2 gun do-all battery suggestions?

[Don Fischer]

The 2 and even 3 gun battery discussion is always a silly thread. If that's all you have or want you probably don't hunt enough in the first place to justify the cost of hunting. But say you do, 22 ?RF of some sort. I have a 22 LR and a 22 mag, I prefer the 22 mag. For everything else I'll say a 7x57 but I suspect the 7m-08 will kill everything in this continent just as dead as a 460 Weatherby! Shouldn't be about cartridge but rather bullet's! A 175 gr 7mm bullet is somewhat beyond deadly when properly placed. I suspect the same bullet from a 7mm-08 will do exactly the same! And with the relatively new custom killswatz bullet's there are no boundary's. Penertation is a big key.

Now I only have seven rifle's these day's two in 243, to me a varmint/predator cartridge. Smallest cartridge I'd consider in deer type game in my 25-06. After that we get into everything else. I would not hesitate to use my 6.5x55 on anything in N. Amer if it was what I had. Proper bullet properly placed equals a dead animal, but, I use my 30-06 for elk and take along my 6.5x55 as my backup rifle. Why? Because my 30-06 is simply more powerful for anything I hunt so it get's elk! Going deer hunting this year, been a long time not hunting but my son is going and so am I. What to use? My 6.5x55 is a no brainer but then I think my 308 is a no brainer also. But I only shoot cast bullet's in the 308 and would like to try out cast on big game at least one time. But if I get cold feet, the 6.5x55 is there! I suspect that if I was charged by a bear I would shoot at it with that 308. Seem's a better choice than fending it off battering it over the head with the stock.

This is all so silly. I have so many different cartridge's that will all work for whatever because I just like them, no other reason!

 

[JLS]

I have so many different cartridge's that will all work for whatever because I just like them, no other reason!

Not everyone has this luxury, hence the point of the discussion.

To the OP, this question has a lot of variables such as:

1) your tolerance to recoil
2) how far you desire to shoot
3) what game do you primarily hunt
4) how heavy of a rifle are you willing to carry
5) do you reload

I've killed a number of elk with a .243. Is it the best? No, but it damned sure works. Pretty hard to go wrong with what you proposed. I really don't like recoil, I don't like carrying heavy rifles, and I don't care to shoot over 500 yards, so that greatly influences my choice of chamberings. I'll shoot anything in the lower 48 with my 6.5CM.

 

[Reverendekim11B]

What is considered a heavy rifle? I know what i consider heavy and what most on here consider heavy is much different.

 

[Ovis Venator]

I have a .243 and a .375H&H That'd be my choices.

I have a 6.5 Creedmoor and a .375 Ruger. Love both rifles and can use the same powders (H4350, RL15, RL17) so I don't have to buy a large variety of powders.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

The 2 and even 3 gun battery discussion is always a silly thread. If that's all you have or want you probably don't hunt enough in the first place to justify the cost of hunting.

Guess I best hang it up.

 

[JLS]

Guess I best hang it up.

You and me both. One of the silliest comments I've read,

 

[6mm Remington]

I'm interested to see the comments you might have for this. Howa and I have been working on a project somewhat similar. We are trying to find a combination of cartridge, weight, length, barrel taper, etc that will be the most versatile option for the western hunter who is only going to buy one rifle, possibly two.

Right now I have these rifles we are working with for the test, along with the ammo choices I am using based on past experience with these cartridges. All have H-S Precision stocks and are topped with Leupold VX-5 or VX-6 scopes.

6.5 CM 22" barrel - 129 grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range

.270 Win 22" barrel - 130 grain Nosler AccuBond

7mm-.08 22" barrel - 140 grain Nosler E-Tip and 140 grain Nosler Accubond

.308 Win 22" barrel - 165 grain Nosler Partition and 168 grain Nosler E-Tip

.308 Win 26" barrel - - 165 grain Nosler Partition and 168 grain Nosler E-Tip

.300 Win Mag 24" barrel - 180 grain Nosler AccuBond

.300 Win Mag 26" barrel - 180 grain Nosler E-Tip


I'm finding the hard part is to find the balance of weight versus cost. Even the lightest of these is more weight than my Alpine Mountain Rifles. But, the cost is significantly lower. Some are willing to pay that higher cost, some are not.

