Thoughts on one rifle?

[Weldor]

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

 

[kkp005]

Sounds good in theory. But it’s soo much more fun having a few to chose from

 

[wapitibob]

I can't put anymore rifles in the safe, and I've shot 1 for the last 10 years. Barrel #5 will be chambered 7PRC.

 

[Skerhunter]

I support your decision!

I have always only had one rifle for big game up until this year and I am debating downsizing already. I prefer owning a few very nice rifles vs a bunch of cheap factory ones I never shoot.

I had access to a very extensive gun collection when I was younger (thousands). Getting to shoot/handle them all I realized was more into hunting vs the actual firearms/collecting.

 

[justinspicher]

I did this a couple of years ago, I don’t regret it.

 

[kickemall]

Yes. Thought about it a lot and still do because I don’t shoot enough to justify an entire safe full like I have now. I think two is more realistic for me as I’ll always have a .223. Probably keep that and a 6.5 creedmoor if and when I do it.

 

[rclouse79]

I used a 270 exclusively for years. I guess I got the itch for a change this year and had it rebarreled to a 25-06.

 

[Ringbill27]

I did this a couple of years ago, I don’t regret it.

Well what cartridge did you pick.

 

[CoHunter1991]

280ai is what i would lean too. 140g to 175g at western altitudes no problem

 

[ARK_Ginger]

At one time I though that, but really one rifle with a similar chambered 223 is more better.

 

[JFO68]

6.5x55 handloads

 

[Choupique]

I easily could. I use the same one 90% of the time, and the other 10% of the time i could easily still use the same one at no handicap.

Could take it a step farther and make it totally all encompassing and just have an AR that shoots well enough to hunt with and do double duty for defense as well.

I do need a rimfire rifle, so we'd have to exclude small game.

 

[TaperPin]

I’ll always have at least two rifles. When everything is fine, one is all you need, but when an accuracy issue comes up, and it will, having a second rifle instantly lets me know it’s not the shooter. Swapping scopes takes 5 minutes to rule out a scope issue. Worst case, a backup rifle saves an awful lot of frantic messing around when something happens last minute before a big hunt. The guy who stuck a case in his rifle right before a hunt and broke the extractor trying to get it out, had to fix the rifle, identify why the case stuck, fix that, all in a matter of days.

Even if my trainer/plinker chambering were the exact same as the hunting cartridge, I’d have two rifles. The most accurate one I’d save for hunting and burn the barrel up on the other. When I had one good rifle and the barrel was used up, it was hard to send it off for another barrel with nothing else to shoot.

At the range it’s more interesting to have a second rifle to shoot while the other cools down. For some reason it’s all the rage to shoot until the barrel is smoking hot, even though it reduces the barrel life a noticeable amount. The guys that claim it doesn’t hurt anything aren’t volunteering to pay my gunsmith bills.

The final reason is to always have a loaner rifle I’m not worried about. The primary rifle shouldn’t get loaned out to anyone.

 

[huntnful]

I’ll always have at least two rifles. When everything is fine, one is all you need, but when an accuracy issue comes up, and it will, having a second rifle instantly lets me know it’s not the shooter. Swapping scopes takes 5 minutes to rule out a scope issue. Worst case, a backup rifle saves an awefully lot of frantic messing around when something happens last minute before a big hunt. The guy who stuck a case in his rifle right before a hunt and broke the extractor trying to get it out, had to fix the rifle, identify why the case stuck, fix that, all in a matter of days.

Even if my trainer/plinker chambering were the exact same as the hunting cartridge, I’d have two rifles. The most accurate one I’d save for hunting and burn the barrel up on the other. When I had one good rifle and the barrel was used up, it was hard to send it off for another barrel with nothing else to shoot.

At the range it’s more interesting to have a second rifle to shoot while the other cools down. For some reason it’s all the rage to shoot until the barrel is smoking hot, even though it reduces the barrel life a noticeable amount. The guys that claim it doesn’t hurt anything aren’t volunteering to pay my gunsmith bills.

The final reason is to always have a loaner rifle I’m not worried about. The primary rifle shouldn’t get loaned out to anyone.

My thoughts mirror this exactly.

One chambering… absolutely.

One rifle… no way.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Nope

 

[justinspicher]

Well what cartridge did you pick.

I went with a Ruger American Ranch rifle in 556.

 

[Maverick1]

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

I used my first rifle - Tikka .270 Whitetail hunter M695 - exclusively for about 20 years. I liked that setup and still have it. Definitely benefits to using one rifle and knowing it exceptionally well.

@TaperPin makes a good point about having a second rifle, especially if someone was traveling for a hunt or on a hunt where time is of the essence. (Don't want to be farting around or worrying about a rifle's accuracy if it was accidentally dropped on an expensive hunt, a hunt that took many years to draw, or on a hunt where the tag was only valid for a couple of days. Definitely a benefit to having a second rifle in that situation. Just grab it and go. No wasted time or lost hunting time. Having another rifle in that situation would be worth the extra cost IMO.).

 

[RWT]

Narrowing my list down to less than 8 total split between to locations. One local is all 6.5 CM. The other is 308.
I don’t count the 223’s or Grendel as primary rifles

I always carry a backup rifle. I drive to far and pay to much to hunt to risk Mr Murphy joining my hunt.

 

[sndmn11]

Does multiple barrels to swap on the same action count as "one rifle"?

 

[RWT]

Does multiple barrels to swap on the same action count as "one rifle"?

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.