All this talk about what gun, I just thought that I could make a suggestion on the minimum guns that a guy needs to have to hunt in North America.
IMO- the worst advise that I've ever heard is "go get a 30-06 or .270" for a new hunter. While these are great cal's and they work well into a shooters gun cabinet, they really are "middle" cal's that hunters will purchase guns around as soon as a new need arises. I really belive that if you want to go out and hunt moose and elk you need a bigger cal that carries you farther with more energy down range. On can give advice about getting closer but if you hunt for 10 days for a 60"+ Moose and you see one standing at 400yards stareing at you,,,, you better have the gun and ability to close the deal. I certainly don't want a gun that will "get me by" You may feel that these two cal's are a necessity, so put it in your list and let everyone know why it fits in where it does.
I know you can't really do it all with one or two guns but I feel the following is enough to get you by with min. cost. If you followed this outline you could pick up and go hunting anywhere and have a gun to fit the type of hunting you were doing.
#1 Rem 870 express shotgun. need I say more? It's like the energizer bunny. Takes 3", interchangeable chokes, you can get a slug barrel for it and any gunsmith worth his mettal can fix or replace parts in seconds.
#2 Ruger 10/22 - IF you want to be a good shot with a rifle you should have a .22 that you can shoot 1000s of rounds though every year. I really like the Ruger as you can tweek it out or just leave it "stock" your choice!
#3 Bolt Action .243 w/ good scope. Get a heavy barrel if you can heft it around and you will have a varmint gun, deer gun, antelope gun, and even a good bench gun for fun. Can't deny the versitility of this cal.
#4 Bolt Action .300 - .338 w/ good scope. If you never are going to go after Browns or Big Moose, then the .300 will be pleanty of gun. These cal.s are big enough to get all of the jobs done all over the US & Canada. If you don't like the recoil, put on a muzzle break or pick up a BAR or Benelli semi auto.
#5 .50 cal muzzleloader. Take your pick of the new guns. They all shoot well, I really like my 209x50 TC encore but it is a little more pricy than many would like to pay. I guess a new Knight or Thompson Omega would be a good choice. You need a muzzleoder to take advantage of some great late and early season hunting.
On the bolt action rifles there are so many good brands out there you can pick and choose based on the fit and finish that you want.
What guns do you feel meet the min requirement? Try to keep in mind that if someone got invited on a hunt any day of the week, season of the year, they would have to have a gun that would work.
I think it probably depends somewhat on where you live...here in Texas, having a lever-action 30-30 is just about mandatory.
Even if you never take it hunting, it's good to have one around. Luckily, they're readily available--they just about give you a 30-30 with your driver's license renewal.
Just curious, though--do you shoot those big Wisconsin deer with a .243? I've never hunted deer, but even here where the deer are fairly small, some (though not all, to be sure) consider a .243 to be marginal for deer.
Yep, we shoot'em with .243s all the time. I've personally bagged over 28 deer with my .243. Before I was given the rifle my dad bagged a 55gal barrel full of antlers with it. It's a 1966 Winchester. Never lost a deer that I hit. Only missed 3 bucks and all of them were bagged by others without any holes from my gun.
My best friend uses a Ruger M77 target .243 for deer hunting in the "north woods" he's slamed 18 deer in 5 seasons with it. (we can party hunt in WI) only 1 buck went over 100 yards and he had a blood trail that a blind one legged dentist with narcolepsy could follow.
On can give advice about getting closer but if you hunt for 10 days for a 60"+ Moose and you see one standing at 400yards stareing at you
You said "new hunters", are you saying you think "new hunters" should take a shot like that?????????????????? 98% of the hunters today, "new or old" shouldn't take a shot like that!!!! I've seen a LOT of gun owners at the range that couldn't hit a paper pie plate at 200 yards, let alone 3 or 400!!!!
Anyone who owns a 30-06 and learns to shoot it properly, will not out grow it!! They may want more guns in the future, but they sure won't "need" a different cal. for N. America..
much like everything else to each his own opinions are like @$$holes everyone has one
1. the 870 yes i agree personaly my favorite shotgun
2. 280. 7mm mag or 30/06 all great guns for almost all big game in north america .
3. see above if i can't shoot it with one of those i am not shooting it. good 22 and a 223 bolt for varmits i forgot those .
