One Gun Hunters

[dciron]

"..... saved yourself some invaluable time." Every resource is replenishable.........except heartbeats. Use those precious allocated heartbeats, represented as time, wisely. The older one becomes, the more one realizes.....too late.....how precious those heartbeats are. Is it really worth the heartbeats re-sighting, reloading multiple bullets, etc. One's personal choice. In my 70s, I view opportunities very differently. July was 50 years since I married my wife. Unfortunately, she ran out of heartbeats just shy of our 30th anniversary. Wish now that I had spent more heartbeats with her instead of chasing the American dream. We had planned to spend retirement traveling in a 45ft motorcoach enjoying adventures across our beautiful country. Well, I am.......unfortunately alone. Money flows in faster than I can spend it, but it won't buy her even one more heartbeat. Old too soon; smart too late.

Pro2A thank you for the reminder about the use of our time and efforts. Our loved ones our precious and we don't get "do overs." I was personally thinking of developing two loads for one rifle but your statement is making me think deeper about that. Thank you for stating things in turns of "heartbeats" and for "old too soon, smart too late." I hope you are working to fulfill the dreams you and your wife shared.

 

[ButterBean]

I don't hunt elk but for hogs and antelope I use a Model 70 in .270 Win with 140gr Barnes TSX.

That will work for elk as well

 

[MZmoose]

Keep it simple one load. I make loads for my hunting group and they all shoot a heavy for caliber bullet in their 308, 06', 7stw, 7RM, for elk. The deer, bears, and coyotes we shoot have never complained about being hit with a good elk load. Where we hunt you can run into different species on the same hunt so one load keeps it simple. If I'm going on just a coyote hunt I grab a different rifle which has one load specific for the species. Besides one load per rifle is a good way to sell it to your wife that you need a new rifle for a different species.

 

[big johnson]

one bullet- one powder 300 win 180 swift scir.,IMR 4350, 280 AI 140 nosler pt.,R19 , 6.5 PRC 156 berger, R26, 338 RUM.,225 speer, R22, Every time I try something different I ask my self why. Kind of like looking for the right woman to spend the rest of your life with. Yea there are some sleek lookers out there that like fast powder or lots of slow powder. I like what I got and the way they preform!!!

 

[7fan1967]

For those of you that hunt all your western game with one firearm. Do you use the same bullet for all big game you hunt or do you change the bullet grain depending on the animal your hunting (150 gr. for deer, 180-220 for elk)? I have a few hunting rifles, but I'm contemplating selling and using the 300 Winchester for everything.

The younger version of me thought that I needed to change caliber's for the different animals I was hunting . But as the years went by I grew so wisdom as well . Now I primarily hunt with one gun and ammo . For pronghorn I use 139 grain precision hunter and for mule deer to moose and black bear I use 162 grain precision hunter in 7RM . The key is to know your limitations in your self and gear you use . Happy Hunting !

 

[TexSavage]

One rifle, 300WSM, 215 pill, H4831SC. Mainly white tail, an oryx, prarrie dogs, muley and if I ever get the chance elk and anything else i choose to hunt. Full confidence.

 

[JustMe2]

I have a few rifles in various cartridges just to play with, but only one I hunt large game with: 180gr 300WM. Not too heavy for me and I know it well and am confident with it which is very important not to doubt yourself.

 

[blacktail 8541]

One rifle one bullet for me. I have 4 different bolt rifles for different game, but could get by with my 280AI that I have had for 35 years. I use a 145 grain Barnes LRX at 3050 fps.

 

[basinman]

For several years, when I first started hunting areas other than my thick swamp land, I used my 300 WSM for deer in south Texas, antelope and elk in Wyoming. I would use a 150 grain Ballistic Silver Tip for deer and antelope and a 165 grain Speer Hot-Cor spitzer for elk. I would make the adjustment to my scope when I switched ammo.

 

[1942sheephunter]

You can talk all you want about calibers and rifles but it is the shot placement that counts nothing else maters !!
I have taken most of the Big game in this world and at 79 and still hunting sheep. This is the wisdom that experience
has showed me.

 

[Huntz]

I have a bunch of rifles all sighted in for one particular bullet weight according to caliber.I have no favorite rifle or cartridge but if forced to hunt with one it would be a 270WSM using 140 grain Bergers.

 

[M Poling]

I use a 300 WM 208 grain eld-m with H1000. I'll admit I have only had opportunity for Whitetail and turkey for over 15 years but I found bullet placement especially on turkey is the Key.

Believe or not have not lost any meat even on the turkeys (17- 18+). Note feathers missing 2" below the head.

Haha, way to go mate. I too shoot grouse when out deer and elk hunting. I just aim for the neck with my 338-06 (totally overkill) but shot placement is everything to not loose meat. I'm suppressed so no real concern on scaring off all the other game within 20 miles.

 

[TxHeartShot]

For those of you that hunt all your western game with one firearm. Do you use the same bullet for all big game you hunt or do you change the bullet grain depending on the animal your hunting (150 gr. for deer, 180-220 for elk)? I have a few hunting rifles, but I'm contemplating selling and using the 300 Winchester for everything.

I've become less of a one gun hunter over the years, 300 H&H with 180 or 200 gr ABs for elk, 260 Rem with 140 gr ABs for whitetail & mule deer, 223 Rem for varmints and piggies. I was a 7mm STW guy for years, shooting everything from 140 gr to 175 gr depending on the target and range, and I am convinced a 175 gr A-Frame launched at +3000 fps will kill anything, plus my Hill Country Rifles gun shoots 1/2 MOA with almost everything I feed it.

Hmmm...might go back to one gun.

 

[Pointman]

I will use the heaviest bullet the rifle will group reliably. I'm part of the "bigger is always better" group.