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Well, I’m now officially past my 70th birthday. In good health so still have “hunting” years to look forward to. It never did before, but now it troubles me to see rifles sitting in my safe not being used. Only 1 is an heirloom and that one is staying. I have: .243 Win for coyote .25-06 for WT deer & hogs For Mule Deer & Elk: 7mm Rem Mag – groups in 1 hole with my handload - consistently. 300 WSM – easily MOA all day long 35 Whelen – also a MOA rifle D.G.: Win Model 70 .458 Win with some customizing – very accurate I’m posting because I’d like to trim the MD & Elk rifles down to 1 or maybe 2 rifles. Please treat our dialogue as a friendly campfire discussion between friends. Just looking for some experienced thoughts. All opinions welcome. Many thanks. Cheers | ||
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All good choices and calibers. All will suit your intended purpose, so I would ask this question.. As you sitting on stand, which rifle brings back the most memories? The cherished memories? Thats the one I would keep. NRA Benefactor. Life is tough... It's even tougher when you're stupid... John Wayne | |||
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I completely agree with Pa Frank. Keep the one you love. All will work. "The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights." ~George Washington - 1789 | |||
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I would go 25-06 and 35 whelen. | |||
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You didn't mention which is the heirloom that you'll keep regardless, so that would figure into the equation. At any rate, it would be a shame to get rid of a "one-holer", and that 7mm Rem will take care of everything from coyotes to elk if you choose. The WSM's are a passing fancy, and the Whelen isn't really a long-range chambering. So my instinct would be to keep the super-accurate and versatile 7mm Rem. Now, are you really ever going to use that .458? I didn't think so. It should be the first out the door. The .243 is very shootable and there are often occasions where a lighter rifle is needed, so I'd consider hanging onto it a little longer. It will work fine on whitetails when the situation simply doesn't require the range and power of the 7 mag. | |||
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If I were in your shoes I would think about keeping the .243 and the 300 WSM and sell the rest with maybe the exception of the .458. The .243 makes a damn fine varmint and Deer rifle whether it be whitetails or mulies. The .300 WSM also covers all your Deer, Bear and Elk and any African Plains game. Hang onto the .458 just in case you feel the urge to shoot the big boomer and maybe you have an African hunt in the future. Must admit I'm not a fan of the 7 mag I guess it's because the hype is actually bigger than the product so I never bought into it, the Rem 7 mag is capable and a killer I just never caught that bug. 175's in the 7 mag aren't much different than a 30/06 with 180's but more powder and muzzle blast. The 300 WSM will out reach the 7 mag. and the variety of bullets is extensive. Pretty sure the WSM's are here to stay they are doing very well. | |||
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My choice exactly. In fact, this is what I use these days for all of my NA hunting. | |||
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Thank you all, very much. As always, great feedback from our members here. The 2 with sentimental value: 1) 18.5" custom 30-06 with thumbhole stock - beautiful wood. 2) The .458 Win which I had customized and went with me to Alaska. May not use it again but not ready to give it up. A pleasure to shoot with medium weight bullets. The .243 and 25-06 stay, doing exactly what they were purchased for - and supremely well. Only the 3 middle cartridges are in question. And yes, real 1 hole groups at the range are very satisfying. IMHO, no flies on the 7 Mag, though, as we all know, it is not the WSM or the Whelen. Cheers everyone. | |||
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It looks like its already pretty trimmed, but if you really feel you have to, keep the WSM and let the other two go. Or keep the 7mm and let the 300 and the Whelen go. It isn't going make a big difference either way. As far as that goes you probably don't need a 6mm and a 25. A case could be made for not needing either of them if you have a 7mm. Why won't that kill whitetail, coyotes and pigs? | |||
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I'm down to 8X57 & 30/40 Krag Interestingly, that is the same extent of CF rifles that my Dad owned back in the 1950s. Working on an 8mm-06 A.I. & 7X57. GOOGLE HOTLINK FIX FOR BLOCKED PHOTOBUCKET IMAGES https://chrome.google.com/webs...inkfix=1516144253810 | |||
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I been consolidating rifles for the last 10 years and now have 7 more than what I started with. It didn't work to good, lol. But my Blaser R8 and Heym double in 450/400 would be the last to leave. My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost. | |||
