Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Maybe I should get down to one centerfire...

I'm rapidly joining the 'less guns more hunts' group. I have a 7x57 that I will keep as it does a great job on 90% of what I do. I have a heavy sporter barreled 280 with double-set-triggers that is better at the 10% of longer shots. I also have a 30-06 that is almost identical to the 7x57, that is a back up for both. I'm a traditionalist. A traditionalists needs at least one of the three greatest center fire rifles of all time. I have two and would probably own a .375H&H if I had any need. All are on traditionally the greatest bolt action of all time. the '98 Mauser. At this time I'm considering barreling my 280 to 30-06 and selling my other '06.I'll then have two guns for every thing I do and for all practical purposes back up each other. This wouldn't have made sense 20yrs ago when I was 50, but it does now. capt david.

*grins*

CowboyTim... Go for it! If you make it there, you will be the first person I know to do so...

A Fwt .257 Roberts.

Seems to be trend around here of late. Maybe it's due to the preponderance of geezers starting to feel the icy grip of death on the backs of their necks. (Whoops, scared myself!)

As to myself, a few days of carrying around a 6 1/2lb rifle in the woods has me wondering why I've spent most of my life carrying 9-pounders. I'm starting to think the light one will be getting the bulk of attention from now on. Not planning a fire sale just yet though; I still like the other ones for various reasons, and there's a pile of powder, brass, and bullets that needs to be used up. New ones, other than range toys, are going to have a tough time finding their way in though.

Orion2000, Hello, my user name is “memtb”.....so now we’re officially introduced! Having/using one rifle/caliber, really isn’t that difficult....provided you accept that it “will not” be perfect for every hunting scenario. I’ve used one rifle exclusively since 1990, and my wife since 1996. The bullets have changed a couple of times during that period of time, and scopes once.

In the safe, we’ve got many calibers covered from .223”up to and thru .458”. I am a firm believer in that “if” you use, the one rifle exclusively concept....you will perform to your best potential with that rifle. We chose a caliber compromise, with which we can hunt any North American game animal and all African plains game. We run one bullet, one load, and one zero. When you shoulder your rifle, it’s like putting on a well worn pair of gloves.....it simply fits! memtb

Pappy348, I can certainly understand and do concur with the lighter rifle concept! But, as I’m a “puss”....I couldn’t handle the recoil issued by a 7 or so pound rifle, in my chosen chambering. Don’t want to change from my preferred set-up! Will manage as long as possible! memtb

While I confess to thinning the herd of some large and medium bore rifles starting in 2011 or so because I don't see another trip to Africa in my future; in the event I have a financial windfall I do have a 338 Win., a 9.3x62mm and a 375 H&H on stand by.

I am using my small bore rifles more and even adding to their number. I am finding it more difficult to thin these out but some will need to go, just not quite sure where to start?

As an unrepentant rifle looney let me say that I do miss my old Parker Hale 404 Jeffery.

Good luck in your quest in getting down to one centerfire rifle.

StarchedCover

My wife and kids will split my rifles between themselves.

Nothing here can't be handled by a 6mm, or mostly even a .223. My son's 6.5 Hunter, at maybe 7lbs all up, is a little lively off a bench, but certainly not uncomfortable. I doubt a .270 would be much worse at that weight. Of course, some like bigger holes in their barrels, and maybe their game, so as usual, it depends, as Mule Deer often says.

Also, what's fine at 50, or even 60, might not be so hot, say seven years later.

I think that one’s physical conditioning helps manage recoil better.....at least I try to use that as inspiration to “try” and stay in a little better shape! These hills here, get a little longer and a little steeper every year, conditioning is important to being able to keep hunting....though we don’t hunt as hard as we used to! memtb

Hmmm... In 65 years I have never sold a rifle unless it was specifically to finance the purchase of it's replacement. From my cold dead hands....

Well maybe, but some begin to get headaches or other symptoms that aren't easily connected to strength and endurance. I bought a 1A .45/70 a few years ago and it just wasn't any fun for me, even loaded pretty soft. Joints deteriorate, and other stuff wears out regardless of traditional fitness parameters, and it gets easier to hurt oneself as you age, and takes longer to heal. Got a new twinge in my left shoulder this year that probably came from cocking my crossbow. Should know by maybe August if it's forever or temporary.

Keep at it as long as you can. You'll know when it's time to lighten up.

Pappy348, You give me far too much credit! memtb

Well if you really want to part with that .270 let me know, that is if SC stands for Stainless Classic and not South Carolina.

i'm fine with getting down to one rifle for all big game. as soon as my grand children grow (there are 11 so far) they get them all except my favorite 308. the older i get the less i need. ymmv.

They are South Carolina made rifles.

memtb,

Good afternoon. Hope all is well in your part of Wyoming. I have no issue with becoming proficient with one rifle. I have no issue with having multiple others in the safe. However, I interpreted the last line of the OP as contemplating why keep (own) the others? Question is: Could you sell everything in the safe except the one rifle you have been using for the past 27 years and be satisfied with owning one and only one CF rifle ?

My answer is NO. Even though I have narrowed down to a LH Rem KS in .270 as my primary CF rifle, I just enjoy tinkering. As a result, I will likely never get down to owning only one CF rifle.

I thought about how I would try to develop a reason why I would logically lay out the reason that I am the way that I am and then it came to me that it wouldn't do any good. It hurts my soul when I see people buy and sell rifles like they change underwear. But then I wouldn't get the deals on the rifles that I have got if that wasn't happening. So go for it, sell the rifles that you have spent your whole life working to make right. Take the soul out of them, take the experience out of them. Sure Allen Day who was a great writer and excellent hunter had a great idea of getting the very best functional rifle and then hunting the heck out of it. I think Jack O'Connor was kind of like that too. Count me on the Elmer Keith or Phil Shoemaker side of the ledger. Elmer might not have done as well as Jack when it came to the hunts to wild lands(granted that Elmer went to Africa) but Elmer had better guns. He knew that Jack Corbett's Rigby was worth the effort to get. I have two 1895s that belonged to one of my heroes that I picked up for a song($350) when his grandson sold them for Japanese comics and anime DVDs. Count me weird but I will do that everyday because I respected the man and want my memories of how great a man he was to continue. I am also growth minded and go from classic 7X57s and 06s to Bigger-Faster-Stronger-Smaller-Faster-Stronger magnums. I am getting to the place where I want some legacy rifles that are truly remarkable and I am going to work towards getting a few additional rifles that I figure are best of the best. I eventually want 1 double rifle(probably English but second step(Hollis or Army and Navy) two medium caliber custom centerfire rifles(Al Biesen or Griffen and Howe Springfield Sporters( I have a Sedgley already) and 1 larger caliber custom centerfire rifle(Sterling Davenport or Duane Wiebe). I have about five years of teaching, I could retire right now, to get there. I also want to go to Africa and maybe do an Ibex hunt in Mongolia. I will still follow that line that my father had laid out for me. I remember the great joy he would have when I would bring a gun home and how he would work with me as I would massage it up to shape. I just wish that I would have had more time with him but I will carry his way with me and I will be damned sure that my rifles carry on as a collection and mean something. Our lives on earth are very short and our work needs to have some kind of meaning more than Yugioh cards.

Orion2000, Perhaps, I should improve my reading comprehension, or take more time reading. With that understanding of the OP’s post, I guess that while I only use one....I’ll keep the others. I couldn’t be down to “only” one centerfire rifle at the house. I’ve got grandkids and great grandkids, that “may” want and appreciate some of them. memtb