[KegRiver]

I have never had the money to buy a rifle for the cool factor. Plus, there has never been anyone I wanted to impress that way.
Maybe because being able to afford such extravagance was beyond the reach of myself plus all of my peers.
It's not that I/we wouldn't. I/they just couldn't, so never developed the habit.


I have not escaped entirely however. Many years ago I bought a .303 Ross at a farm auction. That was during the FAC days and I had forgotten my FAC so my BIL picked it up for me. Before I could get it from him the Firearm registry and the accompanying PAL was instituted.

I was working oilfield at the time and so didn't get around to applying for my PAL for a few more years. By then the Ross had been put aside and no one could remember where it was in the house.

That is the way things stand to this day. Every so often I ask my BIL to try to locate it so I can retrieve it, but nothing ever comes of it.

There is a lot about this story that does not actually fit the OPs scenario.
I did not buy it for the cool factor. I bought it because Dad had owned one and it's the first rifle I ever remember seeing knock down a Moose.
And that, from our front step no less.

I also did not spend a lot of money for it. I paid top dollar for it, but that amounted to only $150,00, the price of a decent Lee Enfield at the time.

It's kinda funny thinking about this subject at this particular time.
See I just got a letter from Stephen Redgwell, author of, The Accurate Lee Enfield.
I had asked his permission to quote something he says in this book. A rather humorous poke at the trend to buying magnum rifles.

I wonder what he would say about impulse buying. I'm sure it would offend some and leave others doubled over in laughter.