One gun - One bullet

woodlotowner

woodlotowner

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It would seem that with modern firearms and bullets a good argument can be made for owning a single gun in a single caliber for hunting in NA. Not much fun, but it has been argued...

How about the bullet then? No matter the gun, I submit there must be one bullet that can be used on all game in appropriate caliber/weight. To this end, I have purchased a box of Barnes TSX for all the calibers I own and I really don't think there is any need to own any other bullet, especially after reviewing the independent test results on this bullet's terminal ballistics. With a near perfect mushroom, excellent penetration and 100% weight retention, how could one ask for more? Add to this the fact that they are a lead-free bullet and I see no down side, other than the price.
 
Think back to when you were a kid. For me growing up in the 60's I had one gun a 16ga wingmaster my grandfather bought for me. Yes I still have it. I took more grouse, ducks, geese and deer with that gun than any others I own today.
It can be done if you had to. I think of my 535 mossberg with the 3 1/2 barrel and the extra rifled barrel.
What can't I hunt with that in nova scotia. Maybe a moose but I have been waiting since 1982 for another tag for them.
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I shoot at least 10 rounds out of my .22-250 for every one out of my .300 Win. and probably 25 rounds of .22RF for every round of .22-250. It is that way because of opportunity, cost, and the relative "fun factor" of the various rounds.

The idea of using the same gun/load for an all day gopher thinning as I would use for a moose hunt just doesn't work for me. As others have said, you CAN if you want. I don't think it would be much fun, or very practical.
 
hey i would hunt mooses with my 535 and sabots in a second out to 100 yards no problem . i love my 535 and if i was only allowed one gun that is the one i would keep DUTCH
 
I actually only use one hunting load for each of my big game rifles.I only have to learn one trajectory,one wind drift,and use one sight in.Pick a bullet suitable for all the big game that you hunt,and you are good to go.As an example,the 140gr TTSX will easily handle game from pronghorn to moose when fired out of my 280AI rifles.
 
Even with one gun . . . perish the thought . . . using premium bullets is expensive when practising and doing load development. Working on the principle of loading one box of bullets per rifle per year, sighting in, hunting and using the remainder for practice between hunting seasons is more than some budgets can withstand. A frugal hunter bought a rifle with 15 loaded rounds. Using two for a sightin, one for moose, after four years he came back to get some more reloaded. Not my idea of maintaining proficiency but $hit happens. Or "can you load this brass again?". Six different manufacturers . . . now he should really be buying factory but then in ten years his box will still be a mixture of part boxes.
So getting back to one gun . . . a .338 Win Mag with 225 grain Hornadys and 73 grains of Re19 . . . good for gophers, grouse, groundhogs, coyotes, deer, bear, elk and moose . . . I don't think I missed any that round did not harvest for me.
 
The title states "one gun - one bullet"...

The argument for "one gun - one bullet" is not to have several guns with several different weights of bullets...

One gun - one bullet means you get used to the trajectory, the feel of the rifle, the break of the trigger and are able to hit your target the vast majority of the time at various distances...

at least to me it does...
 
I normally find a specific bullet which works best out of my guns and stick with it. TSX are expensive, but are my preferred big game bullet, I shoot them in .243 Win, .257 Weatherby, .270 Win, and .30-06.
 
It's got to be the .270 Winchester. This has been used for ever domestic game animal, as well as every species of African game. Truly, the only 'one caliber' gun?
 
Even with one gun . . . perish the thought . . . using premium bullets is expensive when practising and doing load development. Working on the principle of loading one box of bullets per rifle per year, sighting in, hunting and using the remainder for practice between hunting seasons is more than some budgets can withstand.
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You don't have to use a premium bullet like the TTSX for all of your practicing.You can develop a load with it,learn the trajectory,then pick another cheap bullet with a very similar BC to practise with all summer,before sighting in again with the TTSX and then going hunting.
 
No. You want a match quality bullet like a Berger for target, and a controlled expansion bullet like Nosler Partition for big game, and a thin jacket for varmints. I have no use for copper bullets as lead is more dense, has a better ballistic coefficient, and can be made to provide expansion over a wide velocity range.

Copper bullets are like steel shot in a shotgun. Will only use it if I'm forced to.
 
While Barnes TSX/TTSX are great bullets, I'd have to pick the Nosler Partition as a "do all" bullet.
Sometimes Barnes bullets behave like a solid, the Partition is the best of both worlds, IMO.
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While the older hollow point Barnes did occasionally have the hollow point deformed and not expand properly as a result,the poly tip in the TTSX,has made that a non issue.As far as weight retention and penetration are concerned,the Partition lags behind the TTSX.
 
If you leave out varmints and very large bears,...I think you can do all of North America as well as all plains game of Africa and medium game over the rest of the world with the same rifle and bullet...make mine a 7mm Rem Mag with a 160 TSX or Accubond at 3000fps.
 
270 Win, with factory ammo on the inexpensive side would be a 130gr Powershock. Unglamorous, inexpensive, but the combination has probably accounted for a large portion of all game taken in NA; big bears included.
 
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