What is the most hated deer rifle you owned ?

[tonyf3]

I had a spell of dislike with my M77 243.
My dad used to tell me it was fine because it was an under 300yard big game rifle and not to worry about it. It was a 1.5-2" rifle and even as a 12 yo I wanted better.
I had Douglas Barrels swap the barrel out and it became a real shooter.

I didnt' own this one, but i did my wife's grandfather a favor and used the '06 he build post WWII. He wanted it back in action.
It was the most awful rifle I've ever held, or shot. I almost developed a flinch shooting factory 150s with it

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

Wow, amazed and sorry to hear that. Ogled over one at one point, but entry price was wayyyy high. Was the geometry wrong?

I think it was just too light for me, especially when shooting any kind of volume through it. I want to say it was right around 7lbs with a Steiner GS3. Build quality was great and it felt nice in the hands but this was around 2019 and I just wasn't a skilled enough shooter for it at the time. Now I am much more happy with a 10-12lbs rifle to balance carrying weight and shooting performance. If they came back on the market I would maybe consider one in something lighter like 6CM but only if the price was right.

 

[Ckgworks]

1 foot MOA

New term? HOA -HOUR OF ANGLE.

 

[birddog 68]

While not technically a rifle I had a Winchester 1300 slug gun. I couldn't wait to get a scope on it and sight it in with some 3" slugs. I had my girlfriend at the time 6 yo son with me and off to the range we went. First shot the scope cut me so badly there was blood everywhere and I looked over at the boy and his eyes were the size of silver dollars. I finished sighting in and carried it one season hoping I didn't see anything to shoot! lol I traded it for a Winchester model 94 30-30 and used it for years to kill many wt.

 

[Mike Matteson]

In my case it was a Model 70 feather weight Win in 270 Win. This gun hurt to shoot it. I'm talking shoulder numbness, bruised and battered. I'm a slow learner and kept it three years.

Were you holding the rifle away from your shoulder? Or using heavy bullets?
In my case is was a 338WM in a Ruger Mark 11, with an 8lbs trigger pull. It was exsteamly accurate, but kick the **** out of me. Change out triggers and finally got a muzzle brake placed on it. It's now my go to rifle. Got it running at 3200fps with a 200gr Nosler BT and AB. 5gr or so over the manual top load. No pressure signs except flatten primers in that rifle.
Or it may have been a 300WBY Mag feather weight I believe.

 

[30-GT]

New term? HOA -HOUR OF ANGLE.

Lol, I know Savage 110's are supposed to fairly accurate but that gun had some problems.

 

[Rosebud]

Were you holding the rifle away from your shoulder? Or using heavy bullets?
In my case is was a 338WM in a Ruger Mark 11, with an 8lbs trigger pull. It was exsteamly accurate, but kick the **** out of me. Change out triggers and finally got a muzzle brake placed on it. It's now my go to rifle. Got it running at 3200fps with a 200gr Nosler BT and AB. 5gr or so over the manual top load. No pressure signs except flatten primers in that rifle.
Or it may have been a 300WBY Mag feather weight I believe.

No, I think I needed a Winchester heavy weight. This was before muzzle breaks.I wasn't the only person that thought it kicked the snot out of you. Guy I sold it to asked for his money back. If he had been a close friend I would have. In his case, all sales are final.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

I had a nightmare once that I owned a 6.5 man bun. Fortunately, I woke up.

 

[JTComfort]

I think it was just too light for me, especially when shooting any kind of volume through it. I want to say it was right around 7lbs with a Steiner GS3. Build quality was great and it felt nice in the hands but this was around 2019 and I just wasn't a skilled enough shooter for it at the time. Now I am much more happy with a 10-12lbs rifle to balance carrying weight and shooting performance. If they came back on the market I would maybe consider one in something lighter like 6CM but only if the price was right.

