Gun Consolidation Help

[elkguide]

Odd man out here but I would never be without a .300 WinMag. Best do it all caliber for me.
Then I would replace your .223 with a 5.56. Keep the 6.5 PRC and the .280AI.

 

[RockAndSage]

For all, let’s hypothetically just take the 270wsm off the table since I don’t enjoy shooting it, does that change any of the recommendations?

So...real talk, real hunting ranges, even farther than most people are capable of...

There's absolutely nothing you can't do with just that 6 ARC.

Unless you're going out past 400, none of hotter cartridges really do enough of anything better for it to matter in reality, but you'll shoot that 6ARC better from higher volumes of practice and less recoil.

If you just sold all your guns, put all of that into a pile of 6ARC ammo, you'd be good to go.

 

[TaperPin]

If you are only shooting 1,000 rounds a year or less a 6mm will last 3 or 4 years inbetween barrels, so that’s my choice. Burning out the 6mm barrel isn’t super expensive with barrel cost being maybe $.25/round at most for a top barrel.

A lot of guys love the 223, but before ARs and fast twist barrels became a thing, the popularity on its own merits was mediocre at best. You couldn’t find a 223 bolt action in many gun stores. If you get more enjoyment shooting a different cartridge for a trainer you aren’t alone. As a trainer for larger cartridges a 243 or the 6 creed have more of a pop, which is good.

For a two gun setup, with the 6 creed and 270 WSM you can kill anything in the lower 48 quite dead. The 6mm is the most versatile caliber ever and covers any varmint and does quite well on deer size game if needed.

For three guns with an emphasis on big game I’d add that 300 wm if you shoot it ok.

 

[passinggas33]

If you are only shooting 1,000 rounds a year or less a 6mm will last 3 or 4 years inbetween barrels, so that’s my choice. Burning out the 6mm barrel isn’t super expensive with barrel cost being maybe $.25/round at most for a top barrel.

A lot of guys love the 223, but before ARs and fast twist barrels became a thing, the popularity on its own merits was mediocre at best. You couldn’t find a 223 bolt action in many gun stores. If you get more enjoyment shooting a different cartridge for a trainer you aren’t alone. As a trainer for larger cartridges a 243 or the 6 creed have more of a pop, which is good.

For a two gun setup, with the 6 creed and 270 WSM you can kill anything in the lower 48 quite dead. The 6mm is the most versatile caliber ever and covers any varmint and does quite well on deer size game if needed.

For three guns with an emphasis on big game I’d add that 300 wm if you shoot it ok.

With the 2 gun suggestion, would something like a 6um or 6PRC practically be the equivalent of that combo? Or maybe even a 6.5prc? Just wondering how much those both could be overlapped by just one option.

 

[Sled]

Oh man, if you think you have too many guns, I am in trouble

I would sell the 22CM, the 6CM, the 6.5PRC, 280AI Custom and the 300WM, if I was forced to.

I was thinking the same thing. This guy is in no danger of ending up on a hoarders show.

 

[passinggas33]

I was thinking the same thing. This guy is in no danger of ending up on a hoarders show.

I figure I’ve got 3-4k per gun tied up in gun, optic, ammo, accessories with a bunch that haven’t left the safe in years. So in my mind, time to send them down the road and focus on a few guns I enjoy shooting, cover all my bases, and use the left over money for ammo and hunts.

 

[43.6N]

Any objection to having a gunsmith rebarrel the browning to some other short action magnum with less recoil? You’ve mentioned 6um.

That way you have a reason to keep AND shoot the sentimental gun?

You could do the whole famn damily of 6mm.
6ARC, 6creed, 6um

 

[passinggas33]

Any objection to having a gunsmith rebarrel the browning to some other short action magnum with less recoil? You’ve mentioned 6um.

That way you have a reason to keep AND shoot the sentimental gun?

You could do the whole famn damily of 6mm.
6ARC, 6creed, 6um

I’ve thought of this a few times. I’ve been told, no personal experience, Brownings are tough to work on and often don’t turn out good. But it’s not a horrible idea. It’s a beautf short throw a bolt. Maybe you might be on to something…

 

[43.6N]

Shoot brother, you could probably trade that custom 280ai to the smith straight across for any kind of barrel work you could want or imagine.

 

[KenLee]

I am pretty recoil sensitive (aka a sissy), so I really don’t enjoy shooting the 270WSM. I feel like it’s got quite a bit of “snap” to it, if that makes sense. I actually enjoy shooting my 280AI more than it, so it often just sits in the safe and reminds me of the old man.

What ammo are you using in the 270wsm for it to rock you?

 

[passinggas33]

What ammo are you using in the 270wsm for it to rock you?

It is the 143 ELDX. But to be honest, I probably haven’t shot it in 2 years. My technique has definitely improved and it may be more enjoyable to shoot now. With that being said, it seems to feel like is has more recoil that my 280ai so I had opted for that more frequently.

 

[KenLee]

Iv

It is the 143 ELDX. But to be honest, I probably haven’t shot it in 2 years. My technique has definitely improved and it may be more enjoyable to shoot now. With that being said, it seems to feel like is has more recoil that my 280ai so I had opted for that more frequently.

I've only used 130 gr silvertips. Bought 3 cases in 2001 or 2002 when a-bolt 2 in 270wsm came out. I've had an a-bolt 1 in 270 for 35ish years.

 

[TaperPin]

With the 2 gun suggestion, would something like a 6um or 6PRC practically be the equivalent of that combo? Or maybe even a 6.5prc? Just wondering how much those both could be overlapped by just one option.

Barrel’s don’t last as long so cost per shot goes up, not to mention semi custom ammo cost if you don’t reload, so overall cost goes way up with the big 6mms. For that reason it would be hard for me to think of either one as a substitute for the 243/6 creed unless only a few hundred rounds a year are shot.

I’ve tried to up the size of my small gun like you’re suggesting and during the year busting rocks and prairie dogs it was fun, money wasn’t tight so the extra cost of ammo didn’t bother me, but in 12 months burned out a new barrel, which was a drag.

I even did away with a small gun altogether one year and had a pair of identical 7mm hunting rifles. My plan was to do all practicing and hunting with one cartridge and it technically worked out, practice groups were good, hunting was uneventful, but I didn’t shoot as much as usual since the larger cartridge just wasn’t as fun to plink with. That year I pledged to always have a 243 available for fun shooting, regardless of what hunting rifles I use.

 

[Marbles]

So...real talk, real hunting ranges, even farther than most people are capable of...

There's absolutely nothing you can't do with just that 6 ARC.

Unless you're going out past 400, none of hotter cartridges really do enough of anything better for it to matter in reality, but you'll shoot that 6ARC better from higher volumes of practice and less recoil.

If you just sold all your guns, put all of that into a pile of 6ARC ammo, you'd be good to go.

Sell all the Tikkas, and the 223? Blasphemy!

But, you are correct.