After too many years of hunting with way too many guns of all types, I've been cleaning out the safe and getting rid of the one's that I don't use enough to justify keeping.
Even though I believe you can't play a game of golf with just one club; I get to wondering what I would keep if it came down to just one rifle and caliber for ALL my hunting. Even though the .30-06 will do everything I do, I like big hole's!
For my taste, I think it would be my '.375 Ruger' Stainless metal, aftermarket synthetic stock, fixed 2.5 power Leupold scope'. 7-3/4 lbs.
What would you-all keep?
Just ONE!

Just one? In that case it will be a pre-64 M70 standard in .30-06 SPRG. It currently wears an older gloss Vari-X III 2.5.-8x36mm mounted on Redfield Jr. Mnts., but I will pull a matte finish VX-III 3.5-10x40mm off another rifle (cannot keep that one right!) and put it on the 30-06.

Ps I have been thinking the same thoughts, but have no real interest in parting with any of my rifles right now - maybe in a few years I might start thinning out.

This is the EXACT reason I built this;

Donor Gun: Winchester M-70 Classic; Stainless Steel
Caliber Choice: 338-06 A-Square
Barrel Make: Pac-Nor
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
Barrel Profile: #3 Contour , 5 groove
Barrel Length: 24�
Extractor: Williams Stainless Steel Extractor
Barrel Crown: Recessed Target Crown
Rate of Twist: 1 in 10�
Metal Finish: All Metal, even action screws/bolts Cerakoted �Midnight Blue� (H-238)
Stock: Winchester Factory Super Grade
Recoil Pad: Pachmyr
Trigger: Factory � set at 2.75lbs
Bottom Metal: Montana Rifle Company 1-Piece Trigger Guard Assembly Stainless Steel
Bedding: Aluminum Pillar Bedding of action, Free Float Barrel
Replaced slot head action screws with hex head stainless steel screws
Replaced factory Tupperware follower with a quality polished stainless steel follower
Weight: 8.5003 lbs

Smith: Lee Christianson (Redneck)

It now wears a Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 Matte with standard duplex...



I thought and researched long and hard about caliber choices. I simply didn't want to do a magnum when 99% of my hunting is for whitetail deer. Being that this was the case, I settled for the 338-06 and am hoping that I don't run up on anything that a 210 gr. premium bullet at 2700 fps won't handle...

I simply refuse.

Certainly can`t argue with a 375, let alone the 375 Ruger for all game anywhere in the world. Hogs, deer, elk, caribou, moose, all bears, all African plains and African dangerous game too.

A Jeff Quinn quote..."With the right bullet, the 375 Ruger is flatter shooting than the 30-06, as flat shooting as the 270 Win, and hits alot harder than both when it gets there!"

Imo, and if given a choice for the best balance and versatility, the 375 has the best overall bullet diameter, as an only "ONE" anywhere in the world caliber choice for any game.

Which 375? 375 H&H, 375 Ruger, 375 Wby, 375 RUM, 378 Wby. All depends on one`s recoil tolerances, preferences in rifle tastes such as rifle OAL, weight, action lengths, etc and etc.

you can't make me.

NO!

ETA: I'd pick a 308, probably.

I guess it would be my Serengeti 6.5x284. I'd hide my two 6.5x55's someplace.

Man, what sort of question is THAT!
I guess my 9.3x62.
It's good enough for Africa.
But really, that's a mad question.
Do you also mean for bunny bashing and predator hunting?
Can't a sling a little take down .22lr in my pack?

Everything WHERE? I don't think I'll ever make it to Africa and Alaska isn't all that likely. I'm not so sure my "one rifle" isn't a revolver. I don't use it very much, but my fallback for 15-ish years has been a Ruger Super Blackhawk "Hunter" .44 mag. For a long time I couldn't always afford to own more than one rifle and a couple seasons when I got caught trading rifles and didn't have one opening day, my .44 brought home the annual venison.

But as far as a single RIFLE ... I guess I'd lean towards .338 win mag with temptations for .375 H&H, 7x57, .257 Roberts, .35 Whelen, 7mm-08, and .300 win mag. It would be a problem. I would probably have to give up some hunting if I were to settle for only 1 rifle. I shoot a lot more jackrabbits than I do deer or elk in a given year.

