How Many Different Rifles/ Cartridges Have You Hunted With?

Many, many rimfires in... LR, WMR, HM2, HMR...

Many, many varmint cartridges in... Hornet, K-Hornet, .221, .222, .223, .22/250, .22 CHeetah, .22 BR Remington, .22 Texas, .243, .25/06...

Big Game with... .223, .22/250, .243, .25/06, .257 Bob, .260, 6.5X55, 7X57, 7mm-08, .280 Rem, .284 Win, .30/30, .308, .30/06, 7.62X39, 8X57, .338 Fed, .338 Win, .35 Rem, .35 Whelen, .357 Mag, .357 Max, .44 Mag, .444, .445 SM, .45/70... probably forgetting some in there???
 
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Hunted with many over the years.
Just ones that I can recall taking deer with..
22 Mag
223 Rem
22 savage hi power
225 Win
243 Win
25-20 Win
257 Rob
25-06 Rem
260 Rem
7mm 08 Rem
284 Win
280 Rem
7mm Rem Mag
30 Carbine
30 Rem
30-30
307 Win
308 Win
30-06
303 Brittish
7.62X39
32 SPL
338-06
356 Win
35 Rem
35 whelen
351 WSL
401 WSL
43 Mauser
44 Mag
44-40
444 marlin
 
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dan belisle said:
Too many to list, sorry. - dan
Click to expand...

Me too!

I do think my A-Bolt in 300 wsm has accounted for more big game than any other single rifle I have owned with the sole possible exception of my BSA Featherweight which I have used for over 30 years , first as a 30-06 and the last few years as a 338-06.
 
I have enjoyed using a large number of different firearms/chamberings over the years to take game and shoot pests.
My favorite rifle make, hands down, is Remington 700, particularly the "Classic".
However, I own several other makes, and like them as well.
Favorite action is the venerable bolt, but I have a few leverguns as well.
Only semi I own is a rimfire. Only pump, an 870 Wingmaster 12 ga, 3".
Here's a "partial" list. Some of these I have owned [or do own] multiple copies of.
17HMR
22 Rimfire
22 WMR
22 Hornet
22 K-Hornet
222 Remington
223 Remington
225 Winchester
22-250 Remington
220 Swift
243 Winchester
6mm Remington
25-20 Winchester
25-35 Winchester
257 Roberts
25-06 Remington
260 Remington.
260AI.
6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenaur
6.5x55 SM
6.5x55AI
6.5-06
264 Win Mag
270 Winchester
7-08 Remington
7x57 Mauser
280 Remington
7mm RSAUM
7mm Rem Mag
7mm Weatherby Mag
7mm STW
7mm RUM
30-30 Winchester
300 Savage
308 Winchester
30-06 SPRG
30 Gibbs
300 H&H Magnum
300 WSM
308 Norma Mag [still have 3 of these]
300 Win Mag
300 Weatherby
303 British
303 EPPS
8x57 Mauser
8mm-06
8mm Rem Mag
338-06
338 Win Mag
348 Winchester
35 Remington
35 Whelen
358 Norma Magnum
375 H&H Magnum
38-55 Winchester
44-40 Winchester
45-70 Winchester
Probably a couple missing, but can't recall ATM.
Regards, Dave.
 
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I have been blessed with quite the collection and have used quite a few for hunting.

17 HMR, 22, 222, 223, 22-250 x 4, 25-06 x3, 257 wby x2, 6.5x55, 270 win x2, 7mm-08, 280 rem, 7 rem mag, 7mm STW, 7mm Yukon, 7 RUM, 30-30 win, 308 win, 30-06 sprg x3, 300 win mag x5, 30-338 win mag, 300 wby, 8 rem mag, 338 federal, 338-06, 338 win mag x4, 357, 375 win, 375 h+h, 378 wby, 458 win mag, .54 Muzzleloader.

My favorites are 257 wby, 7 Yukon, 30-06 and 300 winnie.
 
Like some of the guys here I don't think I could honestly remember every different rifle and or cartridge I've used for hunting over the years.I had quite a stable at one time,I would say that the one rifle that spent the most time in my hands hunting on a consistent basis is my Win.Model 70 in 30-06.In fact it was the very first rifle I bought with my own money.
 
I started hunting with the 7mmRem Mag, used a .270win for a bit,used a 6.5x55 for a bit, and a 7x57, then a 7-08, and a .338WM, a 450/400NE, and a 300H&H, and a 30R Blaser. Varmint guns were 22-250,.223, .218Bee. The bulk of my hunting has been with either the 7-08 or the .338, both Rem 700's, and I am not sure which one of those two, has done the most hunting or taken the most game. They were both bought to be practical hunting guns, and have certainly lived up to their purpose. The 30R was bought for the same purpose, it's a SXS, have to see how it does over the next few years. Maybe not as practical as the other two, it was a splurge, but, it's the type of gun I always wanted to have, to hunt with.
 
Not many: 22 Short & Long Rifle, 22WMR, 222RM, 223, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 270, 308, 30-06, 35 Whelen, 44-40, 44RM & 450 Alaskan.

Oh yeah, forgot a few ... 30-30, 264 Win Mag & 45-70
 
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Started with a Hiawatha 22LR, a .410 El Faison, and. 6mm Rem on a Rem 700. Took a pile of grouse, rabbits, coyotes, and fox with the Hiawatha. Still have that rifle. Plenty of birds with the 410. The little 6mm still goes along on deer hunts. Taken around 150 whitetails and mulies with it. I love that rifle.

