Minimalist Gun Collection

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ExAgoradzo

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OK just musing:

These are the guns that I think you would need to cover all situations in NAmerica. Obviously preference is happening here (that's why I want your opinions). When specific the rifle I think is important as well as the round.

Rifles
Marlin 1895 SBL 45-70
.338 Win Mag
M1A Socom (SHTF gun)
270 (Love my BAR!)
.223 SHTF gun and varmint gun
22 target rifle (remember, this is minimalist, otherwise I would have said 17HMR...but 22 are so cheap and plentiful.)

Shotguns
A5 12 gauge (beautiful and effective)
Mossberg 12 guage with an extra rifled barrel perhaps also a short barrel and a pistol grip stock (cheap, dirty duty, etc)

Autoloaders
1911 (Kimber :) )
9mm or 40 cal with large cap mag (SHTF)
22 target pistol

Revolvers
(All Rugers :) )
44 mag Redhawk
357 Blackhawk
22

That's 14 guns (You can see I favor the rifles over the pistols, but as I see it this is what someone would need in NA. You might, for example say 375 H&H instead of the 338, but that's my thoughts.

What do you think? Would any of you get more specific on the models than I have?
 
Fine list and all, but seems like there is a bit of overlap for minimalism.

What will the .45-70 accomplish that a 12 ga. slug or .338 won't do? Could the .338 be downloaded to cover the role that the .270 fills? Two 12 gauges are necessary? What is to be gained by having a .357 and a .44?

I'm all for owning a lot of guns, but my minimalist list would scratch a lot of your guns off.
 
That isn't necessarily what I would call "minimal".

Due to budget I'm working towards my "minimalist" collection before looking at buying firearms "just for fun".

I currently have:
Ruger Sp101 - .357 magnum
Mossberg 500 - 12 gauge
Ruger 10/22 carbine - .22LR

Next I'll be getting:
Ar-15 - .223 custom build, in the making. This will be for coyote and self defense (my wife doesn't like the shotgun).
Ruger scout rifle, Mauser or other C&R rifle - .308 or other larger round for deer.

I figured with these four guns I can cover just about anything I would need a firearm for.
I'm saving the larger caliber rifle for last because where I hunt a 12 gauge with slugs, especially in a rifled barrel, works great.
 
14 guns as a minimum? :scrutiny:

99% of the problems you could run into in North America could be solved by the liberal application of:

Glock 19
Remington 870
FAL/M1A
And maybe a 10/22

Now I'm all for expanding your collection and getting more guns that you like, but a minimalist collection should be, well... minimalist :D
 
HAHA! I guess I can see what you're saying. And I thought I was being very minimalist. I'll have to try again after I get some more input.

But I do think the 45-70 goes in addition to the 12 gauge. I'd rather have it against a bear in my campsite than a 12ga. I'd rather have the extra power in the .457" than the .7?? to go through whatever it has to go through. But I'll grant you that you don't 'need' 2 12ga shotguns...

Also, the 44 mag I was thinking for side arm carry while hunting. I guess I just added the 357 b/c it is my fav pistol round (again, not minimalist!) :)

Last comment: I like the idea of the 308 (don't have one yet...someday). But something like a .338WM or a 375 I think is a must if you are going to be ANYWHERE in NA. A 308 could take care of an angry moose, but I wouldn't TRUST it to bring a brownie down right when I needed it or I was hunting it.
 
.22LR a pistol, a Single Six, and a rifle or two, for starters.
.223 semi-auto, AR-15 for flexibility of uppers.
7.62x39 SKS, truck gun, plinker, etc.
.30 Carbine - cuz there's not a funner gun to shoot.
.260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, or .25 WSSM... picks up where the .223 leaves off for hunting coyotes to pronghorn to whitetail, and maybe a bit more.
7mm WSM if you just have to hunt at longer range
.338-06 picks up where the .260 or 7 Mag leaves off.
.280 Rem or .30-06 for when you can't decide which rifle to take.
.35 Rem (or .338 Marlin Express) a lever gun for everything east of the Mississippi.
.45-70 a lever gun for everything west of the Mississippi
.204 Ruger for a dedicated varmint rifle
.50 muzzleloader to extend your hunting season

A 12 Gauge with some barrels
A 4" .357 Magnum
A 5.5" Ruger Redhawk in .44 Mag or an equivalent .45 Colt
 
Your minimalist list has 14 guns on it??? How big is your "regular" collection? What about a 4-gun list: precision rifle, carbine, shotgun, handgun. Is there anything these 4 couldn't reasonably do well? For a minimalist list, you don't need to cover every niche.
 
