Do-all or Niche Guns
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Polishrifleman
Member
My philosophy is have as many as you can and use the ones you want.
In the event that you are talking about Lower 48 game and you want one rifle .270 is probably the lowest but the ol 06 is tough to beat. It really depends because you aren't going squirrel or yote hunting with your 06 which is why there are so many great choices.
Hopefully that helps a little.
In the event that you are talking about Lower 48 game and you want one rifle .270 is probably the lowest but the ol 06 is tough to beat. It really depends because you aren't going squirrel or yote hunting with your 06 which is why there are so many great choices.
Hopefully that helps a little.
huntershooter
Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
- Messages
- 1,058
I view firearms as tools-you need lots of them for all the different "jobs".
islandphish
Member
I believe in the do-all philosophy.
but that still means that every person should have a shotgun, a .22, and a high powered rifle.
for me that has translated to
870
10-22
30-06
Not much you can't do with that. And you CAN kill coyotes with an '06.
but that still means that every person should have a shotgun, a .22, and a high powered rifle.
for me that has translated to
870
10-22
30-06
Not much you can't do with that. And you CAN kill coyotes with an '06.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
I started shooting an '06 and handloading for it way, way back. It was my do-all critter, from squirrel to deerl.
I guess that with later years improvng the state of my billfold, I began getting more into specific-purpose rifles. .220 Swift, .243, etc.
Art
I guess that with later years improvng the state of my billfold, I began getting more into specific-purpose rifles. .220 Swift, .243, etc.
Art
'Card
Member
I deer hunt with several different rifles, but which one I choose to carry on a given day isn't just because of the cartridge, it's also partially because of the rifle itself.
My Remington 7400 with a 3x9 scope is a good all-around deer rifle in .30-06. I carry it about 70% of the time when I'm deer hunting, but some days if I'm planning to move a lot, bust thickets and generally beat the bushes, I'll carry my Remington Model 81 with open sights in .300 Savage. That's not because the .300 Savage is a superior cartridge compared to the .30-06, but because the Model 81 is shorter, perfectly balanced, and points quicker for faster shots. I'll also carry the Model 81 if the weather is really horrible and visibility is low.
On the other end of the spectrum, I've got a .300WinMag BAR I'll carry if I know I'm going to be sitting in a stand all day and the shots are likely to be at longer ranges. Once again, this isn't just because the cartridge is superior at long range, but the rifle is heavy, long, and feels awkward to me. It excels at long-range tack-driving though, so if the situation is right I'll use it.
Now, having said all that, those are three different rifles for three different types of deer hunting. The fact that they're three different cartridges is mostly just coincidence. I could easily find rifles that would perfectly fit all three roles in .30-06 if I'd been inclined to do so from the start.
My Remington 7400 with a 3x9 scope is a good all-around deer rifle in .30-06. I carry it about 70% of the time when I'm deer hunting, but some days if I'm planning to move a lot, bust thickets and generally beat the bushes, I'll carry my Remington Model 81 with open sights in .300 Savage. That's not because the .300 Savage is a superior cartridge compared to the .30-06, but because the Model 81 is shorter, perfectly balanced, and points quicker for faster shots. I'll also carry the Model 81 if the weather is really horrible and visibility is low.
On the other end of the spectrum, I've got a .300WinMag BAR I'll carry if I know I'm going to be sitting in a stand all day and the shots are likely to be at longer ranges. Once again, this isn't just because the cartridge is superior at long range, but the rifle is heavy, long, and feels awkward to me. It excels at long-range tack-driving though, so if the situation is right I'll use it.
Now, having said all that, those are three different rifles for three different types of deer hunting. The fact that they're three different cartridges is mostly just coincidence. I could easily find rifles that would perfectly fit all three roles in .30-06 if I'd been inclined to do so from the start.
nico
Member
I agree with the idea of getting a few "do-all" guns and then filling any niches you want. I already have two do-all guns (a 12ga shotgun and 10/22), but my centerfire rifle (M77 all-weather in .270win) doesn't exactly fit the bill. It's a great deer rifle, but the thin barrel and cost of ammo (I don't reload) aren't exactly conducive to a lot of recreational shooting.
For my uses, the 700P LTR in .308 seems to be the best factory "do-all" rifle. The heavy fluted barrel would be better than mine for range use, but at 7.5lbs, it's not too heavy for the type of hunting I do.
