3 Calibers To Do Everything

[wind gypsy]

6 ARC
6.5 PRC
12 ga

If shotguns are out it would be
223
6 creedmoor
6.5 PRC

 

[TaperPin]

Teenage me really liked 22-250 & fixed 12x for varmints, 270 & fixed 6 for deer and 338 & fixed 4x for elk.

All these years later, those choices weren’t too bad.

 

[Dust Rider]

.22
.30
12 ga

 

[omicron1792]

Funny how the small caliber trend hasn’t reached to shotguns. Why not a 20 gauge if you could have only one shotgun? I switched to 20 gauge years ago and now use 28gauge for most (not all) bird hunting.

 

[LCV]

Funny how the small caliber trend hasn’t reached to shotguns. Why not a 20 gauge if you could have only one shotgun? I switched to 20 gauge years ago and now use 28gauge for most (not all) bird hunting.

Maybe not here, but in person I’ve noticed people have started moving to 20 gauge

 

[Billogna]

22LR
20 gauge
22CM

 

[StupidLightweight]

1. 5mm Rem. Mag.
2. .30 Rem. AR
3. .577 Tyrannosaur

Good luck picking out any flaws in my list. If I were to add a shotgun, it would be 20 gauge. No doubt.

 

[Billogna]

1 .5mm Rem. Mag.

I actually have one of these!! It's a Biotch to find ammo tho!!

 

[JAC8504]

.22
30-06
12 ga.

 

[Agross]

17hmr
12 gauge
270 win

 

[Macintosh]

Funny how the small caliber trend hasn’t reached to shotguns. Why not a 20 gauge if you could have only one shotgun? I switched to 20 gauge years ago and now use 28gauge for most (not all) bird hunting.

For sure It has, especially considering what tss has done to increase effective sub-gauge range compared to lead, and what bismuth has done to allow sub gauges to effectively do what generally takes more shot volume with steel. But if you shoot much, in many cases the ammo required to turn a 20ga into effectively being a 12 is more $$ than just buying a second gun.

That said, the OP specified three CARTRIDGES, not 3 GUNS. I could do all my shotgunning with either 12 or 20ga, but I would not want to use the same ahotgun for bird hunting and waterfowl or turkeys. If its 3 GUNS limited to 3 cartridges, then Im choosing a light 20ga for birds and small game, a heavier and “I feel great beating on it and slathering it in frozen mud” shotgun in 12ga, and any-old middle of the road short-action centerfire rifle for all big game hunting.

 

[Athens]

.243
.270
.300 WM

 

[9.1]

That said, the OP specified three CARTRIDGES, not 3 GUNS.

Nah. OP specified CALIBERS and then threw out some cartridges. Then everyone else jumped in with cartridges, gauges, and guns and decided muzzleloader seasons were a really low priority.

 

[9.1]

99% of the answers aren't calibers.....

I just checked your math, and I think it was closer to 84% at the time of your post.

 

[omicron1792]

For sure It has, especially considering what tss has done to increase effective sub-gauge range compared to lead, and what bismuth has done to allow sub gauges to effectively do what generally takes more shot volume with steel. But if you shoot much, in many cases the ammo required to turn a 20ga into effectively being a 12 is more $$ than just buying a second gun.

That said, the OP specified three CARTRIDGES, not 3 GUNS. I could do all my shotgunning with either 12 or 20ga, but I would not want to use the same ahotgun for bird hunting and waterfowl or turkeys. If its 3 GUNS limited to 3 cartridges, then Im choosing a light 20ga for birds and small game, a heavier and “I feel great beating on it and slathering it in frozen mud” shotgun in 12ga, and any-old middle of the road short-action centerfire rifle for all big game hunting.

I use 20 for duck now too

 

[rclouse79]

20 gauge savage 220
tikka 223
tikka 25-06

 

[WKR]

I just checked your math, and I think it was closer to 84% at the time of your post.

You are right, I exaggerated a bit for the emphasis

 

[rideold]

16ga with choke tubes
22LR
30-06