black feathers at the shot. Ground squirrels, quarters, crows, jack rabbits, and most else in those hills at the time, all got attention from me and my rifle.
Deer all the sudden became easy targets when before with the ol Winchester 94 30-30 long tom, any deer within easy distance had at least a 50-50 chance of dodging the bullet. With the new gun though, i became not only a hard hunter but a good hard hunter that hardly ever missed and the word was around that joey and his new rifle were going to be a team to recon with both in the field and at the Rod and Gun Club that my Family belonged to for many years. The rifle was a natural shooter by anyone's standards.
As was the usual, anytime there was a birthday in the Family, friends and family would gather up at the ranch i grew up on. The Gals would be in the kitchen of the ol ranch house and us men, i was still a kid really, would gather out in the yard where we had a bench set up and hundreds of ground squirrels to shoot at. Long story short, i won a fair amount on side bets with that 25-06 and my Uncle Mike paid attention to that as his Winchester model 88 in .308 was giving him problems and more missed deer than he cared for me to talk about.
Some years later, i just had to have a new fancy wood stocked Weatherby mark 5 in .257 Weatherby Magnum. Once i had the Weatherby in hand, my Uncle Mike was quick to inquire of my plans for my 25-06 to which i asked if was interested in buying it. I sold it to him cheap and to this day, i have always regretted selling that very first great shooting rifle of mine.
About 11 months ago, my Uncle Mike passed away. He had hundreds attend his services and many also came up to the ranch BBQ afterward to which i also attended. A few weeks ago, my Auntie called and asked if there was something of Uncle Mikes that i would like to have... She just now called me back and after checking with my Cousins, they were all for me getting this most precious, to me, rifle back in my hands. Uncle Mike hunted it from the day he got it but he never really put very many rounds down the tube. He always reminded me though, of just how good a shooting that rifle was and was proud of that fact.
Well, it is coming home. I am feeling awful Blessed!
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