Tom

If I had t get down to just one rifle it would be my 7mm Rem mag. It shoots as flat as a 270 and hits as hard as a 30-06.

If I ever went hunting for the big bears in Alaska or African stuff I would buy another rifle.

I would have to pick my .375 H&H Model 70 Win.

OK i'll bite... the 338WM

My Sako AV in 375 H&H.

Win. Model 70 in 30-06, or, 7X57

Yep, me too.

Mine has a McMillan stock, old low Sako rings holding a Leupold 3x.

Weighs 7lb 7oz with this scope. Not so much fun to shoot a box of ammo while prone, but no other limitations to speak of.

John

Ti Satterlee in 308Win

Absolute perfection.

Doc

300 WSM or 7 Dakota

Well my Blaser R-93 in 7mm RM would due for the hunting that I am going to be doing for the next 30 or so years. After that well age will be a factor. I will be 86 by then.

I've already have two if your talking this continent.

Wood/Blue Remington 700 Mtn 30-06 Sprg w/Leupold VX-III 2.5x8x36

Kimber 84M Select Claro 308 Win w/Leupold VX-III 2.5x8x36

270 win or 30-06 gets my vote.

7MM Winchester Short Magnum spitting 160 Gr. Accubonds.

JM

Everything? ................As in "everything",worldwide?

375H&H.

Rifle? Pre 64 M70.

I'm in his camp. Tho it might be a Partition or tsx.

If one is including African DG then to me it's a .375 Ruger or H&H. For one it's the minimum anyway in most (if not all places) for Buff and such so that's that. They also shoot flat enough to handle any sane shot with the right ammo.

Now, if one isn't trying to stretch to include thick skinned DG then it opens up quite a bit. Personally, as long as a bit of recoil isn't a deal breaker, a fast .33 is tough to beat. When I got my .340 the general idea was that I'm not good enough to outshoot the trajectory of the 210gr loads nor am I going to feel the least bit undergunned against anything in the Western hemisphere (and precious little anywere else for that matter) with 250-275gr bullets and 4000+ ftlbs of ME. Various other strong mid-bores follow the same line of thought.

Custom Marlin guide gun in 45/70 or Browning BLR in 358 winchester not sure which one I'd pick.

Three choices: 30-06, 9.3X62, .375H&H

I'd probably go with an ABolt SS in 30-06. Haven't seen an inaccurate ABolt and hard to beat the '06.

With that said, my only rifle is an M70 Extreme Weather in 300 WSM. Was a good deal.

Used a 7mm RM for 20 eyars for everything and it worked fine. "Everything" being light varminting to elk.

It will likely be the last to go.

06 or whelen

Well I started off with a .270 Winchester back around 1960 then moved up to the 30-06, which did a good job for the most part. However, going out West I wanted a little more distance and went to the .300 Win mag and stayed there for 20 years or more. It killed all the small to medium animals using 165 grain bullets (Nosler Partition) and the big animals got a taste of the 180 grain Nosler's, all except the big bears. I went back to the Winchester 220 grain Silver Tips, which shot very accurate out of that Belgium made Browning rifle.

375 h&h takes you to africa and alaska and in your own back yard done!!!!!

That's easy...22LR.

If the rifle was strictly for field use then 300 Win or 300 Wby.

But like to play around at the range with different loads and fiddle about with reduced loads so for that plus field use. the 375 H&H.

Don't tell me you've finally given up on hte .270?

John

Kimber 8400 Montana in 300 WSM and a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 in Talley LW mounts spittin a 168 gr TTSX.

everything i hunt...6.5 swede

7x57....duh.....




Ingwe

375 H&H.

Browning A-bolt .338 Winchester mag I have had since 1988 or Tikka T3 stainless .338 Winchester mag.

One gun for everything? I would pick this one so I know that I have all the bases covered. Accurate, dependable, classic and will hold its value for many moons. Can be used for all my big game hunting no matter where I go.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/c...7163_win70sprgd_fw.jsp?hierarchyId=11931

338 Win Mag

Oh hell, I suppose all things considered I would keep my Ruger M77 Hawkeye in 35 Whelen...I would also keep my original 30-06 barrel layin' around....just in case

All in all it would really be a coin flip between my 270, 300WM or 35 Whelen. If I could only afford one rifle, that would mean I could also only afford to hunt locally. Since I dont live in Africa or even Alaska anymore...any one of my rifles would be fine with me.

