Preference: 1 “go-to” or “a tool for every use”?

[Mustang72]

I am hoping that my new 300wsm will kinda be my do all gun.-except of course for my 223,and of course my little 308 pig gun. Truth is unless you hunt really big stuff a 223 and 30/06 is the only guns 90% of us would ever need. I have way to many but those are the two I grab the most. We will see if the 300 starts being the go to gun since it is a lefty.

 

[Don A Parsons]

I'm sorting out 2 rifles for my needs,,, both in 308 Winchester,,, 1 will be my main main rifle as the other gets to take up space in the gun safe...

Nothing like having a back-up,,, of course the 22 rimfire and Shot-gun are part of the good times...

Cheers from the North

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I am a firm believer in having at least two rifles with me when I am hunting big game. So now I carry my 25-06 Ruger 77mkii @ about 8.5# and my 30/338 Win Mag custom 03 Springfield @ 12.75# for goats and deer. Same 30/338 Win Mag and 338 Lapua Savage 111 @ about 12# for elk/moose.

I like to have a spare rifle with me too, I just worry about leaving it at camp or in the truck, especially if it is a pack in hunt. I have never had one stolen, just don't like the idea of a nice rifle being stolen.

 

[memtb]

I like to have a spare rifle with me too, I just worry about leaving it at camp or in the truck, especially if it is a pack in hike. I have never had one stolen, just don't like the idea of a nice rifle being stolen.

My wife carries my "back-up" rifle, and I carry hers. True, my stock is too long for her, and her stock is too short for me.....but, they'll work in a pinch. Both rifles are almost identical, Make, model, trigger including down range bullet trajectories. So.....they will work for back-up use. memtb

 

[COBrad]

I've narrowed them down quite a bit in the last few years. My prairie dog rifle is a Cooper model 22 in 22-250. With an 8 twist barrel and heavy bullets I've killed prairie dogs to 1131 yds. 11 lbs scoped. Big game is a NULA .284. Weighs about 6 1/2 lbs scoped. It's also used to shoot high altitude marmots. Have a Cooper model 54 western classic in 6 creedmore coming. Should weigh around 9 lbs scoped. Will be my primary marmot gun.
Scoped Remington xp100 6ppc handgun for varmints. FA .454 Casull for big game and a couple glocks for defensive use.
I could do it all with an accurate 7 mag though.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

A separate thread got me wondering (it was about ideal carry weight)...

some folks appear to have 1 rifle for the majority of their hunting while others prefer a specific arsenal that they can pull from depending on quarry, terrain, access, season and shooting distance.

I'm limited by budget (and time to get familiar with multiple rifles) so I ascribe to the theory that you should "fear the man with one rifle" (in that he's probably very familiar, and therefore very good, with it. Last year I killed 4 animals with the same rifle, from 120 lbs to 650 (best guess).... I'm getting very familiar with it.

So, what's your PREFERENCE? List simply cartridge and weight of the rifle(s) that consistently get "the nod".

Me: 7RM at 8.5 lbs all-up

If I HAD to choose one....my 7mm-08 AI 23"bbl right at 8lbs with leupold 4.5x14x40ao sf

 

[Muddyboots]

I have a friend who doesn't hunt and asked me why I have as many rifles that I do when all you need is one. He is a golfer so I asked him if he golfed with one club? I like using a rifle for a specific task that I deem to be right for the job. Not necessarily what anyone else would do but that's ok. But if I had to choose one rifle, Sendero 300WM since I can load it anyway I choose for a lot of different tasks but why would anyone want to do that when you can just grab a rifle that is most appropriate?

Besides it gives you more range time for different rifles! How can that be wrong under any circumstance??

 

[Tarheelpwr]

I have a friend who doesn't hunt and asked me why I have as many rifles that I do when all you need is one. He is a golfer so I asked him if he golfed with one club? I like using a rifle for a specific task that I deem to be right for the job. Not necessarily what anyone else would do but that's ok. But if I had to choose one rifle, Sendero 300WM since I can load it anyway I choose for a lot of different tasks but why would anyone want to do that when you can just grab a rifle that is most appropriate?

Besides it gives you more range time for different rifles! How can that be wrong under any circumstance??

I love that through process. If time wasn't as limited for me, I would proceed that way. I had to limit my stable due to time available to use them all.

 

[sp6x6]

Last 10 years 8.75 # 338NM,25 before that 340wby9#.Shot stuff with 223,243,257,7mm,and multiple pistols on occassion

 

[LVJ76]

My 7mm-08 has been my do it all rifle, my wife's 7mm-08 has been a back up since she hasn't hunted much the las couple of years due to our todler, but when she does hunt my 7mm Rem Mag is the back up. Although sometimes the 7mm Rem Mag gets to go out first and the 7mm-08 becomes the back up. Depends on the mood I guess.

But I never leave home with just one rifle just in case.

 

[David Emerson]

A separate thread got me wondering (it was about ideal carry weight)...

some folks appear to have 1 rifle for the majority of their hunting while others prefer a specific arsenal that they can pull from depending on quarry, terrain, access, season and shooting distance.

I'm limited by budget (and time to get familiar with multiple rifles) so I ascribe to the theory that you should "fear the man with one rifle" (in that he's probably very familiar, and therefore very good, with it. Last year I killed 4 animals with the same rifle, from 120 lbs to 650 (best guess).... I'm getting very familiar with it.

So, what's your PREFERENCE? List simply cartridge and weight of the rifle(s) that consistently get "the nod".

Me: 7RM at 8.5 lbs all-up

A 7 mag will kill anything that needs killing up to cape buffalo. It will kill them too but your guide might get some anxiety Big stuff just stuff it with 175 partitions and never look back.

 

[David Emerson]

A separate thread got me wondering (it was about ideal carry weight)...

some folks appear to have 1 rifle for the majority of their hunting while others prefer a specific arsenal that they can pull from depending on quarry, terrain, access, season and shooting distance.

I'm limited by budget (and time to get familiar with multiple rifles) so I ascribe to the theory that you should "fear the man with one rifle" (in that he's probably very familiar, and therefore very good, with it. Last year I killed 4 animals with the same rifle, from 120 lbs to 650 (best guess).... I'm getting very familiar with it.

So, what's your PREFERENCE? List simply cartridge and weight of the rifle(s) that consistently get "the nod".

Me: 7RM at 8.5 lbs all-up

Jim Carmichael hunted the world with 3 guns. A 280,338win, and a 458. Warren page hunted the world with a 7mm mashburn. Basically a little more than a 7rem . BULLETS are more important than the caliber and they all need to be in the right place.