What’s your beater rifle?

[Ray B]

I had a JC Higgins M50 30-06 that I sold to my brother- but as I think about it, I don't recall him ever paying me, so I guess I should say that I gave it to my brother. Oh well..

 

[Ridgewalker]

Just an FYI, but most stainless steel will still get rust spots (at least the 400 series which rifles are made of). The reason is they still have iron in them for strength. If you either polish them (abrading the iron off) or passivate (acid dip to dissolve the free irons from the surface) then no iron is left on the surface to rust.
A good way to protect anything from rusting Is wax. I have used car wax at times, but Renaissance wax is designed for guns.

 

[fsrmg1]

A 1950's era FN M98 9.3mm Safari grade that has been cleaned up and rechambered to 9.3x66 Sako to freshen the throat up. Should give it a few more thousand rounds lifespan.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Just an FYI, but most stainless steel will still get rust spots (at least the 400 series which rifles are made of). The reason is they still have iron in them for strength. If you either polish them (abrading the iron off) or passivate (acid dip to dissolve the free irons from the surface) then no iron is left on the surface to rust.
A good way to protect anything from rusting Is wax. I have used car wax at times, but Renaissance wax is designed for guns.

Thanks for the tip. I haven't tried wax but it seems like a good idea. I've always dried the gun at the end of the day and then wiped it down with Breakfree. Have not developed any signs of rust yet, but I may coat it with wax before next season.

 

[Badboymelvin]

Don't know if l'd call it a beater, but this will be my rough weather rifle for hunting Sambar in the thick stuff.
It's a Zastava M70 in .458WM.
It's fitted with a Hogue stock with the full aluminium bedding block and it's going to be fitted with a Leupold 1.5-4x20 scope as soon as it arrives.
Once all together l'll feed it my usual load of Woodleigh 480gn SN over 74gn of 2206H for 2150fps. Once sighted in I will feel supremely confident with this set-up.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Don't know if l'd call it a beater, but this will be my rough weather rifle for hunting Sambar in the thick stuff.
It's a Zastava M70 in .458WM.
It's fitted with a Hogue stock with the full aluminium bedding block and it's going to be fitted with a Leupold 1.5-4x20 scope as soon as it arrives.
Once all together l'll feed it my usual load of Woodleigh 480gn SN over 74gn of 2206H for 2150fps. Once sighted in I will feel supremely confident with this set-up.

View attachment 334873

A .458? Those sambar must be really tough! Seriously though, as long as you don't have to shoot too far, your rig will take any animal on the planet. Best of luck.

 

[raimanparoni]

My beater rifle is a mosin nagant m44 sprayed with duracoat in an ati stock topped with a vortex scout scope. Not a beauty queen and kicks as much as my lightweight savage .300 win mag, but it just plain gets the job done every time no matter what.

Do you have original trigger and safety. I think Timney offer trigger with safety for them. good ivestment

 

[Badboymelvin]

A .458? Those sambar must be really tough! Seriously though, as long as you don't have to shoot too far, your rig will take any animal on the planet. Best of luck.

Haha! They’re not that tough but I do like it when they don’t travel far!
Yep, love the .458 and properly loaded one fears nothing when out hunting...

 

[Badboymelvin]

Do you have original trigger and safety. I think Timney offer trigger with safety for them. good ivestment

Yep, now that I’ve got the scope fitted a Timney trigger is on the cards next

 

[Badboymelvin]

Hey guys,

Here's my 'beater' rifle completed...
Nice and light,
points well,
handles well,
and a rifle I can take out in bad weather and not have to worry about.
It's just a pity its ugly...

 

[CBH Australia]

Hey guys,

Here's my 'beater' rifle completed...
Nice and light,
points well,
handles well,
and a rifle I can take out in bad weather and not have to worry about.
It's just a pity its ugly...

View attachment 335526

Just use it!
Not fussed on the colour but ill bet its functional and the stock should hold up.
When they said beater rifle i think they were meaning something something carried all the time on an everyday cartridge chambering. A ultility rifle for carting all the time for smacking pests and stuff.

