Hi Guys:

First let me explain that I am a true rifle nut, as the saying goes. I was just looking at my current rifle battery, never mind the shotguns and handguns.

I was playing a little mind game on what was my perfect choice, at this present time for the category of hunting I do. I have four or five differnt calibers sometimes for one category.

I have come up with seven categories, this is my game so I can decide just what my category is...

1. Varmints: From Prarie Dogs to Coyotes. I have mutiple calibers that would fit the bill. But my all time ground hog buster is still the Remmie 22-250. I really thought the 204 Ruger was going to detrone this, but it still holds my place as number one, among the 222's 223'3 and more.

2. Mid size big game: AKA Whitetail deer. My all time favorite for the past 5 years is the 270 WSM. It shoots fast @ 3300 FPS with a 130 grain bullet, and kills boom flops all day long. I have and used at least five other calibers for our PA whitetail, but the 270 WSM reamins my king.

3. Black Bear: Now I live in PA and have crossed a path with some pretty big blacks. I know any good deer cartridge can take a good size blackie. But my special caliber for a 500 pounder that I have my eye on is the ol 350 Remmie Mag with a 200 grain bullet. This original short mag hits hard.

4. Brown Bear: Again I have many calibers that would suffice, from 30-06 to 458 Lott with all the designations inbetween, my super choice, 338 Rem Ultra Mag, 250 grain Swift Aframe.

5. African Plains Game: From the minis to the Kudu and Sable size family, my super choice 300 Rem Ultra Mag, with 180 grain Nosler Partitions. I have personally taken over 15 head of African game with this caliber, love it.

6. Big Tough and dangerous Game: Includes leopard, Lion, Giraffe, and Eland. No I haven't taken all of them yet, but my rifle of choice is my 416 Rem Mag, shooting Swift Aframes 400 grains at 2500 FPS.

7. Big Dangerous Game that needs a stopper: Includes Ele, Cape Buffalo, Hippo's, Rhino's if you could ever hunt them again at a semi normal price. My choice is the 458 Lott... 500 grain bullet doing about 2300 FPS is about all the recoil I can enjoy and still think straight.

So come on guys, give me your super choice for the categories I have listed above. No fair changing them, remember this is my game.

Regards... Jim P.

1 .223
2 7mm-08
3 35 Whelen
4 338 Win Mag
5 300 H&H
6 .375 H&H
7 416 Rigby

1 .223 Rem, bought this caliber first and never needed anything else for varmints.
2&3 .270 Win with 130 grain for game up to deer, 150 grain Partitions for anything larger.
4&5 .30-06, .338-06, or 35 Whelen depends on the day and what I'm actually hunting.
6&7 Don't own any rifles for this type of hunting but I really want a .375 H&H.

Shoot PA, I don't need to give you mine, it's splitting hairs, and I declare you the winner of this game! Seriously, I really like your battery, mine would only vary just a bit here and there, say 330 dakota vs 338 RUM, or such, and I haven't really thought a lot about Elephant or such, but 458 Lott sounds good to me, I have a 416 Rem Mag, and it is just rude to shoot! I might put together a 'recoil conscious' rig for that type of rifle if I ever decide to do one.

Great list of classes and choice of calibers!

1) .22-250
2) 7x57
3) .30-06 [180's or 200's]
4) .340 WBY
5) .300 H&H
6) .375 H&H
7) .505 Gibbs

I have 'em all but the perfect 7x57 and safari grade .300H&H.

.204 Ruger
.222 Remington
.25 WSSM
7mm STW
.375 Weatherby
.416 Rigby
.500 Schuler

.223Rem

.30-06

.338WM

.416RM

.458Lott

So many choices.
Not neccessarily my picks, but if you want to be different:
220 Swift
6.5X55
9.3X62
9.3X64
8X68
404 Jeffery
500 Jeffery

Here's what I'd grab out of my safe:
223
270 Win
300 H&H
338 Win Mag
375 H&H
416 Rigby

If I weren't a rifle crank I would probably just use a 300 H&H and a 416 Rigby for everything except varmints.

Hi Guys:

Nice list so far guys. Buliwyf... 25 WSSM for Black Bear..?? Now I would think that would be kind of a light punch for a big black..??? yes...no..?

Well, some of us are not far apart at all. Except you guys with the 500 class caliber for the heavy dangerous game stuff. Randerson a 505 Gibbs.. hell of a caliber.

Yeah..... they are stoppers for sure, on both ends... LOL

Hey Fish....my custom 416 Rem Mag isn't that bad to shoot, but I do have it custom breaked. Even with a break and two mercury tubes in the stock my 12 lb. 458 Lott rocks and rolls.

