hi.
before we start i just want to tell you about my situation.

i work alot for the time being, and my spare time is quite occupied.
so i don't have the time to be on the range for hours to experiment with multiple loads and a variety of rifles.
and since i didn't grew up in a hunting famliy, a hunt isn't a afternoon activity.
it usually takes planning and travelling.

here is what i intend on hunting:
*small game up to 6kg, usually shot inside 150m
*small deer up to 50kg, usually shot inside 150m
*deer up to 200-250kg +sheeps/goats, usually shot within 100-300m in very open terrain.
*moose, brown bear and wildboar, usually shot inside 150m
*plainsgame
*large plainsgame
*big five

so i need a small number of quality rifles, in practical allround cartridges(i'm a handloader).
i was hoping to be covered with only 3 rifles.

i would really appreciate the advices and thought of you experienced hunters here on the forum.

I'd need 3 rifles to pull that off in a comfortably minimalist fashion.

Winchester Model 70 .270 Winchester
Winchester Model 70 .338 Winchester Magnum
Winchester Model 70 .416 Taylor

Realistically, you can do what you want with 3 rifles, any cartridges in the same power ranges as the above should be plenty, especially at the ranges you listed. The first rifle can take the first three items in your list, the second can take the next three, and the third is the big boomer for the big five.

Easy with 3 rifles
257 Roberts
30/06
375 H&H Mag

.338 win mag for all

My 3 would be

.25-06 Rem
270 WSM
375 Ruger

My three would be. ----- .257 Wby, .358 STA, .416 Remington. Good shoting.

My three - .308 Win, .338 WinMag, .416 Taylor

Come to think of it, those three might be the only three I'll keep if I ever get tired of cleaning guns. NOT!

Namibiahunter

243 (223 would even do)
300 WSM
375 RUM (assuming to be used for brown bear and other dangerous game

A 25 caliber (take your pick).

A 30 caliber (30-06 and up - take your pick) or an 8mm (take your pick) or a 33 caliber (take your pick).

A 40-45 caliber suitable for African game (take your pick from among about 20).

Indulge yourself - slow down and enjoy some of it. -WSJ

.257 Roberts.
35 Whelen,or 9.3X62.
416 rigby.
...tj3006

.25'06
9.3X62
.416 Rigby

Well since 6kg is quite small I think a 223, or 22-250.

For midsize animals I like a 300 in whatever flavor tickles your fancy.

For the big stuff 375 Ruger.

KC

quote:

Originally posted by KC Carlin:
Well since 6kg is quite small I think a 223, or 22-250.

KC

Agree, but I really like the 22 Hornet. For the two others I would get a .270 win and a 375 H&H.

The 375 H&H could take care of all if needed.

223
6.5x55
375 H&H

7x57
9.3x62
416 taylor

A practical goup of rifles would be:
1- .22 Long Rifle in a good bolt action with a 4x or 2x-7x scope or so. You always need a good .22 Long Rifle !!
2- .308 Win or 30-06 with a 4x or 1,5-6x scope
3- .375 H&H with a 4x or 1,5-6x scope

My own rifles for all are:

.22 LR BRNO Nº 2 (1964) with a 2x-7x Weaver RF
7x57 Mauser 98 (M35) Schmidt-Bender 1x-6x (4x Zeiss Diatal DA as a back up)
.375 H&H Win 70 Pre 64 (1954) Zeiss Victory 1,5-6x (Sch-Bender 1,25-4x as a back up)

They are practical for my because they are what I have!!!

Regards

PH

Since you mentioned very small animals, the Big Five, and everything in between, you're asking for a lot of compromise with only three cartridges. If hunting the Big Five, I would think your choice of cartridge would be a .4something. If shooting in a busy prairie dog town is on the agenda, anything bigger than a .223 is too much of a good thing. That leaves a lot of ground for only one more cartridge to cover without being overgunned or undergunned on a lot of critters.

With four cartridges, your battery could include a .223 for small animals and predators, a 7mm-08 for predators and medium sized game, a .338Win Mag for everything bigger than deer but smaller than an Alaskan Coastal Brown Bear or the Big Five, and a .416 of any flavor for the things that bite back.

But if you could have five, ...................

22LR
270 Winchester
375 H&H

thanks for the reply's.
i forgot to mention that a rimfire doesn't count, neither does a dedicated varmint rifle.

here is what i've been thinking.

the small one: something in the .260/6.5x55/7mm-08/7x57 range. with their moderate velocity they wont tear up birds such as black grouse, capercaille, goose etc. too much when loaded with fmj's.
loaded with 140gr bullets, they will probably be my go-to rifle for medium sized game.
and for large non-dangerous game (moose etc.), 156-175gr bullets would do the trick.

when these rounds get marginal, i dont think a .375 will be too much.
loaded with 300gr soft-points it would be a hard hitting woods rifle, for moose, bear, boar etc.
and with 235gr TSX loaded to lets say 2900-3000fs, this would probably be as good as anything for reaching out to 300m.

that leaves us with one rifle left.
and i can honestly say i have no clue, this is a rifle that will se very little use.
i'll doubt if i ever will shoot 100 rounds at game during my lifetime.

Steffen,

I'd say anything from the .260 on up to the .30-06 would be good for your smaller game catagory. I particularly like the various 6.5's. But used a .30-06 in this capacity for many years. Back then, when I didn't want to tear up something too bad I used a .30 cal 180 grain bullet at moderate velocities.

For catagory 2 & 3 I chose one gun, a .416 Rigby. It served me well.

Though these days, I wouldn't be caught without at least one 9.3mm. And for the bigger stuff, I'd still probably pick the .416.

a 280 would be a bit better than a 270 for a reloader due to bullet selection. you can load that slow as a 7x57 or slower for small game, or hot for a good deer gun.
friend just got a ruger in 280 rem and loves it

a 416 rigby would be good but the factory ammo i've seen for that are pretty expensive. thankfully you have a choice now

.308 Win
.338 Win Mag
.458 Win Mag

Got 2 but I need the "Boss" to free up the cash and I will have the .458 built.

Three battery rifle 264 win mag ,338 win mag ,416 rem mag .They are all factory rounds and all flat shooting for their caliber.The 416 rem mag is very effecent as far as powder burned for the power you get.I have all three of these and really like them.I do like the 338-378 weatherby if your in the wide open with long range shots on big game 500 pouunds or greater .