One Rifle to do it all Or a rifle for each occasion?

[Stinky Coyote]

I’m currently working on my 300 PRC and also have a 6.5 PRC.
Will use the 30@ for elk/larger game/long distance.
6.5 for deer/antelope/ other medium game.
Just wondering how many of you use just one all around rifle and who has one set up for each hunt?

as I approach 50 and have run up and down the stages of hunting ladder and stages of firearms ladder in conjunction with...I've migrated to the one and done approach but it's in conjunction with where I'm at on the hunting ladder, I've come down the backside

having said that, when you're at other stages along the way you will have a harder time finding a one and done approach, or if you do you'll want some horsepower behind it, none of the choices are wrong imo, it's just where you're at on the ladder and the cross section of game you chase

so where I'm at now is meat over trophy, mostly deer/sheep/black bear size game with the odd moose or elk draw and plenty of predator calling (coyotes/wolves), not interested in Trophies anymore, don't have the wall space anymore and antlers and meat taste like crap in comparison to the girls or younger animals, and no interest in shooting big game past 400 anymore either, but wide open to coyotes/wolves up to as far as we can hit em, pretty easy to stay moa in field conditions, we predator call quite a bit as well

my do all now is a 16" barrel 6.5 Grendel running factory 123gr eld-m's, having a blast with it, 10 for 10 in four seasons on big game, 10 yards to 420 yards, 213 yard average shot distance and 12 yard average recovering distance, young bull moose, 5' black bear, bighorn sheep(big ewe), and bunch of deer both species (5 bucks, 2 does)

as my kids get older they may do as most of us do and run up and down those ladders but they'll always be able to come back to the Grendel's I'm building and get it all done for the freezer and predator calling and range days(volume fun shooting), they can build their own canyon crushers for those trophies of lifetimes and 'what if' scenarios etc. but I'll have them set up to go get some meat or call for predators anytime we please, they won't be allowed to sell their Grendel's but can add whatever they want down the road

if I were still after trophies and chased more elk and had to one and done it would be one of the other 21st century 6.5's either a Creedmoor or PRC depending on ~800 or ~1000 yard potential desires, coyotes would take a bit more of a beating though and no matter, we shoot them for recreation and wildlife management, not selling fur (selling fur almost automatically makes you a two gun cat if big game also on the table)

as a long time bowhunter and rifle hunter, if we can't get'r'done with a Grendel then we suck

good thread topic

 

[B23]

I think, if, I were ever to narrow it down to only one hunting rifle, excluding coyotes, it would be a custom chambered in 300WSM or a Tikka 300WSM.

To me, the 300WSM is kind of the Goldilocks cartridge, not to big, not to small, but just right.

I keep thinking one of these days I'm going to do a big sell off and narrow it all down to just a couple and a few rimfires but knowing myself I'd do that and then just start the cycle all over again.

 

[madcalfe]

I think, if, I were ever to narrow it down to only one hunting rifle, excluding coyotes, it would be a custom chambered in 300WSM or a Tikka 300WSM.

To me, the 300WSM is kind of the Goldilocks cartridge, not to big, not to small, but just right.

I keep thinking one of these days I'm going to do a big sell off and narrow it all down to just a couple and a few rimfires but knowing myself I'd do that and then just start the cycle all over again.

thats what i built. fits the bill for just about anything..

 

[3325]

One rifle: .270 Winchester.

I would go bigger for big bears. But if I go up I’m going way up, i.e., .375 or better.

 

[Anschutz]

One rifle: .270 Winchester.

I would go bigger for big bears. But if I go up I’m going way up, i.e., .375 or better.

That's where I'm at. CZ 527 in .22 Hornet for small critters, Winchester M70 in .270, and Ruger No. 1 in 375. I've got other guns but whether they were built for it or not, they're paper punchers. My Savage .243 could pull double duty but it'd be as a truck hunting gun.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I had 15 rifles at one point, sold and consolidated down to 3. I just bought a 4th.

I have a Christiansen BA Tactical in 6.5 PRC - this is my long range elk, deer, bear gun. Sporting a VX6HD 4-24x52

Christensen MPP 308 - just picked this up for a mountain rifle out to 500 yards. Razor LHT 3-15x42. Its just so small and light, I can see this getting the bulk of the work moving forward. Even though it only has a 12.5” barrel, it has decent velocity and is plenty accurate out to 500.

Bergara Premier Approach 6mm CM - coyote gun. Razor LHT 4.5-22x50

Rem 700 223 - for varmints. PST Gen II 5-25x50. I bought this rifle for $400 at dicks when I was in college. About everything on it has been upgraded and it has killed a lot of stuff. Sentimental value here.

 

[rootacres]

I built 1 custom that I have used for everything thus far. I will probably end up with a second custom. Along the same lines as you. I have a 7mm SAUM now and will probably end up with a 30 cal mag of some kind.

 

[madcalfe]

I built 1 custom that I have used for everything thus far. I will probably end up with a second custom. Along the same lines as you. I have a 7mm SAUM now and will probably end up with a 30 cal mag of some kind.