JW

Daisy Red Ryder chambered for standard BB's.

Still have mine...dad bought it for me 28 years ago.

Dakota 76 in .375 Holland.

I usually mind my own business and all...but this thread needs to be locked, deleted and vaporized into cyberspace before someone actually tries this....grin

DJ

Stainless synthetic bolt action 30.06 of some sort.........................547.

Remington 700 s/s bdl 300 win mag 2.5-10x40 4200. Said and done

Sako 57, 308 Win.

700 XCR 300 WM.


270

My first CF hunting rifle was a M700 in 30-06.

I think I'll choose that (again).

300 rum and load it up and down for what ever I hunt.

375 ruger 375 HH 375 Ultra///

I guess if it were just one.... My wife bought me for an anniversery present a few years ago, a Supergrade Model 70 in 270wsm. If I got rid of it and kept something else, I would probably have to get rid of her too.

Is it allowed to have more than one stock for this "one" gun? If so I would get an additional lighter weight stock for it, one to use and not get this one all scarred up. That rifle and caliber is all that I would ever need, especially since I reload. Really it's a beautiful rifle, great cartridge, very accurate, balances perfectly, no feeding problems, great trigger, and shoots different loads to the same POI. What more could one want?

If I had to pick one, not yet owning anything, it'd probably be a .30-'06 in whatever fit me best with a 4x that had enough tube length not to need extension rings, mounted in Talley Lightweights.

Now... if you're talking about what's already in the safe, it'd be the Griffin & Howe 7x57 sporter that was my Great Grandfather's. And my Grandfather's. And my Dad's. It's truly a "1-gun" gun, because it was the only centerfire they used. From groundhogs to Yukon moose. It still wears the 2.5x Lyman Alaskan from decades ago, and I can't see replacing it.

FC

FC- If I had a CF that had been "passed" to me, like you, it would be the one I would keep. It sounds like it provides very warm memories. And, IMO that's what it's all about.

although my sako 270/edge has the most kills to it, I'd likely pick my 1955 M70 30'06 fwt, as it could sit in an edge or a real pretty wood stock and I have a couple spare barrels for it.

You sound like my wife! OK, if I have to. My #1 RSI 30-06. Thanks for ruining my day.

Remington Mountain Rifle in .30-06 caliber.

If I only have one rifle then I can't afford to go to Africa or Alaska right?
I have a 25-06 on FN Mauser action with some XXX fancy California Claro Walnut that is hand checkered by Larry Ahlman.
That should kill what I can afford to hunt. I can sit and look at the checkering when I'm bored.
whelennut

300 Win Mag in a Model 70..shooting a 180 at 3100fps....with a 3.5-10X Leupold on top it will work for everything.....

I could very easily make due with a short, light, .350 Remington Magnum...

Would prefer it to be stainless, 18.5-20" barrel, lightweight synthetic stock, matte finish with some sort of black or camo covering the metal and stock.

I have a Ruger 77MKII All-Weather that is a great shooter but at almost 9# just too heavy. The Remington 600 is a just a beautifully balanced gun but not stainless. Have a M7 KS coming in this week but it also isn't stainless but I am hoping will be "just right" in every other way.

One gun that will shoot pistol bullets for small game and varmints to 250s for anything that walks...

Bob

One Rifle? YOu've got to be kidding me! Merely the thought gives me the heebie-jeebies. Why on God's green Earth would anyone want to limit themselves to just one rifle?

He!!! Realistically I'd just like to get down to fifty! Even tho' I only hunt deer... I just might make another trip out west Elk hunting... And then, I've always wanted to spend a week or two shooting Prarie Dogs... That activity alone would necessitate 3-5 rifles...

And then, of course, one needs several .22 rifles for just plain fun! If for no more reason than plinking cans...

But then; I regress...

Wow only one....I would go with my 300 Weatherby Mag as I know this gun the best and can shoot it pretty well.

My Sauer S202 in 9.3x62 and S&B scope with illuminated reticle.

It be my .270 Win. SS Mod.70, Hart barrel, H&S stock, and a 6X Leupold. I'd need a supply of 150gr. Nosler Partitions and a ton of H4831. Be good enough for any cud chewer.

