Quantity vs Quality

McGilvra

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2017
Messages
116
Location
Baraboo Wisconsin
I've realized I go through periodic expansions and contractions of my hunting rifle collection. At times I err towards 'a tool for every job', and at other times I am more interested in the cliche, 'beware the man with one rifle for he probably knows how to use it...'

Curious to hear your perspective. Do you have rifles for several scenarios? like a 243 for long range predator/varmint hunting, big win mag for elk, ultralight mountain rifle, short barreled 308 for medium game in thick woods etc.

Or do you lean towards a rifle that you use for multiple purposes, perhaps varying the load to suit the task? There's something compelling about that one trusty rifle that gets all the jobs done throughout the years, that you've diligently worked loads out for that can handle the light/medium/heavy tasks with some compromises in range/ballistics.

If you do consider yourself a one gun hunter, do you have a backup rifle? Same setup or something different?

I currently have rifles in 223, 308, and 300 WSM. Thinking I could do it all with one really nice 30-06 if I wanted to, but having a pair of 20" 308s for when my kids start hunting seems like a good idea.

Anyway, interested in others' perspective.



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Joined
Feb 2, 2017
Messages
79
Been shooting a 30-06 for "almost" everything... for about 33 years. I'm kind of cheap, and though I research and drool over guns all the time, I plug along with the old 30-06.


But I want a 375 Ruger
6.5 CM
22 Nos
And of course a 338 Lap.



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hodgeman

WKR
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
1,547
Location
Delta Junction, AK
I'm (more or less) a one gun hunter...a .300WSM does the trick for everything.

I have a few other rifles, a backup for hunting should the unthinkable happen and a couple more I bought for loaners, the family or just toys.

It's fun to think of a whole golf bag full of guns for every critter and every environment, just not very practical.
 
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,252
Location
Kitsap Co, WA
I like having a rifle for intended uses but not to the level of a rifle for every specific imaginable scenario. When I first started hunting it was with a handed down savage 99 in 300 Sav. It sits in the safe or goes back out with dad mostly now. The first rifle I purchased was a tikka in 300 wsm which did well for everything but now is set up for a lighter mountain gun capable to 700+ and weighs 8 lbs scoped. Next was a 7mag that I later sold and a 338 lapua ai replaced it. It's a longrange specific rifle that weighs 16lbs and has taken elk over 900 yards. I've used this rifle for all my hunting since i got it besides backpacking. For a comp/practice rifle I've got a 6.5 Creedmoor, putting hundreds of rounds a year down range just isn't what the Lapua is for. This year I'm building a 30 nosler to finish 10-11 lbs scoped and with a 24 barrel to fill the gap when the 338 just isn't required. That heavy weight and long 30 barrel are a factor carrying all through the woods. The 6.5 beside shooting at comps will be used by my kids this year for hunting. I'm getting a chassis that will adjust with them that I can just drop my comp rifle into and take them out.
 

Hunthigh1

WKR
Joined
Jan 23, 2015
Messages
461
Im a one gun hunter shooting a cheap $300 rifle and don't currently have a backup. I save all the money that i would dump into other guns and spend it on actual hunting/scouting expenses. Although, i have never shot anything past 300yards, and never really have had any interest in doing it. I am ok letting animals walk if i cannot get closer.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
Messages
364
Ok, this is kinda funny. I own many guns, but I have always hunted with a 375 h&h. Used it on everything. However, I just started building a lightweight 6.5 cm for an all around gun. Now mind you my 375 only weighs like 7 lbs or less all up.
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
Messages
1,001
I have rifles for specific tasks. Predator, deer, sheep, moose, bear...etc.

Shooter,
what are the specs on your 7 pound range 375H&H with scope?

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ozyclint

WKR
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
1,743
Location
Queensland, Downunder
i recently hunted with a buddy whom i haven't hunted with for years. he's still into guns and i'm into trad archery now. he brought 3 different guns, a rossi circuit judge in .44mag, a lever action shotgun and a .270. he was after venison and didn't get a shot until the last afternoon so the .270 was the only gun that was used.

made me think that one can have lots of different guns but you can still only use one at a time and you can bet when you take a single shot you need a semi auto and vice versa.

i exclusively bowhunt now but when something has to die there is one gun that comes out of the safe before any other.
 

30338

WKR
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,861
I've got 2 that go on hunts unless I am just dinking around. A 6.5-06 and a 7mm Rem Mag. Either shooting heavy for caliber bullets with very solid optics and mounts. The rest tend to be a revolving door of things I always wanted to try and then move on to other things. If I was a young guy starting out, it would be one fast twisted 7mm Rem with a Nightforce or SWFA scope on it and I would just replace the barrel as needed. Toss in a 223 in the same model and brand of rifle with the same reticle as the other scope and you'd be set for anything and everything.
 

Speeddmn

FNG
Joined
Sep 21, 2016
Messages
41
Location
Helena, MT
One thing I try to do is keep the same scope (brand/model) on every rifle. I don't do PRS stuff or fling lead/copper 1000+yards so the typical 4-12 mag range works for me. This keeps me from re-learning every time I go shoot. As for the reticules and such.

As for the guns, I have a 7mm-08 and a 22-250, this allows me from p-dogs to elk/black bear w/o any worries. I haven't gone after moose yet and if I do I will get another 30 cal something. I would like to get a 243/6.5 for the kids soon.

