PECOS45,
I agree with you. There was a time during my early adulthood that I had just one rifle and only reloaded one load. I fired between 100 and 150 rounds a month. Every month. I made some shots that I don't even talk about. The best example of this was a rancher I met who had his ranch near Lincoln, New Mexico. This man was perhaps the finest man I have ever met. He's dead now, so I'll use his name. Joe Mc Knight. Joe carried a old Savage M-99 in .250-3000 Savage. That rifle was a mess. If there was bluing anywhere on it, I couldn't find it. Once joe, a horse and that rifle took a fall down a pretty good hill. As a result, the pistol grip was cracked. Joe did a great job wrapping it with a fine copper wire. Before lambing time every spring, Joe and I would spend a few days reducing the predator and raptors around the ranch. (Legal at the time.) I was using a Win. M-70 in a .264 WM, which was new on the market. It bore a Balvar 8 scope and I had a good load for it. Joe's old Savage wore a Weaver scope that pre-date the K model. There were more than a few times that a coyote moved out so far away I wouldn't even try for him. Joe always tried for them. Joe always shot from a sitting position and there were very few times he broke out that Savage that we didn't hang something on the fence. The only thing I think Joe was better at than shooting, was being a fine person. God bless him.

Thank you, Bob. Good post and I know the type fellow you speak of so eloquently. Bless them all.

Your story strikes to the heart of what I was trying to get across with this thread, though I think many misunderstood my meaning.

I am reminded of a line from Shakespeare tonight:
"This above all else...be true to thine ownself. Then thou cans't not be false to any man."

If we twist this around a bit and make it be true to thine own RIFLE.........
You get the idea.

I don't care how good a shot someone is or claims they are.......I'll always believe they would have been better with one gun...one load.
It's the only way you and the rifle become one.

[ 05-26-2002, 09:12: Message edited by: Pecos45 ]

I hunt whitetails and black bear. I could get by just fine with a 30-06. Guess I would need a 30-30 for backup. I ought to start selling the others and put the moolah into a safari fund.
Hmmm.....better keep the .338 mag for the safari. Need a varmint/target rifle...better keep the AR-15. Of course gotta have the .22 lr bolt gun for practice and squirrels.
Gotta keep the .54 smokepole for that extra week of deer season. Need to hang onto the .44 mag Redhawk to stay proficient with a handgun...better keep the smith m63 for practice. Gotta keep the shotguns. Ithaca for deer, Ithaca for home defense. 870 for ducks and geese, Ithaca mag 10 for geese and buckshot gun. Might as well keep the .257 roberts in case one of my girls wants to deerhunt.. Might as well keep the rest too, couldn't go to africa on what they would bring.
Sure would like to have a Contender Carbine....hmmmm.......

Welcome to the forums, Swamp. Like the rest of us, I see you are a hopeless gunnut as well.

I would say that the reason the one gun guy that is an excellant shot is rare because they are not as interested in shooting as the multi gun guy. I would even venture to say that if any person took one gun and shot often with only one load he would HAVE to atleast be a better than average shooter/hunter.

.22mag with 40jhp Winchester Super X

As usual when it comes to this sort of subject, I'll quote Jim Carmichel:

"There is no shortage of all-purpose rifles - where are the all-purpose hunters?"

AD

Hi Y'all

I used one rifle for big game, a 7mm magnum, for almost 20 years, and learned its peculiarities. These days I use handloaded 140 grain Noslers in it for everything as I know what to expect.

If it weren't for elk I'd change over to the 6mm-284 as the rifle is a little more accurate and a little less peculiar. If I had to keep one or the other, I'd get a better barrel on the 7mm magnum.

Fooling with other rifles has not really hurt my shooting with the 7mm, but expanded my ideas of what to expect from it.

Tom

Gunwriters seem to say that different actions matter a lot to familiarity. None here mentioned that. Neither will I.

I shoot many different rifles also but for hunting I like the length of pull to be just right. If a "pull" is too long for me I can shoot it but I doubt as well.

But it's the trigger pull and in particular the lock time that worries me. Some rifles just seem slow and I need to practice with them. The Ruger #1's seem slow to me and the Savage 99's quite quick. I have not measured these too but I need to think about what I am carrying and it's let off.