For my uses, the 700P LTR in .308 seems to be the best factory "do-all" rifle. The heavy fluted barrel would be better than mine for range use, but at 7.5lbs, it's not too heavy for the type of hunting I do.
swampdog
Member
Most people probably get a "do all" rifle first and then specialize. Let's face it, there's really no such thing as a do all rifle. There will always be compromises. I've owned rifles in all the of the calibers you mentioned. While my .270 700 is an excellent rifle for longer shots, it's awkward and heavier than I like for still hunting in heavy cover. A 30/06 semi-auto is good for thick cover or quick action when running dogs, but it leaves a little to be the desired if hunting soybean fields.
I have a .308 bolt action carbine that is as close to a do it all rifle as I've found, but you still have compromises. While it might be capable of shooting as well as my 700 at 300 yards, I can't shoot it as well at long range.
Different jobs, different tools. I also have an 870 and a 10/22. Why use a sledge hammer to drive a nail? You certainly can, though, if that's all you have.
I have a .308 bolt action carbine that is as close to a do it all rifle as I've found, but you still have compromises. While it might be capable of shooting as well as my 700 at 300 yards, I can't shoot it as well at long range.
Different jobs, different tools. I also have an 870 and a 10/22. Why use a sledge hammer to drive a nail? You certainly can, though, if that's all you have.
AStone
Member
I'm a "doitall" kinda guy.
I own 4 guns now, each filling a specific niche, and am looking for a fifth.
Rifle-wise, I own only 1 now: CZ 452 .22LR.
I want one more: a centerfire with wide ranging potential for defense and short range hunting (says a guy who lives in a temperate rain forest, where shots are rarely longer than 100 m).
Current top contender: Marlin 336 in .30-30, modified into a CAR.
Along with the shotgun, pistol & snubbie, that should meet my needs.
I own 4 guns now, each filling a specific niche, and am looking for a fifth.
Rifle-wise, I own only 1 now: CZ 452 .22LR.
I want one more: a centerfire with wide ranging potential for defense and short range hunting (says a guy who lives in a temperate rain forest, where shots are rarely longer than 100 m).
Current top contender: Marlin 336 in .30-30, modified into a CAR.
Along with the shotgun, pistol & snubbie, that should meet my needs.
nico
Member
Of course there are. IMO, the idea of a "do all" gun is that it's useable for a bunch of purposes, while not necessarily being ideal for any one.
Using my example of the 700P LTR: its 20" fluted barrel wont' be as good for long distances as a 26" round tube and it's not as light as a typical sporter rifle, but the gun is 1.5lbs lighter than the standard 700P and the barrel won't heat as quickly as the sporter.
marksman13
Member
I've got a Remington model 700 in .243 cal. I consider it to be pretty vesatile. I wouldn't shoot squirrels with it, but for varmints, predators and deer I consider it to be almost perfect. I have other guns that I consider true deer rifles, but the .243 is more than adequate, and it's fun...not to mention alot easier on the shoulder than my 7mm WSM.
Vern Humphrey
Member
In centerfires, I like a varmiter, a good general purpose rifle, and a heavy rifle. In my case, that's a .22 Hornet, a .30-06 and Bigfoot Wallace, my custom Springfield in .35 Brown-Whelen.
Of course, I've got a couple of dozen other rifles just because I like them
Of course, I've got a couple of dozen other rifles just because I like them
22-rimfire
Member
Thinking of my own tendancies with a limited budget for guns, I first bought a 243 as the "do it all" rifle. I used it a lot for varmints and deer. Later I decided that a 270 was better for deer and bought one. I still used the 243 for varmints. But the 243 was perhaps a bit overkill at times for groundhogs. Shooting ground hogs with the 270 seemed foolish and overkill.
So, if you want a "do it all" rifle for North American big game, the 270 thru 308 is a good choice. If longer shots are the norm, perhaps a 7mm Rem or 300 win mag.
As you get more experience, I feel that you buy more guns for a wide range of activities and often just because you like to shoot something different. Basically you become a bit more specialized as your hunting and shooting needs are refined.
So, if you want a "do it all" rifle for North American big game, the 270 thru 308 is a good choice. If longer shots are the norm, perhaps a 7mm Rem or 300 win mag.
As you get more experience, I feel that you buy more guns for a wide range of activities and often just because you like to shoot something different. Basically you become a bit more specialized as your hunting and shooting needs are refined.
Vern Humphrey
Member
The .243 is not a bad choice for deer and antelope. It is, as you say, a bit of overkill on prairie dogs and groundhogs. But for limited varmit hunting -- or extreme long range varmit hunting, it would be fine.
The .270 wouldn't be that much more for occasional varmits, either, and a somewhat more potent deer rifle.