That makes a difference. I have a semi-custom (spec-ed by Sniper Country PX a few years back for a limited run) Remington 700 that has an M24 contour barrel, added a chassis and SB 5-25x56, Harvester 300 can, bipod and DBM for shooting PRS - 12.75 lbs loaded. .3-.5MOA all-day and felt like a pussycat .243. Definitely taming recoil and eye fatigue encourages more shooting. I shot one club match with a Vortex PST and it was abysmal. I no longer shoot PRS and the 700 has morphed into a medium/long range hunting rifle with McMillan carbon stock and a Eotech 3.5-18. After more than 2500 rounds it still shoots fantastic, so can't think of changing out the platform. Though 5lbs lighter, it's still super manageable with the Harvester.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Weatherby Mark V in 7mmWBY. The rifle had a beautiful wood stock but it would walk from year-to-year and I had to send it back to Weatherby several times for accuracy issues. That rifle was all show & no go.

 

[waspocrew]

My very first rifle was a Savage 110 in 30-06 from Big 5 Sporting Goods. My parents gave it to me for a Christmas present when I was 12. I flinched terribly with that rifle!

 

[Pdyson]

Hate is a strong word. Can't say there was ever a gun I hated. However, I didn't get mad or tell Dad to call the police when my very first center fire rifle was stolen. Someone stole it from my parents garage while I away for basic training. I got it when I was 15yrs old in Lewisville Texas grocery shopping with Mom at the Minyards Grocery. I saw an oak barrel full of beat-up WWII surplus K98 Mausers at the end of the produce isle. The sign said $20ea. I asked Mom if I could have one, she said no of course. When Christmas rolled around, I found it under the Christmas tree. I rode my motorcycle to the gas station and they had a box of 8mm ammo. So Me and a couple buddies took it behind the Lewisville lake dam, and set up a big cardboard box and drew a bullseye on it. I sat cross legged and carefully aimed from about 100 yards away. I missed and no one saw where the round went so we moved up to 40 yards. My next round hit the dirt about 2 foot right and a bit low. My third shot sailed high and way left, I saw the splash in the Trinity River. I pulled the bolt and saw it was badly shot out. We left without firing another round and I leaned it up in the corner of the garage where it sat for 3 years. I'm pretty sure the local neighborhood pot head stole it. He was well known to do that kind of thing. He definitely deserved that rifle.

 

[JTComfort]

Hate is a strong word. Can't say there was ever a gun I hated. However, I didn't get mad or tell Dad to call the police when my very first center fire rifle was stolen. Someone stole it from my parents garage while I away for basic training. I got it when I was 15yrs old in Lewisville Texas grocery shopping with Mom at the Minyards Grocery. I saw an oak barrel full of beat-up WWII surplus K98 Mausers at the end of the produce isle. The sign said $20ea. I asked Mom if I could have one, she said no of course. When Christmas rolled around, I found it under the Christmas tree. I rode my motorcycle to the gas station and they had a box of 8mm ammo. So Me and a couple buddies took it behind the Lewisville lake dam, and set up a big cardboard box and drew a bullseye on it. I sat cross legged and carefully aimed from about 100 yards away. I missed and no one saw where the round went so we moved up to 40 yards. My next round hit the dirt about 2 foot right and a bit low. My third shot sailed high and way left, I saw the splash in the Trinity River. I pulled the bolt and saw it was badly shot out. We left without firing another round and I leaned it up in the corner of the garage where it sat for 3 years. I'm pretty sure the local neighborhood pot head stole it. He was well known to do that kind of thing. He definitely deserved that rifle.

Mausers at the end of the produce aisle - that's awesome - and $20. Here in Northern VA things have changed A LOT since I bought a Chinese SKS off the rack at the Tyson's Corner Center Woolworth's in the 80s for $89. In the later 80s, several friends and I scored fine condition 1931 Moisin Nagants from Rose's in Fredericksburg, VA during college for $59 or $69 - all were good shooters. Interesting where Military Surplus turned up back then.

 

[Two Trax]

Never had one I did not like! Some better than others but not one I found bad in any way. Of course I am a certified gun looney!