Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Hunting rifle battery (does anyone actually do it?)

I did.

If I had your pile, I'd put a 223, 243 or 6.5 CM between the 22WMR and 30-06.

Right now I'm at 22LR, 223, 243, 270, all factory ammo and no need for nothing as rifles go. Auto and O/U 12's. I do get a hankering for a 20" 6.5CM and 6xSWFA MQ. Don't need it one bit, but with the ammo that's available it's hard to unring a bell.

Might treat to one myself one day. Prices have gotten so soft that it doesn't help the equation either.

Something like this, but blind mag.

I got by for over 30 years with a Mossberg 142a bolt action 22 L.R., a Savage 99 in 308, and an Ithaca 37 pump shotgun in 20 gauge. I could go back to just those but I really would not want to be without a 223 bolt gun.

I am in process of whittling back on firearms at this time and I am down to a couple of bolt actions in 22 L.R, three bolt actions in 223, a bolt action 22/250, and a bolt action 243. For what I hunt that more than fills the hunting rifle battery for me. I do intend to get down to one of each within the next couple of years so my battery will be -

1 ea - bolt action 22 LR
1 ea - bolt action 223
1 ea - bolt action 243



Those three will take care of gophers, PDs, coyotes, wolves, deer and elk.

No shotgun since I don't bird hunt any longer.


drover

Quote:
If I got right down to it the 375H&H is all that is needed. Works on anything on the planet.





Yes! Exactly..... though I prefer an AI version, flattens trajectory for longish shots. Light load cast bullets for small game, and premium bullets for everything else! However, it’s not great for dove hunting! memtb

Ideally:

22 mag
270 win
300 win
16 gauge

I had a 3 rifle battery for several years, a 22, 22-250, & 30-06 & know to this day that they were all I could possibly need.

Then I started hunting out or state, different game, terrain, etc. & thought I needed more. That, & the fact I could afford more. A rifle for heavy cover could be handy. It could maybe serve as a truck gun. Or, a dedicated truck gun might be better? Rocky Mountain Elk hunts gave me a strong desire for a backup Elk rifle, that got added. Saving every day vacation you're allowed from Jan. - Oct., then driving 30 hours to start the hunt is no time to have equipment spoil the whole thing.

Yada yada yada. They add up, then the add ups start adding up, but my first sentence still stands. I like 'em all but I sometimes envy pragmatist & minimalist. I've made list for years on the guns really needed & what the cash from the rest could get me. Ha! probably more guns!

A 15-20 year old list I have is called "The 6" The six guns, total,(R,P,SG) that will do it all. Throw them in a camper & head out to parts unknown. I believe in the list strongly enough that I can't throw anything out when & feel the need to add serious self defense stuff due to the increased violence & turmoil across the country. The list can quickly turn into "The 7" or "The 8". But surely 8 total should cover it.????

I've been paring down for the last five years. Down from somewhere close to forty. For a long time I had a set of Ruger 77 RS 's that spanned 22LR to 416 Taylor, and just about every niche inbetween. Except for a few old family guns that I'm now dividing among other family members, I'm down to a 22LR, 22 250, 257 Roberts, 30 06, and a muzzleloader, all Ruger 77's and a 9.3x74R double. Double will probably be next to leave. Then the next ones up are my German guns, drillings and o/u's, and my few remaining handguns.
I'm crying as I box them up, but truthfully I didn't need them. In fact, I probably could get by just fine with a 22, a muzzleloade and my one drillings, and that might be where I wind up. I don't expect to be able to go on any dream hunts, anymore, and there is not much use for rifles or handguns in SE Virginia, so it's a lot less of a big deal than when I lived in PA.
I've settled too many estates and see little old ladies cheated time after time. I don't want my wife to go through that.
Bfly

One a day Brad I'm gonna talk you into a long action long barreled STW.

I can’t make it with only a few rifles, it hurts to think of only having a few.

I am not paring down... Have lots of .22's, center fire 22's up though the .375 and .45-70.. For years my three main centerfires were .22-250, .25-06 and .300 WM.. I could live with those, but don't want to have just a few calibers..

Who cares!

I buy one, might sell one, who cares?

At this stage of my life if I were to somehow lose everything in a house fire or some other disaster and I were forced to start over from scratch I could put together minimalistic battery where I'd hand pick just a few rifles, shotguns and handguns. But as is I've acquired several guns that I like. And while not "perfect" are close enough. I'm not selling them in order to replace them with something slightly better. But over the last 10-15 years I have thinned out several that no longer get used.

Other than the addition of a 12 gauge, I could be happy with that setup as well!

I agree, no cutting down for me.

For me, the package the cartridge is in matters too. I like the savage action and I like the 700 and the Mauser as well. Also have a vanguard I like since my first rifle was a vanguard.

I'm with you, Pappy.

donsm70

None of my rifles have batteries.

I have too many centerfire rifles from 204 Ruger to 30-06, but I have gotten rid of everything that ends in MAGNUM.

donsm70

We all have batteries, just some are bigger than others..

I am not going to pare anything down right now. But if I was going to.

Bolt action 22 LR
8 twist 22-250
270
338-06
375 H&H