If you could only have one gun...

[Mort]

Wild West Guns .457WWM / .45-70.

Based off Marlin 1895G, Leupold 2.5X IER long relief scope, @ 6.6 lbs.
Barrel length 18.5 inches
Recoil Control Porting System
Pachmayr Decelerator pad
WWG Trigger Happy Kit
Safety Vented Magazine Tube
WWG Ghost Ring Rear Sight
Williams Fire Sight in red with skeletonized hood
Mil-Spec Parkerized finish or bead blasted stainless (mines parkerized)

For day to day hunting Hornady LeverEvolution 325gr 2050fps w/ 4.1 in drop at 200 yrds.

For bear country or Africa load up the .457WWM 350 grain premium Kodiak "Bear" Bullet at 2200 fps or the 405 grainers at 2000fps.

This is the best gun I have owned by far.

Mort

 

[shadetreetrader]

One gun does not mean rifle, it doesn't say that.

My own reluctant choice would be a shotgun: Mossberg 500ATP

 

[memtb]

While this thread has been retrieved from the archives….it's still an interesting topic!

I did exactly that in 1990, one gun for everything……primarily big game! However, it's been used for coyotes and a few prairie dogs. With light load cast bullets, and careful placement…..it would work for squirrel, rabbits, ect.

A .375 AI, in a very reasonable carry weight package. Fairly weather resistant, easily effective on big game to 600+ yards, good for everything from squirrels (though a bit large) to Africa's biggest. In a pinch, factory .375 H&H ammunition will do an adequate job! memtb

 

[birddog 68]

A .375 AI, in a very reasonable carry weight package. Fairly weather resistant, easily effective on big game to 600+ yards, good for everything from squirrels (though a bit large) to Africa's biggest.

a squirrel with a 375 AI. Yes I would say it's a bit large for squirrel memtb

 

[Critter Picker]

I'm going to cheat. 1 gun Encore with a 12 ga. barrel, 22 rimfire barrel, 308 win. barrel. Can I keep my ammo? And loading supplies. And I hope that the 12 ga barrel has screw in chocks.

 

[Wyo37]

Tikka t3x in any of the following..308, 7-08, 6.5 creed, 243 or 6 creed.

Would kill everything I'll ever hunt (deer, antelope, elk, sheep, moose, goat)

 

[memtb]

a squirrel with a 375 AI. Yes I would say it's a bit large for squirrel memtb

I squirrel hunted with a .308 Win. with cast bullets for several years. You gotta head shoot them, preferably across the eyes…..farther back and you bloodshot the shoulders. I also "barked" a few…..just to see if it was just "Southern Legend" or if possible. It works pretty good, but you can't control, were the bark hits…..usually ended up getting some intermittent bloodshot all the way to the last rib. Brought home more meat with the headshots!
Oh, I never said it was ideal……just that it can be done! When elk or deer hunting, over the years I've have taken quite a few grouse with headshots. You just have to be sure to put the crosshair about 1 1/2 " over the head…..or you don't put grouse breast in the pan! memtb

 

[dwcars]

There are those who think they will have the opportunity to make that 1-1/2 mile shot, and there are others who think that when the SHTF they will end up as one of the few survivors in spite of having no fuel, food, or any of the bare necessities in life. I however am under neither of those delusions. I would opt for either a Marlin 39A or an 1885 Winchester made by Miroku in the everlasting .22 caliber. The ammo could also become a valuable currency as a gold coin is hardly a fair trade for a loaf of bread~!

 

[Ken61]

The 375HH would have to be the prime canidate for this one rifle catagory. It will handle anything you could ever want to hunt. The Remington I have is also very accurate. Just my thoughts.

Might be a little painful on the prairie dog town

 

[dwcars]

My response was made assuming that the OP was aimed at 'worst case scenario' and not towards high dollar hunts around the world.

 

[nralifer]

If you had to limit yourself to one gun (rifle or handgun) for all of your hunting, what would it be and why?

I would choose my 338RUM. It is a sporter weight Rem 700, is ported and Duracoated with a laminated stock. It shoots half inch at 100 yds with the 225AB and has mild recoil. It shoots flat trajectory and can be loaded with anything from a 180 gr ballistic tip for deer or antelope to a 275 gr A-frame for Kodiak bear. It is light enough to carry around all day, but just heavy enough to be stable on a rest. The scope is a Burris 4.5-15 ballistic plex. The low end is low enough for any close shot that might present itself and the high end is more than adequate for long shots. The scope has excellent clarity and brightness.

I would love to try it out on a big bear some day, and it certainly would not be out of place on an African safari (other than where there is a .40 cal minimum for the big stuff).

Let's hear from some of you other guys!
Sam

It depends a lot on what type of hunting you want to do and are able to do. This of course dictates the range of critter size you are going after. If your range is Prairie Dog to Kodiak Bear, unless you are OK with plinking at Prairie Dogs with a big 30 cal or 338 then a 338/06, 338 WM, 338Norma or LM, 300Norma, 300 WSM, 300WM, all will work because they all will dispatch a Kodiak Bear within150 yds. I would strongly advise using a high BC all copper bullet for the larger game because the provide the widest performance envelope of any bullet type both within 200 and beyond 900-1000 yds. I personally have used the 308Win for everything from Coyotes to large coastal Alaskan Black Bear with a 20" barrel and a 150 gr Badlands BD or BD2 bullet going 2920-2950 fps. Portability is a very important in brushy areas. I limit my range to within 500 yds as wind calls are easier to estimate at that distance in the heat of battle. For small critters like Prairie Dogs my favorite is the 204 Ruger or a 223Rem.

 

[nralifer]

Lets see: what rifle has been combat proven in Nam, works in the rain, mud, snow and sand, has won Perry, can make it to 1,000 yds, has ample spare parts, can be fitted with a Gen 3 scope mount, can use 30 round magazines, reloading components on the shelf everywhere, can be used at close and longer ranges for MOD, MOM or MOA hits and is being reactivated for combat in Iraq because of one round stopping power with the correct bthp ammo? You tell me but for me and this house we depend upon the NM M1A. Overbore

7.62x51 mm otherwise known as the 308Win?

 

[bamban]

7.62x51 mm otherwise known as the 308Win?

Agreed...This^^^

In this ^^^

 

[nralifer]

Agreed...This^^^

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In this ^^^

Love it.