Mental exercise

I, like many, have come to the decision I don't utilize all my rifles and would like to thin my heard. Im keeping 4 rifles in 4 various cartridges to cover hunting and recreational duties. What 4 rifle cartridges would you keep given these build options:

1 long action standard bolt face
2 short action mag bolt face
1 short action .223 face
1 short action standard bolt face

Things to consider:
22,223,6.5,308 suppressors owned

Have a quality 22 rim fire and ar I won't be parting with

Prefer some/custom ammo options

Live in the Midwest with mainly whitetail deer hunting but do travel out of state for hunting trips.

Ksduckhntr said:

I, like many, have come to the decision I don't utilize all my rifles and would like to thin my heard. Im keeping 4 rifles in 4 various cartridges to cover hunting and recreational duties. What 4 rifle cartridges would you keep given these build options:

1 long action standard bolt face
2 short action mag bolt face
1 short action .223 face
1 short action standard bolt face

Things to consider:
22,223,6.5,308 suppressors owned

Have a quality 22 rim fire and ar I won't be parting with

Prefer some/custom ammo options

Live in the Midwest with mainly whitetail deer hunting but do travel out of state for hunting trips.

Click to expand...

Thinning the heard, what blasphemy, Never !

Thinning the heard is the tough part. Rebuilding the collection is the reward.

contemplating a similar reduction in arms... following

Ok I'll make my first stab at it

.223 heavy/tactical plinker
308 long action target/magnum hunter style
6.5 prc hunting lightweight
300 wsm magnum hunter

Long action story boldface 280 AI
short action story boldface. 358 Win
Short action .223 boldface .223
Short action mag boldface 300 WSM

Please decipher auto correct. Std boltface not story boldface

I shoot about 5550x more rounds a year at steel and paper than I shoot hunting. (Maybe 50x rounds a year shot at game not including birds with a shotgun).

So I would keep a couple lighter recoiling target type rifles that can easily double as hunting rifles. Like 6CM, 25CM, .260AI. Something you can shoot quite a bit, but still enough for pronghorn/deer/coyotes.

For the other two, something in a medium/large 7mm and a larger .308 cal for LR deer and elk. 7SAUM, .280AI, 7RM, 28 Nos, then a 300PRC, 300WM, etc.

That being said, no way would I get down to only 4 rifles.

Ksduckhntr said:

1 long action standard bolt face - 280AI, or one of the standard Sherman chamberings.
2 short action mag bolt face - 6.5PRC, provided one of the action allows for a Wyatt's box, or AICS, so you can load longer. Sell the other one as you don't need it.
1 short action .223 face - Easy button is a fast twist 223, throated for 70+ grain bullets. You could go AI for a tiny bit more performance and the cool factor, but it isn't necessary.
1 short action standard bolt face - 7-08AI or 260AI.

Things to consider:
22,223,6.5,308 suppressors owned

Click to expand...

See above. Those would be my choices. Obviously there is a ton of overlap, but with those I could hunt everything with the exception of dangerous game in Africa.

Since you mentioned custom ammo, I assume you are not reloading. If you were, the chamberings above would allow you to standardize your powders, primers, and bullet selections as well. As for custom makers, Choice Ammunition, Unknown Munitions, and Copper Creek all make good stuff.

1 long action standard bolt face - 280ai
1 short action mag bolt face - your favorite 30 cal short mag, WSM, SAUM, Sherman, etc.....
1 short action .223 face - 223
1 short action standard bolt face - 260, 6.5cm

Assuming you could use the 308 suppressor on the first 2, the 223 on the 223 and the 6.5 on the last.

@Ksduckhntr,

You didn't say whether you reload or are planning on using factory ammo.
Reason I ask is that reloading opens up many cartridges over trying to find factory ammo.

If reloading.
223 bolt face - 25-45 Sharps.
Has proven devastating to coyotes and loaded with bullets like the 85gr NBT suitable for deer.

Short action std bolt face - 7mm-08.
100gr Sierra HP Varmint is again devastating to coyotes. 120-140gr is suitable for up to & including elk. Especially when you go to some states that have caliber restrictions for elk hunting.
Can be "down loaded" youth shooters.
I have shot 600 yard F-Open with it and capable of 1,000 yards plus also.

Long action std bolt face - 280 Rem, 280 AI.
Both will handle anything in North America.
I went with the 7mm because even though the 25-06, 270 Win & 30-06 fine cartridges the 7mm will hold a ballistic edge over the others as distance increases.

The short action magnum bolt face, I really don't have experience with them.

.223 is a great cartridge, but I'm not a fan. I'd do a 22-250 with a faster twist to shoot light and heavy for caliber bullets, it would make a versatile rifle. A 260, AI or standard, a 30-06 and a 300 Win mag if I needed a magnum.

My policy is to never sell a firearm. I have never said" dang I'm glad I sold that one". But I have sold several I would want back.

Critter Picker said:

Please decipher auto correct. Std boltface not story boldface

Click to expand...

Edit button works well also!