Do some of your rifles just "fit" better and enable you to make better shots???

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

This morning I was thinking about this question as I hunted coyotes... Since I had my .220 Swift I put it in the varmit section, but it really applies to all rifles.
Have you ever notice that one rifle you can make or do make better shots that with other rifles of even the same brand?? I have a bunch of 700's most rebarreled with 26 or 27 in. # 5 barrels. Two of these stand out in my mind and made me think of this question. One is my old .300, ever since I bought it in 1970, it has made shots that were tough ones. It always seemed to come through at the right time. But the gun that really made me think of this was the .220 swift mentioned in the opening lines. I have a .22-250, a .22-250 AI, and this swift. All with barrels of about equal length and weight, all very accurate. All with a couple thousand rounds down the barrel, I made the AI and Swift the same spring. It took me half a dozen tries to kill my first coyote with that rifle.  Since then it has been good, once I guess that I had it blooded. But from the time I picked up this .220 Swift, it has been a coyote killing machine.    It just seems so easy to hit with, and in all reality the ballistics are not that much different from the other two. It does "feel good' when I put it to my shoulder, like the old .300 I wonder if success breed confidence. I am sure it does, but ones hears of shotgun "feel" but how about your rifles. Ever run into this??   

[skb2706]

I bought my son a Contender carbine in .204 Ruger for prairie doggin. It is now my favorite all around coyote rifle. Its easy to manuever, short at 37" and has a very capable 300 yd. reach. I'm tall but the gun just fits me for that application so well. I've blanked five coyotes in a day with it....didn't miss a shot. Even got one the following day heading home.

[jshootr]

YES!!!!
I have to many toys just like all of us
but I have a custom 6.5/06, that seems to just fit and shoot perfect.

[bobg]

  I have two that fit that catagory. A Ruger 77 in 22-250 and a Weatherby Vanguard in 270. They are both heavier than hell but they fit perfect and have never let me down.
       bobg

[Silvertp]

Absolutely...

Best fitting rifle Ive ever owned was an old Model 700 in 7mm Mag. that I bought in 1970.  The early BDL stock was fairly slim and fit me like a glove.  It wasn't just an accurate rifle, it was an easy rifle for me to hit with, seemed to point naturally for me.  The fact that I wore out the original factory barrel shooting coyotes and running jackrabbits (when it wasn't deer or elk season) helped me become more familiar and capable with the rifle.

Wish I had never gotten rid of it, never had one like it since.  I restocked the rifle with a kevlar piece and it never felt or shot the same for me.  Oh, it was more accurate shooting from a bench rest, but had lost the intuitive handling characteristics.

Traded the gun plus some cash for a horse...darn horse pitched me straight into the emergency room.  Now that was a bad trade.

Silvertp

[Hodr]

I have a winchester trapper in .357 mag.  I put on a ghost ring and will use it out to 150 yds from a rest with good accuracy.  Under 100 yds it is a snapshot rifle for me.  Coyotes, rabbit and ground rats here in Arizona.  My bother in law calls it the Texas Hog Gun.  Under a hundred yards everything is muscle memory for me.  There is no memory of bringing it up, sight picture, holding breath or knowing when I pull the trigger.  I can't recall needing a second shot with that levergun when I used proper ammo. (Buffalo Bore on hogs)  My brother in law does the same thing with a scoped .270 Remington that is an easy 40 years old, out to 300 yds but with a rest needed after that far.  My son went on his buffalo hunt with him in the Kaibab during winter.  He told us his Uncle put 3 shots in the heart of his buffalo running that had just crossed a road.  i might add that was in a herd of at least a dozen.  My son said he walked it out to 135 steps.  Some guns just fit, finding that gun can be a lot of fun. 

blindhari

[SD Handgunner]

Yep indeed, some rifles are just more natural to shoulder, point and shoot to some of us than others. To me that Rifle is my 16" Bushmaster M4 Optics Ready Carbine. I have added a few parts to the stock Bushmaster to make it a bit more user friendly to me, JP Enterprises Adjustable Trigger & Speed Hammer, SOG Slip On Recoil Pad for the 6 Position Adjustable Stock, DPMS Aluminum Free Float Tube (that replaced the standard plastic M4 Handguards), KNS Detachable Sling Swivel Studs and a Badger Tactical Charging Handle Latch.

I have my Bushnell Elite 3200 1.5x4.5x32mm Firefly Riflescope mounted using the Yankee Hill Machine 1/2" Scope Risers (that came with this Bushmaster) with Weaver 1" High Extension Quad Lock 4x4 Scope Rings. This set up puts the scope at EXACTLY the right height above the comb of the stock so when I throw this Bushmaster up to my shoulder it fits me perfectly.

Just this morning I called in the prettiest Red Fox I have seen in many, many years. At 220 yards the fox hung up and was looking like it was not coming any closer. One 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip from the Bushmaster did the deed.



Since acquiring this Bushmaster in April of 08 I have taken 17 Coyotes, 1 Red Fox and numerous Skunks & Racoons with it. When I shoulder this Bushmaster it feels like an old friend.

Larry

[Sweetwater]

I have one custom stocked rifle that fits that mold. Just totally dependable - all the time. I got it for my 14th birthday and it spoiled me for "off the rack" stocks. I have other rifles custom stocked for others in the family and though they are great rifles and really deliver the goods, they don't come close to my "Best Girl"!

Regards,
Sweetwater