On the heavy end I also own a custom Mod 70 375 H&H and a Ruger 458 Win Mag. The 458 is a reall pusscat to shoot, no break and hard rubber recoil pad on old Model 77 Ruger.

Thanks for the input, keep em comeing.

Regards... Jim P.

1- .223

2- .308

3- .308

4- .375 H&H

5- .375 H&H

6- .375 H&H

7- .577 T-Rex, I can dream too, right

I absolutely love my 25 WSSM and could not live without it. I think the 25 is too light for the big black. I have absolutley no problem whatsoever turning the .500 Schuler on the ole' boy

I am currently torturing myself over which rifle I should take out to catch a moose. My 8x60S or my 1924 9x57mm, with original Kynoch and DWM ammo no less. Or I could snatch my Husqvarna pre-War 9.3x62, but it scares me; very lightweight. I could use my .375 Weatherby with 265 grain GS Customs. Or for experimentation, my .500 A-Square with 975 grain cast bullets at 2200 fps.

The choices are killing me.

My choices if pared to the nuts:

.17HMR - My ground squirrel dispatching tool.

.220 Swift - Longer range squirrel, coyote and rock chuck gun.

.338 Lapua - My go to deer and elk rifle. Works for me and simplifies life

.458 Lott - From squirrels to rocks, rock chucks and DG (in the future) I LOVE my Lott.

This is my for now 4 gun "no way I'm getting rid of them" list. Not for all or most I know.

I also enjoy the .223 in bolts and ARs, the 25-06, 300 Win, the 375 H&H (which everyone should own) and the 416 Rigby.

Lately I have found myself having less time to "mess" with a lot of my rifles...I know I need to address this! But I have found out which rounds/rifles I REALLY like and use the most and have been concentrating on these.

John

1. .243
2. 6.5x55
3. .375H&H
4. .458 Lott
5. .300 RUM
6. .375H&H
7. .458 Lott

In close cover, I might swap #3 for 9.3x62. On a different day, I might swap #2 for .308 or .30-06, but I've got a CZ full stock 6.5 that's beautiful, easy to carry, and really accurate.

1. 5.6x57mm
2. 7x57mm
3. 9.3x62
4. .375 H&H
5. .375 H&H
6. .404 Jeffery
7. 458 Lott

1.) 223
2.) 7X57
3.) 45-70
4.) 375 H&H
5.) 300 H&H
6.) 375 H&H
7.) 458 WM

1 22 hornet
2 308 winchester
3 50 alaskan
4 458 win mag
5 300 h + h
6 375 h + h
7 470 capstick

1.) 12 ga.
2.)270 WSM
3.)338WM
4.)338 WM
5.)338 WM
6.)416 Rigby
7.)416 Rigby

quote:

7- .577 T-Rex, I can dream too, right

you dont have to dream with the 577/585 belted mag pictured below...

one could be had at the moderate price of $1,500
it is on the gibbs case so that opens up the possibilities to lesser expensive options

Hi guys:

Boom Stick...That 575 T-Rex is a death wish on both ends. If you can shoot it you are a better man than me.

What I am finding interesting is the number of 458 Lott fans so far. I think that is 6 out of 18 posts so far.

Regards... JIM p.

1. 22-250
2. 6.5x55/.260 Rem (WT Deer) & 30-06/7mm Rem Mag (Mule Deer/Caribou/Elk/Moose)
3. 45-70 (pigs & bison also)
4. .375 H&H
5. .375 H&H
6. .375 H&H
7. .458 Lott

1. .222 Rem
2. 7mm/08 Rem
3. .358 Win
4. .340 Wby
5. .340 Wby
6. .375 RUM
7. .458 Lott

1. Varmints 22mag
2. Mid size big game 376 Steyr
3. Black Bear 376 Steyr
4. Brown Bear 376 Steyr
5. African Plains Game 376 Steyr
6. Big Tough and dangerous Game 376 Steyr
7. Big Dangerous Game 376 Steyr

1. 223
2. 7mm-08
3. 338 federal
4. 338 Lapua
5. 300 Win mag
6. 375 H&H
7. 458 LOTT

Stashed in the closet I have (all on Remington 700 actions);

22-250
260
280AI
35 Whelen
30-375 Ruger (in progress)

That pretty well keeps me covered for North America.

Now for the bigger bears and African game mentioned, a pair of wildcats on Montana Rifle actions would be (dreaming here);

338-300RUM
458-300RUM

quote:

Originally posted by PAHunter:
Hi guys:

Boom Stick...That 575 T-Rex is a death wish on both ends. If you can shoot it you are a better man than me.

What I am finding interesting is the number of 458 Lott fans so far. I think that is 6 out of 18 posts so far.

Regards... JIM p.

