When my father passed away, due to a carbon monoxide accident,
at a cabin, in the big woods, of northern Wisconsin, I inherited
his Remington Model 760, in .30-06 Sprg. He taught me how to
hunt big bucks, in big country, and my first set of hunting clothing,
was red plaid wool(1966). We use to drive out of north eastern
Wisconsin farm country, where we hunted the family farm, in
shotgun only areas, to the far northern Wisconsin segments of
the Nicolet National Forest. My father told stories of old time
deer hunters, that shot .32 Specials, and such, around that
"Up Nort'" deer camp. Somewhere in those stories, he would
express his yearning for a .30-06 Remington 760. One day
he bought a very handsome version of one, and carried it with
pride on those northern Wisconsin trips into big timber. I still
remember the first buck he shot on the far side of Indian Camp Lake,
with it. He was thrilled.
I have always been a semi-auto kind of guy, and at the time
of his passing, I was carrying a Remington 7400, in .270Win.
On one trip, with friends, north of Ladysmith, I took the 760,
and left the 7400, at home. I had to constantly remind myself
I was going to have to pump the durn thing(grin). A few
years later, I traded the 7400, to my brother, and purchased a
BAR, in .308 Win. I still have the old 760, and a couple of
times a year, I get it out, cycle it a couple of times, and wipe
it down, and put it back in storage. The few times I zeroed it,
it held 1 MOA, with Federal Premium 150gr. ammo, so I know
it shoots. But sadly, it does not go afield any more...Well if
I ever get one of those old time blizzards, that blow snow flat,
and get the big bucks walking, it might go hunting, since I know
the old pumper will cycle, frozen in ice. When that happens,
the Wisconsin north woods, may once again hear the report
of that old 760.
Squeeze
