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22 s,l,lr Marlin 39M vari-x ii 2x7. for small rodents, birds where legal. Scope is labeled 2x7. It's a 2-7 with 28mm objective and larger ocular.
22 mag marlin 783 with VX-Hog 1-4x20 with pig plex for larger rodents, small predators, and rimfire only lands(hogs).
30-30 Marlin 30TK with VX-1 1-4x20 Shotgun scope with heavy duplex walking/flushing/sneakin-around-like-an-indian-hunting-rifle for deer, hogs, targets of opportunity.
Savage 10 243 w/VX-1 3-9x40 for open range deer, hogs, varmints, vermin, etc... and hopefully pronghorn some day.
Is that three yet? Didn't think so.
Ruger Mark II 223 w/Nikon prostaff5 2.5-10x40 just because. May need a 7-08 or 270 just in case...and a sporterized 03a3. And for some reason I think I need a Swede....and a deuce...and a Hornet?
Oh..and shotgun with little scope and slugs for shotgun only lands.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Campfire Outfitter
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Some lack reading comprehension. It's "Pick Your Three Gun Battery fo NA BIG GAME", not which three guns I can live with to hunt everything?
It can vary from where you hunt. Some will need a shotgun, straight walled cartridge or muzzleloader to hunt where they live, others will not. Some can use 22 centerfires, others cannot. Some hunt in thick cover and a traditional lever action works great, prairie or mountain hunters would think a Marlin 336/Winchester 94 is next to useless.
For strictly big game where I live and hunt, Something in the 243/25-06/6.5Creedmoor/270 range would be the light, a 308/30/06/300WSM/300WM would be the medium, a 338WM or 375H&H would be the heavy.
I currently own a 25-06 and a 6.5 Creedmoor - pick 'em. I own both a 308 and a 300WSM - I'll take the 300WSM. I have a 375H&H. If I could only have one - 300WSM. I mostly hunt deer & antelope - could live with either the 25-06 or the 6.5 Creedmoor.
This is the 'Fire. Reading comprehension is not required. You are correct about where you hunt affecting your choices. If I lived back in Iowa I'd put my .375 Winchester on the list. In various other restrictive states it would be my .45-70. If I lived where I could hut pigs by the sounder I'd have my .308 AR on the list. We hunt Colorado for antelope, deer and elk and Wyoming for antelope. I could easily go back to using only a 7mm RM, as I did for the first 20+ years, but that wouldn't be as much fun. Centerfire .22 are not legal for big game in Colorado but they are in Wyoming. Mine is a slow-twist that shoots 40g bullets best and 50g OK so I wouldn't choose it for big game rgardless. But take your pick of the bolt rifle mix: .243 win, .257 Roberts, 6.5CM, 6.5-06AI, .280 Rem, 7mm RM, .308 Win, .30-06, .300WM and .338WM. The 6.5CM and 6.5-06AI are heavy barrels so I wouldn't choose them for anything longer than short carry work - definitely no humping the mountains after elk. And my bolt .308 is a short barrel - a joy to carry but not as well suited for the big stuff as some of its brethren. I have a Savage action with no barrel that will likely become a 6.5PRC or .375 Ruger later this year so add those to the mix. Questions like this are fun to ponder but the truth is you don't need three different rifles for light varminting to whatever. A .30-06 can do it all. As did my 7mm RM for 20+ years.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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I don't really think a person could build a battery for big game without having a .270/7mm/30 caliber rifle in that battery. If you have any one of them, then you have enough rifle for anything you NEED to do because today's bullets will handle anything from any of them close enough to ideally that it makes no difference.
Beyond NEED, want is a whole other motivation and does not bow to NEED nor does want recognize limits of need. If I NEED to I can kill any big game with a .223 which is one of the smallest commonly legal for big game cartridges.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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I don't really think a person could build a battery for big game without having a .270/7mm/30 caliber rifle in that battery. If you have any one of them, then you have enough rifle for anything you NEED to do because today's bullets will handle anything from any of them close enough to ideally that it makes no difference.
