Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters More than one rifle in the same caliber?

3 ea. .30-06; 2 ea. .270; 4ea. 30-30; 2ea. .223; SEVEN ea. .22LR' plus numerous others ranging from .218 Bee through 9.3x62.

I was warped as a child by a product of the depression (Dad). We got through WWII with a single shot .22 and rationed ammo. The LC Smith shotgun stock was wrecked and no replacement was available.

I could get by with one each .22LR, .22 centerfire, .308, shotgun, and a handgun. But why would a loonie want to do that?

Jack

I have had a number of duplicate-chambering rifles over the years, but it used to be worse. At one time had six .30-06's, including two bolt-actions, a lever-action, pump, drilling and single-shot. The two bolts were a NULA and a pre-'64 Model 70, so there really wasn't much duplication of rifle type. But also had four .250 Savages at one point, three of them Savage 99's. Also had three .25-06's for a while, but only briefly.

Right now only have one .30-06 (the NULA), but have three .308 Winchesters, two .270 Winchesters, two .243 Winchesters, two .223 Remingtons, and seven firearms chambered for the .22 Long Rifle, though two are handguns. Oh, and two .25-35's, though one is a 15" handgun barrel for the T/C Contender, and six 12-gauge shotguns.

My worst case of duplication right now might be my pair of .45-70 trapdoor Springfields. But that's mitigated by the fact that one is an original rifle and the other a Harrington & Richardson Officer's Model.

Duplications to a hand loader can be about like having different chamberings. Each needs it's own COAL loads, the loads that gun likes, cases shot in that chamber, etc.

With all that, I'd just as soon have different rounds and that's the way I've gone. When I traded for my CZ AHR 550 9.3x62, I sold the 9.3x62 Shilen barrel on my FN Mauser 98 and replaced it with a 6.5x55 Shilen tube, 23" of course... I just didn't want two 9.3x62's. The throats were way different, etc...

DF

Good advice. Ignore the purses also.

Hmmm...

Words of wisdom and experience..?

DF

4 30-06 (2 custom 98 Mausers, a Springfield and a Garand), 2 270's, 2 45-70's, 2 223's, 2 7mm08's, 2 300WM's, 2 44mag's (revolver and lever action)and 3 22LR......yeah, I'm loony!

Same logic applies elsewhere and doesn't matter?
I have 3 cars
I have 7 fender's
I have 2 Gibson's
I have 4 amps
I have one wife though.

I have said prior, you can't play golf with 1 club and hunting is no different.
John

In a pinch you could get by with a 7 iron, the 30-06 of Golf.

But you would end up an extraordinary Hunter and suck at Golf?

30-06 beats the heck out of a 7 iron though

Not that I'm a loony, though. 2 '06s, 2 .270s, 3 7x57s, 2 6.5 CMs, 3 each .250-3000 and .257 Roberts, 6 .22s (2 are handguns), and 4 20g shotguns. Way off the pace compared to many here.

Naw, you not a Loony...

DF

I'm guilty of having a number of rifles (ain't talkin handguns or shotguns) in the same chambering and even more of the same caliber.

Pro - there are plenty from which to choose.
Con - there are plenty from which to choose.

AJD

Pros- my sons and I can use the same ammo. But, they're all full-length sized so they chamber in any of the rifles. I have found that an accurate load is often accurate in most all of the rifles.
Cons- it's easier to develop a load for a single rifle.

At one time I had three .308s. The 3 digit serial # Ruger 1A-B was for snap shooting in the timber, the Ruger 77 Mannlicher was my all round rifle and the Remington 700 Varmint was my South Carolina Bean Field rifle. Amazing how many of those 700 yard shots were inside 350 yards. The boys with the 7 and .300 mags could not believe the shots I made on whitetails. Of course they spent their money on fancy rifles while I spent mine on shooting and High-Power competition.

Lost the Mannlicher to a house fire, still have the #1 and sold off the Remington when I stopped hunting bean fields. These days my all-rounder is an Old Steyr Scout but I usually take one of two .257 Bobs afield for deer, varmints and small game.

I have 3 30-06s. The pro is I'm going to re barrel one for something else. I'm thinking a 7x57. Somewhat tempted to do a 35 Whelen or a 9.3, but pretty sure it's going to be a 7 x 57. Then I can address the next problem, having 3 7mms.

I have two custom Arisaka Type 38 carbines in 6.5mm caliber, its all part of being a gunhead. There is no cure, we are here to comfort you if needed.

I don't think there is anything wrong with multiple rifles of the same caliber as long as they are different cartridges and 1/4 bores.

Just sayin'....

I've got 3 250 savages, and im probably not done.

in a way, its a lot easier having more rifles than more cartridges. having reloading brass, dies, etc for a bunch of different cartridges is something im rapidly getting done with.