All are cerakoted, which is a pretty low additional cost for the weather-deterring benefits. All have come with factory trigger settings at 2.75#. Not sure if that will be allowed in a retail rifle, due to liability concerns, but the Howa trigger is a really good trigger and even "gooder" when set below 3.0#.

With no compromise for accuracy, the traits we are trying to balance are performance for the widest array of western hunting, cost, weight, ammo availability, durability, and low maintenance. It is turning out to be a harder project than I expected, given how many different situations we hunt in and how many different species we pursue.

Interested to continue following the discussion. Thanks to the original poster for starting this topic.

So far the leader is the 7mm-.08 as the all-around versatile cartridge, but I fear my past biases is influencing that decision. We'll see if that changes when we start in the heavy part of our elk hunting calendar.

Randy you forgot a couple of "all around" cartridges on your list!! 30-06 and 280 Remington or 280 AI. Each of those need to make your list!
David

As to the original question, for two guns for most every thing it's hard to beat the smaller one in ...................
6mm Remington or 25-06

larger one in..........
280 AI - 30-06 - or 300 WSM

 

[MT_Chad]

243 and 300 win mag for me as those are my two big game rifles.
Randy, I have a comment for you to pass along to Howa. Build a lefty! My 300 would probably have been a howa had they built one.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Don't the Mountain Ascent rifles all come off the assembly line with a muzzle brake? You might take that into consideration and just get calibers you think would work well as a very light weight rifle with a brake. There is any number of two caliber combinations that will get things done and done well.

 

[Scarey]

7mm08- 150 gr ELDX BT and .280remington-168 GR BT

 

[Laelkhunter]

You and me both. One of the silliest comments I've read,

Yep. I agree. I guess since this is a Hunting Forum, and we are in the Equipment/Guns category of the Forum, we should talk about.... football ??

 

[JLS]

Yep. I agree. I guess since this is a Hunting Forum, and were are in the Equipment/Guns category of the Forum, we should talk about.... football ??

Well, that plus Big Fin probably needs to start screening us based on how many rifles we own so we can then extrapolate to how many days a year we hunt and whether we can legitimately justify the cost of hunting.

 

[noharleyyet]

No way I can 'strapolate' nor 'justificate' the gun safe's population.

Happy Monday gents.

 

[JLS]

No way I can 'strapolate' nor 'justificate' the gun safe's population.

Happy Monday gents.

Mine remains under fairly tight scrutiny from the CFO. However, I have prevailed in my appeal to add another Drahthaar to the fold in 4 years.

 

[noharleyyet]

My CFO decrees no written or assumed limits on spoiled Golden’s or shoes. It’s a symbiotic unspoken arrangement. If I could truly pick 2 caliber platforms it would be 2 of each please.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

My dad had a 12ga and a .243 for most of his adult life. I'm glad he didn't know he was "silly" and give up hunting because he used most of his income to feed and cloth his family. Dipshits making coments like that make me glad he can hide on the internet or I'd be in jail for assault.

 

[belly-deep]

Dipshits making coments like that make me glad he can hide on the internet or I'd be in jail for assault.

Wow

 

[NoWiser]

That escalated quickly.

I'm a one rifle man (.22 doesn't count). I doubt anyone that knows me personally would categorize me as "not serious." Same with the moose, antelope, mule deer, whitetail, elk, and even a few decapitated grouse that have made my freezer home over the last 22 years at the hands of my rifle. My perspective is why do I need a bunch of rifles when the one I have works perfectly for everything I need it for? For me it's not important to have a big safe full of guns. Guns aren't my passion, hunting is. To each their own.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

You and me both. One of the silliest comments I've read,

I just... so many places to go on that one...

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Looks like a took that a bit too personal. Just rubs me raw when my Dad Was a two gun do all guy because he had to be. Sorry for the overkill, just hit too close to home.