Beyond NEED, want is a whole other motivation and does not bow to NEED nor does want recognize limits of need. If I NEED to I can kill any big game with a .223 which is one of the smallest commonly legal for big game cartridges. I didn’t realize that “legal” was part of the requirement!  If that’s the case, I withdraw my .22 rim fire as one of my choices!  memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
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Campfire Ranger
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I had a hard time choosing from the ones in my gun closet that are waiting patiently for their turn to go hunting. So I chose groups of rifles with a theme. I could hunt all of North American game with any 3 of these and not feel handicapped.
a Finnish trio:
Sako Finnbear AV .25-06 Rem Leupold 3.5-10 - open country deer and pronghorn, anything smallish and far away
Sako Classic AV .35 Whelen Zeiss 3-9x50 - big critters in the bush
Sako L579 Deluxe .308 Win Zeiss 2-10x42 - everything else
or:
A Czech trio:
Brno 22F fullstock carbine 7x57mm Leupold 2.5x Brno QD mt.
CZ Brno ZKK 600 Greisbach Custom .30-06 Kahles 2-7x Talley QD
CZ 550 AHR custom .375 H&H Kaps 4x Talley QD
More Finns and an Italian:
Sako 85M Bavarian 7x64 Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 Leupold QD
Sako 85L Kodiak .375 H&H Leupold VXIII 2.5-8 & Leupold QD mount
Chiappa M92 carbine .44 magnum Lyman receiver sight
Exotic but capable German Italian & Austrian:
Krieghof trumpf Dural Drilling 16x16/7x57R & insert barrel .22 RF mag. w/Kales 3-9x40 in claw mounts - One gun to do it all
Beretta Silver Sable O/U 9.3x74R S&B 1.5-8x42 / EAW QR mounts For anything big or fast moving
Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model NO 7x64 Fullstock carbine, Double set triggers, scope in claw mounts and good iron sights.
The USA candidates:
Ruger Mk II M77 Stainless .30-06 with canoe paddle stock, Zeiss 3-9x40 and NECG peep as backup. - for pretty much anything, anywhere
Marlin guide gun Stainless 1895 .45-70 - For big stuff in the bush
.. I have no other American rifles, but perhaps no more are needed!
Last edited by castnblast; 04/19/20.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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243
308
338
all with leupies Someone actually read and understood the OP's request. "Pick up to three rifle calibers..."
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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********
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Campfire Tracker
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Remington model 7-7mm08
Husky 4100 -30-06
custom mauser-375 H&H
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Joined: Sep 2017
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Ruger #1 257 Roberts
Ruger #1 3006
Remington KS Mountain Rifle 375 H&H
“Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person.”
-- Fred Bear
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Win 94 30-30 for brush or short range (under 120 yards) hunting (peep sight)
Ruger m77 markII stainless 30-06 with 3-9 Meopta for non brushy longer-range big and dangerous game (200 grain partition for large/dangerous)
Win Model 70 Classic 375HH for when/if I want to leave the 06' at home, which would be very rare
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
--- Will Rogers
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Ruger 10/22
Remington 870 12 gauge
Tikka T3 30.06
Not that I limit myself but this list could cover hunting in North America.
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Joined: Mar 2007
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Campfire Regular
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Remington M700 BDL/1970’s vintage in .25-06 with Leupold M8/6x36mm
Ruger M77MKII Hawkeye satin finish in .30-06 with Leupold FX2 4x33mm
Mauser 98 Custom/Cerakote & Bansner stock in .338WM with Leupold FX2 3x20mm
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35 Whelen
7x57
223/556 for smaller critters.
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Campfire Outfitter
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If I say 7mm-08 & .338-06, does that mean I have to get rid of my 3 - .308's, the Marlin .35 Rem, the 7x57 Montana and a couple .357 mag carbines?
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Campfire Tracker
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Ok you guys. Pick up to three rifle calibers for your ideal North American big game battery. From Alaska to Florida. State your rifles' finish and scope size also. Justify your choices. Let's see what is popular and practical by this group of "average" hunters. For the US, 22lr, .30/06, .30/30. For the world, swap the .30/30 for a .375.
When truth is ignored, it does not change an untruth from remaining a lie.
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Campfire Savant
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This thread started years ago
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Yep a lot can change in 15 years.
As for me if I had to choose 3, I'd go with a .243 Win., a .270 Win., and a .30-06. That would do it in NA in my opinion. But since I don't have to choose just three, I have 11 other calibers. But if I'm in a rush to grab a rifle and run for the deer woods it's usually my .270 Winchester or now my 7x57 might get the call. Just depends on how i feel. But through the years that .270 has gotten the call about 3 to 1 over any of the rest. It just works.
Last edited by Filaman; 04/23/20.
What goes up must come down, what goes around comes around, there's no free lunch. Trump's comin' back, get over it!
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6mm rem
264 win mag
35 Whelen
Well we're Green and we're Gold, and we play better when it's cold. All us Cheese heads have our favorite superstar. We love Brett Favre.
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