A good compromise would be a .25-06.
The .270 wouldn't be that much more for occasional varmits, either, and a somewhat more potent deer rifle.
A good compromise would be a .25-06.
nico
Member
Unless you're saving the pelt, what's wrong with it? You're not going to make them too dead. If I'm given the opportunity to go varmint hunting before I'm done with school, I plan on using my .270.
I like both specialized and general purpose tools. With rifles, although the .30s general typify the latter - much can be done with otherwise "specialized" rifles by tweaking the bullet alone.
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Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Five grains weight of shotgun smokeless or Bullseye and a 00 Buck round ball makes a great squirrel load.
In a .30-'06.
Art
In a .30-'06.
Art
Vern Humphrey
Member
Even better is the Hammond Game Getter. They're available in most calibers, and Brian will make them up for wildcats -- if you send him a case and lend him your sizing die.
The Game Getter is a cartridge with a steel head, and instead of a primer pocket, it is chambered off-center for a nail setting blank. Use a buckshot for a projectile (you get a sizing die with the Game Getter to allow you to size your projectile to match your groove diameter.)
A_Swede_17_1911
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2006
- Messages
- 26
Right now I guess I have 2 rilfe for most of my hunting. A Ar15A2 and my 336 in 30-30 Win, I figured that I would work well one hogs and deer here in TX, and I can even hand load some 110 grain HP for Coyotes.
Anyhow if I had more money, I would have specific rifles for certain applications.
Right now for a all around rifle I would have a 7x57 or a 6.5x55 Swede
right now I dont see my self hunting anything larger than Elk, and either on of those would work just fine.
At the moment I am really likeing my 336.
Anyhow if I had more money, I would have specific rifles for certain applications.
Right now for a all around rifle I would have a 7x57 or a 6.5x55 Swede
right now I dont see my self hunting anything larger than Elk, and either on of those would work just fine.
At the moment I am really likeing my 336.
wanderinwalker
Member
Hmmmm... I have just now come to realize that the majority of my rifles have been "specialized" in some way or another.
My first deer rifle was a Ruger 96/44. Short, light, .44 Magnum levergun, ideal for close in encounters. Topped with a lower-power scope I was quite confident with that rifle. But it was a specialized tool.
Next came a Remington 700 Mtn in .260 Remington. Longer, more "elegant", more powerful, longer-legged, but still a "deer rifle" with limited utility against larger animals (IMO), though I would have carried it elk hunting if I still had it and ever get a chance to go. And frankly, my hunting area and conditions didn't change, so...
Then came my Marlin 1894PG. Kind of like the Ruger but a more traditional package, and this one wears peeps. Haven't hunted it yet, but again, it is a specialized close-range hunting tool.
Sometime after the Marlin came along I traded my 700 for a TC Encore Katahdin muzzleloader. This is another rifle that mimics the ballistics of that first .44 Magnum Ruger. I haven't hunted this one either (both the Marlin and TC are acquisitions from after last deer season), but muzzleloader opens one week from Saturday and I'll be ready!
So for me, I prefer specialized. Even though my finances won't allow a huge number of firearms (poor college kid), I will likely end up with more rifles in the future, and very unlikely I will ever have a true "generalist" amongst them.
Oops, wait! I do have one generalist; a battered old .30-06 built on a VZ-24 action given to me by my girlfriend's father in exchange for helping him prepare to move. It's awfully tempting to rehab the ol' stick and get it in proper trim. But otherwise, I somehow doubt I ever would have gotten the "do-all" -06! (Again, unhunted, another summer pickup.)
My first deer rifle was a Ruger 96/44. Short, light, .44 Magnum levergun, ideal for close in encounters. Topped with a lower-power scope I was quite confident with that rifle. But it was a specialized tool.
Next came a Remington 700 Mtn in .260 Remington. Longer, more "elegant", more powerful, longer-legged, but still a "deer rifle" with limited utility against larger animals (IMO), though I would have carried it elk hunting if I still had it and ever get a chance to go. And frankly, my hunting area and conditions didn't change, so...
Then came my Marlin 1894PG. Kind of like the Ruger but a more traditional package, and this one wears peeps. Haven't hunted it yet, but again, it is a specialized close-range hunting tool.
Sometime after the Marlin came along I traded my 700 for a TC Encore Katahdin muzzleloader. This is another rifle that mimics the ballistics of that first .44 Magnum Ruger. I haven't hunted this one either (both the Marlin and TC are acquisitions from after last deer season), but muzzleloader opens one week from Saturday and I'll be ready!