Wow, y'all have a different view of "minimal" than I do. This is my minimalist approach, mainly because I'm pretty short on cash.

Springfield 1911 as a bedside gun
Winchester 30-30 as a deer gun
Ithica m66 .410 as a snake killer
NEF 12ga as a general purpose gun
Remington Scoremaster .22 for a fun plinking toy.

This is my minimalist list, mainly because those are all that I can afford right now. I have a couple of more guns than that, but those would cover anything that I need in my neck of the woods.
 
A good 7mm Remington Magnum or .30-06,
A .357, .40, .45, or 10mm (depending on state)
And a good 12-gauge with two barrels

This will cover all your needs. I'd start with the rifle, myself, but if you can carry, you might want to start with a concealable handgun that can also take deer-sized game with careful shots and correct ammunition.

John
 
Wow.... Here's mine
1894m- 22mag
1895- 45-70
Ruger security six-357mag
And a Remington 870-12Ga
And if it was limited on space, the ruger and my model 39a mountie.
 
Minimalist for what? Shtf and on your own or just something to cover any situation?
12G shotgun will do it all.
 
No, no, no, no, no
Minimal list of guns for whatever is as follows:
.308 semi-auto rifle
.22lr semi-auto rifle
45 semi-auto sidearm

That's it. You can substitute a shotgun here and there but come on 4 or 5 calibers of rifles? Actually if you want true minimal then just pick one gun only. Wow, I'm felling so judgemental today............
 
These are the guns that I think you would need to cover all situations in NAmerica.
Seems like too many guns and too much overlap in your list to me.:

Rifles
.308 bolt (hunting/DMR)
.223 semi (SD/HD/pred control)
.22 bolt/lever/semi (hunting/pest control)

Shotgun
12 ga pump/semi (SD/HD/Hunting)

Handgun
.45 acp (SD/HD)
.22 LR (hunting/pest control)

This is about half the guns in the original post, and I think this is still a fairly generous list that could easily be cut down more.
 
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^
That was just uncalled for. lol

OK... how about...

.22LR rifle and pistol plinking, rodents, and small game
.223 AR-15 range time, HD, and varmints
7.62x39 SKS truck gun
7mm-08 coyotes to mule deer, maybe elk
.338-06 mule deer to moose

.357 Mag
.45 Colt

12 GA
 
My idea of minimalism:

.30-06 bolt (large game hunting)
12 ga pump (small game/waterfowl hunting/SD/HD)
.44 Mag revolver (shot shells for pest/.44 special for carry)
 
But I do think the 45-70 goes in addition to the 12 gauge. I'd rather have it against a bear in my campsite than a 12ga. I'd rather have the extra power in the .457" than the .7?? to go through whatever it has to go through. But I'll grant you that you don't 'need' 2 12ga shotguns...

I also like the .45-70, but for a truly minimalist list I can't see a need. Minimalism isn't about having the perfect tool for every job, it is about having something that will get the job done. I'd suggest the right 12 gauge slug will get the job done on a bear.

I own about 8 shotguns, because it is sometimes more comfortable to have heavier O/U for lots of clays and lighter ones for chasing quail and a 28 ga. for teaching youths and a semi for ducks etc., but in terms of actual need they could all be replaced by my Benelli with 2 barrels. The Benelli can also shoot slugs, so that replaces what I would use the .45-70 for.

My minimalist list would look a lot like JShirley's except I would add an AR.

Ar-15
bolt gun of sufficient caliber
12 gauge with a long and short barrel
10mm pistol

As mentioned, if forced to get it down to 1, a 12 ga shotgun would do just about everything except conceal well.
 
  1. .22LR rifle
  2. .30 rifle (whatever .30 cartridge floats your boat)
  3. .45 Colt or .357 Magnum revolver. (I like the .45 because it can be loaded with homemade black powder and still be effective)

A shotgun and a semiauto pistol would be nice.
 
You can cover most things with:
1. Remington LTR or other 20" bbl .308 bolt gun (with good glass)
2. 16" AR or mini-14 in .223
3. Pump or auto shotgun in 12 or 20 gauge
4. a glock 19
5. a Kahr PM9
6.Ruger 22/45
7.Ruger 10-22
 
Moving this from Rifle Country to GGD as it seems more suited for GGD. Not sure how 14 guns is very minimalist though... :)
 
Glad I could make everyone laugh.

Niche rather than minimalist should have been the title.

.338 WM
AR15
22 (target barrell)
1911
 
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