The perfect rifle collection

[bill k]

What different calibers, actions, or styles of rifles does it take to have a complete collection, for North American game? I agree more that more is better, but for the sake of this argument you are only allowed one selection from each of the catagories. For each catagory select a caliber, action, scoped (brand & power) or open sights. The catagories are general plinking, varmit, medium game, large game. The key is to select a cartridge/rifle action to cover the entire spectrum of hunting from jackrabbit, to pig, mule deer, elk, to barren ground grizzley. The last catagory will be the what the hech, it's just fun to shoot catagory.

[preciseone]

I can't cover the whole spectrum... but here goes.

.17 HMR bolt action for up close varminting (Savage)
.204 bolt action for bench varminting (CZ American)
.30-30 lever action for stalking pigs (Marlin)
.308 AR Semi for the 2-legged predators (Bushmaster)
.357 Magnum revolver as a sidearm (Ruger)
.270 WSM bolt action for deer (Winchester)
.30-60 bolt action for everything between deer and bear (Tikka)
.50 S&W for bears (S&W)
.410//45 Colt combo for stalking rabbits/coyotes (H&R)
20 Ga. pump action for birds (Remington)
12 Ga. semi with pistol grip for turkeys (Benelli)

That was fun. :)

[bill k]

OPPS, to many selections, you're only allowed 5 choices
Plinking
just fun to shoot
Varmit
medium game
large game

[Mannlicher]

Just buy a .308 or a .30/06, and your collection is now perfect. Just one rifle.

Now that does NOT apply to me. :)

[seb5]

5 is easy, and would be cheap as well.
plinking ruger 10-22
fun AR-15
varmint Savage 22-250
medium game Remington .270
large game Remington .338

[BusGunner007]

general plinking: .22 LR
Ruger 10/22 with a few high-capacity magazines & a scope. Good little rifle.

varmiNt: .223
Bushmaster "AR15" with an extra upper or two for versatility and ammo availability.
Can be made into a variety of different configurations to suit your personal defense or target shooting needs, including different calibers.

medium game: .308
Remington 700 Police BDL or 700 ADL Synthetic. The Police for extreme accuracy and fun; the ADL for low intitial cost.
This cartridge is used by Civilians, Police and the Military. It's available.

large game: .45-70
Marlin 1895 lever-action rifle with 22" bbl. stoked with expensive and powerful ammo by Garrett.

[Drue]

There are plenty of good choices in all of the categories. These would be mine:


Plinking Anschutz 1710, .22LR , Leupold 4X Rimfire
just fun to shoot SKS 7.62, issue sights, fun to shoot, dirt cheap ammo
Varmit Rem 700 .22-250, Leupold VXIII 6.2x20(40mm)
medium game Win M70, .30-06 Leupold VXIII 2.5x8
large game Win M70 .375H&H, Weaver K2.5

Drue

[gordo b.]

If I was buying new again:
Winchester Tactical Stainless in .308 with Leupold Vari X 3 2.5-10 mildot
Winchester Classic Stainless in .375 H&H Leupold Vari X 3 1.5-6 Heavy duplex
A good AR-15 flat top with a scope and BUIS
A Marlin 39a .22 with a nice compact scope (might as well get stainless) OR a Target 10-22 if you can't find the Marlin 39
A Marlin 45-70 Guide gun
There you have it! A well rounded battery that does it all nd won't rust away.
You could do it for just over $4K :D

[Samuel2001]

We're limited to only picking five!
I don't want to play then!
I want them all!! :p

[guntotin_fool]

open the back of a remington catalogue and look at all the cartridges they produce, Now i want FIVE rifles in each caliber.

[capnrik]

The simple answer is the .30-06. You may want a Winchester Model 70 or you may prefer (as I do) an old Remington Model 700. You might opt for a Browning BAR or a Savage 110. Perhaps you have the wherewithall to spring for a Steyr-Mannlicher or something created by Montana Rifleman, or Randy Fite, or Hill Country Rifles.

For me, I have a 1968 issue Remington 700BDL that I have modified with a synthetic stock and a detachable magazine. I would love to send the gun to Randy Fite and let him true the action and turn it into a real tackdriver.

I have no doubt that I can take any animal in North America with this rifle. Heck, let me be honest. I have a supply of long discontinued Hornady 220 grain FMJ solids. With this round handloaded, I am certain that I can take any animal on the planet. I would need proof that there were an elephant that could survive a heart shot with this round.

Give me three guns. I want my .30-06, with an old Leupold 2X-7X scope. I want my Colt's Python, 6 inch barrell in .357, and I want my old Winchester Model 12 pump gun in 12 gauge.

