What guns would you buy for hunting?

[andym79]

What rifles would you like in your arsenal for all size game (no elephant, whales etc)?

 

[Dave R]

A lotta folks will tell you that the only rifle you need for hunting in the USA is a .30-06-class rifle (.308, 7mm, etc.) For the most part its true.

Maybe you add a .338 or a .45-70 for big bear, if you're one of the few that hunt 'em. Or maybe for elk...

And maybe a .223 for varmits/coyotes.

But what fun would it be having only 3 rifles? That's like only having 3 golf clubs...

 

[waterhouse]

I almost never hunt anything that doesn't fly or that can't be taken with a .22, but I voted .22 and .308 just because I own them and if someone invited me deer hunting I'd take the .308.

I guess I'm cheating a little, because I concetrated more on the "your arsenal" part of the question than the "all game" part and threw in my own caveat of "all size game that I'm likely to ever hunt."

 

[jefnvk]

.22 definitely.

12 Ga, 10 or 20 will also suffice.

Maybe a .223 for varmints.

6.5x55 for all the intermediate game (things that I will encounter definitely in my lifetime in the northern US)

Maybe something a bit bigger for dangerous game, if I were to ever go to Alaska or Canada. Maybe a .375 H&H.

 

[tc300mag1]

id get almost all of um for the heck of it i mostly us a 30-06 or 300 win mag for most of my hunting and a 20 gauge for birds

 

[Godfather]

.308

Ammo's cheaper than .30-06

 

[Kalashnikov]

My arsenal includes 30-06, 54R, M43, 12ga and soon 8mm mauser. Of course I mostly use either 54R or 06 since you can only have 6 shot magazines capacity in MI.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I noticed there were some fine intermediate cartridges missing and no varmint cartridges.

For me it's:

.22 LR for small game
.22 WMR for turkey (in Virginia, it was my favorite for turkey)
.22 Hornet for everything from crows to coyotes.
6.5X55 Swede for deer (and I wouldn't be afraid to use this caliber for elk.)
.30-30 for a saddle gun (I spend a lot of time on horseback.)
.30-06 for most other hunting (more potential for the handloader than the .308)
And Bigfoot Wallace, my custom '03 Springfield in .35 Brown-Whelen for big game (elk, mostly.

And naturally a 12 ga for feathers (mine is an Ithaca Model 37.)

 

[pauli]

i voted 22lr, 30-06, 45-70, and other for 12ga. if you can't kill it with any of those, it probably doesn't need killing.

 

[dolanp]

In most situations a .308 or .30-06, but I think I would use 7.5x55 given my present arsenal. The bullet is actually a .308 anyways.

 

[Brian Williams]

I voted 22 and others
The Title should read Calibers or cartridges for hunting.
But to answer the thread question,

I use 22lr for small stuff in a Marlin 39a mountie, 357 for small game to deer in a Marlin 1894c and a S&W 65, and for Deer to Eastern PA large game 7mm-08.

 

[Matthew748]

I selected 'other' because I would go with the venerable .375 H&H. The main reason I skipped the .375 Weatherby is due to ammo availability issues.

 

[Commissar Gribb]

8mm mauser

why go out and buy something new when I have someting perfecting good at home?

 

[dakotasin]

if you're a minimalist:
22-250
25-06
7 rem ultra mag
338 win mag
375 h&h
and i'd toss in a long range prairie dog bomber (heavy barrel, big scope, etc): 308

 

[Art Eatman]

Looking at most of the hunting I've done, I'd go with the 7mm08 and handloads. That takes care of deer and varmints.

A .22 semi-auto for plinking and pests.

A 12-gauge for bird hunting.

And bunches of other critters for other critters.

Art

 

[Cosmoline]

The .30'06 can serve for all North American game, but a more realistic minimal arsenal would have a .22LR rifle and a .375 H&H Mag.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The .30'06 can serve for all North American game, but a more realistic minimal arsenal would have a .22LR rifle and a .375 H&H Mag.