 

[Standard Velocity]

Just an FYI, but most stainless steel will still get rust spots (at least the 400 series which rifles are made of). The reason is they still have iron in them for strength. If you either polish them (abrading the iron off) or passivate (acid dip to dissolve the free irons from the surface) then no iron is left on the surface to rust.
A good way to protect anything from rusting Is wax. I have used car wax at times, but Renaissance wax is designed for guns.

I’ve seen stainless guns rust. Two guys I hunt with both use stainless Rem 700’s from the custom shop. They both put these little camouflage raincoats on them (ugly as hell).

One of them wanted me to look at his scope (a nice older Khales) and I pulled back the raincoat. These guys hunt in most any condition without doing much maintenance. Rust on everything under the raincoat.

 

[Standard Velocity]

Finally got out to play with my new all weather rifle yesterday. It’s not what I’d call a fine rifle but so far it’s reliable, reasonably compact, reasonably lightweight and pretty accurate.

Tikka T3 Stainless Light

 

[ldmay375]

I have some blued and walnut rifles but they see little to no hunting use. My hunting rifles are stainless and synthetic. I camp in an unheated tent and unless there is a drought it usually rains more often than not. If not raining it is usually foggy or misting rain. Sunny days are an exception. A couple of weeks or more of this can take its toll on gear.
I suppose all my actual using rifles are beaters. I mostly use a stainless Ruger Mark II or Hawkeye version, occasionally a stainless M70 Classic or stainless Kimber.

Some of us have nice rifles and some of us have utilitarian rifles. Many scoff at “safe queens” and deride those who are overly concerned by the odd scratch on their shooting tools.

I don’t mind scuffs and scrapes from honest hunting but rust is just neglect as far as I’m concerned. I like my finer rifles to look cared for and keeping blueing blue can be a challenge in the field.

My “beater” Remington Model Seven is inexpensive, compact and handy. I don’t mind hunting in the rain and find it to be pretty productive. This rifle is, however, blued and the first fleck of rust was off putting. The fact that it’s an inexpensive rifle is really beside the point; you have to take care of your stuff.

So this year I have bought a plastic stocked, stainless steel Tikka to serve as my beater. A Leupold 2.5-8 tops it off and the 22” barrel may get trimmed to 20”. No emotional attachment and reasonably impervious to the environment.

What do you all trudge through rain, snow and sleet with?

 

[KoadaKane]

I really “don’t have a beater”; they are all go to guns.

HOWEVER....Back whenI worked at a sporting goods store I sold the Remington M788’s for around $79.95. That price compared to the M-700 and M-70...was a deal. I still have a “few” in different calibers.

I keep a 788 in .223 and a .243 in the truck when traveling, as my “go to beater”.

 

[MISportsman]

Do you have original trigger and safety. I think Timney offer trigger with safety for them. good ivestment

I have not made that upgrade, but it is in the planning

 

[Rick Cox]

View attachment 331311


Win M70 full custom by Al Biesen

I want to see your 'better' rifles...

 

[Rick Cox]

OK here is mine. (Good post BTW). 1903 Springfield still in 30-06. Given to me by a relative in Utah about 50 years ago. Metal work done by a gunsmith in Dawson Creek. hand carved stock by (Chris) Wilcox Gunworks in Cherryville BC. Timney trigger. 2.5x8 Leupold scope. It is surprisingly accurate.

 

[Major Khan]

View attachment 336186 OK here is mine. (Good post BTW). 1903 Springfield still in 30-06. Given to me by a relative in Utah about 50 years ago. Metal work done by a gunsmith in Dawson Creek. hand carved stock by (Chris) Wilcox Gunworks in Cherryville BC. Timney trigger. 2.5x8 Leupold scope. It is surprisingly accurate.

1 of my favorite actions ... The Springfield Model 1903 .

 

[Ray B]

I want to see your 'better' rifles...

If you consider a Springfield M1903 Mark I (1919) "better" then here it is.