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Sadly, I do not have any hand-me-downs hunting rifles because I got myself into hunting in my early 20s with the push of a friend. And since then, I would often stroll in the local gun store of PA and become enamoured with the blued and wood stock bolt guns - got hooked. I do not have an age spec for what is considered classic but merely its looks and craftsmanship - steel and wood. In my collection you will find SAKOs, CZs, and Rugers.
 
1936 Winchester Model 54 in 30.06. My Grandfather bought it new and gave it to me when I was 16 (1971). I have shot all my deer with it and it's been to hell and back a whole lot more than once. Due to the gun maintenance that was ingrained at a very early age, the bore is still pristine and it will still shoot a 1 hole 3 shot group.

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Great question and thread topic OP. Love seeing all these great rifles and the memories that go with them.

Favorite small game is my Anschutz 1416 mannlicher.

Favorite big game is my pre-64 Model 70 in .270.

I would love to have a Kleinguenther K14 or K15 in .270 or .308 some day, especially if I ever moved to Texas.
 
My first BIG BOY rifle was a Ruger .44 mag autoloader called the Deer Stalker my Dad bought it for me in 67/68 when we moved to KY. it was amazing killed many whitetail with it and my 1st and only black bear..wish I still had it.
 
Remington 742 in 30.06. Still have it and use it on drier days hunting even after 38 years.
My modern favorite is my Ruger M77 mkii in 30.06
Similarly I was passed down a Remington 740 Woodsmaster chambered in 30.06 from my father in law about 20 years ago who shot countless Elk with it the prior 40 years he owned it. I used it in all over Alaska and shot everything from cute little 80lb Sitka blacktail deer in Kodiak, Ketchikan and Juneau to monster Yakutat moose. It's such a versatile shooter that it remains my favorite hunting firearm. I bring along my modern day rifles as backups, but they generally just sit in their case.....lonely and sad.;)
 
For me personally, the first firearm I ever purchased was a M70 30-06 featherweight ranger about 30 years ago. Still have it with the same 'crappy' tasco scope on it. I don't take it out very often anymore, but it's such a great rifle (once I finally installed a magnum butt pad) and repeatable accurate. I'll always treasure this one a little more than anything I've purchased since, followed by my Sig P220 that I bought just before I became a father for the first time.

I also have some safe queens that were inherited and I just don't want anything to happen to them. A 6.5 JAP rifle my distant cousin pulled off a Japanese soldier in Guadalcanal. And 2 gorgeous rifles my great uncle built with handmade black walnut stocks. They're nostalgic to me because of the men that held them before me more so than the weapon themselves. The stories these firearms could tell....
 
my favorite over the years and the regrets from selling decades ago were the Remington 7000 BDL's on the classic old school wood stocks...
had a 22-250 in varminter config that I had rebarreled with an aftermarket no taper barrel. shot great and had the sweetest trigger. just too heavy to carry all day on song dog walks.
got behind the butt of several Ruger #1's in a few various calibers....great gun!
 
My favorite is my first hunting rifle. First deer with it. First elk. First pronghorn antelope. Given to me in 1982 for my 13th birthday.

Winchester Model 70 XTR Featherweight in .257 Roberts. All animals I've killed with it were one-shot kills from 100 to 270 yards using 117gr bullets. Including the elk.

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That thing is gorgeous. I'm glad that is your favorite. Saves me the trouble of throwing large $$$ offers your way. I've always wanted a .257 Roberts and can't even tell you why. I've even got a set of dies that passed down from my dad, and he didn't have a Bob either. (He loaded for my grandpa's neighbor before he passed away.) I've held onto the dies, just in case.
 

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