Get a 300ss

 

[Deke]

I am hoping to do most everything with a custom 6.5 prc I'm having built. Went back and forth between that or 7 Suam. That said I also have a 6.5 CM - 243 - 3030 - 270 WSM - 308 & a 338 win mag.

 

[3325]

That's where I'm at. CZ 527 in .22 Hornet for small critters, Winchester M70 in .270, and Ruger No. 1 in 375. I've got other guns but whether they were built for it or not, they're paper punchers. My Savage .243 could pull double duty but it'd be as a truck hunting gun.

Yes, we talk about “one rifle” but just about everyone has a .22 and some even have a heavy for dangerous game.

I interpreted the question as one general purpose rifle for all non-dangerous North American big game in all conditions. By that standard, I’m a one rifle man.

I use .270/130 whether I’m in the sagebrush for antelope or the thick timber for elk. If I’m fortunate enough to someday draw a bighorn sheep or moose tag, I’ll use .270/130 for those too.

I doubt I’ll ever set foot in Africa, but if I’m ever fortunate enough to go to Kodiak, I won’t have a 7, 300, 8, 33, or 35 of any persuasion. I’ve decided if the situation justifies going up from .270, I’m going way up,

 

[Firestone]

I use a 7mag for everything with the exception of high country bucks. For that I have a light weight 6.5cm.

 

[WormSportsman]

I tend to go through stretches with a rifle where I will use it for a few years then switch. It was a Sako 7mag for past 3 years then a Weatherby Weathermark LT in 6.5Wby RPM this year for all my hunts. Love having multiple rifles/calibers but seem to only pull out one out of the safe for a few years at a time.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

as I approach 50 and have run up and down the stages of hunting ladder and stages of firearms ladder in conjunction with...I've migrated to the one and done approach but it's in conjunction with where I'm at on the hunting ladder, I've come down the backside

having said that, when you're at other stages along the way you will have a harder time finding a one and done approach, or if you do you'll want some horsepower behind it, none of the choices are wrong imo, it's just where you're at on the ladder and the cross section of game you chase

so where I'm at now is meat over trophy, mostly deer/sheep/black bear size game with the odd moose or elk draw and plenty of predator calling (coyotes/wolves), not interested in Trophies anymore, don't have the wall space anymore and antlers and meat taste like crap in comparison to the girls or younger animals, and no interest in shooting big game past 400 anymore either, but wide open to coyotes/wolves up to as far as we can hit em, pretty easy to stay moa in field conditions, we predator call quite a bit as well

my do all now is a 16" barrel 6.5 Grendel running factory 123gr eld-m's, having a blast with it, 10 for 10 in four seasons on big game, 10 yards to 420 yards, 213 yard average shot distance and 12 yard average recovering distance, young bull moose, 5' black bear, bighorn sheep(big ewe), and bunch of deer both species (5 bucks, 2 does)

as my kids get older they may do as most of us do and run up and down those ladders but they'll always be able to come back to the Grendel's I'm building and get it all done for the freezer and predator calling and range days(volume fun shooting), they can build their own canyon crushers for those trophies of lifetimes and 'what if' scenarios etc. but I'll have them set up to go get some meat or call for predators anytime we please, they won't be allowed to sell their Grendel's but can add whatever they want down the road

if I were still after trophies and chased more elk and had to one and done it would be one of the other 21st century 6.5's either a Creedmoor or PRC depending on ~800 or ~1000 yard potential desires, coyotes would take a bit more of a beating though and no matter, we shoot them for recreation and wildlife management, not selling fur (selling fur almost automatically makes you a two gun cat if big game also on the table)

as a long time bowhunter and rifle hunter, if we can't get'r'done with a Grendel then we suck

good thread topic

Very cool perspective. Made me kind of sad to be 40 and thinking about approaching the downhill end of hunting.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Get a 300ss

I am so sick of Sherman and his cartridges. He and the hammer bullet guy should both be banned from the internet. I have done a ton of research and there is nothing special about the Sherman cartridges, especially when you take into consideration the fireforming and cost of components.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I am hoping to do most everything with a custom 6.5 prc I'm having built. Went back and forth between that or 7 Suam. That said I also have a 6.5 CM - 243 - 3030 - 270 WSM - 308 & a 338 win mag.

I have a christensen BA tactical in 6.5 PRC that is my main big Game rifle. It shoots the Match Ammo in groups like this all day long. I shot this yesterday. Its a great round.

 

[Juneau07]

I change out rifles for hunts more than I change my underwear…I usually change my underwear….variety is great, but when I get serious, the 30-06 usually comes out. Boring for sure, but in a good way.

 

[Rob960]

I have two hunting rifles, a semi-customized R700 in 300WM and a R700 ADL Varmint in 308Win. I primarily use the 300Win for my deer hunting, haven't been fortunate enough to take a black bear yet. For some reason when I take the 308 out, i see no game at all.

I stupidly sold a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70, so now I am on the hunt for another 45-70.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

..........

 

[JakeM51]

It depends on weather or not having two instead of one will lower the quality.

 

[scott_co]

I have .303 British, 6.5 Grendel, 7mm RM, and 300 WM, but the 6.5 Grendel and 7mm RM get used the most these days.

7mm Rm for elk and mule deer and 6.5G for whitetailed deer and hogs.