As of late, I have fallen for a Sako 85 Finnlight in 270wsm and another 85 in 375 H&H. I believe I no longer need nor have the urge to buy another big game rifle. But, a BLR in 35 Whelen might cause me to buy another rifle.
 
This will be a challenge to remember!
I will list only the cartridges that were used for "BIG" game as the OP asked.

.38 special (loaded on the botter side with an old Rossi lever).
.357 Mag
.357 Maximum
44 Rem Mag
6mmTCU
243win
6mm Rem
6mm Ackley
250 Savage
25-06 Rem
270 Win
270WSM
7-30Waters
7mm-08 Rem
(Soon to be) .280 Rem
7mm Rem Mag
7mm Ultra
7.62X39
30-30 Win
.308Win
30-06
300 Win Mag.
303 Brishish
.338Win Mag.
35 Rem
35Whelan
45-70 (black powder loads)
45-70 modern smokeless
50 cal muzzle loader (black powder)
50 cal muzzle loader (smokeless in the Savage 10MLII)

And of course:

long bow
Recurve
Compound

But never cross bow "YET"! Lol!
 
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308, 30-06, 7X57, 7mm-08, 260, 30-30, 307 and 50 cal ML have all taken game.
Others that were shot, some taking smaller game: 22, 22mag, 17HMR, 204, 223, 22-250, 243, 250, 25-06, 303, 7.62X39, 338 Federal.
Now the trick is to remember all the guns....
 
In about 60 years of hunting, I've handloaded for 40+ centerfire rifles in 20+ cartridges, and hunted with most of them. In addition, I've owned several 12 - gauge shotguns and a few .22 Lr. I've taken game with those as well.

All in all, if I were to choose a favorite, or favorites, I guess I'd have to go by sheer numbers of certain cartridges: 9 .45-70s: 4 Marlins, 1 H&R, 1 NEF, 3 #1 Rugers; then 8 300 magnums, 6 were Winchester, 1 Norma and 1 Weatherby. BUT, I also very much like the .458 Win Mag (2), kind of a turbo charged .45-70, and the mid-bores of which I've owned a bunch: 2 .35 Whelens, 2 .350 Rem Mags, 2 .338 Win Mags, a .340 Wby, and my current favorite in 9.3 X 62. And yes, a couple of .375 H&Hs.

I liked all of those, apart from some smaller bores: a couple of .223s, a .25-06, 2 6.5 X 55s, a .270, a 7-08, a 7mm Weatherby, 3 7mm RMs. My favorites of those were the .25-06, the 7-08 and a #1 Ruger in 7mm Rem Mag.

Bottom line: today, approaching 78 years very quickly, I've kept 2 big game rifles: the T3 in 9.3 X 62 (that I shot a nice bear with last Thursday), and my all-time fav #1 Ruger in .45-70 IMP (Improved) which has .458 Win Mag ballistics or wimpy original .45-70 ballistics - it will do it all (but so will the 9,3 X 62). That's my story, and I'm sticking with it!

Bob
www.bigbores.ca
 
My favourite, dearest and only rifle I will ever use for any big game I hunt is as you most know my 30-06 Remington 7600. As far as what made me choose that caliber is my uncle Sean always used one and I look up to him still to this day. It was also the first rifle I ever shot when I was 6 years old, he let me shoot a beer bottle with it. From that day I always said when I was old enough to get my own rifle I wanted a 30-06 like Uncle Sean, so I got one! Difference is he has a Remington 7400 that's 23 years old now and still works like a top, and I got a pump. I knew I wanted a pump rifle because my Uncle Al and Uncle smokey both have one, ever since I was a kid I thought they were the coolest rifle in the world (Still do)

As far as gun's I've killed big game with

12 gauge 870 Wingmaster with modified barrel, Killed my first deer with that gun.
300 Savage 99, Borrowed it from my uncle for a deer season and killed a pair of fawns with it.
303 British I borrowed from my granny, killed a fawn with it that year.
30-06 7600 that I own now, bought when it when I was 17 and have killed 8 deer with it in the last 6 years.
 
Huh, a few but near as many as some folks.

Started with a 3006, then a borrowed 303 in a camp one fall, then a lot with that old 3006, then a lot with a 338wm.
 
17hmr
17 hornet
22lr
22 mag
223
22-250
243
270
308
30-06
7mm mag
300 wm
338
325 wsm
45-70
450 marlin
50 cal muzzle loader
 
My standard goto big game cartridge is my 30-06, followed by my non-sportered 303 and 308. For 'yotes and smaller game, I use my 243 primarily. I use my 223 for the odd 'yote, but mostly for setting up and exploding gophers all day long. I also use my 17 HMR for gophers. The .22 is a relic in my safe and used when daughters want to go to the range for some plinking.

I have a 30-30 lever as a general purpose and silhouette. I also have new 30-30 break-open loaded with potent pointy bullets as a mean backup. Rounding up that list is my 45-70 rolling block for nostalgia, long range silhouette and weightlifting. I also have a Marlin CB Limited for Cowboy shooting. Did I mention 4 - 30-06's? :D ;) :p
 
I started with a 303
then 30-06 model 70, 264 mag model 70, then 260 700 mountain rifle LSS(wish I had never sold it), the Sako 75 7mm mag, Sako Av 300 winny, Kimber 84m 308, another 260, a 700 Ti 7mm SAUM, somewhere in there a 700 semi-custom 25-284, a sako a1 laminated stock 223 I still have and a T3 Hunter in 6.5 Swede. Most of those killed something, also had from memory a 700 in 338 Win Mag and 35 Whelen.

A few rimfires and several shotguns but the only one I still have is a pretty little JP Sauer SxS 20 guage.
 
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