Re-doing your rifle battery.

[joshua]

If you can start your battery of hunting rifles again, what would you pick for all games in North America if you limit to 4 centerfire rifles only. Mine would be:

223 Rem in Remington 700 VSSF II - simply for varmints
260 Rem in Model 7 with a 22" bbl - for deer and long range varmints
300 WSM in Win Coyote Lite - for bigger deer (moose/elk) and long range deer.
458 Win in Win 70 Classic - for the big stuff that requires sure stopping power especially at close range.

Please post your pick, reason why and your current hunting rifle/caliber collection. I currently have .223 - TC Contender 14" & 21" bbl and ARs, 7.62x39 in AKs, 22-250 Win 70 HBV, 7x30Waters TC Contender, 308 Win Rem PSS, 270 Win in Mark X, 45-70 TC Contender 16.5" bbl. josh

 

[taylorce1]

All Game in North America?

Since you said all game you left out a very important firearm, the Shotgun.

So here is my list:

1. .22lr in my Winchester model 06 effective small game cartridge that I have taken many a small game including coyotes with. Plus a very accurate and quick handling rifle.

2. 12ga shotgun, I like my Winchester 1300 for taking small and large game and upland birds and water fowl.

3. My Parker Hale 1200 in .270 Winchester, because it is a .270.

4. My custom 1903 Springfield in .338-06, capable of taking all NA large game, and a lot of large game in other countries also.

I could actually shorten my list to three if I chose the happy medium of my last two choices and stuck to my sporterized 1903 Springfield in .30-06. But thankfully I don't have to do that because I'm not limited to the amount of rifles I can own.

 

[gak]

If limited to the lower 48

• .22 LR bolt (mine - a Winchester 69A c. 1958/59 )
• .30-30 Model 94 Pre 64 for brush deer. With Leverevolution ammo now, would consider an AE or Marlin with scope, but still prefer the format w/o.
• .270 Winchester 70 Classic Featherweight - all deer
• .300 WM Win 70 or WM Rem 700 CDL - elk or combined mulie/elk hunt

Adding Alaska
Same first two +

• .30-06 Win 70 Classic Featherweight - for most lower 48 needs
• .338 WM or .375 H&H Mag - Win or Rem

 

[BigFunWMU]

Golly, if we have to limit it to center-fires, that leaves out my .22

So in that case, something chambered for the Rem. .17 centerfire for lil varmits. Or perhaps a .223/5.56 for something a little more common.

.30-06, Winchester m70, for most everything else moderate to large size
.45-70, Marlin 1895G for everything bigger than that

Going beyond rifles, a nice 12ga for those tasty flying critters would be useful too.

 

[Rustic]

223 AR for varmints of all persuasions
308 T3 lite stainless for meat and harder/farther varmints
375 H&H CZ550 for things that might eat me, and
12 ga Benelli S90 M1 for too close, too fast quarry.

Simple. So why do I have all these other boomsticks?

 

[joshua]

I'm sorry for leaving out the shotgun, but I wasn't thinking birds and fowls. The shotgun and 22lr rifle is a gimme and should always be there to compliment a 4 set rifle battery. Interesting choices. josh

 

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Thompson Center Encore.
4 barrels, 300 Win Mag, .308, .204, smooth-bore shotgun.

 

[azredhawk44]

Win94 .30-30 for varmints to 200 yards, deer, coyote, etc.
Remington 700 Left Handed .308 for typical game hunting.
'Nother Remington 700 Left Handed in .338 for moose/bear.
Marlin .45/70 just for another big@$$ gun.

 

[fisherman66]

non-reloading battery
.223
.308
8mm classic 700
AK

with reloading capability
220 Swift varmint barrel
243 SS bolt action light weight walk around rifle with synthetic stock
7mm-08 mid weight with short barrel (perhaps falling block) in high grade walnut wood maybe a mannlicher.
300 win mag with heavy barrel and a bois d'arc or mesquite stock
(a drilling would be pretty neat, but it would not be used enough to justify the purchase.)

 

[dodge]

I would have just what I have.
Remington 700 VLS .223 for varmints
Savage 111 30-06 for deer
Marlin 1895 G 45/70 for anything that bites back
I am looking to add a 243 for a backup to the 30-06 and 223.
For those that can use an AR 15 for hunting count your blessing as here in Pa. you can't use a semi rifle or handgun for anything but target practice. You can use a semi auto shot gun for small game, turkeys, waterfowl and varmits (fox and coyotes) and it has to be plugged to two rounds in the mag with one in the chamber.