Hmmm. While I'd probably choose a .375 H&H for Brownies or Grizzley, if I were to hunt them, it would be an expensive special hunt, and I'd not cavail at buying a rifle especially for that hunt (or use Bigfoot Wallace, my .35 Brown-Whelen.)

But absent such a hunt, the .30-06 would be better. It would be lighter, have less recoil, and I could find scads of brass and components lots cheaper than the .375 H&H.

Bottom line is, I'd shoot a .30-06 far more often than I'd shoot a .375, and be a lot better shot with it.

 

[Cosmoline]

It's true the argument I've heard in favor of the .375 H&H as the ultimate all-around gun has been on a more world-wide basis. But even for North America it has its advantages. In a CZ 550 safari or similar platform recoil is no worse than a .30'06. Rounds are expensive, it's true, but components are not. The .375 H&H loads up with standard powders very nicely and is able to work well with a wide array of them.

I think you're correct though for N. America.

 

[Jet22]

From a pure survival aspect my vote goes for a 12 gauge pump shotgun followed by a 22 rifle, a 38 special revolver, a 308 bolt rifle and a 223 rifle. Make sure they are all common guns so spare parts will be easy to find. The belt fed HK21 and very rare 49 Thumblicker are far down on my list.

 

[MassHunter2190]

The first four options, for varminting. I have a 30-06, but my .223 will take a coyote just as easily at 2-300 yards, and I save my shoulder. The .270 would subsitute the .223 since it's not listed as an option.

Deer, bear, and quite possibly within the next 5-10 years moose are the only big game animals you can hunt around here. I've never had a chance to take a shot at a deer past 75 yards. Same with bear and moose. So one of my 12 gauges will work for those.

(I've never hunted bear or moose ((obviously not moose)), but I've never seen a bear or moose past 75-100 yards)

 

[jobu07]

I voted for a 22 for your general purpose furbearing critters. A 308 for medium to large sized game. And a 45-70 for anything bigger, like bears for instance.

 

[Legionnaire]

I voted .22LR, .243, and .308. I'd have voted .223 (or .222) instead of .243 had you given the option.

I'd consider a .22LR, .223, and a .308 a good basic North American collection. If I wanted something bigger than the .308, I'd probably go with the .338.

 

[420Stainless]

.22lr, 30-06, 45-70. I realize there's a large gap between .22 and .30, but I don't hunt anything sized between rabbit and deer. I have two of them. Some day soon I'll get the Marlin 1895CB.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It's true the argument I've heard in favor of the .375 H&H as the ultimate all-around gun has been on a more world-wide basis. But even for North America it has its advantages. In a CZ 550 safari or similar platform recoil is no worse than a .30'06. Rounds are expensive, it's true, but components are not. The .375 H&H loads up with standard powders very nicely and is able to work well with a wide array of them.

I think you're correct though for N. America.

If I were going to Africa, or hunting Brownies in Alaska, I'd buy a .375 -- and the cost would be a drop in the bucket compared to the overall cost of the hunt.

As for recoil, a rifle driving a 250 grain bullet at 2,700 fps is going to kick harder than a rifle of the same weight driving a 180 grain bullet at that velocity.

The .375 will use 50 to 50% more powder, and those big bullets also cost more than their .30 caliber equivallents. The brass is not cheap, for .30-06, you can go to any range just before deer season and pick up plenty of once-fired .30-06 and sort it by headstamp and weight

 

[gbran]

17 Mach 2 (this has replaced my .22lr's)
.22 WMR (this is really fun in a pump)
.223 (cheap, accurate, fun)
6.8 Rem SPC (beats a 30-30 in a Contender)
30'06 (ole standby, sturdy Savage)

Have the above + others
Want the following + others

.204 Ruger (flat, fast, accurate)
.338 Lapua (really big stuff at distance)
45-70 or 450 Marlin (really big stuff up close)