What is your most successful hunting rig ?

[Rativity]

I always thought a rifle that you don’t care about makes the best hunting rifle, I have a few top end rifles here, I always seem to grab my H5. I care about it very much, I’d cry it I dropped it!!

I recently bought a bsa ultra from offa here, sitting in a tactical stock (less to worry about) I don’t care about it tbh, I think it would make an excellent all weather hunting rig with pulsar digex sitting ontop, I’ve not used it apart from a few mags into paper…. I have thought about having it tuned, to shoot smoother and quieter but then I think I’d care more about it!

I need to maybe break away from the steyr which I love very much, too much to scratch it out in the field, that said it is my most successful hunting rig, it’s a sublime piece of equipment, always slick and reliable!

What’s yours ?

[Willenium]

I use a HW100S with a Tracer LED torch. It's quiet, accurate and having the magazine saves messing about with pellets in the dark.

[Strimmer]

My cyclone. Its sat in a rather gorgeous bit of wood, blueing is tip top and works and puts lead in things which i point it at (occasionally not to user error!). Is it a cabinet queen. Nope. Its stock has dents and scratches, i rest it on anything, drag it through anything, use it in all weather, to me its a tool. Though it has zero rust as i clean it. Same as one of my shotguns which i use for everything, rain, snow mud or shit.
Would i do that with a £2000 gun, yes - if- i knew id keep it. If not id be careful about unzipping it out of a slip.
I remember when i bought the shotgun new, i got it home and instantly put a mark on the stock or barrel (i cant remember which) by accident. It was such a relief in a way, i knew id be keeping it, and didnt need to worry about that first ding anymore.
I have a few tidy rifles, but generally they dont come out hunting, almost they are an investment.
To me guns can look beautiful, but 95% of the time im looking to see how practical/useful it is.

[Muskett]

This in heaps.^

I have a glorious Annie 1710 .22 LR with stripy walnut stock which I have always hunted with because it tac drives. Been incredibly successful with it. Its starting to show some history but it still delivering joy and as its a keeper always will. I just don't take it out in the wet; my reach for fair weather rifle. Heck, its nearly 30 years old already.
My reach for air rifle is an early Theoben Fenman. That one is a keeper now.

I have more agricultural rifles too, For poor weather and "work" hunting. I play about with those much more, tinker with. They get moved on because I get bored of them.

The rifles I've invested the most in, both financially and in time and effort to get "perfect", are the ones I tend to keep and use most.
Those I mess about with get used but also don't stay about for that long. They never kind of make a connection to me.
If a rifle is working great for you, and you love it then more than likely you will keep it. If you are going to keep it long term then you might as well use it. If its a good "looker" and you can shoot it straight then thats the best there is.

Second hand prices for anything obviously used is low. Cheap new rifles lose their worth fast, often almost a complete loss, but then they didn't cost much in the first place. High priced that show use lose the most though might still hold some value, but more likely to be great and so kept.
Only mint and rare really hold real value and collector's appeal premium. The value is in ownership not use.

So there is the rub of it: value in ownership or from the utility of using a rifle???? Your call.

[robs5230]

I wouldn't say I've been any more successful with any particular rifle.

What I do notice, is that some are just easier to use than others.
The easiest in use, for me, was the Edgun Leshiy.
The worst, due to ergonomics, probably the HW100ks.

But they all do the job

[Born Again]

The best hunting I've done was with my Phoenix Mk2 0.177 full length, a joy to use, but for sheer numbers it's my CZ452 in .22LR.

[WILBA]

The best hunting I've done was with my Phoenix Mk2 0.177 full length, a joy to use, but for sheer numbers it's my CZ452 in .22LR.

I have a full length . 177 cal pax phoenix. Engineering is top quality.

[bighit]

My Anschutz 1450 .22lr. 1990 made but I have only had it since 2012. MTC Viper scope and SAK moderator. I have a NT300 NV I can put on it but I have not used it yet in the field despite having it since 2017

I have a HW80 mk1 I'm tuning, TBT guides and short stroke , it may be getting fitted with a Hawke Nite Eye scope . Not shot it in the field yet but I have used my nephews before and used it on the farm for the bunnies.

I got given a BSA Supersport by a friend for free tonight. Might put my Weaver classic V3-9x50 scope on as it's the only spare scope I have at present.

[Saxmaniac]

.177 AA Ultimate Sporter + 5 magazines + ATN 4K 3-14x + ATN ABL 1000 rangefinder + JSB Heavies = 1000’s dead rats

[4end]

I always thought a rifle that you don’t care about makes the best hunting rifle, I have a few top end rifles here, I always seem to grab my H5. I care about it very much, I’d cry it I dropped it!!

I recently bought a bsa ultra from offa here, sitting in a tactical stock (less to worry about) I don’t care about it tbh, I think it would make an excellent all weather hunting rig with pulsar digex sitting ontop, I’ve not used it apart from a few mags into paper…. I have thought about having it tuned, to shoot smoother and quieter but then I think I’d care more about it!

I need to maybe break away from the steyr which I love very much, too much to scratch it out in the field, that said it is my most successful hunting rig, it’s a sublime piece of equipment, always slick and reliable!

What’s yours ?

Get the Ultra sorted. Mine has an extended air tube with fitted reg and a carbon fibre barrel sleeve forming a moderator at the muzzle. Is it quiet, of course it is, is it accurate, yes and more accurate than me. Does it run out of air, only after about 110 shots. They don't need tuning, just a fine set up of the trigger makes them smooth and accurate.

[MrGreengrass]

It was my ..177 Rapid, but....
For the last 4yrs, it has been a Hatsan AT44 10 in .22..
Raggedy looking thing, cammo taped up.
Pard 008 on an Eaglevision mount, Boblov rangefinder
and an A&M mod...as accurate as any of my old .22 Rapids , but it is one with the factory fitted Walther barrel.
Dedicated night gun, dont seem to shoot in the light much these days.
It has been a very successful outfit
Out with it tonight again on the rats and the first time out with the thermal Hikvision.

[foby75]

Was only for a few months about 15 years ago at the ex-wife's family farm - HW90K .22 with a Dampa mount and a Bushnell 5-15. Was extremely efficient.

[FPoole]

I've taken a few dozen grey squirrels with my TX200 and Bushnell 4200 Elite 8-32×40. It also doubles as my FT gin.

[siox07]

Brocock Contour Super 6 in .177 flavour , Lovely Accurate lightweight carbine rifle with very comfortable stock and a very nice hunting trigger, shot loads of Woodies , squirrels and rats with it and it never lets me down