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Old August 8, 2014, 11:30 AM   #1
MarkCO
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Which 7 Rifle calibers would you choose

I know the 3 gun, 5 gun, 6 pistol battery threads are kind of silly, but they are interesting to see people's varied thought processes. I was thinking through the various calibers I own, and what is available, kind of in a way to see if I have any significant holes.

So, one from each group based purely on bullet diameter, which calibers would you choose. The lists are not all-inclusive by any means. If you want to say why you chose what, feel free.

5-5.99mm

5mm Craig
.204 Ruger
.20 Tactical
5.45x39
.218 Bee
.220 Swift
.223 Rem
.223 Wylde
5.56 Nato
.22-250
.224 Weatherby Magnum
.225 Winchester
5.7x28

6-6.99mm

.243 Winchester
6mm PPC
6mm XC
.240 Weatherby Magnum
.25-20 Winchester
.257 Roberts
.25-06
.257 Weatherby Magnum
.260 Remington
6.5x54 Mannlicher
6.5x55 Swede
6.5-284
6.5 Creedmoor
6.5x47 Lapua
6.5 Grendel
.264 Winchester Magnum
6.5x52 Caracano

7-7.99mm

6.8 SPC
.270 Winchester
270 WSM
.270 Weatherby Magnum
.280 Remington
.284 Winchester
7-30 Waters
7mm-08 Remington
7x57 Mauser
7mmBR
7mm SAUM
7mm WSM
7mm Remington Magnum
7mm RUM
7mm STW
7mm Weatherby Magnum
7x64 Brenneke
.280 Ross
.30 Carbine
7.62x40 Wilson Tactical
300 Blackout
.30-30 Winchester
.30-40 Krag
.30-03
7.62x51 NATO
.308 Winchester
.30-06 Springfield
.300 WSM
.300 Winchester Magnum
.300 RUM
.300 H&H Magnum
.300 Weatherby Magnum
.30-378 Weatherby Magnum
7.62x45
7.62x54R
7.62x39
.303 British
.32-20 Winchester
7.65x53 Argentine

8-8.99mm

8x50 Mannlicher
.325 WSM
8x57 Mauser
8x63 Swede
8mm Remington Magnum
.33 Winchester
.338 Federal
.338-06 A-Square
.338 Marlin
.338 Winchester Magnum
.338 Lapua Magnum
.338 Norma Magnum
.338 RUM
.340 Weatherby Magnum

9-9.99mm

.357 Magnum
.35 Winchester
9mm Nato
9x57 Mauser
.35 Remington
.35 Whelen
.356 Winchester
.358 Winchester
.350 Remington Magnum
.358 Norma Magnum
9.3x64 Brenneke
.375 H&H Magnum
.375 RUM
.375 Ruger
.375 Weatherby Magnum
.376 Steyr
.378 Weatherby Magnum
.375 Winchester
.38-55 Winchester
.375 CheyTac
.375-416

10-10.99

.401 WSL
.44 WCF
.408 CheyTac
.41 Magnum
.416 Barret
.416 Remington Magnum
.416 Rigby
.416 Ruger
.416 Weatherby Magnum
.404 Jeffrey
.405 Winchester
.44 Magnum
.444 Marlin
.44-40
10.4 Russian

11-13mm

.450 Express
.450 Bushmaster
.45-70 Government
.450 Marlin
.458 Winchester Magnum
.458 SOCOM
.460 Weatherby Magnum
.470 Capstick
.470-.476 Nitro and Nitro Express (group)
505 Gibbs
.500 Jeffery
.50 Beowulf
.50 BMG
.510 Whisper
12.7x108mm
.500 Nitro
.50-90 Sharps
.50-110 Winchester
.50-140 Sharps

As for my choices.

.223 Wylde in an AR-15 for shooting matches, varmints, etc.

.260 Remington in a Rem 700 for medium game, long range shooting.

.300 Blackout in an SBR AR-15 for the suppressed, defense, close in deer/hog niche.

.338-06 A-Square in a Weatherby Ultra-Light for the big game duties.

.375 H&H Magnum for the Dangerous game. If I had to delete one of the 7, this is the one I would forgo. I actually don't own any rifle in this group.

