Big game meaning yearly blacktails to brown bears. I love these scarcity questions - always interesting to see what other shooters like. Here's my pick:

250-3000
7x57
9.3x62

If I could only have 3 I think they would be:

.243 on a Mauser action

.300 H&H on a Mauser or derivative

.375 Dakota (same actions as the .300 H&H)

I handload so I would feel very comfortable with these calibers. Also I like being different and not following the crowd. If I could add a .22 rf to theses calibers I would take anything in North America.

[ 07-15-2003, 07:36: Message edited by: WyoJoe ]

Oh right, I forgot to list the details of each rifle...

250-3000: 722 action, 1-10" twist 22" featherweight barrel in AAA grade Claro.

7x57: 700 action, 1-9" twist 22" lightweight barrel w/sights and Leupold QR bases and rings in AAA grade Enlgish.

9.3x62: 70 action, 1-12" twist 22.5" #4 contour barrel w/ sights and Leupold QR rings and bases in McMillan pre-64 monte carlo style stock.

Me???
These work for me.

300 Winchester
338 Ultra
416 Reminton

Bing, Bang, Boom!!!

Jamie

Here goes...

(deer & varmint 0-300 yd rifle)
.257 Roberts - 22" Featherweight or #1 contour, MRC short action, laminated mountain rifle style stock and a Leupold Vari-X III 2.5-8.

(woods rifle - anything)
.338-08 AI - 22" # 4 contour, any modern short action, fiberglass classic style stock and Leupold Vari-X III 1.75-6.

(big stuff)
.375 H&H - Ruger #1H, Leupold 4X.

[ 07-15-2003, 08:30: Message edited by: JKuczmarski ]

Three and only three for North America.
For long range and precision:
Blaser R-93 300 Win Mag. 3x9 Ziess

General all round use, especially for woods:
Chapuis Double Rifle 9,3x74R Leupold 2.5x8 Heavy Duplex in QD mount.

Big Animals [and stalking wild pigs ]
London Sporting Park Ltd. Double Rifle
450/400 3 1/4".

I could get by with the above 3 quite nicely, but...

I would like to throw in a few extra bbls for the Blaser if ya'll don't think it would be cheating. I would like to have a 223 and a 308 BBL, and a 375 H&H bbl could come in handy.

One would have been easier...'06.

I'll do the small, medium, large thing:
(S).257 Roberts
(M).300 H&H
(L).375 H&H

1. 300 H&H on a M70 Classic. Mine should be finished any day now. This rifle should cover 99% of all big game hunted in North America. Probably better choices out there, but that's what I went with so it has to go on this list.

2. 9.3X62 On a 1909 Argi Mauser. this one will cover the 1% the .300 H&H doesn't. (I've been on the A/R board too long )

3. .45 T/C Omega, Those poor bastards above me will be sitting at home during M/L season

Terry

My three gun battery would include:

.257 Roberts - Remington classic model, long action, 24" barrel & Leupold 3-9x scope. It would be for flat land deer and antelope hunting.

.270 winchester - Remington Mtn. Rifle for those tough climbs in pursuit of mountain critters.

.375 H&H - For anything that bites back!

257 weatherby SBGM

7mm ultra or stw.......alaskan wilderness model or similar

same gun in 375 ultra

Rat gun--243 Win......Rem 788 w/Weaver 2x-10x, shoots both cast and heavier jacketed bullets SUPERBLY. It's not the world's greatest scope, but it's a fair weather/non-critical usage rifle anyway.

Deer gun--pre '64 Win M-70 in 30-06 w/Leupold VX-II 3x-9x--does good work with cast bullets and DRIVES TACKS with Nosler BT 165s.

Bad critter/Toyota and Nissan gun--CZ 550 Lux in 9.3 x 62 Mauser--does GREAT work with cast bullets, and quite good with all jacketed bullets. It's iron sights are sufficient for its intended task. Why not a belted magnum? 5 in the magazine instead of 3!

This is not to say that I will be getting rid of the other toys, but of the whole lot these do the best work and can jump into the adjacent category without loss of utility.

