Old vs new

[Skillet]

I had a weird realization just now. Last year, I ended up deer hunting with a Traditions Deerhunter 50cal percussion sidelock. I killed 3 deer with it, and it shot great. Then, over the winter, I bought a CVA Accura V2 inline, & topped it with a Nikon 3x9. I wanted to be able to reach out, & I just thought the inline would be a step up all around. You know, the newest and coolest thing. This spring, I sighted in the CVA. It shot great! But honestly, I didn't enjoy it. It was no fun compared to the sidelock.

Next, I thought I would buy the Savage 220 stainless / realtree, & it would be the ultimate deer slayer. I was sighting it in today after the morning hunt, & it shoots great, way out past 100yds. Even though it's a tack driver & a nice shooting gun, I suddenly realized I wasn't having any fun. I found myself wishing I had the old sidelock in my hands, sighting down the brass blade & waiting for the smoke to clear. I'm seriously leaning towards shelving the high tech, high dollar stuff, & taking the sidelock out all season again. Turns out the new is good, but I enjoy the old better. Am I crazy? Should I stick with the guns that will let me reach out?

[jjb4900]

not crazy at all.....there's something special about using the old.

[philoshop]

"New and improved" is a sales slogan. "Tried and true" is a way of life.

Whether it's guns, recipes, girlfriends, or tools, I always lean toward the tried and true.

[Pygmy]

My one and only muzzleloader is a TC Hawken .50 cal. which was a birthday present from my wife in the early 1970's...

 

The woman flew the coop several years ago......Still got the rifle, and it  still works great...

[Jaeger]

Not crazy at all.  Fixed up my A&H inline.  Bought a new LHR Redemption inline.

 

I find myself looking at my CVA Mountain rifle - 50cal percussion and my Hatfield longrifle with its 42" barrel in .45 percussion, both patch and roundball.  

 

The mountain rifle is the original cva with browned steel and pewter nose cap.

 

The Hatfield is wicked accurate as long as I do my part.

 

Both are much more fun in hand than my modern inlines.  I never learn.

[Skillet]

Yeah I really like the muzzleloader, even during regular season. The deer I killed never knew the difference. That Hawken hammers the crap out of them. I'm shooting 90gr of ffg & a 385gr Great plains conical.

[jjb4900]

My one and only muzzleloader is a TC Hawken .50 cal. which was a birthday present from my wife in the early 1970's...

 

The woman flew the coop several years ago......Still got the rifle, and it  still works great...

some things always work...others? not so much.

[Doc]

When it comes to hunting, I really do understand and appreciate stepping back to add some challenge into an activity that is suppose to be all about challenge. Nothing "crazy" about that.

[ants]

I recently bought a new Ruger American rifle. Its my first synthetic stocked rifle.  It shoots awesome and I thought I would try to break it in on opening day. I shot my old, wood stocked Remington 700, 30-06 for the first time in 4 or 5 years, this past Thursday and I completely changed my mind. The 700 gets the start on opening day.

[Jaeger]

I recently bought a new Ruger American rifle. Its my first synthetic stocked rifle.  It shoots awesome and I thought I would try to break it in on opening day. I shot my old, wood stocked Remington 700, 30-06 for the first time in 4 or 5 years, this past Thursday and I completely changed my mind. The 700 gets the start on opening day.

Bought a couple of synthetic stocked rifles over the past year or two, .204, .308 and .338fed.

 

Going to sell the 204 and 338, just don't enjoy them as much as my rem 7600.  Keeping the 308 tikka, very accurate and light, for those really nasty weather days.  Have a M70 classic stainless in 375 H&H fitted to me I'll keep as well.

 

Going back to wood stocked rifles.  Maybe rebarrel a win88 or savage99 to 338 Fed.

 

But getting off topic.  

 

Went to a workshop with cabin creek muzzleloading a year ago and started on a 24 guage flintlock fowler from scratch, and I do mean mostly from scratch!!  Hand fitting all metal to the wood, may take a while but will wind up with a beautiful gun, can shoot 58 cal round ball in addition to shot.

 

Gona' pull out that hatfield and get her going!!!

[NFA-ADK]

Not an easy gun to shoot as many drop their arms before the shot is done.  Tradition, conneciton to the poineers and our four fathers, yes thier is something very specail about using these guns.  Use the gun you like even if not considered the best weapon, in your hands it is wich is an accomplishment in itself!

[G-Man]

I love the old over the new, I have a 50 cal long rifle that is a tack driver! 75 yards with open sites cuts a cloverleaf! For longer range I have a .54 great plains with a vernier tang peep sight. New is ok but it feels so much better doing it with old!

[Daveboone]

I still prefer to carry my Lyman Great Plains rifle, though my TC sees more woods time due to better optics....

Although I usually carry a scoped rifle when I am seriously hunting, I prefer my peep sight rigged Winchester 94 when I am wandering the woods....It (like the Plains rifle) just feel right.

[ants]

 

 

 

Going back to wood stocked rifles.  Maybe rebarrel a win88 or savage99 to 338 Fed.

 

 

Sorry ..but if you deface one of those old classics like that, I will have no choice but to report you to the proper authorities !!!!!!

[nyantler]

If you're crazy.. I must be completely nuts. I will never own an inline muzzleloader... or shoot anything but patch & ball. Traditional stuff is what makes hunting fun for me.

[ATbuckhunter]

Just because it "new and improved" doesn't mean its for you. Some people just like older guns. Whats the point of hunting with something you won't have as much fun with?

[Jaeger]

Sorry ..but if you deface one of those old classics like that, I will have no choice but to report you to the proper authorities !!!!!!

Guilty as charged!! Sorry, don't know what came over me. (really like the .338 fed ctg.)

 

Guess I look for an 88 or 99 in .358.

 

I'm a vegetarian (old Indian word for bad hunter) so I buy old guns thinking they know how to hunt better than I do!!

 

(p.s., not a vegetarian)

[Pygmy]

Glad to see you are coming to your senses, Jaeger....<<wink>>...

 

The 88 or 99 levers  NEED to be in .358...

 

If you want something similar in a bolt action, there are LOTS of nice old commercial Mausers on the market in 9.3 x 57, with performance similar to a .358 OR a .338 Federal, and they're CHEAP  !!

 

The only reason I haven't bought one is because I need another rifle like I need another hole in my head, PLUS the fact I have a 9.3 x 62 that I could load down and get similar ballistics..