Advice on my first long gun purchase

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

The grip frame is similar to a Colt SAA, Ruger Blackhawk, or Ruger Vaquero.

Shooting large caliber high power handguns takes a special technique and practice. You have to learn to work with the recoil, not against it. The single action grips allow the gun to roll through your hand under recoil. If you work with it, it really works well. Now, admittedly, my buddy at the gun shop calls me the worlds foremost leading recoil junkie.

[Xargos]

I had never heard about the 50 Alaskan before, interesting.  Sounds like a nice lever gun to protect yourself from grizzlies, that isn't too cumbersome.

If you're like me and like big bore leverguns and sixguns the .50 Alaskan might be just what you need. I like to have a carbine of some sort for every caliber sixgun that I shoot. If you shoot a .500 Linebaugh or .500 Long you could also shoot them in the rifle. So if you are able to have one made I hope you have as much fun with it as I’m having with mine. Everyone that sees it sure seems to like it such power in a small package.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/anderson/50_alaskan.htm

Since the rifle was designed for use on Alaska’s great bears, Johnson cut 720-grain boat-tail .50 BMG bullets in half, seating the 450-grain rear half upside down in the fireformed .50-caliber case. It didn’t take Johnson long to find out that the 450-grain truncated shaped “solid” would shoot through a big brown bear from any direction, claiming in 1988, “I never recovered a slug from a bear or moose, no matter what angle the animal was shot at.”

http://www.z-hat.com/The%20Fifty.htm

[Toad]

Originally posted by Warspawn
Ah, that's too bad.  I love the M-14; figured this would be a logical progression of the design....

... His weapon was in the aircraft; didn't do much good there.  Was a bulky Weatherby .300 mag that just got too heavy for him to lug everywhere.

It seemed to me that they made the synthetic stock out of synthetic lead or something. I wonder if someone makes or will make a SOCOM stock out of lighter stuff.

I have a Wby .300 in a B&C stock; I've carried it many a thousand feet climbing in the Colorado rockies. It feels WAY lighter than that SOCOM and "handier" to boot, even with the much longer barrel.

I kept looking at the SOCOM and thinking there is no way the barreled action weighs that much. It HAS to be the stock. I could be wrong but.. ugh. It was no fun to even hold.

[Toad]

Xargos, if you want controlled round feeding and a three position Modely 70 safety, Kimber will be happy to sell you a rifle.

I think you'll be satisfied with their quality and accuracy vis-a-vis a pre-'64.

The Ruger Mark II 77 series offers both of these features as well.

Just two off the top of my head. I think there's more; CZ for one, IIRC.

[Xargos]

I'm liking the Kimber Model 8400 Montana in the 300 Winchester Magnum.  A bit pricey, but looks like it's good quality.

http://www.kimberamerica.com/rifles/8400standmag/montana.php

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

FN Herstal is owned by the same corporate group that owns Winchester. FN is making a rifle called the Patriot that is based on a forged milled Pre 64 Model 70 receiver. It's a premium piece.

[Xargos]

I was born with cataracts in both eyes and have a severe problem with glare, after the surgery, effecting my hunt.  What would be the best scope to help me reduce the effects of glare?