.416 Barrett in a Barrett M99 to fill the big, heavy, ELR niche. Don't own one, but would like to someday.

.450 Bushmaster in an AR-15 for the heavy, quick-handling thumper round.
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Old August 8, 2014, 11:53 AM   #2
Brian Pfleuger
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Well...

I don't need 7 but....

17WSM
22LR
.204Ruger
.243AI
.243Pfleuger (wildcat designed by me)
.25-08 (my own version, just because)
7mm-08

That's all, and that's at least 2 extra.
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Old August 8, 2014, 01:02 PM   #3
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A 223 will handle all varmints and work on deer sized game. My 308 will handle anything else in North America, the 300 WSM gives a little more range and a slight bit of insurance on game larger than deer. A 375 would be my choice for really big stuff.

Not that those 4 are perfect. A hunter could pick one varmint round, one general purpose round and one for big stuff and hunt anything on the planet with only 3 rifles. Those are the 4 I chose, have no need for any more and could drop either the 308 or 300 WSM and do just fine with 3.
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Old August 8, 2014, 01:13 PM   #4
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hummmmmm
7 different ones will give me a good deal of room.

22 LR was not on your list, but it would absolutely be on mine. Why? Too many fun things to do with a 22 to list.

223 and 6.8SPC........because I like the AR rifle and these 2 calibers give me what I need from ground squirrels to big deer.

270 Winchester. Covers about 85%-90% of the big game I hunt.

375 H&H Covers it all if you don't mind a bit of recoil.

308 Winchester and 30-06 because they fit some of my favorite military rifle.

These 7 seem to cover it all and over lap quite a bit.
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Old August 8, 2014, 01:18 PM   #5
MarkCO
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I am not asking what your favorite 7 calibers would be, I am asking you to choose just one out of each of the 7 groups I listed.

The logic of the choices within a group and based on what you picked out of other groups to have a sufficient battery is the interesting part to me. And yes, I did not list rimfire, just centerfire. Obviously anyone with a good battery is going to have a rimfire, and likely pistols, revolvers and shotguns as well.
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Old August 8, 2014, 01:30 PM   #6
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22 lr for plinking
5.7x28 for self defense
7x64 Brenneke for most lower 48 hunting
325 WSM for large elk/moose
450 Marlin for pig in brush
9.3x64 Brenneke for Alaska
12.7 Schueler if I ever make it to Africa
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Old August 8, 2014, 02:17 PM   #7
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5.56x45 NATO, not in an AR.
.260 Remington
7.5x55 Swiss (Didn't see it in the list, even though it's one of the most accurate in .30)
8mm Mauser
357 Mag
44-40
45-70 Gov't because Cowboys
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Old August 8, 2014, 02:18 PM   #8
Unlicensed Dremel
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Got a possible marketing slogans for ya:

"The .243 Pfleuger:
--It didn't Pflunk the test!
--It ain't your grandpappy's Pflimsy round!
--It ain't just Pfluff!
--It's Pflat out awesome!
--It'll bring home the Pflank steak!
--It'll put the Pflim-Pflam on game!

OK, I should just stop.....
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Old August 8, 2014, 02:21 PM   #9
Mosin-Marauder
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Quote:
Got a possible marketing slogans for ya:

"The .243 Pfleuger:
--It didn't Pflunk the test!
--It ain't your grandpappy's Pflimsy round!
--It ain't just Pfluff!
--It's Pflat out awesome!
--It'll bring home the Pflank steak!
--It'll put the Pflim-Pflam on game!

OK, I should just stop.....
I'm Tired of This Pfoolishness!
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Old August 8, 2014, 02:46 PM   #10
Brian Pfleuger
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You people are nuts.
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Old August 8, 2014, 02:50 PM   #11
Mosin-Marauder
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Quote:
You people are nuts.
I'm sorry you Pfeel that way!
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K-31, Mosin-Nagant M91/30, M24/47 Mauser, Norinco SKS.
"You might as well appeal against a thunderstorm..."
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Old August 8, 2014, 04:20 PM   #12
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For what? A lot of those cartridges are exceedingly rare and/or expensive or only come in exceedingly rare and/or expensive firearms.
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Old August 8, 2014, 04:27 PM   #13
MarkCO
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For whatever you want. Who cares if they are expensive and rare. If you could go choose one from each group, what would you choose? Let loose and dream a little man!