My choice for a "do all" rifle would actually be one that I already have. It is a Blaser R-93 Professional 9.3x62 Tracker, and I have a Swarovski Z6i 1.7-10 sighted in as well as the open sights.

Practically, all of my hunting has been in the west, elk, mule deer, whitetail and pronghorn. Setting that as the basis I'd have to go with my Winchester 70 Classic Stainless Featherweight in 7mm Mag topped with a Leupold Vari-XII 3-9x42. It may not be the ideal rifle for every situation, but there's no situation I can think of where it wouldn't work. Light enough to pack in the mountains, shoots heavy enough with 175's for elk and big mulies, shoots flat enough with 140's for pronghorn. It's the rifle that I take on a hunt no matter what, if it's not my primary, it's my backup rifle.

It originally started as a non-catalogued item from Winchester in stainless with a walnut stock. After a couple of hunts, I got scared of scratching up my walnut stock and replaced it with the Featherweight synthetic stock that I ordered from Winchester. The trigger was worked over by a gunsmith and is perfection in a hunting rifle. There's also sentimental value to it in that it was the first hunting rifle that I had bought for myself.

If going to Alaska or Africa, I'd definately want to step up in cartridges. For but all my "practical" purposes, I can't think of a better rifle.

Im gonna have to go with ol jack o'connor, my .270 win remington 700 ADL with Nikon buckmasters 3x9x40

If I had the means to hunt everything from pronghorn to elephant and everything in between and HAD to do it with one rifle, the one rifle in my safe that could do it all and do it reasonably well is a Mauser 99 in 9.3x64. Certainly too much for the small stuff and not overpowering on the pachyderms but with the right bullet it would do it all.

The best all-around rifle I ever owned was a M70 classic stainless 26" factory 300Wby in a Brown stock with a 3.5-10X40 Leupold on top. Whether I used a 165XLC at 3370, a 200 A-Frame at 3050 or anything in between, it was a death ray.

But I wouldn't choose it. I would take my '59 M70 fwt 30-06 with english stock and the VX-III 1.75-6X32 on board in low Conetrols. I would need to get a Hunters Edge for rough hunting. The only load I would need is its standard load of the 150TSX at an easy 2950 fps with 59 grains of H4350 S/C.

8mm Remington Magnum built off a Sako L 61 R.

Growing up in Indiana, we didn't have a CF rifle in the house. But, on graduating college, my dad got me a SS/Lam Ruger in 338 Win Mag. He was far from a Loony and wanted to get me something that would likely cover anything I'd likely hunt. So far, pronghorns to elk it hasn't not worked. That, and loosing my father last year at only 58yo it'd be the last one I'll get rid of. Still got lots of memories to make with that rifle.

I would have to go with either the 7mm RM or 308 win. I can't think of anything on this continent that one of these couldn't handle.

.280ai

Being as we are talking rifles here my bunny through birds habit is covered by my shotgun so.....I am going to be well served by my 35 Whelen. Older Ruger 77 with a 21 inch barrel, open sights topped by an FX II 4X as back up. Crisp 3 lb trigger, it sits in a B&C stock I have pillar bedded and has a 12 1/2 inch LOP.
Fits me really well and suits my style of hunting perfectly.

Actually I was thinking that spending money on only ONE rifle, or selling all the others, would allow one to go to Africa or Alaska with the saved money. That's kinda the point.
When I think of all the cash I could have saved, that I've spent on guns in the past 45 years or so, I could go on one hell of a nice African safari. . . . . . .

I think you'll remember the hunt more as well!!

One thing I do remember is that as a younger kid with just an old .30-06, I got so good with that thing I rarely missed anything, at any range out to about 600 yards. Then when I went to a .300, I found myself missing because at the longer ranges I shot over a little, being used to the trajectory of the .06! Then of course came the .45-70, which really shook things up.
Then of course thru the years I added some 40 other calibers. After awhile it get's rediculous!
Got rid of 3 rifles in the last month or so, and still have too many, and can still hunt anything, anywhere in the world if need be. And since I don't hunt Africa, I always could have with just that old .06.
Hmmm, wonder what ever happened to that old rifle. . . . . . .

For the world I would be hard pressed to pick against the 375 H&H. I guess you could say "It has been there and done that" so really no guess work involved

I would have to agree 8mm mag for me to.

