If you had to start your gun collection over

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farmer_john

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Just kind of a fun thought experiment if you had to start over knowing what you know now. What would you get.

Dg rifle
Plains game rifle
Rifle for europe
Rifle for NA
Small game 22lr or similar.

and shotguns
12
20
Or 28 gauge
pick 2

Most importantly why you made your choice. And any fun stories related to it.

And if im missing anything feel free to add on. Just kind of a fun thought exercise.
 
I’d probably just get a blaser with two barrels, one in 30-06 and another in 375 h&h. I do all my bird hunting with a Benelli m2 20 gauge. The reason is simple, I don’t like having a million choices to make and I do not like recoil.
 
DG: I don't know that I have an answer? A lever action that can do that. Frankly a .45-90 seems like my best bet right now.

Everything else: my .338 Marlin Express. It has killed everything I have hunted with it, up to adult Alaskan bull moose here, and kudu and blue wildebeest over there, and out to close to 400 yards. Buying mine was one the best decisions I have ever made and I wouldn't change anything.

Rimfire: a Marlin Model 39. It's still on my bucket list.

Shotguns? I don't use them often enough to have an informed opinion.
 
Tundra Tiger said:
DG: I don't know that I have an answer? A lever action that can do that. Frankly a .45-90 seems like my best bet right now.

Everything else: my .338 Marlin Express. It has killed everything I have hunted with it, up to adult Alaskan bull moose here, and kudu and blue wildebeest over there, and out to close to 400 yards. Buying mine was one the best decisions I have ever made and I wouldn't change anything.

Rimfire: a Marlin Model 39. It's still on my bucket list.

Shotguns? I don't use them often enough to have an informed opinion.
Click to expand...
TT, put that Marlin 39A on the short to buy list! They are awesome! My daughter has the Mountie and I have the regular curved grip. They are tack drivers!
 
M70 375
M70 300 win mag
English double 470
Browning M52 .22

16 gauge SxS
12 gauge Benelli

that would cover every base you listed. If I could add one more gun it would be a 20 gauge SxS
 
Russ16 said:
M70 375
M70 300 win mag
English double 470
Browning M52 .22

16 gauge SxS
12 gauge Benelli

that would cover every base you listed. If I could add one more gun it would be a 20 gauge SxS
Click to expand...
Why the 470 specifically and what double would you go with.

16ga is a unique choice.
 
farmer_john said:
Just kind of a fun thought experiment if you had to start over knowing what you know now. What would you get.

Dg rifle
Plains game rifle
Rifle for europe
Rifle for NA
Small game 22lr or similar.

and shotguns
12
20
Or 28 gauge
pick 2

Most importantly why you made your choice. And any fun stories related to it.

And if im missing anything feel free to add on. Just kind of a fun thought exercise.
Click to expand...
Farmer John
If it is one gun only per category it is as follows:
Big game lower 48. .357 H&H CZ 550
Rabbit squirrel a such .22 Savage Anschutz Sporter
Vermin Coyotes an such .22-250 Bolt gun
Upland bird. ( grouse) 28 ga SXS
Pheasant. 12 ga SxS

If no specific mfg of the piece it would be a maker that I can afford
 
I'll play. Not too long ago I had well over 200 guns. Many belonged in the hands of collectors in not in the hands of a ruffian such as me. I began selling items that I would never use and as health, old age and lifestyle became factors in what I used, I sold even more and adapted accordingly.

Dg rifle: Rigby DG in 416 Rigby
Plains game rifle: Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06
Rifle for Europe: If I am just stalking or sitting in a high seat, Merkel K1 in 30-06
Rifle for NA: TC Encore with a few different barrels. Otherwise, just use the plains game rifle
Small game 22lr or similar: Ruger M77/22 mag

and shotguns
12 bore: Browning Citori
20 bore: Browning Citori

As it turns out, these are the same guns I held onto after all the downsizing of my collection with one exception. For 12 bores I have a Charles Lancaster Hammer Gun and a Beretta OU.

Safe shooting
 
farmer_john said:
Dg rifle
Plains game rifle
Rifle for europe
Rifle for NA
Small game 22lr or similar.

and shotguns
12 and 20
Click to expand...

DG , something starting with a 4, maybe . 416. But I’ve been told a good .458 cartridge/projectile I’d better

Plains game .300wm
Europe 7x64
North America? Maybe the .30-06 or a .375H&H configured right

.22lr, Aussies have always liked the Brno model 1 or 2 but there are later CZ variants. The Chinese copy went ok in the field

Shotgun
12gauge and a .410
 
farmer_john said:
Why the 470 specifically and what double would you go with.

16ga is a unique choice.
Click to expand...
I think 470 is a sweet spot in terms of power and weight. I would find a vintage English double to my liking. I’m not picky on the name just the gun itself. A good boxlock with solid lockup.

I do 90% of my upland hunting with a 16 gauge now. The Benelli handles waterfowl. 20 gauge is just for targets and dove.
 
farmer_john said:
Just kind of a fun thought experiment if you had to start over knowing what you know now. What would you get.

Dg rifle
Plains game rifle
Rifle for europe
Rifle for NA
Small game 22lr or similar.

and shotguns
12
20
Or 28 gauge
pick 2

Most importantly why you made your choice. And any fun stories related to it.

And if im missing anything feel free to add on. Just kind of a fun thought exercise.
Click to expand...
I would go Rigby all the way in 275, 9.3x62, 404 J and a 450 NE DR. just ne
 
I won’t bother to mention what I got right, but two things I got wrong and would do differently:

22LR instead of 22 mag for a pest rifle.
And 308 instead of 30-06 for general purpose. Both of those decisions are way to remedy with a switch, but I get attached to rifles and the history I have with them so restarting that is the hard part.
 
I’d stick w my Blaser R8, w synthetic and wood stock, and three barrels: .308, .300 and .375 H&H, my CZ .22 LR, my Super Black Eagle for rough shotgunning, and my AyA SxS. Everyone should own an AR, Combat Shotgun, and some precision rifles for competition or when you need to maintain overwatch over a 1,000 yard firezone.
 
I feel pretty good about all my choices. Definitely would not change a thing.

.22lr through .30-06 for the L48

M70’s in .338WM & .375 H&H for Alaska

Dakotas in .338WM, .375 H&H, .416 Rigby and a Chapuis.470 NE for Africa.

I’m not a wing shooter. The only use I have for a shotgun is for a camp gun and home defense.

I have bigger problems with my choices in fishing tackle over the years than my choices of rifles over the years.
 
If starting from scratch with what I know now I would have another 404J, another 8x68S like the ones I have now. more BP Remington rolling blocks (32-20,38-55,45-70) a Smith carbine and as many different types of Ross rifles as I could find and a Steven’s 44 1/2 in 25-20 SS
I would also need a few work rifles, 17 hmr, 223, 308, a 12g and a couple of 22lr's ( walther, anshutz, and a plinker)
That would start me off till I saw something else…..
Gumpy
 
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