One Gun Hunters

[Starlite]

Back in the day; Around these parts it was any rifle with any bullet. Whatever you could beg borrow or steal. From 32 special to muzzle loads.
it always came down to good hunting skills and marksmanship.
who knew.

 

[JMW67]

Be aware of the man with one rifle, he likely knows how to use it

 

[asd9055]

Be aware of the man with one rifle, he likely knows how to use it

Some of us have one rifle, just many different calibers...OK OK, two rifles...but still many calibers

 

[memtb]

Some of us have one rifle, just many different calibers...OK OK, two rifles...but still many calibers

Some of us have many rifles.....but, only hunt with one! memtb

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I have 2 Hunting Rifles, "set up" EXACTLY, the same, they are both, T-3's Left Handed, SS, Tikka's with, the SAME,.. Poundage Trigger Springs, Comb height, Scopes, Rings, Recoil Pads, and Pull length, ones, a .243 Win. W/ 22.4" bbl. for,.. smallish Deer, Antelope and Yotes.
The other, weighs, 2-3 ounces more, in .270 WSM with, a 24" Barrel for,.. Elk, Moose and Big Muleys. Like memtb,.. I too, hunt with, ONE at, a Time !
And, I PRACTICE a lot with,.. both !

 

[luceteeth]

I use the same bullet brand for all my hunting loads, the weight changes with the rifle. I use Berger because they have never let me down. The same could be said for a number of other projectiles but this is my choice. I use the 168 for 7mm RM 180 for 7 LRM 195 for 28 Nosler and I am currently working on a load for a 300 PRC which I believe is going to shoot 245s.

 

[sp6x6]

For about 30 years ,340wby.Last ten 338NM. have a packer 338nm,and one more of a practice,although its taken almost as much game.

 

[NM-LAnk]

I have always been a one rifle for all game kind of guy. (I've also been married for over 40 years ) The rifle/caliber has changed over the years but I use the same gun for everything I'm hunting that year. So I use an 8mm Rem Mag for antelope... there is no such thing as too dead in my mind. With today's premium hunting bullets there is not really a need to change. They will hold together on elk and expand on an antelope and perform at long range.

But the real reason I don't change is because I don't want to think when a shot opportunity presents. I sight in for MPBR and even with a calibrated/adjustable scope, I know exactly where I need to hold out to 500 yards. It saves seconds and that can be the difference between a down animal and a missed opportunity.

 

[kirt]

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 have hunted with a browning bolt 280 with 160 nos. partion for 30 years some close and some far away, I have shot just about everything here in the USA. get used to one rifle.

 

[dbailey14]

My new 6.5 PRC has just become my do it all rifle.

 

[CONatureBoy]

I have three long-distance hunting rifles (264 Win Mag, 280 AI, 300 RUM), each built around a single load (154, 180, 210-grain Bergers, respectively). All of them are loaded so they shoot on the same drop curve out to 600 yards. That way I only hunt a single drop curve, most of the time.

I also have a "woods gun" with a lower-magnification scope, shorter/lighter barrel, and a more pedestrian caliber (280 Rem). Funny thing: I end up shooting more animals with the woods gun than the others combined. Maybe I need to learn more about hunting at long range! (I've read that the average hunting shot is taken at a little under 100 yards; perhaps my experience reflects that statistic.)

I once shot an antelope at over 500 yards with the 300. It about cut the animal in half. So I believe in different bullet weights, if not necessarily different calibers, for different animals.

One of my hunting buddies is a one-rifle hunter. He loads three rounds for his 300 Win Mag: 165, 180, and 215-grain bullets respectively for antelope, deer, and elk. That seems like a good recipe for matching bullet weight to animal size, with a single caliber.

 

[Raudy707]

I shoot 9 different rifles so I am the anti-one gun hunter. It all depends on game, topography, vegetation and whether I'm in California shooting lead free or not. One day I'll be shooting a lever action 30-30 and the next weekend I'm packing 300 win mag with 208 eld-m's. But if I did choose just one, it would be my 280 AI with a 160 grain Accubond bullet.

 

[wilkup]

270 with a 130 grain pill for everything

Just curious if something has changed…
I thought you lived and breathed 116/117gr Hammers in your 270 Win?

 

[jfolanddvm]

In 1978, I saved up money I earned from hoeing beets and bought a 700ADL in 30-06. For almost 20 years, I used that gun and 165gr Sierra boat tails for everything from prairie dogs to elk. The old saying "beware of the man with one gun, because he probably knows how to use it" always made me swell up, even though I just had one gun because that's all I could afford. Later, after I could afford it, I started buying different guns I thought I needed for different species. Now, with 22 different calibers sitting in my safe, I'm pretty much back to using one gun - a 7 wsm pushing 180 Berger's at 3005 fps - for almost everything, just because I love shooting it. If I ever make it to AK for a griz, or if I make it back k to Africa for DG, I reckon I'll have to break down and use something else. But until then....