Your idea of an all-round rifle battery

For hunting rifles I have some redundancy:

.22lR Ruger M77-22 Leupold 3x9X36 Compact Small game and rifle practice
.223 M7 Leupold VX3i 3.5-10x36 with CDS
.223 Homebuilt AR15 Leupold VX6 1-6X with CDS and firedot BDC 3gun and calling coyotes
.223 Homebuilt AR15 "SPR" Vortex 4-16x50 PST
.223 Rem M700 XCR Compact Tactical, Leupold MK4 6-20x50X Varmints and precision practice
.260 Rem M7 Leupold VX3 2.5x8x36 Deer from blinds or stands also still hunting
.270 Steyr Mannlicher Swarovski 2.2-9x42
.270 Nosler M48 Leupold VX6 2-12x42 CDS and firedot BDC Open country deer
.300 WM Rem 700, Leupold V3 4.5-14X42 Open country deer and Elk if I get the chance to go back...
8x68 Steyr Mannlicher Swaroski 1.5-6x42
.350 Rem M7 Swarovski 1.25-4x82
.50 Thompson Center Bone collector ML with Leupold BP 3-9 scope. Deer ML season.

I could get by happily with just the bolded, the M7 in .260 and the Nosler M48 in .270 have some overlap, but are setup for distinctly different terrain. I've also got some redundancy in .223s, but one is specifically set up for 3GUN and the other varmints.

You know, I've tried for decades to obtain the perfect battery of hunting rifles. But every time I think I'm there I realize I need just one more.

And, most of the picks follow a general pattern:
Rimfire
5mm
6mm
7mm
8mm
then something bigger at 9-10mm

1. A 22LR of some kind. I have a Ruger 10-22 and a Kimber bolt.
   
   
2. A fast stepping 22 center-fire - anything from a 22 Hornet to a 220 Swift. I have a 22-250 Kimber bolt.
   
   
3. A 30-06 class* bolt. I have a 30-06 Ruger 77 as well as a custom 308 Norma Mag (of course).

*Instead of a “30-06 class” rifle, a 338 Win Mag, or a 375 H&H would work well for an all-around big game rifle anywhere in North America. I have a Model 70 338 Win Mag myself, though I have not used it in probably 20 years. Even so, I’m likely to convince myself I “need” a nice 375 H&H for an all-around big game rifle before long - just because.

I can live with what I have now.

CZ455 22 lr
Rem 700 adl synthetic 243
Bergara B-14 Hunter 6.5CM
Mauser M18 6.5CM
Savage 10 300WSM

.22 Remington Sportmaster 341 from 1938
7.62x39 Romanian G-Code AKM

More is nice, but those two would handle anything I'd ever need to d with a rifle.

Marlin 39 TDS IN 22LR
CZ 453 in 17 HMR
AR-15 in 5.56
AR-15 in 6.8 SPC
Ruger No. 1 in 6.5x55
Ruger No. 1 in 30-06
Bergara Ridgeback in 300 Win Mag

Those rifles would cover anything I’m apt to do with a rifle.

I'm a deer hunter, but would like to shoot a few pigs. I still take coyotes when they present the opportunity. I would like to hunt elk and antelope before I pass.
That said my S&W Victory 22lr pistol is all I need for critters around the house along with a shotgun.

My choices:
Weatherby Mark V ultra lightweight lh 7mm Rem Mag (all of the above game)
Cabela's 50 cal muzzle loader made by Pedisoli (all of the above game restricted states and seasons)
Savage Axis rh 243 win (something new to try)

Safe hunting, thanks for the thread Harry.

Strictly for hunting? Here's what I have:
10-22
RAR predator in 6.5 CM. which I would use for any critter in the lower 48
700 in 243 which is redundant because of the 6.5
Traditions inline 50
RAR ranch in 300 BLK, suppressed- which has become Mrs. Fl-NC's deer rifle
Mossberg MVP suppressed in 223, which I use for hogs but I have killed deer and turkey with it too
AR15 suppressed, which I use for hogs but have killed deer and turkey with as well.
I have lots of other rifles that I COULD use for hunting (various AR's, MILSURPS, etc.), but what I have listed above all works just fine for whatever I am doing. I do have a Krag carbine with iron sights that I am going to try to take a deer with this year, just because. Its just a "bucket list" thing.

1. .22lr rifle
2. High power rifle
3. Intermediate caliber "fighting" carbine

Mine, for the repressive state of IL, is easy. Savage 93 in 17 HMR, CZ45 in 22LR, Ruger 77 in 243, and my Savage 220 in (20 gauge saboted slug). Throw in my AR and M1 carbine for post election unrest and we are good.

PapaG said:

Mine, for the repressive state of IL, is easy. Savage 93 in 17 HMR, CZ45 in 22LR, Ruger 77 in 243, and my Savage 220 in (20 gauge saboted slug). Throw in my AR and M1 carbine for post election unrest and we are good.

Click to expand...

There ain't much public property in Illinois where hunting eith centerfire rifles is allowed. So rifle battery for hunting there is kind of limited to a 22 rimfire in my past experience. Just about everything is taken with shotguns - small game, birds, deer, varmints.
Targets, plinking, and out-of-state trips different story

My Savage is based on the 110 action with a rifled barrel. Can't get much closer than that.

illinoisburt said:

There ain't much public property in Illinois where hunting eith centerfire rifles is allowed. So rifle battery for hunting there is kind of limited to a 22 rimfire in my past experience. Just about everything is taken with shotguns - small game, birds, deer, varmints.
Targets, plinking, and out-of-state trips different story

Click to expand...

I have my own land and the 243 is perfect for 'yotes at the far reaches of the bottoms.

Hog huntin Harry said:

How bout a rifle chambered in a shotgun gauge ?

Click to expand...

The Savage 220 is a 20 gauge rifle. I would accurately shoot out to 200 yards with mine.

Marlin 39A
Ruger M77/22lr Heavy Varmint
Marlin 336 32 spl
Browning BLR 7mm-08
Ruger M77 270 win
Ruger M77 338 (just sold it)

Need to replace a M77/22 Hornet with some thing that will shoot. Thinking CZ or T/C Encore in 223. Or maybe 6mm ARC.

A lever action 22lr for fun and a scoped 22lr for food
A lever action 44mag/45colt/30-30 for medium range
A lever action in 460s&w magnum with skinner sights and a bolt action 30-06 with a scope sighted in at 200 yards
I think that covers everything any where.I may even sell everything else.

CZ 557 30-06
Ruger 375 Ruger

looking for something in 25-06 or 6.5x55 to cover the light end, and I won't say no to a 280AI sometime down the road because on paper it looks like the perfect all rounder

oops and I have a AK and a 44 mag lever gun just for fun

I dont own a thumper. Was thinking maybe a #1 in .450 BM

Fwiw i run CCi quiet and Rem Cbee.....both subsonic and reg .22lr length.

Wouls not go w a .22 short, standard loads for those still break 1100 fps.

Have not seen short Remington CB in brick form for ages. They were cool from my 572. Held quite a few LOL and shot OK.

A bolt action .22 that will accept all of the .22LR family.

A bolt action in a serviceable hunting caliber, maybe .308?

Semi Auto in a serviceable hunting caliber as well for defense, may just standardize around .308 and go with M1A or AR 10

Lever action in any center fire caliber because America that's why.