Varmint shooting can mean long range and I carry a chart with the ammo box with the trajectories and drift. I used to write these out by hand but now the programs like Point Blank makes it so easy.

I remember when my brother, best friend and I had only one bb gun between the three of us. We had to be good, because if anyone missed it was the next guys shot!

Bob... very nice story. I still know a few gents like that, though they're becoming a rare breed. Heck, they've always been somewhat rare I suspect.

Pecos, firslty let me say you've been a breath of fresh air around here. You have a nice manner and are obviously a thoughtful man. It's appreciated!

I believe Iunderstood your original intent. I guess I DO believe, if you're already a good marksman, that sticking with one set-up will make you a bit more effective.

I was at a close friend's house yesterday at his ranch just north of Yellowstone NP. This fellow is much like the rancher Bob described. He's used only one rifle since 1970, a Rem 700 in 7mm Rem Mag (with the blued/stainless barrel from the original batch in the early 60's). It looks like a well-used hammer! He's a wonder with that rifle as it's always with him and he shoots everything from coyotes and antelope to deer and elk with that one rifle... he's also guided elk hunters with that same rifle for 30 seasons. The rifle is generally stoked with handloaded Speer 160's. Fifteen or so years ago he switched from the 140's because he felt they didn't give quite enough penetration on elk. He also told me the only reason he got the "7 em-em" was because he couldn't locate a used 270 at the time... or that would have been his only rifle!

He likes rifles, rifle talk (he handloads and is a life NRA member), etc. However, ranching being what it is and having a passle of kids, finances always seem to have another place to go! Regardless, he's killed so much game and seen so much taken, that he's just not impressed with all the latest and greatest. He likes velocity with a decent bullet weight put in the proper place.

Smart man, and probably one of the "all-purpose" riflemen from Allen's post!

Brad

[ 05-28-2002, 20:25: Message edited by: Brad ]

Sometimes I cant help but wonder if I couldnt improve my pathetic golf score by using one club only. Itll never happen but its for certian that profficency with that particular club would be a result. Wether or not it would be an improvment Ill never know.

One possible way around this delima is to try to select different caliber loads with similar velocity, range and bullet drop. For instance, part of my chosing a 223 as my primary varminter is the fact that it can be made to closley duplicate the trajectory of my 06 and so practice with one somewhat replicates the other.

Also I dont think your being subversive, but sensible. Think about the level of skills that were attained by 2nd ww snipers with what today is ballistically pathetic, but they had one gun and one load and they KNEW where that bullet was going.

[ 05-29-2002, 07:41: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

I think it is generally like riding a motorcycle a different bike may have it's own idiosyncracies but if you can ride one you can pretty much ride em all. Good technique is what it takes to shoot well, and the only way to get there is practice That being said I think everyone has that one rifle that they are partial to that just seems to always hit where they point without fail. I am trying to set up my main hunting rigs to be pretty close in look and feel but that is a personal preference, I still think I should be able to pick up any rifle that I need to and have success with it. gabe

As I type this, I can look over the screen at my latest overflow safe, it already has 8 rifles shining in the interior lights! My wife just laughed and told me to put this one in the office, the rest of the house is too crowded.

My hobby is rifles and I love it! That said, I always find myself grabbing the same rifle every morning that I hunt deer,a Marlin 30/30, that was "born" when I was 10 years old. How this rifle has any bore left, I can't figure! But, the rifling is still srong.The load was Win. 170 rn. for years, till I had to add a scope(baad eyes)Then I found out it liked the 150s a little better.
I buy 30/30 by the case, and shoot everyday , when I'm home.
You are right about one thing, I know the trajectory of my round intimately. I regularly hit coyotes at 300 yds. and couldn't begin to guess how many deer it has killed at up to 250 yds.Hell, it took 5 elk before I quit going to New Mexico. All were 1 shot kills @< 150 yds.

And before anyone panics, the 170s will put a 200lb. buck down on the spot at 250, if you put it where it belongs.

I can't imagine being limited to one gun and load as I seem to be trying out something new each season. However, if I just had to choose it would probably be my .300 Win Mag Model 70 Super Grade throwing a 180 Nosler Partition bullet. I think that combination would take anything I am likely to hunt in the future.

How about a .358 STA and 250 grain Barnes X's?

One gun would definitely make for a better shot in my case. Like others have said...not as much fun...but definitely a better shot. Great thread.