4 gun centerfire battery, you pick them??

[Elkwonder]

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

 

[ATH]

Generally, I'd agree.

- Either a 20 or 22 cal for prairie dogs/coyotes/plinking. If thinning the herd, a .223 makes most send.
- a 6mm of some flavor for everything from varmints to deer. Easy on the shoulder, solid range gun as well.
- a 30cal of some flavor for most things on this continent. 280AI OK, 30 cal a little more approachable for most and factory ammo if needed. At longer ranges most like elk rounds to being with a "3".
- Something bigger for the biggest game or just because. .338 or .35 great, depending on your needs, something bigger.

That about covers the spectrum.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Still working on mine, currently have Weatherby Vanguards in .223 and .30-06. About to pick one up in 6.5 Creedmoor, and add one in .375 H&H down the road.

Truthfully, the stock, weight, and scope are more limiting than the caliber alone. I have been getting by just fine with my current pair, but I don't have long or close range scopes, or a severe weather lightweight mountain rifle.

Six guns would do everything well, and also overlap just enough to have backups on hunts without being redundant.

Short .223 with a 2-7 scope
Heavy barrel .22-250 with a 4-14 scope
6.5 Creedmoor with turret equipped scope
.270 lightweight mountain rifle with a fixed 6x
.30-06 with a 3-9
.375 with a 1-4

 

[BOBinWA]

I like your 4 gun battery, Elkwonder, and generally agree as well. I also agree rifle configuration and scope play a big part into it.

Because elk are always on the menu for me, I'd probably get a .300 WM which would replace the .280 and the .35 for me.

Bob

 

[Browning300]

AR in 204 ruger for varmints up to medium range coyotes
6x284 for longer range coyotes up to deer
28nosler for long range deer and elk
338 allen express for the big and dangerous stuff.
you may detect a pattern here, I like hotrods!!!

 

[Deleted member 48126]

.223 Remington

.243 Winchester

7mm Remington Mag

.30-06 or .308 Winchester

 

[wilkup]

I've thinned mine down to 2.

Custom Marlin 1894 44 mag 16'' carbine for timber/saddlegun/plinking

Custom 7mm SS for everything else.

 

[adam32]

22-243 Win

257 Weatherby

28 Nosler

.330 Dakota or .338 RUM

 

[angus-5024]

I like all of your choices with the exception of the 35 Whelen. I would say 300 Win or bigger, and if you can handle it a .338 RUM/Lapua.

 

[pcmoose]

Hi Guys,
I read once where the easiest way to get into a heated discussion and find yourself the centre of attention was to ask a question like this one - however - I think the answer is - game animal - distance of shot - shooters recoil tolerance - so ...

What I use now -
1/- 223 Rem in CZ527, 5 - 15 Bushnell 3200 scope, reloaded with 50 gn Nosler Ballistic Tip reloads or factory 55gn Winchester load.
2/- 303 British, SMLE, 3 - 9 Weaver Steelite 2 scope, reloaded with 135 HP Taipan, 150 Sierra # 2300, 180 Remington RNSP.
3/- 375 Ruger, Hawkeye African, 3 - 9 Bushnell 3200 scope, reloaded with 235 gn Woodleigh PPSN or factory 300 DGX load.

In an IDEAL world -
1/- 223 as above.
2/- 7/08 Rem or
3/- 270 Win - dependant on distance of shot and recoil - scopes to match distance shot - hopefully I could justify having BOTH for shorter / longer distance shots.
4/- I LOVE MY 375 RUGER - for pigs, ferals and JUST BECAUSE I CAN - I limit myself to 6 - 10 shots per day maximum - my stuffed neck doesn't like more than 6 shots per day.

Thanks for your thoughts on this question people.
Kindest regards
from the Land Down Under.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I can't do only 4.

Multiple 22LR
Multiple 223
Multiple 22-250
Multiple 6mm
Multiple 6.5mm

etc...

 

[bocajnala]

I'm surprised not too many .22lr mentioned....

My four would be

.22lr

.223

.30-06

.375 H&H... or possibly the .338 win..... Not sure between these too.

I only answer this way due to the nature of the question.... If I could only have four...... I don't think only having four would be possible for me though.
-Jake

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I'm surprised not too many .22lr mentioned....

My four would be

.22lr

.223

.30-06

.375 H&H... or possibly the .338 win..... Not sure between these too.

I only answer this way due to the nature of the question.... If I could only have four...... I don't think only having four would be possible for me though.
-Jake

Title says center fire battery. A .22 LR and a 12 gauge shotgun should be owned by everyone, hunter or not

 

[pcmoose]

Hi Guys,
The article I referred to in post #10 was called "The Ideal World-Wide Battery" in a magazine called"Guns for Big Game" printed by Petersen's in 1978. The experts views are below -
Elmer Keith
500 Nitro Express, 338-378 K.T. wildcat, 338-74 K.T. wildcat, 222 Rem.
John Wootters
416 Taylor, 7 mm Rem Mag or Weatherby Mag, 257 Roberts, 22 LR.
Howard French
375 H & H Mag, 7 x 57 Mauser, 22/250 Rem, 22 LR.
Col Charles Askins
9.3 x 404 wildcat, 340 Weatherby Mag, 300 Weatherby Mag, 25/06.
Ken Elliott
375 H & H Mag, 7 mm Rem Mag, 22/250, 22 LR.
I know 3 of the above experts quoted 22 LR and this is a centrefire calibre topic however the lists are thought provoking because game size and range of shots play a huge part of the consideration when choosing calibres but the really great part is we can all still be individuals and choose whichever we like as long as at the end of the day the shot we fire actually hits the target and is humane in it's demise.
Thank you for your thoughts on this
kindest regards
from the Land Down Under