Thoughts on one rifle?

[Macintosh]

Not every year, but I do travel to hunt in wildly different terrain—super thick forest hunting to open prairies. I could easily do it all with one rifle, but I highly prefer different scopes for each. Since I like to practice, and because i prefer not to keep switching scopes around, I have 2 main hunting rifles. One for short range focusing on woods is wearing a 1-6lpvo, and one that can do anything from short to long-for-me range that is set up with a ffp 3-12. I dont, but I could easily use the same cartridge.

 

[mahonsr]

I was sort of aiming for this but any time my wife even hints at a green light on a gun purchase in any minute way… I buy another one

 

[dieselchessy]

I cant see only having 1, though Ive done it before.
I like having a backup and sometimes a backup to the backup.
Never needed it myself, but have loaned out plenty.

I like a gun for small stuff, and for medium stuff, and for competition, and for target practice, and for backpack hunting, ect….
I like a semi auto for varmints and one for self defense and then a few for nostalgia like a Garand an M1A and a 1903.

I always have one go to big game rifle that sees most of my hunting use.

 

[Anubis]

Maybe a full auto or something really excited.

 

[sndmn11]

No one answer this question. Why. I’ve convinced the wife 3 barrels for 1 Encore Frame only counts as 1 gun as the barrels are not registered only the action.

I wish they still made those.

 

[Ringbill27]

Have it. Which bullet?

I went with a Ruger American Ranch rifle in 556.

 

[Ringbill27]

I wish they still made those.

I believe they are coming back soon.

 

[Bluefish]

Definitely going down the road of fewer rifles. Picked a few calibers and am sticking to those. Getting rid of the ones that are different. Can’t do just one due to hunting regulations requiring large caliber.

 

[justinspicher]

Have it. Which bullet?

I shoot mainly 77gr TMKs, but will use Hornady Frontier 75gr HPBT with good success.

 

[Reddish]

Anyone think of going to one rifle ? I'm thinking about it, so I can concentrate on one caliber.

This sounds horrible lol.

 

[Pony Soldier]

7 rem mag. My custom shooter, backup for emergencies, and the one I started with 45 years ago. It keeps me from being confused.

 

[greyghostnw]

Im a fan of two cartridges. One for high country one for river bottom/timber. Ill never need anything other than 308 for down low and 300 rum up high. Set for life with those two options for my hunting style. Good luck….

 

[SouthPaw]

I will always have 3. One is a high volume trainer/plinker/varmint, and two ready-to-go hunting rifles. Most non-local hunts I take a full backup rifle/ammo.

 

[_S_R_]

One is none, two is one. Always have backup

 

[MisterD]

Hello everyone. I am a new member. For many years was active on 24HrCf but the nastiness caused me to depart.

I have been hunting, loading, and shooting since age 12. Ordered my first custom rifle at age 19 from one of the preeminent builders of the day.

I have owned everything between a 6 Rem to a 458 Win. In my 30’s and 40’s and even into my 50’s I continually attempted to acquire the very bestest cartridge/rifle combination. My fortunes improved and I did much more hunting. I found that more rifles actually interfered with going hunting. Today, for 90%+ of BG hunting I want one primary rifle and a second for those rare times when the primary does kewampus days before departure. I keep both in a single chambering. I use a 270W with optimal loads. I prefer WalMart chamberings, why, because if WM sells it you can find it worldwide. I can’t think of a single animal that I have been unable to get because of the cartridge. Of course there are times when a hunter needs a 375/416/458 bore but that is a different discussion.

If a hunter has one primary rifle then there is no reason to skimp on anything.

 

[D Lee]

I agree with Greyghost. 2 rifles. Each one has a more defined purpose(s) allowing me to pretty much cover all bases.

I did try the 1 rifle route. Worked. Sort of. That "sort of" led me to my second rifle. MO betta now.

If I were forced to own 1 - hands down 30-06 for a thousand good reasons. But I'm not.

Good luck to you - you are on a good path.

Cheers.

 

[keystone112]

I think it also depends on what you want to do with the rifle.

Would you only hunt deer/elk? Sounds like one rifle would work great.

Would you hunt everything from coyote to grizzly? I’m wanting at least two.

 

[SloppyJ]

Thought has never crossed my mind.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Yeah, I have thought about one gun.

One gun for that deer, one gun for that deer, one gun for that elk, etc.

 

[elkguide]

BLASPHEMY!!!!!

I tried that when I was young and poor but have since given that thought up. Every spring I figure out where I'm hunting that fall and decide which rifle to take with me and shoot that rifle all summer. I also take a backup rifle in case things go South and that seems to always be the same rifle every year.