I was putting my rifle back into the safe last night after a successful hunt. And it occurred to me that it is my best rifle ever. And its in good company, with 5 current mates and probably 15 predecessors over a span of 50 plus years.
Its a Browning micro xbolt in .243. Wood and blue. The micro model has a slightly shorter length of pull (I find that this aids with off hand shots) and a 20" barrel. I've had it for maybe 15 years.
Its never let me down. Its never rusted to the extent that I couldn't wipe it off with an oily rag, despite some rough treatment. It shoots all bullet weights under a MOA. Its never lost its zero. It has a great half cock if I want to use it. It feeds and extracts faultlessly. The trigger is great for hunting. Nothing not to like.
I've shot maybe 100 animals with it. I could count on one hand the number of times I've missed, or the times I've used an extra shot. Its shot reds, fallow, sika and Tahr at 8 yards to 500.
I think that the calibre makes it likeable too. Its good enough for most occasions and is a pleasure to use. I've tried lots of bullet and load combinations but the last has been the best; 85 grn Interbond at 3300 fps.
Lastly, its now got a Leupold 3-12 VX6 on it. If this thread was about scopes, I think that this would be my best ever too.
Whats your "best ever"?
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