Too many rifles, what would you do?

MaxKW

MaxKW

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I have been finding too much overlap in the gun cabinet and seeing more sense in less rifles, I find I don't have time for all of them and no time to load for them all, also with less rifles there would be more money available for better optics etc.

I'm in the process of picking up a light weight rifle in 25 cal for deer, cariboo and wolf. I also have a Sendero in 7mm mag, a light weight rifle in 35 Whelen built by Ted Gaillard, a 26" barreled sporter built by Gaillard also, last I have a Ruger Alaskan in 416 Ruger that I have only gotten around to firing 2 rounds.

the 25 and the 35 I believe are keepers, the 7mm kinda kind of stand in as my deer/cariboo/wolf rifle or my moose/bear rifle.

The 416 Ruger is probably going to be for sale.

Now the 338 is a rifle that can do anything, lots of power, can be carried and is accurate but I just never seem to reach for it because it doesn't fit perfectly in any niche.

So i'm thinking of getting rid of the 338 and 416 and replacing it with????? has to be stainless and suitable for moose, ALL OPINIONS WELCOME ON WHAT COULD FIT IN THERE OR WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE OR SELL AND KEEP. I'll wait to hear your opinions before mentioning what i've been considering.
 
I think you have most of your bases covered in the gun department. I have close to the same collection as you and being a gun nut I am having a hard time choosing my next caliber. I currently have a 7mm Mag, 35 Whelen, and a 375 H&H. I was thinking about a building a 338-06. Great B.C. bullets, almost as fast as a 338 Mag and less recoil. Or you could just download your current 338 Mag-but that just gets boring:p. I thought a 270WSM would make a nice toy as well. You could sell your 338 & 416 and upgrade your glass on your rifles your keeping or maybe upgrade the stocks to a Robertson or McMillan?? Ahhhhh so many guns and options, sometimes just not enough money. Sorry if I wasn't to much help.:D
 
I think a lot would depend on whether you handload or not. The .375 H&H is remarkably versatile but at least for me, it's too much oomph when loaded to its potential. But if you handload, it can be a backyard plinker or a pile driver. It does well with cast or jacketed. Brass is common and let's be honest, it looks good. It's a big grin cartridge.
 
Too many rifles, what would you do?

well,..I don't see a 30 caliber in your list...get a 300 Win Mag or a 30-06 or build an 8lb or lighter sporter in 7 Mag like mine..it's make almost everything you own redundant pretty quickly..........shoot it lots and you won't use the rest of them....

The big bores (larger than 30) are more novelty items for most of us....I've had a 416 Taylor and a couple 375 H&H's...range toys all of them...the 338 Win Mag is a very good cartridge that does all of what the 300's will do, except maybe at extended ranges, and it will do most of what the 375 will do, and it's probably as big a diameter as you'll ever need on this continent.
 
I do handload, and the 25 has a wildcat stock and the 35 has a bansner so no need to upgrade those, I was thinking along the lines of a rifle for when i'm not specifically walking, maybe walk with alot of sitting or driving so it could be a little heavier, detachable mag would be nice and a do it all caliber, a stainless/synthetic Sako in 375 H&H comes to mind, I still have brass and ammo for the old H&H also. That rifle would kinda do what I ask of the 338 and 416 in 1 rifle.

Hard decision because I realize I don't need anything but I just don't feel comfortable going to moose/deer/cariboo camp with only 1 rifle.
 
The Sako Kodiak was one of my choices when I was looking for my 375. I ended up with the Model 70 instead (about $700+ difference for the Kodiak), but the Sako is a very nice rifle. I don't think you'll go wrong with that choice.
 
Maybe i'll just put both of them on the exchange and see what comes up as trade, only problem is the moose season opens in a couple weeks.
 
