Can rifles be TOO pretty?

Thanks, It's what I do for a living[35 yrs in the trade], so I better do a good job, or I'll have to fire myself.
"Moon" "Moon" Designs
 
Sometimes I like to check out Cabela's online Gun Library to see some rifles with price tags higher than my yearly tuition, just to make me drool for a little bit. While they aren't the most expensive, some of the custom pre-'64 Winchester and Mauser 98 rifles are my favorites (Al & Roger Biesen make magic). I really love walnut and steel (blued or stainless), but I also like some of the flashy painted benchrest rifles (I'm sort of a go big or go home person with those). One thing that really grabs my attention is a walnut benchrest stock with a design that makes it flashy... combining the classic look of wood with a sharp-looking stock is something I like.

I've handled a few of the rifles and couldn't think of hunting with them. I do draw a line between "safe queen" and "workhorse," and while I really do appreciate a truly beautiful rifle, there are some that I simply could not take out hunting for risk of damaging them.

That doesn't mean a hunting rifle can't turn heads, but I think you can make a rifle too fine to take to the field. I wouldn't be able to own a rifle and not use it, which would certainly be a problem if I brought home or stocked a perfect rifle with a ridiculous peice of wood.

This is what I would consider my "best" looking rifle.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/koch424/mergedphoto.jpg

It's undergone some big changes, mostly me re-barreling it, inletting some good sling studs, cutting a shadow-line in the cheekpeice, and I am in the tedious process of putting on a checkered steel buttplate (which is the biggest PITA in the world). A few touches of custom class can't hurt an average looking rifle, and I can still happily take it out in the woods to get a few squirrels or rabbits.
 
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I may not hunt with mine as much a some of you do, but trust me ,all mine get used, twice and sometimes more each week. I'm into accuracy, and I go to the range at least twice a week, to shoot with some more guys, and it's not unusual for me to put 100-150 rounds through my .17, and 80 reloads through my .204 each time.
Any you guys go hunting that much? I think not.
Also I have no quams taking them out to shoot ground squirrles ,on occasion.
It boils down to "whatever floats your boat".;)
 
Plain Rifles

Plain rifles are like plain women, People get one because it saves knocking a good one around.:)
 
No such thing as TOO pretty

Montana Pete said:
Another forum member has posted a photo of a very beautiful custom deer rifle. It truly is beautiful.

I guess my question is, -- is it TOO pretty?

Why do I say that? My wife and I hunted Montana extensively for about nine years, most of our deer and antelope hunting on a 100 section ranch in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains, or going after elk in the Madison Range.

I look at those guns today. Her 243 and my 270. They are well cared for, but they have dings and scrapes, and scratches on the stock. The beautiful black enamel finish on the Leopold stocks has a few scores or scratches. The 270 has been in some saddle scabbards, and thus shows some some worn off bluing, and that same 270 has been with me as I went slipping and sliding up talus slopes trying to get a shot at an elk. These terrains are not easy on varnish or stock wood or enamel finish . . . or anything else.

If you go afield with your rifle slung over your shoulder, and hunt in rock and brush, and lay down and crawl over a knob to get a shot at an antelope -- over a period of years your rifle doesn't look so pretty anymore. It is clean, well oiled, and well cared for, yes, but it shows the history of where it has been.

I am a little concerned at the "ooohs and ahhhs" over the physical appearance of this beautiful gun -- and wondering if the owner is willing to fully use this gun to its purpose, or possibly anguishing over getting a speck of dust on it or something.

I'm not trying to offend anyone, really, but I bridle at the expression "hunting" rifle. Hunting rifle, or show rifle?

I'm an old guy now, and time has not been very easy on me. It has not been very easy on the pretty looks of my favorite rifles either. That's the reality of a hunting rifle.
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I'm an old guy now as well. My wife of 30yrs shot with me all the time (she was a beautiful woman inside and out) she died in 2002. Women are like rifles; slim or heavy, short or long, loud or quiet, cold to start but warm up fast, can save you or mess you up; however, no such thing as too pretty. ART
 
Art Cheney said:
I'm an old guy now as well. My wife of 30yrs shot with me all the time (she was a beautiful woman inside and out) she died in 2002. Women are like rifles; slim or heavy, short or long, loud or quiet, cold to start but warm up fast, can save you or mess you up; however, no such thing as too pretty. ART
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Art,

That is priceless.

Thanks for sharing.

Concho Bill
 
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