Deputy Al

Packrat, I will have to go along with your choices. Shayne

Well, since I already have a 6.5X55 (Sako L691 w/Leupold 3-9) and a .338 (Winchester M70 w/Leupold 3-9), I think I'm pretty well covered for most stuff. I guess I'll just stick with my Encore ML for other big game duty.

22 lr

358 Norma

375 ICL

That's tough but I would probably choose the

22-250, 6.5x55 Swede, and the

375 H&H. All Sakos of course.

[ 07-31-2003, 21:19: Message edited by: DOCTOR LOU ]

I think I would go with a 270 Win, a 35 Whelen and a 375 H & H. If I couldn't do it with those, I doubt I could do it with anything.

S-250Savage (predators,antelope,deer)
M-270Win (antelope,sheep,deer,elk)
L-35Whelen (elk,moose,bear)

Three are much better than one. Here goes.
257 Roberts on an Obendorf Mauser
300 H & H Remington 721
450 No. 2 Nitro Express Double
Have the first two, now if I can just get the last one.
KAB

Havent posted in a while so here goes:

Coyote's and other vermin, Rem 722, .222 w/Weaver 6X.
Most everything else, 30-06, JC Higgins 51-L w/M8-4X Leo.
Ithica 37, I know not a rifle, but w/mod bbl it shoots good groups with certain slugs. (considering the rifled bbl for $200)

Then there's the cheap method,
22lr in a Marlin 60, cheap and and you just know it's gonna be accurate.
SKS, cheap plentiful ammo. Reliable, sturdy gun.
308Win, cheap Mil ammo, powerful enough for any NA game. Inherently accruate.

But those are the vanilla ice cream callibers how about something like,

17 Hornet AI, nice fur gun.
256 Newton, Mauser98, Douglas bull bbl, Fagen stock, Leo 36X.
416Tayor, just because that's my kid's name.

.223 for coyotes

25-06 for deer and antelope

.300 win mag for everything else

This is my current battery and seems to work well.
Don't imagine I will ever hunt big bears but would use 200 Nosler and wait for a good shot.

A 223 Ackley heavy sporter for gophers, coyotes, targets, etc.

A lightweight 284 Win for sheep, goats, all around deer.

A 358 Norma for anything I didn't feel comfortable hunting with the 284, such as elk and big bear.

I like RickF's battery. If you include a varmint rifle and are pratical:

223
270 Win
338 Win Mag

Non-Practical, but what appeals to me:

223 AI
7mm SAUM
338 SAUM

What I have now:

223 AI (in process)
260 AI
350 Rem Mag

What I have is pretty good.......think I'll leave well enough alone.

HogWild

Gents,
My taste runs like this,
222 in my 788
308 in my 98 Mauser
35 Whelen in my Rem Model 34
Please note these are by no means my only choices,merely where my eyes wander
45nut

Three rifles for big game?
A .416 for the stuff that scares me, my pick would be the Dakota, 24" #5 contour bbl, no sights. If I get good with a forward-mounted scope, then that as well.
For the rest, I'd want a flat-shooting (fairly)lightweight and a GP heavy-hitter. Give me a 7mm 168gr @ 3000 fps, in a 24" #2 bbl, 7.5# rifle, ready to go for the first one (I have a wildcat in the works for this one, but you can fill in the blank). Then maybe a .358 280gr @ about 2850, 24" #5. (Another wildcat, but think STW.)

Not one of these are ones I own yet, but my soon-to-be three gun battery. (Not that I'm getting rid of the rest!) From the looks of it, they will all be Model 70's smithed-over.
I do love the 22 rimfire, 22-250, 257 R, 6.5-284, 280 Remington, 30-06, 375 Dakota, 45/70, and the 450 Rigby. And then there's the K98, AR, FAL, M14.... I want them all!!!!

260 Rem, 7 SAUM, 416 Rem

These are my personal 3 choices.

260 will do for deer, sheep, goats, caribou, antelope out to 350 yards. Lightweight mountain rifle.

7 SAUM is the all rounder, 30-06 type rifle. Will work for big and small, out to 400 yards or so.

416 is the bear basher, and would also get used for moose, elk, and bison.

