how many guys, own and hunt with only one or two or three rifles

[rimrock]

now I may be insane, I freely admit it but almost every time I see a new/improved rifle or caliber in 25-50 caliber announced, I look it over carefully to see if its any improvement over the current selection in my safe, and its not been unheard of for me to trade or sell and older rifle to acquire a new toy. now as Ive grown older I see far fewer choices, and a 44 mag marlin , 257 rbrts,BLR ,7600rem in 35 whelen,340 wby,375 h&h and 450 marlin , currently cover my needs.
but there have been far more that have passed thru my hands over the years.
but Im always impressed with the guys like one of my elk hunting friends dads who hunts with either of two 257 roberts rifles, one of which, hes owned for at least 50 years,(a Winchester model 70 ) and one he bought about 15-20 years ago(a browning BLR) who seem totally immune to the "need a new rifle, virus" that I and many of my friends have become infected with at times, and who happily hunt all their lives with one or two rifles and do quite well, doing so.
while most years find me carrying a 340wby, I usually bring a second back-up rifle on hunts and that varies a good deal.
but for at least 40 years my friends dad has brought one of two 257 roberts rifles to camp and hes done very well even hunting ELK, although most years hes only interested in killing a mule deer

how many of you gentlemen are immune to new gun fever?

[Twanger]

If I could hunt with a center-fire around here I'd certainly need a bigger safe. :D

Haven't bought a new gun in quite a while, but the Savage 10MLII has tempted me several times. Thing is, it would make my Encore essentially obsolete, since the Savage would replace it as my 'long range' gun. Being pretty happy with the Encore, it's not really in the cards.

If the bucks were available and I could hunt with CF guns I'd get a double rifle in 375H&H just to say I have one and have hunted with it... even if just for deer. They fire-up my imagination for some reason.

[dave-t.]

I've been very carefull with what I buy, and I won't buy a rifle unless it can be a usefull and dedicated "lifer" for me.

300winmag Ruger mII, .257 Roberts Ruger mI, .44 mag carbine Ruger Deerfield.

I never intended to be a Ruger fan, but they haven't given me any reasons to get rid of them.

That covers the bases for me to the point that I can't justify any more needs, but I have a bunch of wants that wouldn't up my odds for success in any way over what I already have.

I hunted for 10yrs or more with the 300wm as my only centerfire rifle. It has plenty of anything a guy needs for a one gun aresenal. The rifle itself is on the heavy side though.

[kjjm4]

I own lots of rifles, but I only really hunt deer with one now, A Savage 99E in .308 Win. I have a Remington 700 in .22-250 that I use for groundhogs and coyotes, and those are really the only centerfire rifles I use for hunting on a regular basis. The rest (around 30 at last count) get used occasionally when the mood strikes me or are only used for target shooting.

[Altjaeger]

I hunted for almost 25 years killing 5 species of deer and a ram with a push feed, Winchester M70 in .30-06. While it would be the last centerfire I would part with I have not used it much the last19 years preferring to use guns newer to me.

That does not mean I have sought newer, more proficient cartridges and rifles. Instead most have been older designs of interest to me. The first was a Savage M110 in .308 probably built in the early 1980s I picked up at a flea market. Next was a Santa Barbara which is a commercial copy of the M98 action in 7x57. Following that was a .250-3000 launched from a Savage 99 built in the early 1920's, a Husqvarna M46 (1931) in 9.3x57, then a early 1970s Marlin 336 in .30-30 and then a Sporterized Mauser K98 built in 1941 at the Oberndorf factory that was later restocked into a copy of a 1930s European sporter and left in 1957.

While some sporters are beginning to be built again that I might like I am not sure I will ever buy a new rifle again preferring to look for classic rifles and cartridges.

[Just a Hunter]

I have several rifles to choose from, but typically find myself hunting with either a Ruger M77 MkII 308Win or a
T/C Encore .308Win

My latest toy is a older Marlin Slugmaster boltaction shotgun with a rifled barrel that I am looking forward to hunting with.
It's not the prettiest thing in my gun rack, but for some reason I smile at it every time I see it.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I think I'm through the acquisition phase (I think). If I started this year, and killed a deer with each rifle ..................... well, I could go a lot of years before I would have to start over. A lot of years I used one rifle and killed lots of deer. Now I used lots of rifles and don't kill many deer. Oh Well.