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pragmatically, keep the 243 and the 7 REM (had the 300WSM been a win mag, I'd have gone there) reason travel 243,7Rem (300 Win) are everywhere- and I have arrived sans ammo due to travel problems before | |||
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My question, how many guns can we whittle it down to?? I'm definitely narrowing mine down, but I haven't got all the answers yet. JP Sauer Drilling 12x12x9.3x72 David Murray Scottish Hammer 12 Bore Alex Henry 500/450 Double Rifle Steyr Classic Mannlicher Fullstock 6.5x55 Steyr Classic Mannlicher Fullstock .30-06 Walther PPQ H2 9mm Walther PPS M2 Cogswell & Harrison Hammer 12 Bore Damascus And Too Many More | |||
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Very subjective. For instance, my opinion of the 7mm RM varies greatly than that of snellstrom and my first inclination would be to keep that one. Ironicaly, I have a 35 Whelen and havent had a 7mm Mag for quite a while though. Have you considered flipping a coin? Maybe you could do that to decide between culling the herd and enjoying your guilty pleasure a little longer.  AK-47 The only Communist Idea that Liberals don't like. | |||
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By keeping the .243, .25-06, .30-06 and .458. Sell the other three. | |||
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Keep the 7 Rem Mag. | |||
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To keep or not to keep, that is the question ? Personally, I keep and maintain .22LR, .222 Rem, 6,5x55SE, .270 Win, 7,5x55SW, .308 Win, .30-06, .300 Win Mag, 8x57JS, 9,3x62, 9,3x74R and they all serve a purpose, be it shooting, hunting, playing,...). Some are target, military, hunting rifles, etc. I'd miss every single one of them if we had to part. I'm also thinking about "consolidating" my collection by... adding an Enfield M1917, in VGC, I'm looking after since a while. Go figure... André DRSS --------- 3 shots do not make a group, they show a point of aim or impact. 5 shots are a group. | |||
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What is the intended outcome? Do you just want to sell something? As long as there isn't a compelling reason to get rid of something like no room in the safe or you need the cash, why sell an appreciating asset? I have sold very few firearms but regretted selling almost every one of them. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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I think you answered your own question the way you phrased this. Sounds like you have more confidence in the accuracy of this one. If not, hunting conditions expected (long range, black timber) etc. would matter to me as well as the weight of the rifle/recoil experienced. Tough to give you an answer except keep the one you have the most confidence in, barring that, keep the one that best fits the type of hunting/conditions you would expect it to see. They will all work. ______________________ Ken A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. --- Greek Proverb | |||
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Keep the 243 and the 7mm Rem mag for sure... if you're still hunting with them. If not, keep whatever floats your boat or sell 'em all. Those 2 are all you'll "need" in North America. Jut my 2 cents, Zeke | |||
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And then put a suppressor on them so you can shoot them until you are 90!!! | |||
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Logistically speaking, brass for the 300 WSM and the 35 whelen aren't exactly on the shelves of evry hardware store, so I'd keep the 7 mag and dump the other 2. NRA Benefactor. Life is tough... It's even tougher when you're stupid... John Wayne | |||
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Funny how that works. A couple of years ago I started advertising some of my "surplus" rifles for sale. The first thing you know somebody says "Hey, I've got one a lot like that, would you be interested in buying it?" When they shoot me a price that is well under the going market it's hard not to say yes. Well, long story short, I have now "reduced" my collection of "surplus" rifles by minus 10 or so and have had to buy a new safe for all the rifles I've "sold" in reverse. | |||
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Not counting the heirloom, which may or may not be listed. I'd keep the 7 mag for the accuracy and sell ALL the rest while buying a nice accurate .22 LR if plinking and fun target shooting pleases you and a accurate .223. Voila, you're down to 3 and have 2 new PRACTICAL different ones to play with. Since you're probably not looking for a new woman, new guns will keep you occupied. xxxxxxxxxx When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere. NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR. I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process. | |||
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To ALL, Can't say enough about how much I appreciate the replies. Snowwolfe,....seems we have the same problem.  IMHO, from a practical standpoint, I believe it borders on stupid to argue against the 30 cals. That said, my 7 Mag is just one of those rare rifles where the manufacturer got everything right - and luck shined on me when I purchased it. So the 7RM stays and the 300 WSM goes. The Whelen is "trim" in its synthetic stock, is a joy to carry and points superbly. The Rem trigger was replaced with a Timney and does all it advertises. With the Leupold 1.5X5 German # 4 on top and hand loads it will hold MOA all day. Not sure I'll ever own a finer "Timber" rifle. So it's staying too. Thanks again everyone. Cheers | |||
