The first rifle I deer hunted with was a Savage produced SMLE. Dad bought it from Sears for $13.00 I believe in 1963. I inherited the rifle 4 years ago and it has since gone to my oldest son. After that I liked the 30-30 in a Mod. 94 Win. By the time I was 15 or so I'd heard how great the 30-06 was over EVERYTHING else I felt as if I would vomit if I heard of the cartridge one more time. I didn't vomit but I knew better even at 15. I vowed never to own one as a hunting rifle and I haven't. I have however, played with a Garand and an 03-A3 long enough to learn their capabilities.
Interests evolved to where I hunted with nothing but muzzleloaders for several years, deer, small game and what few birds were left by the early 1970's. Proved all game could be taken with a PRB and a muzzleloading shotgun and got bored. Late 70's and early 80's saw me shooting quick draw and long range handgunning with a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt and a Colt New Frontier in 44 Spl. Oldest son was becoming quite the shooter by then and he had an interest in sniper type rifles so we played fairly seriously with that for 4-5 years. At the same time I had developed an interest in BPCR and shooting out to 1000 yards and a bit beyond on a couple occasions. I'd still be doing that if I still had a 500 yard range out my back door. At that same time I hunted exclusively with a Shiloh Sharps in 45-90 for 12 or so years. Lord knows the game that rifle piled up. Sometime during that same 12 year period I acquired an Imman. Meffert drilling I used for checking cattle and fence lines. Great combination for such work but I never suspected the ember ignited by that first German firearm would grow into a nearly raging inferno. Shortly after that I bouhght my first double rifle, a German rifle of course, then a British double. I worked with them for a few years and set them aside to pursue a second life long passion, fly fishing, for about 5-7 years. Then I believe about 8 years ago that German firearm interest burst into flames and I've never looked back. I'd have to count how many I've acquired since then, combination guns, drillings, Mannlicher/Schoenauers, German stalking rifle, A C.G. Haenel Schutezen rifle, German Mausers, Swedish Mausers, even an old Husky rolling block in 8 X 58RD No cartridge is duplicated and most are at least a bit obscure. I've had a ball working up accurate, usable hunting loads for all of them. My eye is kept busy seeking out rifles I may not have a representative of and if it's in some weird old cartridge, even better!!