MaxKW said:
Maybe i'll just put both of them on the exchange and see what comes up as trade, only problem is the moose season opens in a couple weeks.
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I think post # 2 made good sense, why not pack the Whelen to Moose camp ?
If everything is good on the Whelen ( scope, mounts, etc.) would an extra rifle be excess baggage ? I realize you would like to pack a spare and I've done that too, but most times for me it was more of a nuisance than a blessing.
As for too many rifles, I know exactly what you mean, I'm selling about 20 in the very near future.... :)
 
Too many Rifles? Buy a Shotgun. Now I only have have a few Rifles but lots of Shotguns thery are more fun. :)
 
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If I were starting my hunting rifle battery over again, I'd get a 250 Savage and a 35 Whelen with a 300 savage as the do-all stand in. I'd say decide what your ideal battery is and spend a few years building towards it with really nice guns. Of course your ideal battery will probably change, and so be a shifting target, never obtained. But that's the N of CGN.

RG

<><
 
I sold my first gun ever this week. I never sell anything but I did not use the gun. I was glad to see it go to someone that would use it. Luckily after the dropping it off at the guys house, ten minutes later I was at the post office, where there was a new Savage waiting for me. :D

Personally I don't have the time to give proper use to more than a few guns. But you need a few spares too. :D
 
I have the bases covered considering my son claims 4 and by grandson has his eyes on 3 or 4 plus my daughter will need 2 or 3 when I can no longer hunt. Probably the Sendero and the 40X would look for good homes . . . but I have no plans of going there soon. If I can't take them with me . . . I ain't going!
 
MaxKW said:
I have been finding too much overlap in the gun cabinet and seeing more sense in less rifles, I find I don't have time for all of them and no time to load for them all, also with less rifles there would be more money available for better optics etc.

I'm in the process of picking up a light weight rifle in 25 cal for deer, cariboo and wolf. I also have a Sendero in 7mm mag, a light weight rifle in 35 Whelen built by Ted Gaillard, a 26" barreled sporter built by Gaillard also, last I have a Ruger Alaskan in 416 Ruger that I have only gotten around to firing 2 rounds.

the 25 and the 35 I believe are keepers, the 7mm kinda kind of stand in as my deer/cariboo/wolf rifle or my moose/bear rifle.

The 416 Ruger is probably going to be for sale.

Now the 338 is a rifle that can do anything, lots of power, can be carried and is accurate but I just never seem to reach for it because it doesn't fit perfectly in any niche.

So i'm thinking of getting rid of the 338 and 416 and replacing it with????? has to be stainless and suitable for moose, ALL OPINIONS WELCOME ON WHAT COULD FIT IN THERE OR WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE OR SELL AND KEEP. I'll wait to hear your opinions before mentioning what i've been considering.
Click to expand...

Simple. BUY ANOTHER GUNSAFE ! ! !
 
MaxKW said:
I have been finding too much overlap in the gun cabinet and seeing more sense in less rifles, I find I don't have time for all of them and no time to load for them all, also with less rifles there would be more money available for better optics etc.

I'm in the process of picking up a light weight rifle in 25 cal for deer, cariboo and wolf. I also have a Sendero in 7mm mag, a light weight rifle in 35 Whelen built by Ted Gaillard, a 26" barreled sporter built by Gaillard also, last I have a Ruger Alaskan in 416 Ruger that I have only gotten around to firing 2 rounds.

the 25 and the 35 I believe are keepers, the 7mm kinda kind of stand in as my deer/cariboo/wolf rifle or my moose/bear rifle.

The 416 Ruger is probably going to be for sale.

Now the 338 is a rifle that can do anything, lots of power, can be carried and is accurate but I just never seem to reach for it because it doesn't fit perfectly in any niche.

So i'm thinking of getting rid of the 338 and 416 and replacing it with????? has to be stainless and suitable for moose, ALL OPINIONS WELCOME ON WHAT COULD FIT IN THERE OR WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE OR SELL AND KEEP. I'll wait to hear your opinions before mentioning what i've been considering.
Click to expand...
I would buy more!:nest:
 
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