If you could only have one gun...

[sambo3006]

If you had to limit yourself to one gun (rifle or handgun) for all of your hunting, what would it be and why?

I would choose my 338RUM. It is a sporter weight Rem 700, is ported and Duracoated with a laminated stock. It shoots half inch at 100 yds with the 225AB and has mild recoil. It shoots flat trajectory and can be loaded with anything from a 180 gr ballistic tip for deer or antelope to a 275 gr A-frame for Kodiak bear. It is light enough to carry around all day, but just heavy enough to be stable on a rest. The scope is a Burris 4.5-15 ballistic plex. The low end is low enough for any close shot that might present itself and the high end is more than adequate for long shots. The scope has excellent clarity and brightness.

I would love to try it out on a big bear some day, and it certainly would not be out of place on an African safari (other than where there is a .40 cal minimum for the big stuff).

Let's hear from some of you other guys!
Sam

 

[royinidaho]

Me thinks you mean "rifle" instead of "gun".


I think I agree with you on the 338 RUM. Since I graduated from thinking that the 270 Win was the only worthwhile cartridge I became pretty impressed with the 338 Win but I thought I needed more reach. So I screwed off the 24" Win bbl and installed a 26" RUM bbl. I'm figuring the 338 RUM will extend that at least to 1K and have enough umph to do the job. We'll see over the next little while.

 

[Guest]

As much as I loath that question, I have to agree with you 100%. I'm trying to figure out why I should get another custom 300 RUM (1:9 twist to shoot 240 SMKs) when the 338 RUM does everything better. My custom Kirby/Lilja 338 RUM is actually noticeably lighter than the same custom Kirby/Lilja 300 RUM - each with 30" #8 Lilja pipes. The bigger 338 bore makes it lighter (the same thing in my Kirby/Lilja 375 RUM is even lighter).

Usually the big bear badgers (folks who badger you) attack those who don't use .416 or larger for griz. I think a 338 would do fine. I have read several gun rags this year boasting the 30-06 is the greatest gun and fine for Griz (even one story of a Griz take this year with an -06). The 06 is too small for Griz IMAO.

The RUM marketing folks love to relay the story of testing the new 300 RUM on a griz hunt - shot a griz standing up - right between the front legs. The griz ran 20 yards into the bush. I'll bet the guide was a bit nervous looking for it.

I have a good friend (Jon) from Romania. His father was communist party boss in his village. Communist party members could only have one gun, kept at the police station for all but hunting season. Jon likes to chuckle that his father had three guns at home year around, despite it being illegal.

[ QUOTE ]
not be out of place on an African safari (other than where there is a .40 cal minimum for the big stuff).

[/ QUOTE ]
I think the limit is generally .375 (so my big Kirby/Lilja RUM qualifies)

If I ever get to go after Griz, I'll take my 375 RUM, but I wouldn't be afraid of using the 338 RUM.

 

[Jon A]

[ QUOTE ]
the 338 RUM does everything better.

[/ QUOTE ]
It certainly has the edge in killing power, but if you aren't hunting DG how much do you really need? Beyond that it really isn't better ballistically at LR. Yes, the 300 SMK is a better bullet than the 240 ballistically, but not enough better to overcome being launched 250 fps slower with any significance. Once the handicap on the 300 RUM of bullet selection is lifted with heavier, higher BC bullets that can still be launched faster than the 338 RUM can launch the 300, the only thing the 338 will have on the 300 is making a bigger hole. To beat it in wind drift, etc, you'll need a bigger case (the whole reason behind the Edge, Kahn, AM, etc).

 

[Dave King]

My trusty 308 Win.

Yes, it's puny (but cute), has lower end ballistic performance (as compared to the 300RUM and 338RUM with those giant bullets), but it shoots those non-critter-killing factory Federal GMM 168 and 175 loads into little groups and it's consistent out further than I hunt big game (nowadays).

I just love that 308 of mine!

 

[JD338]

I would pick my 700 LSS in 338 RUM.Currently have a VXIII 2.5x8 but will upgrade to a Mark 4 4.5x14.

JD338

 

[ewallace]

One gun it would have to be a 12 gauge /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[lovdasnow]

i think i would agree with crow mag.......12ga. if you had to you could stock close enough to put a slug in any big game animal, as well as shooting your ducks, rabbits, quail, etc...etc....etc...
i think that having one gun would be very very cruel thing to do to someone! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[sniper2]

A .338/300 RUM very powerful round,plenty for North American...

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
it really isn't better ballistically at LR.

[/ QUOTE ]
<font color="purple"> Good point. I'm pulling a Jon Kerry and flip flopping. As soon as I can burn out the barrel on my new 300 RUM, I'll have Kirby re-pipe it with a Lilja .308 1:9 twist. IIRC, goodGrouper recommends VihtaVuori when you are in a hurry to burn thru a pipe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif</font>

 

[Eaglet]

Dave King,
I second that!
One Rifle Only!!! World Wide? or Just USA? If it's just for USA usage, and being an active shooter, from paper punching to Elk hunting (just one rifle) the 308 Winch. is hard to beat! Ideal or not, it will kill everything in North America; and if you're a good shot you might just kill it before it kills you! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif 308 Winch. it is!

 

[WoodsWalker]

The 375HH would have to be the prime canidate for this one rifle catagory. It will handle anything you could ever want to hunt. The Remington I have is also very accurate. Just my thoughts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[41mag]

Well it would be a toss up between the .308 and the '06. Either will get-r-done for everything I would be able to hunt in this part of the ocuntry, and if I was only allowed the one, ell it would work just about anywhere else I would want to go as well.

Either can be loaded to shoot extreemly tight groups, and ammo can be found for both just about anywhere. Just in cse I happend to leave the green box sitting by the door again. LOL

 

[Buffalobob]

A nice 20 gauge O/U with 3 inch chambers, a good finger shooting bow, light spinning rod, two caffiene free diet cokes, a potted meat sandwich and a snickers bar. Oh yes, a good log to sit on in the shade next to the river.