The pic in the sig line is a new cart based on the gibbs case that will duplicate the 577 nitro in terms of capacity and loads.
Load it to 1600 for pig dispensing and plinking
Classic loads of 750 @ 2050 for hunting.
Top it out for fun if desired but there is nothing wrong with classic loads...the 577 was the choice for ivory hunters of the late 1800s.

This cart will make 577 nitro dreams doable and affordable in a bolt form.

The Lott is great...this is just a BIG Lott

45-70
6.5-06
30-06
375 Ruger
470 A.R.
577 Belted Magnum Express.

1. Varmints: .243 Winchester

2. Mid size big game: 7x64

3. Black Bear: .35 Whelen

4. Brown Bear: .375 H&H

5. African Plains Game: .375 H&H

6. Big Tough and dangerous Game: .375 H&H

7. Big Dangerous Game: .458 Lott

1. 223 Rem
2. 7x57
3. 8x57
4. 9.3x62
5. 9.3x62
6. 458 Lott

Here's what I have right now to handle those hunting situations:

1. .223 Rem
2. .308 Win or 7x57 Mauser
3. .300 WinMag or .45-70 Govt
4. .375 H&H
5. .338 WinMag
6. .375 H&H
7. .416 Taylor (still being built)

Rainydayhunter

My 257Roberts and one of my 375 H&H's would easily (and has) handle all the list. Why overburden yourself with decisions.

1 223

2 25 wssm

3 338 win

4 375 h&h

5 375 h&h

6 416 rem

7 458 lott

1. .223
2..25WSSM
3. 9.3X57
4..375 H&H
5..375 H&H
6..416 Rem.
7..458 Lott

1 223
2 Any lawful hunting implement
3 30'06 or 45/70
4 375 or 45/70
5 30'06 or 45/70
6 375 or 45/70
7 >.40 caliber, >400 gr, >.300 SD, >2150 fps

Here's what I'd grab from the safe:

1) .223 (I'd prefer the 22-250 if I had one)
2) .308 Win or .41 Rem Mag pistol
3) 9,3x62 or 9,3x74R
4) 338 Win Mag or 9,3x62
5) 338 Win Mag, 9,3x62 or .375 H&H although I have used a .416 Rigby for this too
6) .416 Rigby or .458 AR
7) .458 AR or .470 NE although I have successfully used the .416 Rigby on Buf

I must admit that the list could be well covered with only three rifles shooting the appropriate bullets. What can't you do with a
22/250 ( the king of Varmint rifles)
30/06
375 H&H Mag
However I then started finding room for a .257 Roberts and my 6.5x55 and another spot for my .338 Win Mag and the 9.3x62 and I guess there is room at the top for a .400 Whelen and a .458 Win Mag ( I don't have either of the last two........yet) Always wanted a 404 and a 416 Rigby too!

Hi Snellstrom:

I agree, three rifles could cover everything, even two if you want. But again being a rifle nut with way to many calibers, I tend to have mutiple calibers for each category.

The 458 Lott is still the real heavy of choice so far.

REgards... Jim P.

Varmints - 6x47 Lapua. I know this cartridge was developed for competitive purposes, but I think in the right platform and with the right bullets (Berger or Barnes Varmint Grenade), this could be turned into a fantastic varmint killer.

Whitetails - 7x57 Mauser. Especially with a well developed hand-load. An all-time great cartridge with history and pedigree that's plenty powerful for deer sized game.

Black Bear - 35 Whelen. A classic American cartridge for a classic American game animal.

Brown Bear - 9.3x64 Brenneke. This can take 98% of all terrestrial game animals on the planet.

African Plains Game - 8x68S. Flat shooting, fast, powerful, and lots of range make this a near perfect PG cartridge.

Large/Tough Game - 9.5x66 Vom Hofe (SE). My one "off the beaten path" selection. Lots of power and velocity and it should handle the animals listed above with no problem.

Dangerous Game - 450 Rigby or 470 Mbogo. Absolutely no belted cartridges for me. The environment and surroundings would dictate what caliber I would use here.

PAHunter I completely agree with you, I have more rifles than I have seasons to hunt them in or hunts to take them on. I think my statement about the 3 rifles was directed more at myself and the absurdity of owning so many rifles!
Good topic

My choices from my arsenal:

Varmints - .223 Remington

Mid-Sized Big Game: - .25-06 Remingon

Black Bear - .45-70 Government

Brown Bear - .458 Lott

African Plains Game - .338 Winchester Magnum.

Big, Tough and Dangerous Game - .375 Holland & Holland Belted Rimless Magnum

Big Dangerous Game - .500 A-Square

Jim, you are guaranteed to get more responses on this thread than sheephunter's Von Tonder/Atkinson hunt report!

To paraphrase TR, "A man's choice of a rifle is as idiosycratic as his choice of a friend."