What could I not handle? :confused:

[Lawyer Daggit]

Rimfire: 22LR- Kimber
Varminter walk around: .17 Rimfire/ .22 Mag or .22 Hornet or .222 Anschutz or CZ
Varminter- HB-223+ Take your pick from Ruger / Winchester or Remington
Deer- Whitetail in timber & Hogs- suggest .30-30 carbine - Marlin
Deer open country .7mm Mauser or .308 Winchester/ Remington or Ruger standard weight
Big game timber- Lever action .45/70- Marlin of course
Big Game open country- 300 win Mag / .338- Winchester / Remington
Shotgun- suggest O/U ultra light 12 gua for upland game- Beretta or Browning sugject to your build
Shotgun- suggest O/U sporting clays model for duck / geese- ditto

How am I going?

[osirus101]

i think i would have to go with the
17 hmr Ruger
sks (7.62x39)
7 mm mag Remington 700
338 win mag
and the 450 marlin

[Ozzieman]

Winchester MOD 52 iron sights 22 bolt.
Ar-15 Colt of corse 223
National match M1-A (M14) 308.
Rememgtion 700 300 win mag
Ruger #3 458 winchester mag
Geee that was easy.

[stevelyn]

I think I'm having a case of dayjavoo all over again an can do it four, but I'll play.

.22 lr semi-auto for small game and pest control.

.223/5.56 NATO on an AR or common military platform for anti-personnel and varmints up to and including wolves.

.30-06 for all the rest of North America's, most of Africa's furry critters and long range anti-personnel use. Hey, I could stop there, but you said five. So...............

.338-06 or .35 Whelen.................Flip a coin and decide.

.45-70 levergun for big things at short range.

[Picher]

As much as I dislike this type of thread, this one seems interesting, so here goes:

Plinking - Custom heavy-barrelled 10-22 with a 4-14X Simmons ATV scope.

Varmint - .22-250 Ackley Imp. Remington 700 - 4-14X(?) Bushnell 4200 (Distances aren't all that long here in Maine, offhand shots out to 200 yds).

Medium Game - .270 Win Remington 700 CDL - Stainless if I could get it - in a McMillan Stock, Leupold 3-9X

Large Game - Hold off until planning a major hunt, if possible. Otherwise, Rem 700 BDL with Mcmillan Stock, .338 Win Mag. (If CDL made in that caliber) - Leupold 3-9X

Just for fun - Cooper .22 LR Bolt action with 4-14X Simmons ATV and 3-7x Leupold and Target receiver/globe front for indoor shooting in the winter.

Can't forget to mention that there would be lots of handloading involved.

Picher

[Jeffro250]

No such thing!! Ive got more rifles than i could count on probably 10 hands and i still dont have all that i want! :D

[grey_pilgrim]

IF i had to to it all with 5 rifles (not including shotguns or pistols)

Plinking1) Ruger 10-22 or savage mark II fxp

Vurmits 2) Ar-15 in 223 (i would probably have several other uppers if i could).

Med Game 3)Savage 111fl in 30-06 or (if i have more $$), kimber 84M in 7-08

Big game 4) 338 win mag (not sure of model) or possibly something in 340 wby (if i had money)

Fun gun 5) Has to be a 308 semi. . . .fal, modified saiga, or bar-10. The saiga or fal would also be nice for downeast deer hunting. . . .just what o'connor ordered. Failing that, a 1895GS would do nicely in 45-70

So primary list:
10-22
ar-15
111FL (30-06)
338 win mag
Saiga/Fal


Possible substitutes:
Savage mark II
Worked over remmy 700 in 223
Kimber 84M (7mm-08)
340 wby
bar-10/1895gs

[jefnvk]

This goes at least for Michigan, I'd imagine most of the midwest

Plinking - 10/22
Just fun to shoot - SKS
Varmit - 10/22
Medium game - Bolt gun in 6.5 Swede
Large game - Bolt gun in .30-06

[bill k]

I've loved the response so here's my choice.

Plinking: Ruger 10-22

varmit: 22-250 remington VLS 6x24 scope I figure I could shoot up to antelope down to ground squirrels with it. A better choice in caliber could be a 243 or 308)

Medium game: Remington 7oo BDL in 7mm mag with 4x12 scope.

Large game: BAR in 338 win mag 3x9 lepould

Just for fun: Winchester 94 in 30-30 I think every collection should have a lever action, besides this is the key, you now have a brush gun, saddle gun.

[FirstFreedom]

You can ask what if only 1 rifle to do it all? What if 2? What if 3, 4, 5, etc. The answers change each time as you can narrow the gaps more and more. So when you go from 2 to 3, or 3 to 4, or 4 to 5, you're not just *adding* rifles/calibers, you're changing things up entirely, in order to best cover everything. But if the question is: Four rifles for all things north american, then I'm with busgunner: A .22lr, a .223, a .308, and a .45-70.

