If you could only own 2 caliber Rifles?

[Nik H]

Kind of a strange question without knowing the context of the limitation to two or whether it is a bolt or gasser.

If only two from a bolt gun during bad times, then .308 and 338 LM

 

[Codiekfx400]

I am shocked at these answers. I was expecting a lot more 6.5 creedmore. I must admit I am proud to see so many 30-06.

6.5 Creedmoor is a great all around cartridge but a little light for hunting bear, moose, bull elk etc. that’s why I recommend the 280 ai still a softer shooting cartridge but also kills well. A 223 is just a must have imo. Thinking 18” wylde ar in a rainier ultra match or Wilson combat barrel. Or go all out with a keystone accuracy Krieger, Mullerworks, Brux or Bartlein barrel.

 

[RockyMntUt]

6.5 creed with prototype hammer bullets.
22lr

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Think I'd have to go with the
223 and the 6.5cm if only 2 calibers are allowed. Tough call with the .22lr and .308 though. Thank goodness we don't have to actually choose and live in this hellish scenario

 

[anisbet75]

.22LR and .375 H&H.

 

[Johnerz]

223 and 6.5 Creedmoore in the Uk, I don’t feel a need for anything larger, a 300wmwould replace to CM ifI was looking for Bear or large game

 

[max1840]

300PRC and 22 creedmoor

 

[kthomas]

If I was only limited to 2 cartridges it would be one of the following combos:

1. 6BRA/.308
2. .22lr/6BRA
3. 6BRA/.300NM

 

[Ledzep]

6mm ARC and 7 PRC here. Have a .300 PRC barrel in the closet, too.

 

[MOshooter]

223 and 300WinMag if centerline.
22lr and 300Winny if rimfire is mandated.
300 WM for all hunting, two and four legged.

 

[Bungi]

22lr and 308

 

[david walter]

Said no one ever in Sweden or Norway or Finland where boatloads of moose are killed every year with the 6.5x55, the ballistic twin of the Creedmoor.

6.5 Creedmoor is a great all around cartridge but a little light for hunting bear, moose, bull elk etc.

 

[Ronws]

I was going to say that I already have my two rounds that I must have. I have 4 rifles in .308 W (7.62 X 51 mm NATO) and one in 5.56 x 45 NATO (.223 Rem) and a 12 ga smooth bore shotgun (Mossberg 590A1 SPX with bayonet for hog hunting.)

However, I have toyed with the idea of a straight wall, such as the Windham Weaponry .450 Thumper in .450 BM. For long range surgical accuracy and knock down, 7 mm Rem Mag for ubiquitous availability, 7 PRC for stellar precision by function design that action must be for that cartridge (miniscule free bore.) The latter, however, is only going to have ammo available, for the nonce, from Hornady, who developed it, Or handloading, which might be the only way to deal with it. But if you need .22 MOA and you are shooting 1,300 yards, there you go.

 

[Chickentoast]

25 Creed and a 300 Norma Improved.

 

[King_beardsly]

Probably 308 and 22LR, cover pretty much all the bases and are readily available for the most part.

 

[Prebanpaul]

17HMR 260 REMINGTON

 

[penguinofsleep]

IDK why or how but this thread feels like a trap from the gubamins.

For real though - hunting - depends on what you like to hunt. Target shooting - whatever is the most fun for you.

 

[Haney]

.223 and 30-06...No Rimfire for this cat . I don't trust any ammo I don't make .

 

[mark5pt56]

If this is how it is going to go down, let me start swinging my dick first:
An AR15 shooting 223/556 and a multi-cal AXMC/AXSR - problem solved.

View attachment 8029999

That's some funny shit right there, was a great laugh!

 

[Mister Ridge]

2 rifles or 2 calibers. Seperate from other long guns?

 

[Digetydog]

I would want a 22LR Browning TBolt or a Ruger 10/22 takedown model to take small game.

I would want a 30-06 because it is good enough for anything the 22LR could not handle and there is likely to be reasonably priced ammo available for a long time.

 

[anon]

The Blaser and Krieghoff two caliber rifles cost quite a bit and I have no use for one. Blaser even makes one with three barrels.

I did think the 22 hornet - 20 gauge gun a family friend had back in the sixties was pretty cool for walking the property in the Texas hill country. Pretty good dinner gun.

 

[General RE LEE]

6.5 Creedmoor

30-06

 

[hkguns]

12Ga / 556

 

[FjallJager]

Blaser R8 or Sauer 404 and whatever barrels I wanted.

Custom bergschutzen two caliber over under rifle with a 9.3x74 on top and a 222 on the bottom.

If I can't have extra rifle barrels I'd do it this way.

Blaser K95 in 7x65R
Bergschutzen with a 9.3x74R and a 222 on the bottom.

 

[308James]

308Win & 300 Win Mag

 

[FredHammer]

My two:

308Win & 300 Win Mag

That makes a lot of sense. Same projectiles to KISS. I'm gonna base it on small critter vs big critter.
I'm trying to whittle away my stack and trying not to get sentimental about it...

5.56
.243AI

7mm-08
308 WIN
300WM

 

[Gatekeeper]

5.56 and 35 Whelen

 

[HaydenLane]

Why would you need 2 rifles when the 6.5 creedmoor exists?

