The big game chambering with the longest uninterrupted reign in your safe

Not one cartridge as much as one caliber... starting with a 7x64 of my fathers... then various 280's and improved versions ending up with a 7mm 08. Never found a need for the big guns.
 
I got away from center-fire rifles for 14 years.
When I got back into it in 2002, the first one that I bought was in .300 Win Mag. Still have it.
I have since added a few in other cartridges.
 
I still have the .303 that my older brother gave me for Christmas when I turned 18. I don't use it as much now that I have much fancier rifles but its not going anywhere.
 
Bought my first new rifle the summer I was 12. It was a 30-06 and I've never been without a good 30-06 since then. That was 50 years ago. I've been sweet on other calibres like the 280, various 7mm mags ,various 300 mags, still really like my 340 and a 35 Whelan Ackley Imp................. If I could only have one it would likely be a 30-06.
 
My first rifle I bought: Weatherby Vanguard chambered in 300 Wby in 2003
My first rifle (given to me by my father on my 18th B-day): Lee Enfield Number 4 Mk 1 303 Brit in 2000
Rifle in my family's possession (I'm the 4th generation): Savage 1899G takedown chambered in 22 Hi-power bought new in 1913
 
Only one that stayed was my first NIB center-fire a Model 70 XTR in 7mmRemingtion Magnum. Bought it in spring of 1982 IIRC, getting to the last of the original Olin Winchester's before USRA rifles of 1982. Actually a co-worker at the time and my first Hunting partner in NS bought a NIB M70 in 300WM about a week later and he got the new oil finished USRA rifle. Guess mine was older stock made in 1980/81. I always preferred the USRA rifle for it's no non-sense oil finished no fore end cap etc,etc, but mine was a shooter, and a handloaders dream in 7mmRM with heavy 175gr SBT bullets seated way out and digesting vast quantites of IMR4831 it killed at both ends or so I thought at the time..
 
I have an older model 700 custom shop in 6mm Rem. won't ever part with it and i hope my boy likes it once he's old enough. I started with this rifle as a kid and it's still my favourite despite all the others I have owned and enjoyed. I lost count at around 160, of the number of big game it has knocked down with clean, one shot kills.
 
.243....not the same rifle, but always one rifle of that caliber for the last 35 years...not counting .22LR of course.
 
Hand me downs/purchased for my use,
Winchester 67, 18ish years. In the family since new.
Winchester 70 Featherweight 22-250, 13 years.

Bought myself,
Marlin GBL 45-70, 6 years.
 
always changing up the guns...but normally stick to the 7mm calibers. Im currently on my 4th 7mm rem mag and my 3rd 7mm-08 both about 3 years old. I made the switch to stainless and synthetic about three years ago and got rid of any duplicate calibers and duplicate purpose guns. I now have 1 coyote gun , one woods , tree stand / walking gun and one " field / open terrain " gun

Browning x-bolt stainless in 7mm rem mag with Zeiss conquest 3 years
Remington 7-08 mountain stainless with Leupold VX3 2-7-33 3 years
 
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