Rifle Retirement?

[Godfather]

Many on this forum will have been fortunate in life to have had, or have today, more than one rifle, and many yet still will have gone to a place of even specialization in rifles for various environments, game, etc. For those who are that disciplined, congrats. Some may be different, and despite having an abundance of choices, each time they ready for an adventure, the safe is cracked open and the same familiar, well proven, comfortable choice is made, the same rifle is taken to the field.

So here is the question: if you tend to use the same rifle over and over, stacking kills on the ledger, is there a point where you force a virtual retirement, and move to something new? If you answer in the affirmative, what is the catalyst for you to consider the shift?

In my vintage Porsche passion, I have experienced a similar dynamic, walking to the garage for a great analog drive, already thinking about what music I will blast on the curvy canyon roads, if any, and then I come to the key drawer, and the bigger choice of what car I’m going to take from the stable. Let me say, I’ve sold many a beautiful four wheeled creation because I found I was quietly biasing to one ride over another, and leaving a few less used, unfathomable as that might seem.

I’ve heard this debate among close friends as we discuss adventures, past, present and future. Would love this forums perspective.

 

[Kyle Wright]

My father gifted me a rifle at Christmas years ago, a Remington 700 ADL in .270. I've not hunted with it a decade or better, in part because it's spilled more blood than every other rifle in my safe combined. It hasn't been retired, per se, but there are other rifles in front of it. That decision for me was as simple as wanting to shoot other rifles..

 

[Ron Dan]

My Rem 700 .308 was shifted into the retirement bucket about 10yrs back. I stupidly transferred it from a Hogue overmold stock and put it into a shitty chassis. It took away the character from the gun and I stopped shooting it. Now thinking about it, I’m going to make a point to switch it back to the Hogue stock and put it back into the rotation.

 

[badgererickson]

Grandpa's old 38-56. Have a friend who has been re-loading for me, he's gone into the semi-retired mode of " wtf are you shooting at..." grumpathons. Arthritis in HIS hands. It's always been just a wall hanger, probably killed more buffalo than whitetails in my hands. I have this dilemma more in the moto world and "should I sell" off some of the dirt bikes. They're like old friends when you've had them more than 3 decades. Porsches? Oh dude, looking at these Boxster Ss lately, which kinda spurs making room in the garage, and we go in circles...Drive on!

 

[Godfather]

Well said! Indeed “old friends” and hard to say goodbye.

Grandpa's old 38-56. Have a friend who has been re-loading for me, he's gone into the semi-retired mode of " wtf are you shooting at..." grumpathons. Arthritis in HIS hands. It's always been just a wall hanger, probably killed more buffalo than whitetails in my hands. I have this dilemma more in the moto world and "should I sell" off some of the dirt bikes. They're like old friends when you've had them more than 3 decades. Porsches? Oh dude, looking at these Boxster Ss lately, which kinda spurs making room in the garage, and we go in circles...Drive on!