22/250
308win
300win
338/378wby
9.3x62
378wby

need 6,

Currently own:

.223
.25'06
7mm Rem.
.300 RUM
.375 H&H

Wish list:

.416 Rigby
.416 Barret

The 7, the .300 & the .375 have all done Africa.

6.5x55
6.5x68S
8x57IS
9.3x62
.416 Rigby

This is such a difficult topic. I can honestly say the decisions to be made would be difficult if I were limited to 5 guns only, but cartridges? Does that mean I can have 10 guns of each cartridge!?!

Also, does that include shotguns and rimfires? I read "big game cartridges" in the main post, so I'm assuming I can still have a multipurpose 12ga with rifled/scoped slug barrel and 28" vent rib turkey tube, as well as a svelte autoloader and a couple of rimfires so I can teach my son to shoot when he's old enough.

For big game only:

I need a "long range" rifle for hunting deer from a tree stand early morning and before sunset. It may need to pull double duty against caribou, and possibly even a pronghorn if I have the opportunity. It needs a laser-like trajectory and adequate energy/weight to get the job done, I can think of nothing better than a .257 Weatherby Magnum for pounding 120gr bullets across the prairies.

I need a "mid range" rifle that is lightweight and handy for spot-and-stalk deer hunting during the day. Shots will be shorter and I will be wearing a day pack, meaning shot and lightweight becomes very important. I'd grab a handy 7mm-08 with 140gr bullets for a combination of low recoil and proven deer harvesting ability.

I need a medium weight .30-06 sporter. There doesn't need to be any rhyme or reason to that desicion. The .30-06 needs no justification, however, I can think of no better round for hunting black bear over bait or moose in the thick stuff - nothing a 180gr bullet can't handle with ease.

If I ever had the chance to set foot in Africa for plains game or drew another elk tag or something equally exotic, I would take a .300 Weatherby Magnum and throw 200gr bullets at everything. I would have no problems facing the biggest, meanest grizzlies in the mountains with that kind of setup and some good bench and field time, it's about perfect for reaching out and touching some big game animals.

I have no real compelling reason to buy anything bigger than that unless I happen to draw a winning lottery ticket and have a chance to give chase to buffalo and elephant or Kodiak in the alders. I would like a .375 H&H simply because of the history and pure versatility, but I can't help but think that when you're crouched in the veldt looking up at a big bull elephant naught but 20 yards away or chasing a 1200 pound brown bear through dense brush, a .375 might suddenly seem very small. Make mine a .416 Remington Magnum and give me 400gr softs and solids for the big stuff - thats about the heaviest I can shoot comfortably and accurately.

Only 3 required for the practical man:

- .22 long rifle: (with an excellent scope) for varmints, rabbits, gophers, annoying birds, etc.

- .280 Ackley Improved: antelope, deer, moose, elk.

- .416 Rigby: for dangerous game.


Cor

Really no need for five, this was for big game so forget the .223's and .22 LR. 7x57, .338 Mag, and .416- any of the .416's. Obviously the first one could be a .270, .280, .30-06 7Mag.

If only five rifles:

22lr
223
30-06
375H&H
458wm or Lott

If five rifles for big game:

257 Roberts
30-06
338wm
375H&H
458wm or Lott

I have all but the 338wm. The 30-06 will do most all that the 338wm will do, sometimes better. What the 30-06 can't do in lieu of the 338wm, the 375H&H will do and do it better.

Thinking about it, here is a revised list:

257 Roberts
Any lever rifle, 30-30, 32 Winchester Special, 35 Rem, 307 Win, 356 Win, 444 Marlin or 45/70
30-06
375H&H
458wm or Lott

Taken to just three:

30-06
375H&H
458wm or Lott

But even then you can get away with just two:

30-06
375H&H

Forced to just one rifle, every four legged game animal on earth could be successfully hunted with just the 375H&H with two bullet weight and three types, ~235gr soft points, 300gr softs and solids.

Hmmm, one rifle? What a depressing thought.

JPK

22, 7x64, 9.3x62, 404, 470NE.

22 LR
270 weatherby
300 or 340 weatherby
378 weatherby
460 weatherby

22 lr
6-284 or 223
6.5-06
35 Whelen
404 Jeffery

I love these type questions, but hate the thoughts of actually having to do it.

My ideal would be four relatively specialized rounds: 22 mag, 22-250, 7x57, and 375 H&H. The 5th would be the jack of all trades 30-06.

