The Fine Things In Life

[Kevin Peacocke]

A fine quality (and very accurate) older rifle that you know was carried previously by a great old, dearly-departed hunter! And you carry it with a great respect in all manners and put it to good use...

"Having great kids who display a tremendous work ethic and have successful careers." Here, Here! 'Put my ALL into mine and they're both Doctors today! The finest "things" in my life!!!

'Have a rule w/ respect to gunsafe contents...When they're full, I cannot purchase another unless I'm willing to give one up, and now I'm at the point where I'm hard-pressed to give any of 'em up. Maybe 1 or 2...

Yes, successful children. I have four daughters with 6 degrees amongst them. And they can all fish and shoot better than I can.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

... (related) ... (sort of) ...

I use a mechanical pencil ... specifically, the The Scripto Classic K780, which hasn't been made in decades. I always carry one ... just as I always carry my pocket knife ... and just don't feel completely right without them.

As with most things, the design of mechanical pencils has completely degenerated, due, primarily (I would argue), to "creativity" ... "innovation" ... and a complete lack of understanding of the purpose and function of design. The mechanical pencils made today ... and there are stacks and stacks of them wherever pencils are sold ... are all garbage.

But The Scripto Classic K780 was ... is ... a thing of beauty ... purely functional ... from which its form springs ... something I appreciate greatly ... in all things ...

That little rant was really about The Nature of Design ... (applies to rifles too) ... which could be a separate thread ...

As for THIS thread ... I'm partial to old tools and fine books ... also collect ephemera ... more on that later, maybe ...

Great design is a wonderful thing, like the e-type Jaguar and the Ruger No1.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Really good coffee table books, one never seems to tire of the evocative pictures that transport you to your favourite places and display your interest at it's best. I especially like Westley Richard's Explora and the history of Rigby's.

 

[CM McKenzie]

• A fine horse between your knees.
• Custom brass looped Decker pack saddles.
• Waxed hemp mantee and sling ropes.
• A finely tuned vintage perforated lance tooth cross cut as it sings through the pine.
• A hand forged, hand ground, razor sharp axe head
  
  

 

[C.W. Richter]

And a 416 by Rigby. Did Westley Richards ever have a proprietary cartridge?

How about the 1 .416 Rigby Double Rifle they made (and re-bored to .470, also making new .416 barrels) for the Maharajah of Surjujay (the infamous Tiger hunter) in India? Sharp gun featured in Bill Jones' famous rifle (collection) video. I'll take the bolt, too. Have seen a few at Griffin & Howe over the years.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

This one is an intangible, but nevertheless very special: being escorted to your tent by a guide with a double, for good reason and waking up with a thick head. A gentleman knows the line between fine conversation and drivel, but gives drivel the benefit of the doubt!

 

[R.M.C.]

Now that's hard to beat Kevin!!!!

 

[rnovi]

mustard powder, smoked salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar


is there anything else that could possibly be acceptable?

18# full packer, self-trimmed.
Coarse Salt, Fresh Cracked Pepper, Garlic powder...inject with beef stock.

Kamado at 225, combination of mesquite and apple chunks. At 165, place on a cookie wire rack inside a low cookie tray (keeps the meat out of the juice And preserves the bark) and lightly tent until 200. About 16 hours...

You know the rest.

 

[Firebird]

A couple options-I’ve had a junker truck that I prayed would keeP running just one more day and I’ve had cheap rifles that shot paper plate groups and I’ve been divorced. So being able to sit with my wife and see my high school daughter voted mvp at her soccer game than drive her home in a vehicle made in the last five years-it’s just a Ford 150 but light years ahead of my old old dodge. And I own grandpas pre 64 model 70 in .30-06. He said the barrel was shot out but with some good handloading, it opens tin cans every shot at 200 yards still. So upgrading and improving are my finer things in life.
That said-would love some extra checkering or maybe even some metal engraving on my guns, have dreamed of a custom walnut rifle stock for decades. one of those awesome little diesel Toyota’s from South Africa and maybe One of those detached man garages some of you have posted about in order to properly display my favorites. Simple but elegant to me

 

[Scott CWO]

A beautiful adventurous woman that shares your desires, raised your children well and doesn’t mind your hunting.

A son who excels at everything, has a great job, married well and loves to hunt.

A daughter that stole your heart, broke it and came around to steal it again.

Guiding someone to either their first of that species or their best of a species and receiving their enthusiastic gratitude.

Arriving early to a great vantage point before dawn and glassing up your undisturbed quarry as they mill about feeding, unaware of your presence.

A sundowner with a legend like Bertie Duckworth on top of a kopje at sunset on the last night of your successful safari.

Supercub rides above the Alaskan Peninsula on the way in and out of bear camp.

Winning that motocross race while your friends and family cheer you on.

A great friend to enjoy hunts across the globe.

Tangibles in no particular order:

Swarovski optics.

A fine horse under saddle that remembers every step and turn in the dark of the unmarked cross country trail that takes you back off the mountain while you doze in the saddle, exhausted from a long day guiding.

A fine 4-Star aluminum six-horse slant load horse trailer with full tack room.

