What four calibres would you choose

12 gauge
.308 Win
.375H&H

Olivier said:

12 gauge
.308 Win
.375H&H

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I'll take just two:
30-06
375HH

303 British
300 H&H
404 Jeffery
505 Gibbs

The 505 has “limited practical use”, whatever that means, so, assuming plinking would still be affordable under such a regime, I’d consider swapping it for a 5.56 or 22 Hornet. 5.56 covers a wide margin of plinking, varmint and other hunting, target shooting at a variety of ranges, etc. Turns out to cover a lot of bases.

Rifleman97 said:

Except having something left on rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, etc. I’d add a 22 of some kind, 22 hornet gets my vote but 22 mag rimfire also would be a good fourth option

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The 22 cals, with exceptions .223, .224, 5.56 calibers, for use on small game can be supplemented with any flavor of shotgun; IF shotguns were included as part of the limitations to only owning 4 "rifles" (long guns). Plus a shotgun would be more versatile for small game and bird hunting.

The 223, 224, 5.56 cals are, IMO grudgingly, are good up to small deer and antelope, and better varmint calibers.

In my choices the 30-06 can be down loaded for varmits, medium loads for antelope, deer, hogs (swine), or uploaded for moose.

The 340WBY (or 338WM) takes over from the 30-06 for elk, moose, the bigger bears, larger African PG, or croc, and big cats where legal.

The 458WM (or Lott) can be downloaded to 45-70 or beefed up for buffalo (bovines), elephant, hippo, and rhino or medium loads for big cats, and all sizes of bears.

PCC600 said:

I am from the great state of Queensland in Australia where there are no limits on rifles or calibres . I’ve got 22 rifles ranging from 22LR to 600NE plus 6 shotguns . The question is academic for me but if I had to chose 4 rifles it would be :
300H&H ( tough choice over 318WR)
425WR ( easy choice over 416/ 404/ 450-400)
505 Gibbs
500NE - similar to 505 but I want a double on my list .
If you ask me again tomorrow I’d probably come up with a different list .

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I might imagrate as long as I don't have to go for the cane toads lol

Hunter-Habib said:

12 gauge
.22 Long Rifle
7x57mm Mauser
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum

These are coincidentally the four calibers of long arms which I own on my firearms licenses. Instead of a 7x57mm Mauser, I’d be totally happy with a .30-06 Springfield too.

P.S: Even though you probably won’t succeed, it might be worth a shot in protesting your government’s draconian policy before it gets passed as official law. Get enough local shooters & hunters together and see if you can do a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) by chipping in together and getting a good lawyer. If you try, you MIGHT NOT succeed. If you don’t try, you WILL NOT succeed.

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It's all been tried one way or another,it was bad what happened in Bondi with the shooting, but as usual the shooting community pays the price for what others who are a waist of oxygen do.

uplander01 said:

I'd move if I were you-

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If you move to a new state, you have to apply for a whole new licence and that takes a lot of time and they could say no.

Flbt said:

So simauto is out there?
22 mag
6mm rem
35w
And. 45 70

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Correct no semi auto and they are trying to get rid of straight pull, pump action and maybe leaver action
I'm talking about NSW,not sure about other states

Muskox said:

20 Gauge
6.5 CM or 308 Winchester
223 or 204 Ruger
7mm PRC.


If shot guns don't count.

308
223 or 204 Ruger
7mm PRC
375 ( I guess, but for Australians it is bloody difficult to travel with firearms), so I guess it would be a Sambar rifle.

As for moving to Queensland, no public land, really flipping hot. Crocodiles in the ocean and in the rivers.

NSW/victoria
Public land, not as hot, no crocodiles in the ocean only great whites.

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Don't forget bull sharks lol

If I had to pick four I’d go similar to @mdwest omitting the .223 because it is not legal for deer here.

20 gauge ( birds and rabbit)
22wmr ( trapping and butcher use)
308win (general hunting )
.458wm ( thumper )

I use thumper as a justification for having a large rifle around the theory is I might need it going in after a wounded bear. Though in all honesty n.s. Bear don’t really justify a thumper and could just as easily be taken with .308 we’re just not telling my wife that.