Alan

[Twanger]

JAH - I have that same Marlin slug gun and can't get it to shoot.
It walks all over the place. If you have any tips, I'd love to hear them!

[Just a Hunter]

Twanger,

I will keep you updated afterI get a scope for it.
At the moment it's not seen much range time.
This was a last minute purchase for a slug gun hunt in Georgia.
I had just enough time to confirm it hits where aimed before I had to leave for the hunt.
Since this time I've found the mounting for a scope, and will soon decide which scope to use.

PS: If you have not yet tried the Remington Buckhammers you may wish to give them a shot
Seems like there selling for less than $8 at Gandermountain.com

From 50yrds I placed several within a inch ( but as I mentioned this was not a true range session, but instead a quick confidence builder that the gun would shoot)

[Twanger]

"From 50yrds I placed several within a inch"

Man, I'd love to see that. Sounds like you're good to go.
I've tried 6 different kinds of sabots, replaced the rail, scope, rings, and floated the front of the stock.
Have spent more in Sabot rounds than I paid for the gun!

First shot seems ok, and then it starts to walk...

[GF.]

I've got 3 deer rifles: Rem Mtn in 7-08, which has killed almost all of them; a GPR .54 roundballer, which is number 2, and the Marlin 1895 .45/70 which accounts for exactly one dead deer. I got that one so that I could hunt deer with iron sights, just to make things a tad more interesting in the deer-rich part of the state, and also because I figured it would be a hoot and a half on an Elk hunt.

It's not that I've never been interested in other rifles or rounds, but I have so many competing interests that there has just never been much in the budget for fiddly-fartin' around with new rigs when what I've got seems to work so darn well.

If I had to replace the centerfires, though, the lever action would be in either .44 or .357; the .44 appeals more to me, to be honest, but the .357 is probably the better choice in a handgun - if you're only going to have one - and it would be kinda silly to not have the two chambered alike. The bolt rifle would probably end up as a Tikka in .270.

So no, I guess I don't find myself Jonesing for new rifles too often....

[postoak]

I've never liked the idea of owning a bunch of rifles that basically have the same purpose. I *have* owned a fair number of deer rifles but I always sold off one when I got the next. So, I just have had my .270 WCF Browning A-bolt until recently when I got a .35 Whelen for my Africa trip. Even having that extra rifle bothers me a little, for reasons I can't quite figure out.

[Twanger]

I recently tried to sell a 12-ga slug gun and it confirmed my reason for why I have never sold a gun.
Everybody that was interested only wanted a low-ball deal....
So low-ball that it was not even worth my time to drive and meet them somewhere.

[Badger]

rimrock,

I am a military arms collector and have too Many "as issued" Mausers, Enfields, Springfields and others to hunt with. I have a few commercial rifles and like the .30-06, .243, .35 Whelen and .444 and .45/70.

Nothing new coming out this year or next will fill any bill my current battery covers quite well.

Badger

[Joe Boleo]

It cannot be done with only three rifles. I have more rifles than that and need to even out the wear. Take care...
Joe

[pepaw]

Have several rifles that I use year around for hogs/deer. Mostly wantever the situation might call for. Stalking thru thick brush or rattling, I am inclined to carry my lightest gun in a larger caliber. Hunting from a blind, might use my heaviest and largest 7mm to reach way out there. Driving around the ranch, the beat up .223 gets the call because I usually am more concerned about coyotes or small pigs.
.243 covers most of the bases. Especially culling does.

stumpy

[Sidekick]

I use my 700 Mountain Rifle in .270 with a Douglass barrel for just about everything. It's fairly light, more accurate than I am and is reallly all I need. Sure, I have other rifles but most of them are loaned out (some permanently) and the .270 is what I always reach for. For a lighter farm use truck gun I use my AR-15. It handles that job well.

[DUGABOY1]

Gentlemen, I guess I'm one of the guys who keeps the firearm industry in business. I'm 73 yrs old, and have been hunting on my own since the age of six years, and owning my own firearms from that age as well. I was born in a family that were hunter all the way back the 1675 when the first member of my family on my dad's side set foot on the east coast of what is now the united states of America, and over the next 171 years the family's generations moved westward to Texas where I was born some 91 years later in early 1937.