[Jseime]

Plinking- Remington 597SS .22lr 3-9X32 bushnell sportsman
just fun to shoot- SKS no scope maybe better sights though
Varmit- Savage in .223 or .22-250 4-16X40
medium game- remington 7400 in .243 3-9X40
large game- .375 H&H Mag (overkill is better than being mauled) not sure what kind of gun 1.5-5 30mm tube and once again not sure on brand

[pepsquad]

Plinking-Baikal .22 (hey i already own it)
just fun to shoot- SKS fun AND affordable
Varmit- Marlin bolt action 17 (can't wait to get my hands on one)
medium game- Ruger 243
large game- 30-06 03A3 (i already own that one as well)

[keens]

Browning A-Bolt stainless .375 H&H for the big bears.
Same gun in .338 Win Mag for Elk, smaller bears.
Same gun in 30-06 for Deer size game.
Remington 700P (LTR) .308 for fun.
Armalite AR-10 for...well just in case and because it is cool.

Ruger 10/22...but that would be six, and cheating...if I had to throw one out it would be the .375 H&H since it would be used much less than a 10/22...then I would have five...ouch that hurt.

I figure I can have as many guns as my wife has jewelry and shoes...I mean there are different shoes and different jewelry for various "situations" right?
Same with guns of course... :D

[Brian Williams]

Plinking - Ruger 10/22 or AR lightweight

just fun to shoot - Marlin 1894c in 357

Varmit - Charles Daly Mini Mauser in 221 fireball

Medium game - Charles Daly Mini Mauser in 25-222mag or 6.5 grendel

Large game - Marlin Guide gun

[bill k]

375 H&H mag for north American game????? What would that do to a Jack rabbit at 250 yards, it's standing right in front of a flat boulder? Just for the image you get six rifles in your collection.

[drinks]

.22 rf, your choice of type[mine is a bolt action ss].
.243, varmints to deer and pronghorn with proper loads.
.358, proper loads for anything else in N.A.[ alternative, .35 Whalen].
Of course, I only have the above , ha,ha! :D
Don

[Pappy John]

deleted

[357MagFan]

Marlin 1894C for fun
Marlin 1894C for small game
Marlin 1894C for medium game
Marlin 1894C for personal defense
Marli.. no .338 Lapua for the kind of game I will probably never hunt :D

[2400]

22 LR.......................10-22 or Nylon 66.......................iron or 4x
22-250.....................custom 03-A3 bolt action..............6-20x
270..........................pre 64 Model 70.........................3-9x
338 Win Mag..............pre 64 Model 70.........................1.75-7x
375 H&H....................pre 64 Alaskan Model 70.............1.75-7x

[hivel37]

Hard choices:

Plinking: Winchester model 63

For fun: .223 in Rem. 700 LTR

Varm.: 22-250 Winchester M70 Coyote (push feed)

Med. game: .270 in Ruger 77R

Large: .338 Hawk in custom pre-64 Win.

[Picher]

357MagFan

1894C will probably do the job on most small to medium animals/varmints, plinking, and fun as implied in your post.

Of course, to someone with only a hammer for tools, every fastener seems to look like a nail. ;)

Just kidding.

John

[Doug242ti]

22 LR.......................10-22 or Nylon 66.......................iron or 4x
22-250.....................custom 03-A3 bolt action..............6-20x
270..........................pre 64 Model 70.........................3-9x
338 Win Mag..............pre 64 Model 70.........................1.75-7x
375 H&H....................pre 64 Alaskan Model 70.............1.75-7x


my dad had a pre 64 model 70 in 264 win mag... sold it when I was born like an idiot (AND his 69 firebird.... oh well midlife crisis brought upon a few more firebirds down the road lol). : DOH :

[Lonestar.45]

Plinking - Marlin Model 39A lever action .22, iron sights

just fun to shoot - Valmet AK-47 variant, 7.62x39 iron sights

Varmint - Bushmaster Varminter AR-15 variant .223, Sheperd 6x18x40 scope

medium game- Remington Model 700 Custom KS Mountain Rifle, .270 Win

large game - Remington Model 700 African Plains Rifle, .338 Win Mag



I think that would cover it. Of course, my Marlin Model 60, Yugo SKS, and Remington M700 BDL in .270 pretty much covers all the above for me, except dangerous game, which I'd rather hunt with a bow anyway!

[FirstFreedom]

except dangerous game, which I'd rather hunt with a bow anyway!

Interesting philosophy - I reckon he clanks when he walks, folks. :)