 

[joshua]

Interesting the Marlin 1895 45/70 comes up alot. I've been thinking about getting a Cowboy model and have a nice buttpad installed on it. It's not as nimble as the G model but the extra weight dampens the recoil of level 2 heavy cast loads. On the other hand the 1895XLR is a neat and practical rifle for harsh weather and dangerous game hunts. Maybe I'll trade the 458 Win for the 1895 josh.

 

[Sarge]

Three.

.30-30- everything from birds to medium game, with loads ranging from round ball at 1100 fps to 170's at 2200.

.338 Winchester, for anything bigger.

I suppose you could throw in the .22 of your choice, but I'd gladly swap that for a good centerfire DA revolver.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

If limited to 4:

1. Ruger 77/22(17)---take your pick on cartridge----.22LR---.22 mag----or .17 HMR

2.Flat top AR---.223/5.56-----20in barrel --most likely

3. Kimber Montana---.308 or 7mm-08

4. Sako 75---.338 mag---stainless

 

[Dave R]

I can "name that battery" with 4 rifles.

.22LR for small game and squirrels. Romanian Model 60 for low-cost quality.
.223 for varmits of all types. Mine's a NEF Ultra-Varmit. An AR would be fine.
.30-06 or .308 Win for everything else. Call it a Remington 700.
.45-70 for the nasty bruins. Marlin Guide gun.

 

[Big-Foot]

*10-22 26" barrel, backyard varmint.
Marlin Camp 45 26" barrel, more thump for coyotes.

.223 heavy barrel varmint scope.
*.243 heavy barrel long range varmint scope.

.308 ShortTrac BAR 2-7 scope 7.5 lbs, do-it-all woods hunting.
*.338 WM Lightweight BAR 2-7 scope, more thump for bear country. Probably don't need it but I want one.

.300 WSM long range scope.

*12 ga. To make your 4 gun limit all the ones with the asterick can be left off.

I've got some of the tightest woods you ever saw just min away, full of deer and elk. And 45 min away on the eastside almost everything is long range hunting.

Just as I was about to hit enter I look out the patio door and I see the two does and two yearlings 30 feet away looking at me. If they only knew what I'm typing.

 

[joshua]

I've got some of the tightest woods you ever saw just min away, full of deer and elk. And 45 min away on the eastside almost everything is long range hunting.

My buddy, when you gonna invite me to come up and hunt in your stomping grounds?

I'm so glad you live in a place like that. I'm so envious.
Please post some pics and share the scenery and pictures of game. josh

 

[Big-Foot]

Actually the sun was out yesterday so I did snap a couple of pics. I plan on posting them as soon as I figure out the software. My desktop computor with the photo software went tits up and I'm stuck with this little laptop for now. Both does have this strange coloring like Palamino horses have and I want to ask if anyone has seen coloring like that.

I've found some pics of how Oregon Cascades look. http://community.webshots.com/album/78851444UmUERe
But this shot is what I see most of the time, steep, thick, dark, more ferns than a dinasaur movie has, and if your not on a trail you spend most of the time scrambling over downed trees.

 

[BusGunner007]

In my safe:

1. Bushmaster V-MATCH 24 / .223
2. ArmaLite AR10 / .308
3. Remington 700 BDL / 7mm Rem.Mag.
4. Remington 700 BDL / .375 ULTRA Mag.

This covers the '4 for North America', according to the question.
There may be others not listed that are available for the same thing or crossover.
There might be a couple more added eventually...

 

[M.E.Eldridge]

I'd choose these:
1. .22LR for plinking, small game and varmints at close range. Right now I have a Henry lever action and it works great.
2. 12Ga shotgun for small game, large game, self defense, and all manner of fowl. For me this would be an NEF Pardner Pump
3. .243Win for predator/varmint hunting. Mine is a Savage rifle that came in a package deal.
4. 375 H&H Magnum for the big stuff-mine is the CZ 550 American Safari Rifle

 

[kirbymagnum]

(1).22-250 Remington vssf II for varmints and coyote.
(2).223 Remington vssf II for varmints, coyote and target practicing.
(3).243 Tikka T3 Laminated Stainless for deer.
(4).30-06 Tikka T3 Lite for Bear.