BACK UP GUN/S?

[antelopedundee]

The thread about sighting in at 100 yards vs longer ranges prompts me to ask how many take a back up gun [assuming that you have a comparable spare] on out of state trips in case something goes amiss with your rifle or scope? IMO it's better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have. This year I hope to take a critter with each one. I have a few older lefty Rem 700s that I keep spare extractors for and take with. Ya never know when one a them little suckers might break.

 

[memtb]

We use Leupold Quick Release Base/Rings. My wife and I (my only hunting partner) both have back-up scopes already zeroed, using the brand of scope with the same zero as the primary scope. If we should have a rifle failure....we can use the other's rifle. The only negative....her rifle will be a bit short in LOP for me, and mine would be a bit long in LOP for her. Another possible negative for her, she's never shot my rifle (though they are both Win. Model 70's)....the recoil may be a little over her comfort zone. However, when shooting a game animal from typical field positions, with only one or two shots fired... not an insurmountable obstacle! Shooting from the bench would be a much greater challenge! memtb

 

[Rick Richard]

I have before, but not so much anymore since there is almost certain a guide/outfitter that has an extra or their personal rifle that they will let you use. Or, a hunting buddy who will let you use theirs.

 

[Patton63]

I take a backup rifle with me. If my son is traveling with me, we typically will take three rifles. Ideally, they are all the same caliber and sited-in on the same ammo.

 

[manitou]

I take two identical rifles when going out of state. Same rifle, same caliber, same load. OCD at it's finest!

 

[pburton]

My buddy and I take a spare rifle when we go out of state. It is usually my old '06 that is fully capable for whatever we are hunting, just not really set up for shots past 400 yards. But at least it would keep one of us in the hunt if something happened.

 

[BigGrizz]

Depends on the length of the hunt regardless if I'm going out of state.

 

[dmj]

Always take at least one back up rifle. Usually two. Probably not the same caliber. But capable of taking game out to the 6-8 yard range. When shooting at distance use a ballistic calculator so have everything set up for each rifle I take.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Packed one for years, typically my .375 during elk season. I just love hunting with that rifle, or an 06. In fifty years we've needed a spare once or twice.
When you start talking about pack horses or super cubs it starts to get problematic having extra equipment.

 

[FIGJAM]

I always have a spare rifle when I hunt out of state. Doesn't matter if it is elk or coyotes...nothing sucks worse than having an equipment mishap ruin a hunt.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

When I hunt solo, I take a spare as well as a rifle cleaning kit. When I was on my first solo caribou hunt in Quebec, one of the guys in another group had an issue that required a rod. He was very appreciative that I had one.

I take two identical rifles when going out of state. Same rifle, same caliber, same load. OCD at it's finest!

Yea, I think some folks loosely use words like OCD or anal, when it's actually "having your sh_t together!"

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I always take a spare rifle when hunting out of state or farther. Only once did I need it. I was using a Ruger 44mag autoloader w/ an older Redfield scope for hunting bears over bait in Canada. I got stuck in a relentless downpour in a remote area. By the time the guide picked me up the scope was fogged and the wood stock was actually swollen in spots!

My hunting buddy never brings a spare rifle (until now anyway). He had the bolt literally fall apart on a brand new Sako rifle. Firing pin and all fell right out onto the ground during a moose hunt. We could not put it back together and he had to use the outfitters 264 Win mag.
Another time, he takes one shot from his Nosler 48 rifle and the trigger seizes up. The elk took a non-fatal hit and did not go far but we did not have another rifle nearby. We eventually borrowed a 338 Win rifle from another hunter and finished the elk off.

 

[Alibiiv]

I like Ruger 77s so the integral scope base is nice. I did a caribou hunt one year, we were limited to either 55 or 65lbs of weight going onto the plane; a second rifle was not an option. With that in mind I carried an extra scope, sighted in for the same rifle.

Presently I black bear hunt with an outfitter. Weight really is not a concern, so my son and I bring 5 rifles with us. Why because we can; big truck lots of room! We both have Ruger 77s in 35 Whelen and .358 Winchester, both rifles are sighted in with the same ammunition, all scopes are the same (VXRs 2 X 7) so the same mounting system. I bring the Marlin Guide Gun along, however really do not have a real need for it. The Marlin is one of those rifles that one buys for no other reason than your name was on it that particular day you went in to the gun shop! I'm thinking that it would be nice to harvest a bear with it one year. I like both of the 35 cartridges, however I think that if I had only one rifle for bear hunting (or deer hunting within 300 yards) that I could take for the bear hunt it would be the Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70, set up with a Skinner sight system. With that setup you'll have the best of both worlds, scoped and receiver/peep sight. After this dissertation the answer to the OP is yes definitely I always bring a second rifle along and would not think of not taking one.

 

[0-tolerance]

I always bring a spare if I'm going to be gone for more than a day. The one thing I always bring is a small cleaning kit. It only took one time to learn my lesson.

Like a fire extinguisher, better to have it if you need it, than go up in flames.