Not just any Winchester.
A '76 bicentennial.
Engraved.... beautiful,.
An actual levergun I could call my own.
As a child I'd flip through the gun mags at the grandarents while they were having their afternoon nap, near slobbering over the Winchesters and Marlins.
Rising from the ashes of my youth as it were, I really cherished this new to me mechanical wonder in my hands.
The history of the cartridge and rifle together was enchanting. It mesmerized me to no end and lead me deep into google land.
It served me well for many years camping/plinking steel, making great memories with family and friends.
Soon after my initial outings I mounted a Lyman peep on it and never looked back.
I've since made it my cast shooter and am just getting to the good stuff.
..,...Moving on.... ... after taking it coyote hunting a few times... I wasn't the John Wayne I thought I was, lol.
After handling a few different rifles, I concluded a Mossberg 100 ATR in .243 for $300 was my ticket to dead dogs. And maybe deer one day.
A Mossberg rifle?!
I knew nothing really, about rifles in general and to this day am happy with the choice I made.
It's light, has an ultra smooth bolt throw and shoots moa with at least two factory loads that I've since forgotten.
Did I mention the trigger? Oh man. Winning.
I've read it's a Savage type barrel nut... if I ever get out to put enough rounds through it to change the barrel......
It's a 2011 so all the kinks we're long worked out.
Being a 22" 10 twist in .243 I got the privilege of learning more about bullet weights.
55's hammered every dog I ever hit with nary an exit that I could remember. In fact I only ever missed one with that rifle. 400 yards. My bad.
I figure about 20 coyotes to this rifle and lots of camping target fun. It's a big boom so it's exciting for the visitors but doesn't beat the snot out if them.
I've had the same scope on it. A Bushnell Wide Angle 4-16. I had the opportunity to check out a Leopold vx3 on a 22-250 for long enough to know where I live, a .243 is the better choice, and, I'd like a skookum scope again one day.
Again, I googled the rifle and cartridge to death and I don't think that I did so bad after all.
Also, the performance of the .243 was spot on for my purposes and I am now slowly beginning to fanny burp around with the new bullets I got for those smarty pants that keep running to the opposite end of the field I'm at.
Haven't tried for deer with it yet...
.....One fine day, a 2001 SS Marlin 60 who's action was in rough shape landed in my lap. Hmmm. More reading.
Dude, sweet!
After some tlc it's become a real favorite.
The laminated salt and pepper stock with a Simmons scope, turret calibrated for .22...... I've got a pic somewhere of a few shots out to our 165 yard gong that's as tight as I'll ever need for that distance.
With the action smoothed out and a home trigger job it's really a beautiful thing all around.
This is with rem's 36 grain golden bullet.
I just started playing with other ammo.....
Man... three rifles.
Good ones.
A Winchester lever in 30-30 - a capable and effective romantic.
A crazy Mossberg bolt in .243 - instant lazer death, every time
A semiauto .22 - beautiful, accurate, dependable plinker
.......After a couple hairy experiences while camping, our family Mossberg 590 mariner camp shotgun got an action overhaul and I thought to myself... Self, you can do this better.
Voila! A refurb Mossberg persuader/cruiser 500 on a closing out sale.
Action jobby and flashlight - good to go!!
I looked and looked and finally... my shotgun.
If I ever go for birds I'll get the long barrel but I gotta say, I'm pretty happy for now with it as is.
A real pounder that I can knock a 9" plate around with at 50 yards offhand.
Now to start building my own slugs....
To be continued....
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