Guns have always been in my family so I guess it was just natural that I would be no different. I own a lot of firearms today, and have hunted with almost all of them. Some were inhereted, and wouldn't have been something I would have bought for myself. Addtionally, though I've hunted with most of them, I must admit that I rarely use more than five or six of them regularly.
Like everyone who has a lot of guns I have my favorites that I grab when the urge arrises to hunt something.

Today most on my hunting is done with several double rifle of several different chamberings, form 8x57JR to 577 caliber. I also have a liking for handguns, and can shoot them quite well enough to hunt with them a lot as well. I' licensed to carry concieled handguns, and am always armed . I'm rarely more that three feet from a loaded firearm of some type, and never in the woods !
So, I guess what I'm saying with this long winded post is like everyone else I could do with two or three guns without being handicapped, but I never will settle for two or three, unless the Obamanation gets it's way and makes it imposible for me to keep my collection that has taken me 65 years or so to put together.

[pepaw]

Forgot to mention, with 4 hunters in the family, I have an excuse to keep each outfitted with guns and binocs.
And I use them all. My .270 has been jointly claimed by the wife and son, so I had to acquire another!
It is a lefty thumbhole now, so the daughter will probably sweet talk me out of that one.

pepaw

[Phil T]

I could get by with a 22LR, my Tikka 6.5X55, and my 338WM. That's no fun.
I have and use 22-250(X2), 257 Roberts(X2), 6.5X55, 300 Savage, 30-06, 338WM, 45-70. Add 4 22LRs, 4 112ga shotguns, and a few handguns.

[srhart71]

The gun industry would fold if everyone bought like I do. I currently have two .22's, two shotguns, one muzzleloader and one .30-06. I plan on getting two pistols and one more rifle in 35 Whelen. That is still one more rifle than the wife and I will need to use. She will outshoot me with the .22 and one of my shotguns is a dedicated turkey killer. The ought-six shoots 165 grains for deer and below and the Whelen will be for anything larger.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I do want one, maybe two more. A 6.5X55 and a 375 Dakota (sporters). I have a Swedish Mauser (96) and have hunted with it but I'd like a little light rifle in 6.5X55. The other one would be just for kicks and grins and the off chance that somebody says, "Hey, you got anything that'll kill a ri-nossey-hoss"?

Alan

[Shipster]

Why limit yourself. I have 34 rifles and I feel the more the better. I do have a couple of favorites that I use often. I look at them as Investments, I've never lost money on a firearm but I sure have on my retirement plan.

Shipster

[Twanger]

The thing I'm distinctly lacking is a good .22

Several buddy's have the Ruger 10/22. Looks like a fun gun because it's a semi.

The Kimber bolt-action .22 has my eye just because it's a pretty gun... and the low rate of fire encourages precision vs. firepower.

[pepaw]

Have decided I need a .223 semi auto for these feral pigs. This rainy year has caused a real population spike.
I want one of the more accurate models so I can snipe from a distance, but also want use it at close range for multiple kills. Running pigs are much, much easier to hit than a running deer or coyote.
Just when I figured I had bought my last, now I am obsessing about another.

pepaw

[Silvertip]

I own 4 rifles but generally hunt with just two of them. I use my bolt .303 brit for moose and field shots on deer .Where most of my deer hunting takes place however is in thick valley woods and mt sides with small organized pushes. For many years I have relied on my .30-30 to get the job done with its light weight,quick pointing and fast followup for a second shot should it be required.

