Pick 3 rifle calibers from your collection

[jrfoxx]

Marlin 25MN in .22 mag
Winchester Model 70XTR in 30-06
Prussian Mauser 71/84 in .43 Mauser/11.15x60R
(The Mauser isn't really nessecarry, as the 30-06 with proper ammo and good shot placemet should cover the medium and large critters just fine, but it's more fun to list/use 3 guns instead of 2. That, and I might not be REAL comfortable using 30-06 on the really BIG bears, so the Mauser with a 370gr LRN @1450 FPS shoud do very well for those.Just have to fight off panic and wait for a closer shot....)

 

[gbran]

17 Mach2
.223
'06

 

[JWarren]

My choice:

.22 Rimfire Long Rifle
5.56 Nato
.308 Winchester

Extremely plentiful ammunition. That combination can hunt anything in the SE. Wide variety of platforms. Without considering the platforms, I would have replaced .308 Winchester with 30-06 Springfield. Then you'd be able to comfortably hunt anything on the North American continent (Even though .308 probably could, too.)

I should point out this. I picked 5.56 NATO over .223 due to chamber pressures. A 5.56 chamber could take a .223 if needed. I picked .308 Winchester for the same reasons. A .308 Winchester chamber can take a 7.62 NATO. The reverse is not always true on either of the above.


-- John

 

[Dave R]

From my collection:

.17 Wildcat

.223

.308

I would like to make that .223, .308, .45/70, but I'm a gun short for that list...

 

[Guitargod1985]

5.56x45mm / .223 - - - - - AR-15

7.62 x 39 - - - - - - - - - - Kalashnikov

7.62x51mm / .308 - - - - - Springfield Armory M1A

 

[CH47gunner]

Mine too

CZ527 Varmint - .223
Sako Finnbear AIII - 30-06
Marlin - .444

 

[Flintlock Tom]

.22 Squirrel - Opossum
.30-06 Coyote - Whitetail
.50 Elk - Buffalo

 

[Richmond]

from my locker

.22LR
.30-30
.30-06

Like CU74 said - the only difference I thought about was 5.56 or the 6.5 Swede for a medium (I have a Scout rifle setuo in 6.5) for a medium, but the 3 above are pretty well tried and true.

I don't have anything heavier than the 06.

 

[ndolson]

.223/5.56
7.62x39
7.62x54R

I have 12 calibers I have to keep ammo for :| it's hard.

 

[Erik]

.223
.30-06
.375 H&h

 

[BAT1]

Two. A Bushy in .223/ 5.56 and a Stevens .308.

 

[tnieto2004]

223
7.62x39
7m-08

 

[Magnuumpwr]

My Bushmaster XM15-E2S 5.56
Imbel L1A1 7.62X51
Cobb BA-50 50BMG

 

[Stevie-Ray]

.22
.223
.308

 

[BullRunBear]

22LR (or 6.5x55 if keeping it center fire only)
30-06 (WW I vintage '03 and Garand)
45-70

The same criteria for muzzleloaders would be:
32 (small game up to turkey)
40 (javelina up to antelope and small deer)
50 (everything else) (If I see a grzzzly, I'm calling in air support)

regards, Jeff

 

[mekender]

.223
.308
20mm vulcan (for the really pissed off elephants)

 

[tostada]

I definitely think the most practical answer is:

.22 (or maybe 17 HMR)
.223 (or maybe 30-30)
.308 (or maybe 30-06)

But personally I'd just say .22 and .308.

There's nothing I can't kill with a .308 HE load, and there's surprisingly little I can think of that would fit between what I would use a .22 Stinger on and a .308 light load.

I don't know what else I'd want. A .375 H&H would be nice, and so would a .300 Win Mag or .300 RUM or even something smaller, but I'm just not that excited by something bigger if it's slower than a .308, and I don't really think I need something with significantly more recoil than a HE .308, either. I guess you can't get something for nothing...

 

[gcrookston]

.223, .308, .338 Lapua

 

[hawk84]

.22LR
.223/5.56
30-06

its what i have
can't think of anything that 30-06 wouldn't be good for in north america

 

[pinetree64]

My personal 3 gun is
22 - quiet, affordable
30-06 - ammo is available for almost any need.
45/70 - will thump about anything to about 200 yards

tjg

 

[Sharps-shooter]

My personal choices are:

.22 lr, for smallness, cheapness, ease of use and transportability. A great practice and foraging round, good for squirrel and rabbit sized hunting.

.223/5.56-- same size as .22, but with more powder behind it. Adequate for deer and smaller game, plentiful and ar-15 type rifles are available with lots of options. Arguably the best fighting caliber in the world.

45-70-- Impractical in many ways, but traditional, and adequate for any task I've had to perform so far. Fun to shoot while wearing buckskins and a cowboy hat. Ammo used to be harder to find, but can now be got at every gun shop in town. Fun to reload, with everything from shot rounds and line-throwing blanks to 400 grain semi-spitzer fmj at 2,x00 fps (don't try this at home).

 

[GunTech]

22lr
223
308

 

[3pairs12]

22lr
.243
.308

 

[Ninja42]

.223
.308
.300 win mag

 

[Cannonball888]

.223
.308 or 30-06
.50 BMG