4 gun centerfire battery, you pick them??

Elkwonder said:

I think I posted this earlier in the wrong forum...

I am thinking about thinning the heard a little and going to a four gun battery. Kinda thinking I could cover the whole spectrum with the right four guns. Here are my thoughts, but was wondering what others would choose.

223 plinking
243 coyotes and such
280AI most everything from speed goats to elk
35 whelen elk, moose, and bear


lets here your thoughts on this and what changes you would make. Thanks

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Remarkably similar from me:

.223 Rem for plinking, LR crows & rabbits + foxes (Used also on Muntjac)
.257 Roberts - Light walking - stalking rifle. (Like a .243 but handles 100gr+ pills better)
7x64 High seat / tree stand / beanfield for larger deer and target rifle
9.3x62 - Driven wild boar

I might swap the 9.3x62 for a 404J to encompass buff in Africa...

I love this thread! Makes me think and my lovely bride would like me to shrink the Arsenal to four I say:
Old Rem 512 with peep for plinking,
Coooer m 22 in 204 Ruger/rabbits Ana's prairie dogs, Bushmaster varminter AR15 for vermin. And a Cooper 52 Excalibur in 7mm Rem Mag for everything else!!!

This is the Basic Battery I have
223 Rabbits and Prairie Dog Shooting
7/08 Deer and Pronghorn
300 Win Mag Elk, Black Bear and Moose
375 H&H AFRICA.

Scrumbag said:

Remarkably similar from me:

.223 Rem for plinking, LR crows & rabbits + foxes (Used also on Muntjac)
.257 Roberts - Light walking - stalking rifle. (Like a .243 but handles 100gr+ pills better)
7x64 High seat / tree stand / beanfield for larger deer and target rifle
9.3x62 - Driven wild boar

I might swap the 9.3x62 for a 404J to encompass buff in Africa...

Click to expand...

OK so I bought the 404 as well...

I have a 22-250, 7-08, 7mag and 300 rsaum. That is all the centerfires I own. I want a 338 win mag some day too

I like reading these threads. Always the usually voices then some that are off the wall.

My list for centerfires is as follows:

6x45
7mm-08
30-06al
And just because the list says four guns Probably a winchester 92 in 357

221 Fireball, 257 weatherby, 8mm Rem. Mag, 416 remmy

My four gun battery would look much like most all the others, with one exception.

I'd have an AR in 5.56
A Ruger M77 in .270
An old (preferably late 60's/early 70's model) Model 700 in .300 WM
And last, but certainly not least, a Shiloh Sharps 1874 Montana Roughrider in 45/110

I'm new to the long range shooting sport, only currently have a 7mm Rem Mag, so my list is more of a wish list going forward, but here goes:

6.5x284-Wanted something that could take advantage of the 6.5 bullet but was not the Creedmore.
7mm Rem Mag
300 Win Mag-For hunting larger game at extended distances, if necessary.
Now the question is: bigger or smaller? So it would either be a 338 Lapua or 257 Weatherby.
This list only includes bolt action centerfires, I consider an AR style firearm in either 5.56/223 or 308/7.62 as a separate class.

This has been a favourite topic with my shooting buddies. One one that comes up often with newer shooters seeking advise on what to buy. I try to take guys to the range and see how they react to recoil. I have seen 275 lb guys that can't handle a 338 Win Mag and 150 lb guys think it is totally manageable. A saw a guy at our range who was inexperienced but bought a 338 Ultra Mag. He was terrified of the recoil and could hardly stay on. Paper at 100 yards.

Firstly I grew up reading Jack O'Connor so everyone needs a 270 (I have 8). And then a 338 Win Mag (6)

Over the years I seem to lean to a 375HH when I am picking a heavy. So easy to shoot. The 416 Rigby is getting into big recoil range and I just plain don't like to shoot a 458 Win Mag.

One thing that never occurred to me until my first trip to Africa: if hunting that requires travel, pick a caliber that has ammo commonly available as ithe ammo can get lost or seized by an untrained custom agent in Namibia. If I had taken a favourite wild cat cartridge the hunt would have been ruined.

I know you asked centre fire so I would have:
204 Ruger
270 Win (it is closer in performance to a 7 rem Mag than most 7mm fans want to admit)
338 Win Mag
308 Win F Class rifle for competitions

Now if we include rim fires, that changes. I actually had to make this decision about 5 years ago when I acquired 4 Turkish exhibition walnut stock blanks. I sent them to Cooper in Montana to build 4 rifles to my specifications. My buddies all laughed at me for spending just under $25,000 CDN for the 4 I chose.

I picked a 22 LR, 17 HMR, 222 Rem and a 270 Win. The rim fires get more use than anything else except my f Class gun. Add a 338 Win Mag to that mix and I could hunt anything outside of African dangerous game.

Fortunately until I get too old or my health fails I can continue to load and shoot 43 different calibers. My 76 year old cousin who has hunted since he was 12 is now struggling with the recoil of his 7 Rem Mag. Another consideration that we never think of while we were young and indestructible.

.223 Thompson Center model 83 Deluxe
.25 06 Remington 700 BDL
.30 06 Winchester model 70
.45 70 Winchester model 1886

Or would a battery of

.17 Remington700 Varmit BDL
.220 Swift Ruger No. 1
6mm Remington 700 BDL
.270 Thompson Cemter model 83 Deluxe

be better?

And one should have a 4 gun rimfire battery too

17 mach 2
17 hmr
5 mm Remington
.22 LR

Interesting thread, while old I'll bite lol.
A 204 for varmit/truck gun, probably a cz527
A 6.5 creed with heavy barrel for targets, competition, and practice, possibly a a savage or rpr so barrels could be changed easily
A 6.5 gap, prc, or 6.5x284 for hunting, more of sporter weight rifle. A 280ai would also work here, but with two 6.5 it stream lines your bullets and will down deer, elk, moose just fine.
300 Norma. Need a true long range gun/elk, moose, bear gun.

Oh boy i like this kind of thread! I have a hard time deciding though, how can you choose just 4?
I think i would go with
1) 20 Tactical - fantastic little cartridge for varmints and predators
2) 6.5x47 Lapua/ 6.5 Creedmoor - I have both and cant decide if i like one any moer than the other both are accurate light recoiling, and good for long range shooting and match fun as well as hunting.
3) 270 win Ackley Improved - all around hunting and nostalgia; and it combines the best parts of nostalgia P.O. Ackley and Jack O'Connor I mean what else could you ask for?
4) 300 Win mag - accurate and hard hitting I've owned several and liked things about each of them, currently don't have one but have the parts to build one.

I cant believe I didn't include a 22 or 7mm if i could add more to the list they would be.
22-250 AI
6.5-284 Norma or 6.5 Gap 4s
28 Nosler

KeyserSosa said:

This is the Basic Battery I have
223 Rabbits and Prairie Dog Shooting
7/08 Deer and Pronghorn
300 Win Mag Elk, Black Bear and Moose
375 H&H AFRICA.

Click to expand...

It seems most of us are in the same wheelhouse with our 4 choices.

I hunt out west so my selection is based around that so no lever guns or short range guns for me. But also no super long range hot rods either.

223 rem in an 18" AR (55-75 gr bullets for pdogs, varmint, End of days rifle haha)
6.5 creedmoor in a custom (140 gr bullet for practice gun, antelope and some deer hunting)
7mm blaser mag in a custom (180-195 bergers for western deer, elk and black bear)

If I had one more it would be for big bears and I would choose a 375 Ruger for that.

I just need a nice bolt action 22lr now but those are harder to find that have customizable options for us left hand folks.

Fun topic thanks.