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25-06 for coyotes and deer 7 mag (the tack driver) for elk and anything else in NOAM except dangerous bears I have both of these calibers in rifles and really like them both NRA Patron member | |||
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You gain nothing by thinning that herd. I have maybe ten rifles from A to Z and after contemplating selling a few the money involved didn't impress me (more than having them around does.) If you want, make up documentation of whom you'd like to leave yours to? _______________________ | |||
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I'd keep what was light weight and easy to carry, or possibly sell them all and buy something light weight and easy to carry, like possibly a Kimber Montana. | |||
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I'd keep just the 7 mag. your a hand loader act like it. you can get that rifle to shoot like a 7-30 waters all the way up to where your at now. sell everything else and buy some brass and bullets and wear the thing out. then put a new barrel on it and do it again. | |||
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Keep the 7mm mag...you will regret selling a 1 hole rifle Mike Legistine actu? Quid scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Lamar,.......said multiple times I was a hand loader. Didn't know I was to "act like one." ?? I was very clear about asking for suggestions, not orders,...... but thanks anyway. Mike, please see my post that I am keeping the 7 Mag. Thanks. | |||
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Keep the 7RM. That way if you have to shoot coyotes, deer, hogs, Mdeer or elk twice there will be only 1 hole. Keep the 458WM, too. This way you'll only have to shoot coyotes, deer, hogs, Mdeer and elk once. ________ Ray | |||
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For me and my type of hunting in Alaska, this would be my rifle battery: .22LR for grouse and such .270 .338 for all-around hunting .416 just in case However, as others have mentioned, the best advise anybody can give you is to keep those rifles you have become accustomed to and make you happy. | |||
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Like you, but considerably older, I am trimming down...The fact of the matter its easy if one just studies it or has the experience to admit it..That is sell them all and get a 30-06! I can't imagine any animal on earth that I would be scared to take on with a 30-06, there are better calibers for such game, but it'll do in a pinch on all of them...I might have to add a 222 just because. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I'm down to my 45, and my 500 Jeffery. Use the 500 for everything from javelina to bear and elk. The 45 for a sidearm in the woods and for trips to the bad parts of town when need be. Regards, Chuck "There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit" Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness" | |||
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It seems to me that "thinning the herd" is a lot like only having one beer. It never seems to work. I KNOW I need to thin mine out, right up to the point of deciding which ones to cull.. Then it starts getting complicated. | |||
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I agree, see my latest blog... the .458 also makes a very nice bolt-action .45-70! Bob www.bigbores.ca "Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for he issued his command, and they came into being" - King David, Psalm 148 (NLT) | |||
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My two keepers would be two HS Precision takedowns. One in 7 Mag and one in 338 Mag. I probably would have to keep a 404 Jeffery just in case. I love to travel with those takedowns. Now what to do with the other 50+???? | |||
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Add one to those choices. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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I'm also on the northern side of 70, and my health is really not that great. I also have too many firearms. I'm trimming the fat. I only bought one new gun so far this year. I did put a can on my 204, 243, and 7 RM. I have a 30/06 and a 375 Weatherby on an FN Supreme Sako action with muzzle brake or can, whichever I want to screw on, that I can't get rid of. Oh, and my beautiful 7x57 Mauser, and my Clark Custom 10-22, they have to stay. Maybe I need to give up and let my heirs sell what they don't want. We haven't even talked about handguns and shotguns yet. I also have a .458 that is a tack driver but I'll never get back to Africa so it's for sale. If I work on it I can cut down by half, that would be a good improvement. velocity is like a new car, always losing value. BC is like diamonds, holding value forever. | |||
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