one rifle for everything
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PaLuke
Well-Known Member
I thought about this before. I sometimes have or had the pleasure of being around older gentlemen who have used one or so rifles all their lives. Mostly 30-06 or 308's. A lot of pumps and lever actions. Very few bolt action. I thought it might be boring to just have one but looking back I'm not so sure. I enjoy owning rifles but I find my time dwindling to be able to shoot them. I also think I'll sell some and get a more expensive (maybe custom) one to use forever. Most of my big game rifles are thumpers, 300 and 30-378 Weatherby's and a load of 338 Win mags. Good for Penna. hunting huh? I'm guessing I think I'll get a Kimber Montana in 280 AI when I sell some. Time to sell some rifles and enjoy working with something new. I'll put a VX3 3.5x10 on it. I'm 58 and I guess it's time to do what I want. Sorry for the long winded post. Take care guys.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
I'm in my 30's and I'm starting to think that way. Life's to short not to be doing what you want, whether it's rifles, jobs, or whatever. I don't have many rifles to move as I only keep the good shooting ones, but I want a full custom mid weight rifle (probably a 7stw) and a lefty LR rig (likely a big 338 or 375). I'm going to do it within the next few years as funds allow.
davkrat
Well-Known Member
Also in my 30's but I've pretty much always been in the one gun camp. In reality I think 2 or 3 are needed to really cover all your bases (varmint, a packable light-midweight game and a dedicated long range rig). I've never understood one guy needing multiple .308's or multiple 7mm Rem Mags, etc. A serious varmint shooter can obviously make use of multiple same caliber rifles in order to let barrels cool. I've always enjoyed looking back on all of the different types of birds I've taken with my primary 12 gauge and try to do the same with my couple of rifles.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
I have a rifle or two in each caliber from 22 to 40 with no 6mm's or 6.5 mm's as they are redundant when you have 22, 25, and 27 cal.. I could probably ditch at least one of my over 30 cal. rifles as they don't play as often as the others, but when they are out they are a hoot so I have a hard time with letting any go.
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
Been there done that. Its not overly practical for me. And not as much fun as I'm not one to hunt much of anything in dangerous game country without a dangerous game rifle. That's why I Know how good a deer rifle the 458 Win mag and various 416 s are. Now that I live where there aren't many big bears I don't shoot the large bores much. If I could only have 1 cartridge it would be a 416 . If 2 then a 6.5 Creedmoor. If 3 then I would add a 223. If 4, then a 338 would be added.
However, as it stands now my Creed and my 9.3×64 Brenneke and the 223 . I built the 9.3 before I started on long range. . It will work in a pinch for up close brown bear but it kind of leaves me with a ( my *** hangin off a cliff feeling)
A 416 and a few Creed's would work and my 223 hasn't had much use of late as I am so happy with the 6.5 .
1 rifle without spare barrels = not doing much shooting.
My next Creed will be a 20" truck axle barreled 15 pounder with DBM bottom metal and mags and a 3-15×42 SWFA SS mil/ mil scope. It will be set up as a do all winter rifle. Predators +caribou. In and out of the truck, on and off the snow go and snowshoes. Thumbhole laminated stock
It will sit on the sticks solidly and be easy to control with my right hand while blowing a call or operating a remote control.
I've got to find out what kind of speed I can get from a 338/375Ruger as that may fill my medium bore long range needs. . The 9.3 will always be mine but may not get lots of use. . . I've shot coyote with the 416 and its just too hard on them as the 9.3 is on fox. So. 1 rifle isn't for me but 1 action make is apealing . Stainless Ruger bolt rifles
However, as it stands now my Creed and my 9.3×64 Brenneke and the 223 . I built the 9.3 before I started on long range. . It will work in a pinch for up close brown bear but it kind of leaves me with a ( my *** hangin off a cliff feeling)
A 416 and a few Creed's would work and my 223 hasn't had much use of late as I am so happy with the 6.5 .
1 rifle without spare barrels = not doing much shooting.
My next Creed will be a 20" truck axle barreled 15 pounder with DBM bottom metal and mags and a 3-15×42 SWFA SS mil/ mil scope. It will be set up as a do all winter rifle. Predators +caribou. In and out of the truck, on and off the snow go and snowshoes. Thumbhole laminated stock
It will sit on the sticks solidly and be easy to control with my right hand while blowing a call or operating a remote control.
I've got to find out what kind of speed I can get from a 338/375Ruger as that may fill my medium bore long range needs. . The 9.3 will always be mine but may not get lots of use. . . I've shot coyote with the 416 and its just too hard on them as the 9.3 is on fox. So. 1 rifle isn't for me but 1 action make is apealing . Stainless Ruger bolt rifles
Actually as I think about it, it wouldn't be hard at all.
6.5 Remington Magnum in a M700 with a 26' inch sporter weight barrel. I had one many years ago when Remington produced their first M700 BLD's in that caliber, they had 24" barrels; a fantastic rifle/cartridge set up'.., way ahead of it's time.
Runner up; Interarms Whitworth Express Rifle .375 H&H... I also had this one at one time with bullets from 235gr to 300gr it was deadly.
