SOME OF US buy a rifle purely as a tool of hunting or agriculture. Others buy them with a reverence, intending to pass them down as an heirloom with wooden stocks polished, aesthetic value maintained and rough treatment avoided. But irrespective of reasons, when a firearm has served someone well for many years, it’s very easy to develop a strong attachment to it.
TWELVE years ago, in my early 20s, hunting became a serious pursuit for me and I set about buying a solid. all-purpose bolt-action that would cover my deer and medium game hunting needs well into the future. I was a student and my budget was tight, requiring me to trade in my Marlin .30-30 to fund the new purchase, a decision that still hurts to this day but practically it was the right move.
I wasn’t lucky enough to have the knowledge I do now, but in my mind I had a trusting impression of the Remington 700 action, which was also serving the