Silvertip

[ncboman]

I don't post to the internet about just how many guns I have but it's not many compared to some of you guys. Still, I can't get them all in the safe. :wink:

I don't hunt with rifles enough to warrant buying more but a friend just bought a Ruger M77 in .264 and I'm kinda scared to go check it out with him at the range. :D

[rimrock]

I have a close friend that recently purchased 9.3 x 62 mm CZ

http://cz-usa.com/assets/product-images/375/cz09_SC%20Express%20for%20web_png_637x200_q85.png

hes since sold his 30/06 and 458 win, and claims he wished he had bought a similar rifle many years ago

[Altjaeger]

I have a close friend that recently purchased 9.3 x 62 mm CZ

http://cz-usa.com/assets/product-images/375/cz09_SC%20Express%20for%20web_png_637x200_q85.png

hes since sold his 30/06 and 458 win, and claims he wished he had bought a similar rifle many years ago

It should be an excellent western round especially for those who put the emphasis on elk. It has an excellent reputation in Africa pushing the same territory as the .375 H&H in the German colonies without needing the expensive long Mauser action.. It was also popular in Germany on red deer and boar. Ballistically it is very similar to the .350 Whelen which converts to 9x63mm. The 9.3 mm will push a 236 grain bullet at 2640 fps for 3550 ft lbs or a 286 grain bullet at 2360 fps for 3530 ft lbs. The Whelen will push a 220 grain bullet at 2740 fps and 3667 ft lbs or a 275 grain bullet at 2400 fps for 3530 ft lbs. Bore sizes are .357 compared to .366 of an inch. The performance data was from Frank Barnes, Cartridges of the World.

[Chuck S]

I used to have many but pared it down to one 30-06. Trouble is it's too nice for some ****py weather situations so I'm looking for another either a beater or a stainless/plastic stocked weather rifle now in 06 or perhaps a lighter caliber, in case the wife accompanies me.

[Gil Martin]

As some have already stated, I cannot be limited to only three rifles. I have to justify having a large collection. All the best...
Gil

[John Y Cannuck]

While I have a reasonable selection to chose from, I do find that a few, are my go to rifles. But that would be five, not counting shotguns.

[Chuck S]

Found it!!! Went into my favorite pawn shop/gun dealer and there sat a Brown Stainless Stalker in 270 Win. The stock had a couple marks on it and the trigger guard is cracked but with the Redfield 6X scope that it sports, it'll do just fine for the rifle to carry when the weather turns sour. Just need to get a gunsmith to install iron sights and it'll be about right as the down side is that it's a righty and I'm a lefty but I grew up shooting righties so no big problem there and it'll sub as an extra gun for the wife/grandkids when they go along.

[T2133]

I have more rifles than I need. One cabinet is full of Swede Mausers and Finnish and Russian Mosins, even a Berdan II, one is full of shotguns, and one filled with bolt, lever, and NEF SSs.
I shoot more these days but am looking to sell a few of them to neighborhood kids if they get interested. I've sold most of my reloading dies.

[T2133]

Nice rifle rimrock, thought about one but settled on a Whelen so I could use 06 brass.

[Rugerman]

I've got 8 deer caliber rifles and I've killed deer with all but 1 of them (.243) but I have by far killed most of my deer with a .270 than with all the others combined. Its my go to gun.

[Hi Ball]

Ummmmmmmm just 3 rifles to hunt with you say! Well I suppose I could get buy with such a choice in numbers you listed but after chasing game around the hills and mountains for over 20 years, with my Belgium made Browning in .300 win mag, I decieded to go another route and that was to purchase at least one new rifle every friggin year. I have done so and it has been a bit of a delight to say the least my forum companions.

I have come to love the model 70 Winchester bolt action rifle (pre-64 action) as my go to big game hunting rifles in a variety of calbiers ranging from the .243 Winchester through the .470 - Capstick which shoots a 600 grain bullet. Now for varmints/predator type critters in the fields and hillsides, we have a very good selection of Savage rifles in calibers .204 Ruger, .223 Remington, 22-250, .243 cal and 25-06 including a Ruger also. My go to deer rifle nowdays is the .264/06 model 70 also.........(6.5/06 for the metric fans!) and it is a great lightweight rifle packing more punch than my 1/4 - bore 25/06 I used for over a dozen years.

[rimrock]

just a question??? (mostly for conversation)
.470 - Capstick, yes Im well aware of what it is, but why not a 458 lott, or 460 wby if your looking for a bit more than a 458 win,
finding decent 458 bullets has got to be a bit easier than .475 inch slugs, and I can,t see much advantage in selecting a rather uncommon bullet diam. if I did ID jump to a 505 gibbs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/505_Gibbs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.450_Ackley_Magnum#.450_Ackley_Magnum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.470_Capstick

http://cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-550-safari-classic/