I don't want to start a small war here so I'll just give my own list of what I think are the Best Guns ever made -
Best Sporting Rifles
1 of course the Winchester 70 !!!
2 Ruger 10/22
3 Remington 700
4Winchester 94
5 Colt AR -15
6 Marlin 336
7 H &H double rifle
Best Handguns
1 Colt 1911 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 Beretta 92
3 Browning 35
4 Colt 1873
5 S&W No.10
6 S&W .500
7 Ruger Blackhawk

Best Shotguns
1Remington 870 2 Benelli Inertia Driven 3 Browning A-5
Whats your top guns?

factory rifles
Winchester Model 70 pre64
Cooper
Sako
Remington 700
Mauser 98
Winchester 64
HS Precision
Savage 110 (only because they are the small block chevy of rifles)
Kimber
in no particular order

handguns
Springfield XD 40
SW Model 29
SW Model 19
Colt 1911
Ruger Blackhawk
Freedom Arms SA
TC Contender

I've always stayed out of arguments like this. My brother and I always talk about what is the best caliber. I like the 270 and he's a 30-06 man. We still, after 20 plus years, agree to disagree.

Same with car brand names. They'll be a wide variety of opinions here.

Cary

The best rifle of all times? Let's see...

The first one.

The one your Grandparents gave you.

The one your Parents gave you.

The one your Spouse gave you.

The one your Kids gave you.

The one you took on that special hunt.

The one you won the big match with.

The one that saved your butt when it had to.

The one you just had to have no matter what the price was.

Did I leave any out?

Pumpkinslinger-The one I carried with me in the service(civilian arm)around the world and back.....Still oiled and loaded in the gunsafe.

Define "best"

I agree it would have to be a long list. It would be the one I just bought or the next one. Take care...
Joe

Best - The most accurate , revolutionary in features or just plain good.
BEST MILITARY GUNS (in order)
1 Mauser K98
2 M16
3 M-1 Garand
4 Springfield 03
5 Enfield
6 Ak-47
7 Mosin Nagant
8 Brown Bess
9 M1-1860
HAPPY JULY 4TH!! LOVE THE SMILEYS

Every one of my rifles is the best.....I simply wouldn't have them if they weren't.

As Cary said.....its like cars, opinions or butts....everybody has one and there's is the best.

I do like Punkin's post though....says it all perfectly.

Cheers, Vince

Any Lever Action.
45/70
.348
.35 Remington
.44 Magnum

You name a Lever, and I get all excited.

Eric

What Pumpkinslinger said, the first one. I can still remember running my hands down the stock and watching the sun glint off the blueing on the barrel. I could hardly breathe, lol, asking my big brother "Is it really mine?"

I've enjoyed the responses on this thread and it reminds me that there are a lot of great firearms for which dedicated shooters find an affinity. The question of "best" rifle is broad enough to be answered more with the heart than the mind, IMO, at least that is how I respond. We find a special rifle at some point that always brings a smile and recalls, often, memories of hunts or experiences that, too, are special. For me:

#1: pre 64 Model 70 Featherweights, but, especially the 270 Win. Acquired in 1965 used, it has been the one that brings the warmest response and lead to trying to collect the whole set of chamberings.

#2: Model 71, Deluxe, carbine. I looked for this rifle for two decades, found one and maxed out a piece of plastic that took a few months to pay off. And, it gets used often, hunting or for the sheer pleasure of shooting.

#3: pre 64 Alaskan, 338WM, bought in 1971 and responsible for many a great bull elk. It wears a Leupold 1.5-5X20 and will be my main rifle when I try for an Alaskan brown.

#4: Ruger No1S and No1A I always think of Bill Ruger's determined and forceful forethought in bringing this classic to market despite the naysayers that believed it would flop. I have a couple and am always looking for more. Some have stunning wood and all of mine shoot extremely well.

There are some stainless/synthetics in the safe, too, and they are competent rifles; still, I have a deep felt fondness for blue and wood. They exude a warmth and personality absent in many of the more modern rifles.

The M14/M1A, the greatest battle rifle ever made improved for modern combat.

And then you have the Remington M700, by far in my opinion the best bolt action firearm I ever got to play with.

Dimitri

Anything you keep that isnt " trading stock " within a year ...

M98

ZKK602

M88

M1

'71 in 450 AK


I wont go on my pre 64 M70 rant

Jack,

Which M1A is a 30-06 ?? I think you are thinking about the M1 with the 8 round en-bloc clip.

Dimitri