4. i would add a good brush rifle 20"ish barrel heavy bullet not long range with some big punch my choice marlin 35 rem cal
5. 50 cal muzzle loader agreed not much you can say about that really to each his own for brand style and such
those are my min gotta have rifles i do 90% of my huntign in northern michigan mix of fields and woods with some clear cuts and some long range opertunities .
with 10% out west colorado elk hunts bunch of guys every other year go out for a week the 280 i just bought (yes i finally found my 280 rem 700bdl)and the rem 700 7mm mag are for out west should always have 2 rifles for a trip one bad break and your hunt is over if you only take one
that is my opinion and only my opinion and i'm sure others have other choices that they would rather have like drilling none of my rifles fit him due to his favorite type and style of gun
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My problem is maximum guns to have- well actually its my wife's problem with me[:-]
For me the minimum that I'd own (for the narrow range of hunting purposes):
1. 30-06/.308
2. 12 guage pump shotgun- Either Browning or Remington
3. A good bolt action .22- for the sake of hunting with a .22, I've never needed more than one shot at a time, and accuracy is far more important that firepower when taking head shots at squirrels.
4. .50 muzzleloader- don't actually need it, but I wouldn't give it up.
Not really a hunting rifle but could be:
There's almost no excuse not to own a cheap Mauser or mosin Nagant rifle for practice- they can be had for less than $100 and surplus ammo is almost as cheap as shooting a .22. They generally aren't quite as accurate as most bolt action hunting rifles, but are accurate enough to practice position shooting outside of the bench rest. They'll get you accustomed to the recoil of a hunting rifle. If you can master one of these rifles, you can master any rifle.
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Since I have done it quite a few times I can say for me the minimum amount and calibers would be my Stevens little favorite 22 rifle. My Remington Pump 30-06. My Nova pump 12 GA. and my TC woods rifle 50 cal. The reason many people recommend a 270 or 30-06 is that that have done the jiob thousands of times on NA game since 1903 and 1925. You could add the 280. 7 MM Mag or 300 Mag if you choose. As DM says if you buy a 30-06 and learn how to shoot it and how to hunt, it will do the job again as its done so many times in the past. For People who can afford to buy a gun for every species this would be no problem. I have always had a lot of rifles because I was a dealer for 20 years. I know what guns and what scopes worked well for my customers because of thier feedback and my own expierence. I owned up to a 416 Rem Mag and had several 338 Win Mags. I still plan on hunting big game for quite a few more years. What I can't kill with my 30-06 I can sure kill with one of my 45-70's. I must agree with DM again, a new hunter and most old hunters should give a lot of thought before they poke at a moose at 400 yards or so.
I must also add that I am sure glad that I don't have to get by with just my minimum picks
i have a a good selection of guns too. Im looking to add a 17 Hmr to the family too.
1.Browning Bps 12gauge 3in invecter chokes
2. ruger 10/22 tasco mag .22 scope
3.H&R .22 single shot peep sight
4.winchester 30-06
5. 243 i can never rember the brand its made in england and is worth $1200
6. 410 bolt action with 5 shot clip.
Don't tell my lil'lady this, but I've got FAR more guns than I'd ever need!!!
As far as what a guy needs to be appropriately armed for any hunting scenario, here are my cartridge picks and my favorite guns I own in these calibers:
12ga pump shotgun (Rem 870/J.C.Higgins Mod. 20) Upland, waterfowl, big and small game
.22lr semiauto rifle (Marlin 60/Ruger 10/22) Small game
.22-250 Heavy bbl bolt action (Savage 12FVSS) Varmints
.30-06 bolt action (Ruger Mark II Mod-77) Big game
That would cover every hunt that you could go on world-wide.
As for me, I'm an avid Handgunner to boot, so I'm going to add the following list for my own sake:
.22lr Semiauto (Ruger Mark II) Small game
.44mag Single Action (Ruger Super Blackhawk) Big game
.454Cassul or .480Ruger Double Action (Ruger Super Redhawk or RSR Hunter) Bears/Really big game
.45acp Semiauto (Ruger P-Series or 1911) Small game/just fun
If I only had those guns, I'd make do, I'd have to quit almost all of the competitions I do, but I could get all of my hunting done and have the absolute appropriate gun for each scenario.
All that said, I've got a great deal more guns than that in a LOT more cartridges and a few more calibers, and I certainly would NOT need that many to be able to hunt everything in the world, let alone North America:
12ga Pump ShotgunBirds and bunnies
.22lr semiauto rifle Small game
.30-06 Bolt Gun Varmints, big game
Add in the .416Rigby for anything across the pond and the whole world is covered in four guns, but where's the fun in that?!?!?!
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Min. Guns to have.