 

[perttime]

Why would you need 2 rifles when the 6.5 creedmoor exists?

Because trigger time is more affordable with a .22LR, or an air rifle?

 

[Dildobaggins]

223 rem and 300 wsm. Both would double as hunting and range rifles though. 300 wsm for varmint and squirrel, 223 for elk, moose and grizz.

 

[Harronek]

For my application, it is the .223 and the 308 .
I have the option of shooting on my own property out to 600yrds .
Now in this modern world that doesn’t sound that far , but in the real hunting world of unstable rests and unknown terrain that is a very long way .
I practice out to 600yrds on targets, but my hunting has a self imposed 350yrd limit.
Both the .223 and 308 can very effectively be used at that distance for their intended quarry.
Ammo / components are readily available at a respectable price.
Yes I do own other calibers, but my two go too’s are the boring .223 and 308 .
My requirements are not everyone’s and I understand that , but I pity any animal that is in my crosshairs at 350 yrds or under .
Without trying to cause controversy, I really question and doubt a lot of the reported distances that some claim to be their “ usual “ shot distances.
I have seen and have achieved hits on animals at greater distances, but they are not the norm .

 

[james22]

.22 range, .223 hunting (77gr TMK)

223 rem and 300 wsm. Both would double as hunting and range rifles though. 300 wsm for varmint and squirrel, 223 for elk, moose and grizz.

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

 

[thebeav]

I'd go with my .223 and 17 HMR.
I'm surprised only one other person went with a 17 HMR.

 

[Bacarrat]

556 and 6.5CM.

Just can't get into the 22LR stuff and I have several rifles in it.

 

[Edds]

This is easy to answer. Whoever said 30-06 and 22 lr is the winner. I would like to have a 12 gauge too.

 

[Dildobaggins]

.22 range, .223 hunting (77gr TMK)

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

Haha, that's insane. I know shot placement is key but wow. What distance were those shot taken at?

 

[HaydenLane]

Haha, that's insane. I know shot placement is key but wow. What distance were those shot taken at?

it’s a long thread with a lot of pictures, but consensus seems to be 450 or so is the limit. If loaded hotter (223 AI, 22 creed, 22-250, etc) you could extend that, but close range performance would suffer.

People will poo-poo hunting with a .223, but it absolutely works. Same for the 6s, 108 ELD-Ms have taken tons of game. Hell, the 243 Win has been killing for 70 years with lesser bullets.

Not apples to apples, but the outfitter recommended against me my 6.5 CM on my recent aoudad hunt, saying “I’ve lost more than I’ve recovered with the creedmoor.” I didn’t even bother telling him I was using match bullets, not worth the hassle. My ram dropped within a couple feet of where I hit it.

 

[MK20]

22 LR and 5.56.

My friend killed a buffalo with 5.56.

 

[mi650]

308 and 22 mag.

 

[Balor]

5.56 & 300 norma mag.

 

[spamassassin]

I had to make a decision very like this in the real world. Legally, I can only take 4 barrels for my rifle with me to ZA. Which 4 should it be? That's answered by what the people in my social circle there keep around and what is likely to be laying around on the ground in quantity after the great conflagration kicks off. Easy choice.

.223rem, .308win and .338WM and .338LM.

 

[Daddyusmaximus]

My no dream, picking only out of the ones I have answer...

.22LR & .243.

Everybody needs a .22, especially with a suppressor... for those times you need to go un-noticed.

My .243 is my most accurate rifle, and still enough gun to do what I need it to.

 

[Dildobaggins]

it’s a long thread with a lot of pictures, but consensus seems to be 450 or so is the limit. If loaded hotter (223 AI, 22 creed, 22-250, etc) you could extend that, but close range performance would suffer.

People will poo-poo hunting with a .223, but it absolutely works. Same for the 6s, 108 ELD-Ms have taken tons of game. Hell, the 243 Win has been killing for 70 years with lesser bullets.

Not apples to apples, but the outfitter recommended against me my 6.5 CM on my recent aoudad hunt, saying “I’ve lost more than I’ve recovered with the creedmoor.” I didn’t even bother telling him I was using match bullets, not worth the hassle. My ram dropped within a couple feet of where I hit it.

I mean, I've taken a white tail with a .223, but I figured that would be the limit to ethically hunt with, given the PSI when it hits the animal. Also penetration. Took a white tail this year with a 108 eldm. Plenty good. I just can't imagine shooting a buffalo or elk or anything that size with a .223 ethically, but I suppose dead is dead. This actually really interests me. I'm going to look through that thread some more tonight.

 

[PhilOX11]

I'd go with my .223 and 17 HMR.
I'm surprised only one other person went with a 17 HMR.

I did, with 6.5CM as my second.

 

[james22]

This actually really interests me. I'm going to look through that thread some more tonight.

It's worth it.

 

[243AI]

7 mega for hunting
338 snipTac for long range

 

[CarbonMTN]

22 creedmoor (95smk) and 300 Norma - if powders were more available in my area.

223/22lr for more common rounds.

 

[carbonbased]

22 LR & 204 Ruger, some throwing stars, my hands of death, and some “multipurpose” lube

 

[xfyre101]

.300blk and 6.5CM