What’s your beater rifle?

[Safari Dave]

I love nice rifles, but I have to admit that I have a couple of "beaters."


- A Ruger American in .308 Winchester that rides in my truck's toolbox all the time.

- A Stainless/synthetic Remington Model 700 in .30/06 with a Burris 3.5-10x50. I have taken quite a few animals with this one, because I don't care how wet it gets or how dinged up it gets.

 

[Red Leg]

Blaser R8 Professional. Synthetic stock, indestructible finish on the metal, and any caliber I choose.

 

[Robharris]

Rem 700 is a perfect beater rifle imo. Always performs well, no matter what. At this point I'm certain it's going to take a nuclear warfare for it to stop working.

 

[Daggaboy375]

Ruger Ultralight in 308.

First two shots are money.

DB

 

[93marlin]

1946 Winchester '94 on 32 special.
I bought used for $200, pitted exterior, interior is like new. It's my swamp deer rifle..

 

[TroyF]

Some guys get a bit crabby when you say beater, but really it's just a good reliable rifle that you won't cry if it get some starches or dirty.

one was a first year marlin 336 35 Remington I used to have, was a old barn gun and was rusted and half of the bore was pitted. Gun shot very well and killed many deer, even a halemarry shot at over 250 one time on a doe I dropped. Was nice for holding barbwire fence down or as a walking stick on steep hills.

guess now my ruger ts 77 7x57 is, tho I try to keep it nice, it's climbing up in value so may not be used as much only on easy hunts in nice weather. I really need to pick up a stainless crf rifle for the rainy days, a kimber hunter may fill the role nice.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Remington 788, I’ve seen a few and those that have them are suitably satisfied. Particularly given the age of these rifles.
I have a mate who has used one shooting Roos professionally. He calls it the mortgage payer.
He has worn out a couple having them Rebarelled numerous times.
@KoadaKane what year were they. Selling for $80 new . ($U.S.)
I see them for sale From maybe $350 to $600 secondhand. There re still people in Australia that like the 788 for whatever the appeal is to them.

@CBH Australia
Chris I still have a 788 in 222rem that shoot half inch groups all day. My last one was a 22/250 I bought in the late 70s with controel mounts 4 to 12 tasco world class scope a heap of ammo and reloading gear for 120 dollars.
Bob

 

[93marlin]

@CBH Australia
Chris I still have a 788 in 222rem that shoot half inch groups all day. My last one was a 22/250 I bought in the late 70s with controel mounts 4 to 12 tasco world class scope a heap of ammo and reloading gear for 120 dollars.
Bob

I've owned a few 788's. I used one in 222rem on a prairie dog hunt several years ago. Lights out accurate.
A couple more I wish I had back now. A 44 magnum and a 30-30. Try to find one of those now!!

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Ruger precision rifle, 6mm creedmore. Purchased to start shooting PRS matches. Starting shooting PD’s with it while the 204 barrel was cooling down. Last winter tried it calling coyotes and really liked it. Accurate to 1200 yards, reliable, and has taken everything l sent it after so far. Shooting a Hornady 108 ELD-X M. Other than big game hunting it’s the rifle l grab on a daily basis. I might even shoot a match with it someday!

 

[Philip Glass]

Ruger American, Ranch model with the tan stock and Leupold scope. 5.56 with a can on it. I shoot 70g Barnes TSX and can take down most anything that moves here in Texas. I love this rifle and now have a hard time grabbing anything else.

 

[Andrew62]

Like many of us, I have several guns, some pretty nice ones, but when I am going whitetail deer or black bear hunting, I always grab my Ruger American .243 with barrel cut to 18", threaded for suppressor.

 

[Hunt anything]

Mine is a .375 Ruger Alaskan, it goes in my truck on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and put back in the safe on the 10th of February (our Alabama deer season) I hump it on my daily walks of 6 to 8 miles just in case a whitetail makes a mistake and crosses the trail.
The .375 is then replaced with a Ruger American.204 for coyotes and other critters on the farm until deer season starts again.

 

[93marlin]

Mine is a .375 Ruger Alaskan, it goes in my truck on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and put back in the safe on the 10th of February (our Alabama deer season) I hump it on my daily walks of 6 to 8 miles just in case a whitetail makes a mistake and crosses the trail.
The .375 is then replaced with a Ruger American.204 for coyotes and other critters on the farm until deer season starts again.

I just bought one of the Ruger Alaskan's.
I plan on working on a good black bear load before a Manitoba hunting the end of August/1st of September

 

[Thedoveshooter]

My Husqvarna 648 in 8x57mm with a Weaver K6. Still a nice rifle, but I don't fret over it like most of my others.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

It's possible I already answered on this one. I don't remember.

I don't own any safe queens. I use and shoot everything. To me a safe queen is a monarch who owns a lot of locking containers. My guns were meant to shoot. I do my very best to care for them, and the specific situation might make me choose one over another. But I *think* of all of them as everyday guns, all being options to whatever task is needed. My Marlin XLR/.338 Marlin Express is my go-to rifle. I use it more than any other just because I have such confidence in it. Stainless, and with a laminated stock... I almost never give it a second thought in the field irrespective of the conditions, so maybe it's my "beater" rifle.

 

[AHughes]

Marlin 336 35 remington , point squeeze meat on table

 

[TroyF]

Marlin 336 35 remington , point squeeze meat on table

Lets hope marlin makes some more 35rem 336's.

 

[TKessel]

Weatherby 223 (summer truck gun)
Kimber Montana 300 win mag
Remington 700- 375 H&H
All three show years of working guns

 

[Challer]

Blaser R8 Professional. Synthetic stock, indestructible finish on the metal, and any caliber I choose.

Same. I pull out one of the Luxus when I want to show off

 

[1dirthawker]

mine is a 375 ruger alaskan with hogue stock. it takes a beating and just smiles in its own ugly reliable way. when guiding it gets salt water on it EVERY day. it is short, handy and just works. i love that gun. but...the recoil pad tip is gone, sharp rock i guess, but still works great, can't hurt it.