6.5 GAPP SAUM rifle with Nightforce scope that is sniper accurate

AHR upgraded CZ550 Safari .458 Lott.

Fine taxidermy in the trophy room.

 

[rnovi]

If I’m being honest, In my Backyard, a night with good friends...the pop of corks from nice bottles of wine...a perfectly smoked Venison Backstrap and all the fixin’s...a couple dogs running about with a couple children causing juuuust enough mayhem...Some decent port & bourbon and a couple cigars late into a 68 degree starlit night around a fire.

I can’t really ask for more.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A beautiful adventurous woman that shares your desires, raised your children well and doesn’t mind your hunting.

A son who excels at everything, has a great job, married well and loves to hunt.

A daughter that stole your heart, broke it and came around to steal it again.

Guiding someone to either their first of that species or their best of a species and receiving their enthusiastic gratitude.

Arriving early to a great vantage point before dawn and glassing up your undisturbed quarry as they mill about feeding, unaware of your presence.

A sundowner with a legend like Bertie Duckworth on top of a kopje at sunset on the last night of your successful safari.

Supercub rides above the Alaskan Peninsula on the way in and out of bear camp.

Winning that motocross race while your friends and family cheer you on.

A great friend to enjoy hunts across the globe.

Tangibles in no particular order:

Swarovski optics.

A fine horse under saddle that remembers every step and turn in the dark of the unmarked cross country trail that takes you back off the mountain while you doze in the saddle, exhausted from a long day guiding.

A fine 4-Star aluminum six-horse slant load horse trailer with full tack room.

6.5 GAPP SAUM rifle with Nightforce scope that is sniper accurate

AHR upgraded CZ550 Safari .458 Lott.

Fine taxidermy in the trophy room.

The Duckworths are great. Legends, true.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Good belts that are a real pleasure to wear. My kids give me a Patrick Mavros belt for fathers days, and I picked up a great one from Holland and Holland a few years ago.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Living in the bush so you smell potato creeper every evening as you sip a good wine.
Copper paraffin lamps with brass fittings.
A wild animal about the property.
Solid teak campaign furniture.

 

[OxfordTheCat]

And a 416 by Rigby. Did Westley Richards ever have a proprietary cartridge?

.318 and a .425.

I've only ever seen (even on the internet) rifles in the .318, and WR actually still makes new production rifles in .318 - I assume with a accordingly nausea inducing price tag.

 

[RockSlinger404]

Shooting a bird over a well trained pointer, nothing comes close!

To quote Hemingway:
“When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first.”

 

[DG Gunsmith]

Quiet leather hunting Accessories made to your specifications are one of the finest things. As well as an understanding and supportive wife

Aye, you can't beat custom Leather Goods... I've been doing Custom Leatherwork, since 1993...

 

[DG Gunsmith]

Myself, I have great appreciation for the finer things in life... I'm somewhat o' a Connoisseur o' sorts... I appreciate a well made Blade... A finely tuned Rifle or Pistol... A Guitar with a good Action, & excellent Tone... A well made set o' Vintage Highland Bagpipes set up with a Hide Bag & Cane Reeds... A good Hat... Fine Optics... Anything that is built to last... A well fitting pair o' Boots... A ruggedly made Safari Waistcoat...
One o' the finer moments o' my life, was running a Turkey Shoot back in 2013... I out shot my Father, in the Finals, with a Winchester 490 .22 that he won in a Turkey Shoot, in 1980(He later gave it to me for my 9th birthday...)... I ended up winning the Competition, but, I gave the $800 Muzzle Loader that I won fair & square, to the man that won 2nd place... This was a big accomplishment for me, as my Dad and I, have always had a very competitive friendly rivalry, when it comes to Shooting... He was one o' finest Shots in Canada, in his day... At 76, he can still out shoot pretty near anyone(I still have to work very hard to beat him)... I could ramble on all day, about the finer points in life... But, alas, I wouldn't want to bore you lads to death...

 

[Rare Breed]

This thread is slightly different from 'some things can never be bettered', this time the theme is extreme quality. This may not appeal to all. Some are die hard practicalists to whom adequacy is right on, no problem with that either. But to some of us, the quest for quality is a driver. Let me say from the outset that this is not necessarily to do with money. Indeed half the fun is finding something exquisite in an antique shop, or at a boot sale. Or it may be consciously saving up over time for an expensive item, as was the case with my Verney Carron, its a basic model that is nevertheless top quality and what I could achieve.
So here is my opening:
Cut glass crystal that rings when you toast
Hand made knives with ivory bolsters
Top quality shirts
Courteney boots
Patrick Mavros silver cuff links, buffalo is the favourite.
Single malt Scotches

My Rizzini 470 NE double and Courtney Boots plus my trophy incredible non replaceable wife

 

[mikecatt13]

'Have a rule w/ respect to gunsafe contents...When they're full, I cannot purchase another unless I'm willing to give one up, and now I'm at the point where I'm hard-pressed to give any of 'em up. Maybe 1 or 2...

Sounds like its time to buy another safe...or 2!