Both of those rifles I sold and regret very much, either would have made my one rifle concept, with room to spare.
Glass? there's a metric ton of it out there these days'.., it wouldn't be hard to find the right one.
Cheer's
436
6.5 Remington Magnum in a M700 with a 26' inch sporter weight barrel. I had one many years ago when Remington produced their first M700 BLD's in that caliber, they had 24" barrels; a fantastic rifle/cartridge set up'.., way ahead of it's time.
Runner up; Interarms Whitworth Express Rifle .375 H&H... I also had this one at one time with bullets from 235gr to 300gr it was deadly.
Both of those rifles I sold and regret very much, either would have made my one rifle concept, with room to spare.
Glass? there's a metric ton of it out there these days'.., it wouldn't be hard to find the right one.
Cheer's
436
dmj
Well-Known Member
Never sold any rifles, so I have no regrets about one I use to own. But if I had to choose one caliber it would be a 300 win. mag. Now the problem would be which one of those. Fairly wide range of bullet choices. Just something I've always liked about a 300 win mag. Never met one I didn't like, if you don't believe me just ask my wife.
Holy Moley
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2014
- Messages
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I would have to say my my Rochester made Thomson Center Icon in 30-06. A well built rifle, superbly accurate, in what I consider a great old all around caliber. I love my .308's, but the 06 has the edge as an all-around in my opinion.
wilkup
Well-Known Member
I have thought about this for a few years and in the past month started researching/selling guns to prepare for it. Originally I settled on the 270 Ackley, switched to the Sherman version and today just commissioned my final project - 6.5 Sherman as my do-it-all one rifle for everything.
Howa 1500 action, Bartlein 24'' 3b fluted barrel, Vortex Viper HSLR 4-16x44 scope, B&C Medalist stock with aluminum skeleton.
I can't wait!
WhiteRiver
Well-Known Member
I have far too many rifles in a variety of calibers to ever become serious about having just one rifle. That said, I have been giving this idea some consideration in recent years.
If I had to pick just one, it would be my stainless Winchester Model 70 CRF .375 H&H in an HS Precision stock and wearing a Leupold VX6 2-12x42mm w/ the CDS turret. It will kill most anything on the planet and it is a tack driver out to 300 yrds. There is little POI shift even when switching between 270 and 300 grain bullets. The scope is amazing and the 6x range is perfect for my aging vision. It's a little on the heavy side but I never feel undergunned, even in brown bear territory.
If I had to pick just one, it would be my stainless Winchester Model 70 CRF .375 H&H in an HS Precision stock and wearing a Leupold VX6 2-12x42mm w/ the CDS turret. It will kill most anything on the planet and it is a tack driver out to 300 yrds. There is little POI shift even when switching between 270 and 300 grain bullets. The scope is amazing and the 6x range is perfect for my aging vision. It's a little on the heavy side but I never feel undergunned, even in brown bear territory.
PaLuke
Well-Known Member
I believe I decided for now. My Browning X bolt RMEF in 338 win mag. About 7 1/2 lbs with a Leupold VX 2 with a Kenton Industries turret calibrated for a 225 gr SST at 2850. I love it and it will stay around 3/4 moa to 400. It's a wonderful rifle.
I think there are many of us who, if brutally honest with ourselves, have spent a small fortune on rifles over the years... many we look back on that we know we would never buy today. And many of those rifles are not being used that often anymore ... or just plain gathering dust in the safe.
if we had no option , we would make good with one or two ...
If I had to choose 1 rifle for everything, it would have to be a medium bore ... the 338 WM, custom made to ensure recoil is tolerable, with 200/210g for medium game and the larger pills for everything bigger ... but if you gave me 2 it has to be the 6.5x55 or 260, what better caliber for varmints (85g Sierra) and general hunting (140 Noslers)?
If i could think of only one really good benefit of multiple ownership , it's probably that the firearm industry needs it, or it would not be in a position to supply us with the latest in rifles/ammunition and other goodies through continuous R&D. Not sure what % of the US population is owners, but in SA and Australia it's much less.
Where would Ruger/Winchester/Remington be if we had only one rifle each?
if we had no option , we would make good with one or two ...
If I had to choose 1 rifle for everything, it would have to be a medium bore ... the 338 WM, custom made to ensure recoil is tolerable, with 200/210g for medium game and the larger pills for everything bigger ... but if you gave me 2 it has to be the 6.5x55 or 260, what better caliber for varmints (85g Sierra) and general hunting (140 Noslers)?
If i could think of only one really good benefit of multiple ownership , it's probably that the firearm industry needs it, or it would not be in a position to supply us with the latest in rifles/ammunition and other goodies through continuous R&D. Not sure what % of the US population is owners, but in SA and Australia it's much less.
Where would Ruger/Winchester/Remington be if we had only one rifle each?
davkrat
Well-Known Member
Funny thing about that is that the basic 7X57 Mauser is 122 years old and the rifles we shoot today are not a whole lot different than the old Mauser bolt guns it was made for. Even the good old '06 is over 100 years old and will still take just about anything that walks the earth
