'back up' rifle when hunting

[07blackwater]

My 7mm with 160's and my 270 with 130's are loaded to have nearly identical trajectories.

 

[kamlooky]

Interesting thread so far. How many of you are torn each time between which gets primary spot and which gets left on the bench?

There is no "torn" around here.
The bless'id ones come along.
The apprentices have their chance.
I have an older than me Brno 21H that is a remarkable
shooter, but not fur friendly.
Karma, it has none for fur.

 

[Attilathecanuk]

7mmrem mag as go to and 30.06 as back up. The '06 is a little heavy luggin around in the timbers where I hunt (not much into road hunting).

 

[Joe549]

I always bring two rifles. A scoped Savage .270 and a Winchester .308 with irons. Neither one is a 'primary' rifle since some areas are not suited to a scope. Depending on where I am going decides which rifle to take along.

 

[kevin9934]

My back up is my trustworthy mossberg 590a1 and my k-98 (8mm power)

 

[caramel]

One of my M4 is the perfect back up gun for all SHTF situation... JP.

 

[west250]

On a multi day hunt I bring a back up rifle as well as a grouse killer.

 

[Magellann]

I have never brought a spare along, but there is an old 303 at the camp that we could use if need be. So far Ive never needed a spare.

 

[anglia2]

I've always brought along a back-up rifle, lately its been a savage 111 in 30-06 loaded with 180 partitions. In the past I had my old Parker-Hale sporter in 303 thats taken a lot of game over the years. We hunt in a fairly remote area thats a long way from home and its reassuring to know that you have another rifle ready to go.

A2

 

[Ar180shooter]

I've always brought 2 rifles. Not so much because I'm worried I'll need it, but to let you hunt in different ways (i.e. 1 rifle for stalking, and a different one for hunting from a stand).

 

[blasted_saber]

Moose season its 308 and 303. deer season its 308 and 44mag or 3030

 

[Johnn Peterson]

These days, the choice possibilities varies widely. In past and on trips of any duration, my standby was usually my Schultz & Larsen in 308 Norma Magnum and for a second or back my Marlin in 444 usually got the call.

 

[bcsteve]

I never used to but for the last few years I have. Never needed the back up but it gives me a choice in the morning to choose which rifle feels lucky.

 

[BigUglyMan]

Always. I won't even leave town without a second rifle.

 

[unstableryan]

I take a Tikka t3 6.5x55 and a marlin 1895 45/70 to hunting camp. I carry either depending on where I'm sitting/hiking that day. The 6.5 keeps shooting under 60 yard deer though, perfect for the lever gun.

 

[geologist]

BRNO 600 30-06 main.

Marlin 1895GS 45-70 backup.

 

[Mumbles Marble Mouth]

A back up rifle is a good idea. You could even break your scope or hit it so hard its out of sight now. I currently only have 1 hunting rifle and it has a scope and iron sights so its iron sights is my back up. If I could bring an extra rifle, the only other thing that would be worthy of bringing that I have would be my Norinco M305 or SKS with soft points.

 

[ZAMESB]

Yup

 

[reomack]

Primary is a Browning Medallion in 280. Backup, mostly for really nasty weather, is a stainless/plastic Savage, also in 280. Both are scoped (3-9X40) and are better shooters than I am but the Browning handles better.

 

[StevieK]

yep, deciding which guns come along totally depends on the terrain I'll be hunting. For deer it could be the 270 or the 6mm rem, both scoped. Backup is a savage 340 with williams peep sight installed. For moose the 300 WM gets the nod, with either the 270 as backup or the 38-55 if it'll be dense with shots under 50 yds. A shotgun and 22 are likely to get packed as well if there is room for them.