Muskox said:

20 Gauge
6.5 CM or 308 Winchester
223 or 204 Ruger
7mm PRC.


If shot guns don't count.

308
223 or 204 Ruger
7mm PRC
375 ( I guess, but for Australians it is bloody difficult to travel with firearms), so I guess it would be a Sambar rifle.

As for moving to Queensland, no public land, really flipping hot. Crocodiles in the ocean and in the rivers.

NSW/victoria
Public land, not as hot, no crocodiles in the ocean only great whites.

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Don't forget bull sharks lo

Tubby’s Canteen said:

If I had to pick four I’d go similar to @mdwest omitting the .223 because it is not legal for deer here.

20 gauge ( birds and rabbit)
22wmr ( trapping and butcher use)
308win (general hunting )
.458wm ( thumper )

I use thumper as a justification for having a large rifle around the theory is I might need it going in after a wounded bear. Though in all honesty n.s. Bear don’t really justify a thumper and could just as easily be taken with .308 we’re just not telling my wife that.

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Your secret is safe with me

22WMR lever action
6.5 PRC
35 Whelen
404 Jeffery

223 Rem
6mm Creedmoor
300 Win mag
375 H&H

I’m not even going to try!

4 rifles is easier than 4 firearms. I'd need a shotgun and a pistol, and that would leave only 2 slots for rifles. Yikes.

For 4 rifles, I'd go with:

.22LR - probably the CZ 457 trainer I have.
.308 Win - Barrels last forever, ammo is easy to source, and it can take virtually anything in NA.
.300 Win - Need one long range shooter, and this would do for Africa's PG, leopard, bears, etc.
.416 Rigby - To me, perhaps the most versatile DG cartridge.

If it was just 2, I'd go with a .375 H&H and probably a .308 along with a 12 gauge and a concealable 9mm pistol. This would leave many, many niches unfilled.

Give me one?
.22LR
Two?
.22 and 30-06
Three?
.22, 30-06 and .375
All four?
All the above plus a 6mm creed or 260 rem or .243, whichever I can get ammo for.

rob7mm08 said:

Correct no semi auto and they are trying to get rid of straight pull, pump action and maybe leaver action
I'm talking about NSW,not sure about other states

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That’s what I thought that’s what hy 22 mag and not 223

rob7mm08 said:

My four calibres are

22 250
30 06
9.3x62
404j

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Hmmm tough question.

From my locker:
22 LR
30-06
9.3x62
375 H&H

Will the shotguns be limited and accounted as 4 calibers?
In that case, I would need to loose my 9.3x62, and add 12GA on the list, and use 375 H&H for Hogs and driven hunts

rob7mm08 said:

I might imagrate as long as I don't have to go for the cane toads lol

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I’ll meet you at Tweed Heads and open the gate and let you in . We can kill a few cane toads while we are there.

When I lived in Canberra, I hunted in NSW, Victoria and the ACT. I always felt like since we are really only talking about a defined range of animals it might be easier to look at it that way.

Things that you think are common for Australians to hunt but are not:
Water buffalo (probably not doing that every year, as most Australians are paying American prices to hunt in NT now)
Camels not as available as you might think
Scrub bull (feral cattle)

Probable species:
Red deer (not as common as the others)
Fallow
Axis (depends on location) not on public land in NSW or Victoria
Sambar (common in NSW and Victoria)
Hog deer ( locally common in pockets in NSW and Victoria)
Rusa deer (some in NSW, some in South Australia, some in Victoria)

These ferals make up the majority of hunting in Australia:
European red fox
European brown hare
Cottontail rabbit
feral hog
feral goat
wild dog (dingo)
feral horses limited
feral donkeys limited

Native wildlife is mostly off the table.
Except there is limited shooting commercially or with depredation permits by landowners for kangaroos both red and grey

Trying to make the argument for a 22lr and I am not sure I can.

However! If I knew I was never going to be able to travel with my own rifle outside of Australia, which is plausible at some point. The 375 could easily be replaced by the 22 LR.

223/204 roos, dingo, fox, hares long range rabbit colony shooting
308 deer, pigs
7mm PRC donkeys, horses, deer, pigs, travel rifle for North America, Asia and Africa
375 sambar