Wow, love these types of things, so here goes:

Small- .257 Roberts AI on a 1908 Brazilian Muaser, 26" #3 or 4 fluted stainless barrel, synthetic stock, 6x Weaver.

Medium- .35 Whelen AI, on 1917Rem., 26" Douglas, Blonde stock, 6x Weaver (already have that one, makes it easier)

Large- (to be really different) a 1903 chambered in .375 by .350Rem.Mag., 22" Pacnor Hex barrel, satin blue with AA fancy wood, schnabel forend, iron sites of course.

Red

My idea af a three gun battery:
22-250 for samll stuff,varmints
338-06 for meduim game
Last but not least.my 577 3" for anything big

.25-.284 on a SA Remington 700.

Custom .300 Win Mag on Mauser action. NP3'ed set in a McMillan stock.

.375 Weatherby on a Stainless Model 70 Classic.

But what would I do with all of the others...

I would never settle for just three guns, but if I had to they would be Model 70 Classic's in 7mm WSM,300 Win Mag, and 375 Ackley Imp.

I currently use these three, I like them alot,
220 swift, 98 action, Timney trigger, 26 " SHilen bbl.
Sako Forrester, 22" bbl, 308 Winchester.
35 Whelen AI, in a Remmington 700 classic.

My choices
22-250 Rem 700 With a heavy barrel for the small stuff
.300 Win mag Ruger M77 MKII for most everything else
45-70 For closer work and for the big bears

I would choose;

CZ 6.5x55
CZ 9.3x62
CZ .416 Rigby

All would wear leupolds and warne or talley mounts.

I feel these three calibres woul cover everything !!

Just three? Oh Lord what a though. Oh well here she goes.

1.] Ruger M77V(tang safety model) in .25-06

2.] Weatherby Mark V Deluxe in .300 Weatherby

3.] Weatherby Mark V Deluxe in .375 Weatherby

Sorry now I have to go and hug my gun safes. Lawdog

I would choose

6,5x68
9,3x70
458 Lott (or a 500 Jeffery)

Since blacktail are the starting point I will have to leave the 223 out and start with the 6mm Remington, 270 Winchester, and 338 Rem. Ultra Mag.

Good Hunting, "Z"

.223
.308
.338 win.mag
all tikka rifles. just .02

That is easy! I would have to have three Remington 700 rifles of one sort or another chambered for:

6mm Remington
7mm Remington Mag
338 Win Mag

All would have to wear Leupold scopes in dual dovetail rings and bases and all would have to have trigger jobs to get the triggers down to 2 pounds or so.

R F

1. 6mm Remington
2. 7X57mm Mauser
3. .375 H&H Magnum

ALL Ruger No. 1's!!

I hate to post right behind Eldeguello but I would go with three Ruger #1s

.243
6.5-284
.416 Rem.

jb

I'm guessing with the limit of only 3, the idea is rifles ONLY.
Assuming (that's a dangerous practice) that we've all got the .22's, handguns and shotguns taken care of...

1. .223 Bushmaster XM15E2S w/extra uppers. (Currently a Pre-Ban Dissipator and V-MATCH uppers).

2. .308 ArmaLite AR10 2003 AR15.com Special Project.
( Mine is currently on order in the first batch of 50! 20" Matte Stainless bbl.; National Match Trigger; Full Length Top-Rail; SOF Fixed TeleStyle Buttstock...UGLY, yet Beautiful. )

3. .45-70 Marlin 1895 decked out in Big Bore Black Rifle Scout gear.
( I'm serious here, guys )
Just have to figure out the costs...

One of my good friends who is Military and Gun savvy, told me a guy could hunt anything in North America with a .308 and a .45-70.
I think that's pretty accurately stated.
I went and bought a Remington 700 Police and the Marlin mentioned above based on that to round out my collection a bit.

Other than some of the accessories, I have these in my battery and this Topic makes me glad I do.
Sadly, the .375 H&H doesn't make my 3-gun limit.

I can still live with the 3 mentioned, though!