So for me, I prefer specialized. Even though my finances won't allow a huge number of firearms (poor college kid), I will likely end up with more rifles in the future, and very unlikely I will ever have a true "generalist" amongst them.
Oops, wait! I do have one generalist; a battered old .30-06 built on a VZ-24 action given to me by my girlfriend's father in exchange for helping him prepare to move. It's awfully tempting to rehab the ol' stick and get it in proper trim. But otherwise, I somehow doubt I ever would have gotten the "do-all" -06!
(Again, unhunted, another summer pickup.)ReadyontheRight
Member
30-06 (Me - Garand), 12ga (Me - Old 2.75" Wingmaster) and .22 (Me - Marlin 60) so you can buy a lot of cheap ammo and also do it all.
We're also talkin' less than $700 if you buy CMP/used.
THEN start filling niches.
A scoped hunting rifle is probably the place to move next. Any caliber if you reload. If you don't reload, you probably will not shoot it much if it's not a military caliber w/ relatively cheap ammo availability (30-06, .308, .223, 7.62x39, 7.62x54R). Maybe not a big deal if you have the Garand for competitions and just plain old fun shooting practice.
A very nice niche for me is a .44 Marlin carbine. Great deer brush gun, 10 rounds at your disposal and relatively cheap plinking at <$20 for 50 rounds.
I love the .270 and the 30-30, but I just don't want to buy enough ammo to shoot them as much as I'd like.
We're also talkin' less than $700 if you buy CMP/used.
THEN start filling niches.
A scoped hunting rifle is probably the place to move next. Any caliber if you reload. If you don't reload, you probably will not shoot it much if it's not a military caliber w/ relatively cheap ammo availability (30-06, .308, .223, 7.62x39, 7.62x54R). Maybe not a big deal if you have the Garand for competitions and just plain old fun shooting practice.
A very nice niche for me is a .44 Marlin carbine. Great deer brush gun, 10 rounds at your disposal and relatively cheap plinking at <$20 for 50 rounds.
I love the .270 and the 30-30, but I just don't want to buy enough ammo to shoot them as much as I'd like.
aguyindallas
Member
I am just getting into hunting and while I really wanted a .308 just to have one, I settled on a .270. I am actually quite happy with it and from the research I have done, it looks like it is more of an all around type of rifle. I got a good deal on a good gun in a versatile caliber...I am in high cotton!
The only other rifles I own are an AR, SKS and some other various milsurps. Most of the milsurps are would do a good job hunting, I just dont have them rigged up for the job with slings/optics etc...
The only other rifles I own are an AR, SKS and some other various milsurps. Most of the milsurps are would do a good job hunting, I just dont have them rigged up for the job with slings/optics etc...
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Guess I'm kind of in the middle. I approached this question some years ago, and decided that my minimum rifle battery would be the following:
.22LR bolt action (Remington 541T)
.223 in a walk-around weight rifle (CZ 527 American)
.308, also in a walk-around weight rifle (Remington Model 7, with aftermarket HS Precision stock).
Add to that a 12 gauge and a scoped .44mag revolver and you have a complete hunting battery.
I've added to the above, but more for fun and target shooting than basic hunting applications, although I do hunt with other calibers and platforms at this point.
.22LR bolt action (Remington 541T)
.223 in a walk-around weight rifle (CZ 527 American)
.308, also in a walk-around weight rifle (Remington Model 7, with aftermarket HS Precision stock).
Add to that a 12 gauge and a scoped .44mag revolver and you have a complete hunting battery.
I've added to the above, but more for fun and target shooting than basic hunting applications, although I do hunt with other calibers and platforms at this point.
I agree, I buy my long guns for specific "JOBS". Lever guns for deep woods brush hunting, I use my .308 for open field whitetail hunting, and have many different 22 calliber centerfire and rimfire rifles for varmints. For the muzzleloading season I have a scoped up .45 smokepole for long range shots and a 50 cal frontstuffer with fiber optics for the thick brush. I own different shotguns for Upland Birds, Waterfowl, Turkey, and Tactical uses.
MCgunner
Member
Beyond the fact that I don't hunt squirrels with a .308 and I don't hunt deer with a .22, I've decided in my later years that my favorite rifle and my familiarity with it is more important than caliber for big game. So, for 99 percent of my center fire hunting, I do it with my Remington M7 .308, though I have several other rifles that could and have done the job just fine. I just like the gun, so light and handy and accurate and it comes to my shoulder easily. I ain't sellin' any rifles though. I like 'em and I wanna keep 'em even if I don't use 'em much.
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