To answer the OP'ers questions I am a tool for the job type guy mixed in with a little I'd like one to do it all type.
 

willidru

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
577
Location
California
I ran solely a 300 WM for a while, after destroying some blacktail I started adding others to the collection. Once you start it's hard to stop...
 
Joined
Jun 7, 2016
Messages
412
Location
Idaho
I used to be a one gun guy. But now I am more of a one caliber guy. All of my rifles are 6.5mm. I have a 6.5 SAUM for hunting, a 6.5 Addiction for precision rifle, a 6.5 Creedmoor for a family and friends hunting rifle. As had been mentioned above I find the optics to be the $$$ part as I want them all to be standardized on the same reticle and operations, as such the rifles are interchangeable optical platform holders.

Realistically though at the end of the day I don't foresee the need for more than 1 or 2 unless you compete in some form of shooting discipline.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
Messages
364
I have rifles for specific tasks. Predator, deer, sheep, moose, bear...etc.

Shooter,
what are the specs on your 7 pound range 375H&H with scope?

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It is a tc encore prohunter. The barrel is just shy of 20 inches. 2-7 burris scope in a dead on Mount. Love it. Handy as all. Only thing I would like more is a scout scope mount on it vs traditional scope mount. I was shooting hornady dgx 300 grain. I'm running low on those and they are a bit too stout for deer. So I bought a bunch of the factory seconds 270 gainers from midway super cheap.
 

GKPrice

Banned
Joined
Sep 27, 2014
Messages
2,442
Location
Western Oregon
even though I have a few very nice and accurate Tikka's (the vow to not ever sell an accurate rifle again has me backed into a corner) the only rifle I use for big game anymore is the 30.06AI, I've "almost" got myself into not even looking at any other guns but we all know how that goes

dedicated varmint rifle is an entirely different story, used to make 2 week long yearly trips to Wyoming/Montana for PD's and even 3 rifles all get hot in a firefight on a good town .....
 

robtattoo

WKR
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
3,294
Location
Tullahoma, TN
I'm a different guns for different situations guy.
.223 for varmints
My go to for deer & pronghorn is a 6.5 Swede
Thick bush hogs .35 rem lever
Elk/bear if I'm not hiking much .30-06
Elk/bear if I AM climbing a bunch .308

I'm mid build on a .358 that'll probably replace the hog gun & I'm sure it'll come in handy at other times!
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
7,390
Location
Chugiak, Alaska
I have literally lost track of how many guns I own. I do know that if I'm going to purchase anymore I'm going to need to purchase a new safe first because the one large safe and two small safes that I currently have are completely full. I only had a modest collection up until about 12 years ago when I went down to the lower 48 to visit my father and he ended up sending me home with about a dozen rifles or so that he wanted to clear out of his collection and wanted me to have. Most of those guns were 100+ year-old .22's, .32's, and .25 calibers. Within that assortment there was a pump action Marlin .22 that my great grandfather purchased when he was 10, a .22 colt pistol that my grandfather purchased when he was a young man, and a Winchester model 70 pre-64 .243 that my father purchased when he was young man. These particular guns will always have sentimental value and will be passed down to my children.

My biggest problem is that I purchase guns and then never sell any. In the last 40 years, since acquiring my first gun, I have sold a total of 3 (still have my first BB gun, a Red Ryder).

With all that said, I have a much bigger issue associated with bamboo fly rod's, and I'm sure my wife is much more concerned with that addiction. I don't really know how many bamboo fly rods I own either but I do know that I have several that are worth probably close to twice as much as any firearm that I own.

As I'm writing this, an email just came through from FedEx stating that my latest firearm purchase should arrive no later than 8 PM tonight. This one however, is not really mine, as I purchased it for a buddy who is deployed and was unable to purchase it himself so as soon as he gets back it will be his.


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OP
M

McGilvra

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2017
Messages
116
Location
Baraboo Wisconsin
Great discussion- I like reading the different philosophies running the gamut from "1 inexpensive rifle means more money for hunts" to multiple safes full. Some great ideas in here, including the discussions of scopes and knowing your dope. This is important as between family, work, archery and everything else I don't shoot anywhere near what I'd like.


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Joined
Apr 14, 2015
Messages
506
I have a safe full but hunt with mainly four. Two 260 Rems, a 7 RM and a .308. All have Leupolds on top. I only hunt Whitetails and most shots are within 200 yard. I love shooting and all of these rifles get used during a long season in Mississippi. I do have a 22-250 heavy barreled rifle for the occasional Prarie Dog shoot in the Texas Panhandle. I would feel comfortable with my .308 if I only had one rifle. My last purchase was a Tikka T3 SL in 7RM that I truly love to carry.
 

16Bore

WKR
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
3,020
I've gotten down to a 223 and 270 that will cover any big game I'll ever hunt. Past three years I've moved to a minimalist mindset with the stuff and an 80% return on 20% effort way of thinking. Forums, marketing, and clicks will make a fella think he needs a lot of things he doesn't.

Good thing is to know how to buy so that when it does go full circle, you've only wasted a little time monkeying with stuff.

I found handloading to be the biggest time/money killer and was happy to see it all go down the road.

You've just gotta be confident in what you have/do and to hell with what anyone else says/does.
 
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