Favorite
Not even sure what Favorite means!
No matter what other criteria there is, there is always the fact that one rifle has been used more than any other. That would be my Ruger 7mm Mag. But the Browning B92 .44 Mag that Dad gave me has been its backup companion for 20 years or so and has gone elk hunting at least one day each season simply because I like it so much. Does that mean its more favorite than the 7mm Mag?
A couple johhny-come-latelys have captured my attention, too. The Ruger .257 Roberts is a real sweetheart that does double-duty as a varmint rifle and a big game rifle. It has the best trigger of any of my single-stage bolt guns and the Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-14 is a perfect match for it. And the Marlins in .375Win and .45-70, although not long-range guns, have performed beautifully and there is just something magical about lever guns.
And what about the newcomers, some of which havent even gone hunting yet, the Marlin .30-30 and Ruger canoe-paddle .300 Win Mag? The .30-30 is serious enough for elk but very easy on the shoulder and the .300 is arguably the best elk rifle I own. The .30-30 is a classic and the canoe-paddle stock on the .300 is nothing if not functional. (People either hate them or love the canoe paddle stocks, it seems. I appreciate their utility, which has its own beauty.) As much as I look forward to hunting with them, that may not happen this year unless I get my load development butt in gear. But how can anyone say they are not my favorites (at least for the moment) when Im salivating at the thought of hunting with them?
That said, it looks like the 7mm Mag will be going elk hunting again this fall. Not at all sure what the backup rifle will be.