It is a curiosity of mine more than anything else. Only Mosin-Marauder was able to actually list 7 from the 7 groups. (Thanks).
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Old August 8, 2014, 04:40 PM   #14
Mosin-Marauder
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Quote:
It is a curiosity of mine more than anything else. Only Mosin-Marauder was able to actually list 7 from the 7 groups. (Thanks).
Aye.
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K-31, Mosin-Nagant M91/30, M24/47 Mauser, Norinco SKS.
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Old August 8, 2014, 04:51 PM   #15
Brian Pfleuger
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkCO
For whatever you want. Who cares if they are expensive and rare. If you could go choose one from each group, what would you choose? Let loose and dream a little man!
Parameters of the OP are your dream, not mine.
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Old August 8, 2014, 05:26 PM   #16
Jack O'Conner
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I don't need eight rifles either but this is my list:

- 22LR
- 22MAG
- .243
- 30-30
- .308
- 35 Whelen

Jack
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Old August 8, 2014, 07:11 PM   #17
PatientWolf
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Ok, I'll play...

5.56 NATO (because .22LR wasn't on the list and I assume the choice is limited to the list)
.243 Winchester
.308 Winchester
8x63 Swede (although I'd happily put 30-06 in its place)
.357 Magnum
.44 Magnum
.45-70 Government.
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Old August 8, 2014, 07:26 PM   #18
6.5swedeforelk
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Markco, you're grouping the 243 with the 264mag, the 30 carbine with the 30/378wby...and you're calling threads on the 6 pistol battery SILLY?

I take it your grouping is for convenience of cleaning brushes?

You did say feel free
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Old August 8, 2014, 08:09 PM   #19
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.223AI
6.5 Creed
.300RUM
.338 Lapua
.35 Whelen
.44 Magnum
.50BMG

if we are dreaming. I only picked the .44mag because I have no clue about any of that group of bullets
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Old August 8, 2014, 09:40 PM   #20
Bamashooter
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From your list,

5.56 Nato
260 Rem
30-06 Springfield
338-06 A-Square
375 Ruger
44 Mag
50 BMG
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Old August 8, 2014, 10:49 PM   #21
MarkCO
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Quote:
Markco, you're grouping the 243 with the 264mag, the 30 carbine with the 30/378wby...and you're calling threads on the 6 pistol battery SILLY?
I do think they are all silly, yes, but still interesting in some respects. The groupings are purely based on bullet diameter, nothing else. Not a dream, not a perfect battery, just something that was interesting to me. A few people have listed the 7 out of the 7 groups. The thing that is most interesting to me about these types of threads is the huge number of responses that don't even answer the OP. Maybe that is another question for a different sub-forum though.
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Old August 9, 2014, 12:10 AM   #22
tdoyka
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these are mine...
20 vartarg
22 long range /long/short
222 remington
223 remington
22-250 remington ackley improved
243 winchester
25-06 remington
6.5 creedmoor
270 winchester
7mm-08 reminton
7mm mauser
30-30 winchester
32 winchester special
308
30-06
45-70 govenrment
38 special
44 remington mag

these are what i "need"...
257 roberts ai
30-30 ai
30-40
338 federal
357 rem maxium
43 mauser
444 marlin
50-90 sharps

why is there always more!!!
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Old August 9, 2014, 04:10 AM   #23
darkgael
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seven

Seven calibers?
Nah, not that many.
.223
.224
.308
.375
.458
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Old August 9, 2014, 07:31 AM   #24
TMD
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I'm a simple man and have narrowed down my collection to just a few.

.22LR
5.56
.300 B.O. (my current favorite)
.308
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Old August 9, 2014, 09:59 AM   #25
natman
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The Core 4:
22LR
223
30-06
458 Win Mag

With those 4 I'd feel comfortable hunting anything. But since you asked for 7:

32-20
260 Rem
338 Win Mag

This would result in the following battery:

22LR small game
32-20 larger small game
223 varmints
260 Rem light carbine for light big game
30-06 full size rifle for big game
338 Win Mag full size rifle for BIG game
458 Win Mag full size rifle for dangerous game

Not much you can't hunt with that group.
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