.257 Weatherby Magnum in a 26" barreled rifle for long range soft skined game;

.350 Remington Magnum in a well balanced carbine for most game hunting;

.375 H&H in a 24" barreled bolt gun for longer range shots at heavy or dangerous game;

.450/.400NE double rifle only if very heavy African game is on the plate;

.308 Winchester in a 20" barreled bolt gun just because ammo is available anywhere...

Bob

.270 Win
30-06 Springfield

7x57 (150-160gr) deer sized game
300H&H (180-200gr) for open plains game
333 Jeffery (250gr) general use for Africa, hog hunting etc.
375 H&H flanged (300-350gr) Africa and Nord America, general use
450 Rigby (500gr) Africa, for dangerous game only

243 Ackley Improved
6,5x55
30-06
8x68S
9,3x64

I can do any hunting anywhere with my five.

12G sxs AYA
22LR Kimber
20VarTarg XR100
7x57 Custom DWM
404J Custom FN

Von Gruff.

22 LR
22-250
264 Winchester
338 Winchester
416 Rigby

This never gets old, does it. I don't think that I need 5 bug game cartridges for that matter. I like to think of it as an every mans battery.

22LR Is a must have for obvious reasons and doesn't count.

#1 223 to 25-06 Varmint specials.
#2 260 or 7mm08 The perfect every day lite utility rifle.
#3 270 or 30-06 The full size bolt rifle.
#4 416 mag +++ For the really big stuff.

#5 .223 Nato AR platform zombie defense.

22lr

308 Win

375HH mag

22LR
223
30.06
375H&H
458WM

If shotguns allowed, I'd add a 12 Gauge.

.

What I have:
22LR
243
9.3x62
404 J
and a 12 Gauge-with LG or slugs...

I answered this question two and a half years ago. My list has changed a bit since then. For big game hunting:

25-06 rem
30-06 or 300 win mag
338 win mag
9.3x62
458 Lott

Adding varmint in the equation one must have a 22LR and something like 223 or 22-250

Since my hunting would most likely be restricted to the North American contenant:

6.5X55
7mm-08
280 Reminton
8X57
8X68S

That's simple for me, it would be one of my 5 'go to' rifles. . . . . .

Kimber .243
Kimber .7-08
Sako .300 WM
Sako .338-06AI
Ruger .375 Ruger

If limited to just one, I could do it all easily and happily with the .375

My Five;
22LR
6MM rem
308 Win
30'06
375 H&H

cartridges don't come with batteries.

243 Winchester
7x57 Mauser
8x68
375 H&H
470 NE

5.56x45 M4
6.5x54 MS
7.62x51 FAL
.358 Win carbine or lever
9.3x62 BRNO (pre war)

Big game? How big?

7mm Rem. mag.
.300 RUM.
.375 H&H
.458 Win.
That will kill anything that walks.

Big game only

6mm-06 fast twist for 110 to 115 grain bullets

250-3000 Deep throat fast twist

6.5 R-Bar fast twist

7x57 deep throat

.358x404 IMP
roger

25-06
7mm Rem Mag
338 Win Mag
375 H&H
416 Rigby

That should cover me from duiker to elephant with a little over lap on each cartridge. Just make sure they're all on CRF actions with identical safety mechanisms so I only need to learn one muscle memory.

.204 Ruger
7mm-08 Rem
300Wby
35/284Win
404J

It's working so far with that list... and some extras

In my case I have got:

*300 Weatherby Magnum
*338 Winchester Magnum
*375 H&H Magnum
*458 Lott

I need one caliber small like 6,5x68 for example, or similar.

Oscar.

220 Swift
270 WCF
300 Weatherby
375 H&H
500 Jeffery

6.5x55
.300 H&H
.375 H&H

quote:

5 Cartridge Battery

Well, in .22 caliber it's
.22 LR
.22 WMR
.223 Rem
.22-250
.220S

In 6mm caliber it's
6 X 45
.243 Win
6mm Rem
6-06
.240 Wby

you do mean in each caliber don't you....

.22 LR
.223
7.62x39
9.3x62
.458 Lott

That'll kill anything that walks, crawls or flies on planet Earth!

.22
.308
9,3
.450NE or .416
8 bore

.22 lr
.223
7mm-08
.375 h&h mag
.458 Lott
500 ne

22lf
223
270/06 or any caliber in that range
338-06 or 338wm or any caliber in that range
400 plus of some type.

That said there are many guns and cartridges that would fill the bill for the last 3 does it really matter if you have a 270 win or just a 06 maybe a 308win ect.