I imagine we have as much in reloading equipment or ammo costs, binoculars, scopes etc. And then the biggie, replacing so much with second buys for better finer equipment that replaces what we already had. This hunting and shooting is more of a lifestyle than merely a sport.

The Kimber Montana 84L in 30-06 with a fixed 4 Loopy I don't own yet...

If that don't work out, the Montana 84 in 308 with a fixed 4 Loopy that I DO own.

I can't decide whether to airbrush a Swiss Army knife symbol on the butt stock, or a brick schitthouse....

For what I do, I have any number of rifles that could serve as the one and only.

Win FWT 30-06
Win Ranger 30-06
Win LWT 243
Rem Classic 270
Rugers in 30-06

It's pretty easy to kill stuff if you can hit in the right spot. With monometal bullets it even allows the light guns to fill the need too.

If I had to choose only one....I'll cross that bridge when I get to it--but if it had come down to that it just might be a Mini 14.

Try being a flyfisherman/tyer as well as a hunter/shooter. It is a wonder that I'm a: still married and b: not homeless!

.338 for me also.

Another vote for a 338-06.

A stainless Marlin 336 in 30-30 will do anything I need to do. Give me a 4X Leupold on it.

Pretty easy for me. 9.3x62, lightly customized Husky 640 wearing a Leupold 4x in Talley Ultralights. All will be cerakoted and bedded in a McMillan mark X with edge. Should run about 7.5 lbs. loaded and ready to roll. I have five varieities of 286gr. bullet on the bench in front of me, but might add in some 250gr. if it were the only rifle I were shooting.

Sounds about right to me. I'd put more X's on top, but that's about the only change I'd make to Dan's suggestion.

A 300 WSM Kimber MT is a real one-rifle rifle as well...

pre 64 30.06 supergrade model 70 winchester

i like elkhunters choice feed it anything from 125 grn. to 220 grn. bullets that makes the .30-06 an all around caliber, and it is really hard to beat the pre 64 action. they are just so expensive!

One rifle for everything including big bears and African Big 6; have to go with the 375 H&H or the Ruger 375!

Stainless/synthetic Ruger M77 Mk II in 30-06 with either a Leupold 4x or 6x or 3-9x.

When I chose for myself I went with a 7mm RM. THat lasted over 20 years.

When I chose to give one to my son-in-law, it was a .30-06.

The difference was I knew I would handload and that he wouldn't.

i could travel far and wide and not suffer any lack with my recently built m70 classic fwt 25-06...

i could say the same thing for my dads old mauser 30-06, or my model 700 winnie...

if i ever really tried it though, id like to have the option of trying out a NULA .308....

Life was so much simpler when it was just a good .30-06 and and a 1911 .45 acp!

I just finished building it. 358 Norma, I can load it up or down for everything from plinking rabbits to the big bears.

Second choice would be a 30-06, for the same reason.

35 Whelen.

the original one gun for everything: 375 H&H

I'd like to build my "perfect" do-it-all and stick to it. However, I've had mishaps where having a back-up really saved my bacon.

But, if I had to just have one, this is what I'd build:

-Action: Trued Winchester M70 Stainless CRF
-Barrel: 24 or 25 inch PacNor, #3 contour, 1 in 10 twist, 5 groove, recessed crown
-Caliber: 300 Win Mag
-Stock: McMillan EDGE, Black w/1 inch Decelerator
-Bottom Metal: Williams 1 piece
-Mounts: Leupold Dual Dovetail, Matte
-Scope: Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40

i use my 300 rum for just about everything. its just fun to shoot

300WinMag



.

DWM Mauser 98
Timney Trigger
Laminate Stock
22" Barrel
9,3x64 Brennecke
286gr. TSX / Banded Solid @ 2450 fps for the the big stuff.
250 gr. TSX @ 2750 fps for general purpose.

I would put a Leupold Ultralight 2,5x20 in Leupold STD mounts on the rifle, were it my sole one.

Depends...one gun for hunting or one for survival?
Hunting would probably be my 30-06 because I mostly hunt deer.
Survival my 10-22 or Henry .22 Mag. because I can carry lots of ammo, shoot small game w/o destroying it & in a pinch will bring down a deer.

balancing weight, power, barrel length, ammo availability + bullet selection and you live and hunt in British columbia, the number one choice and for good reason is the 338Win mag.