“If you could only have three rifles to address all your hunting needs, what would they be?” — Ron Spomer
Of course, it depends where you live OR what terrain you would be hunting in, and what animals you’d be after. Those three factors (before we even begin to talk about your hunting abilities) are probably the biggest drivers. I mean, your needs in eastern Wyoming are going to be vastly different from eastern Kentucky, right?
And just in those two areas, what you hunt is going to be… diverse:
But enough equivocating. Let’s make it really difficult, and say that you have friends all over the place so at any time you’re likely to get an invitation to join them on a hunt where they live. (But if that makes it too difficult, go ahead and pick three rifles for hunting where you live.)
So you need three truly all-round rifles in your safe, (say) because that’s all you can afford.
Now pick ’em. (My choices are below the fold, but pick yours first.)
Mauser M12 (.243 Win)
The nice thing about the .243 Win is that you can load it with light bullets (for varminting) and heavier ones (for smaller game) — 90gr all the way up to 140gr; same chambering, different applications. Second choice chambering: .22-250 Rem (only because Mauser doesn’t make any rifles in .223 Rem).
Marlin 336 (.30-30)
I’d take the Marlin ahead of the Winchester 94 simply because it’s easier to mount a scope on a 336 than a 94, if needed. Second choice chambering: .44 Magnum, but I’d really rather stick with the .30-30. And why a short lever rifle over a bolt-action? Because it’s lighter and more manageable in forested, hilly terrain. Also, not to pick a lever rifle in a top 3 list seems vaguely un-American.
Mauser M98 Standard (9.3x62mm)
With this rig, I can take any large animal in the lower 48 (and probably even in Alaska and Africa). Second choice chambering: .375 H&H Magnum.
With those three rifles, I would feel confident hunting in almost any terrain, shooting almost any game animal.
Browning X-Bolt in .308 Win. (Close 2nd Alt. Marlin 30-30)
Marlin 1895 in 45-70 Guide gun in stainless steel
Ruger American Rimfire in .22 lr
These are based on where I live (N.E. Oregon) and what I like to hunt (Deer / Elk) or intend to hunt (Alaska) (Boose)
I already have em.
That doesn’t mean I don’t want lot’s more.
Here they are:
Black Rain AR15 5.56
Remington 870 12ga
Ruger 10-22 .22
My next long gun purchase would be a Remington 70 in .308.
Okay, I am going to cheat.
1. My K98 in 8×57 (which is my primary deer/pig gun and just drops everything).
2. My Savage Ml II 22LR – because light game with a 22 is a thing I do
3. And cheat on the last one with a Blazer R8 – and just buy whatever other barrels I need for whatever other hunting might come up.
Got them all already – all in left hand.
Tikka T1X, 22LR
Savage 12, 260 Ackley
Zastava M70 Sporting, 375 H&H
Handloading for the non-rimfires gets me anything I need. If I was restricted to factory ammo, I’d switch the last two to 6.5 Creedmoor and 7mm Mag. Really, a lot of valid choices in the cartridges. 17HMR would do for hunting, but I’d get more practice in with 22LR so let’s just say ‘something rimfire’ for small game & varmint. Something in .25 – 6mm – 6.5mm for heavy varmint to medium game, something .30 or bigger with heavy bullets available for larger animals.
My pre 64 Model 70 in 30-06, probably better glass than I have on it.
Marlin 95 in 45/70.
Anything with decent accuracy and able to shoot heavier loads in 223, probably AR in tactical mode.
I can narrow it down to just two of the rifles I bought ‘way back in the long-ago:
Savage 110, stainless steel w/synthetic stock, in .30-06
Ruger 10/22 with an old Butler Creek folding stock, see-though scope mount, in .22 LR
The .22 would be for any small game (squirrel, woodchuck, etc.) while the .30-06 will take any large game in the lower 48…and while I wouldn’t hunt them with it, I’d feel pretty good about defensive use against a grizzly if I had to after dropping an elk. Here in NW Wyoming it’s just fine for whitetail, mule deer, elk and pronghorn. I’ll admit that my standard 180-grain cartridges are a little droopy for extreme long-distance shooting, but with my current eyesight I can’t make out a good target more than about 250 yards away so that would be my longest shooting distance in any case. The old ‘ought-six is still (in my estimation) one of the best all-around hunting cartridge in the world.
Savage 99 in 250-3000
Remington 700 BDL in 30-06
Sako 85 Alaskan in 375 H&H
Down here in Cajunland, my three:
For big game / distance: 30-06 (M1917 Eddystone)
For medium game / medium distance (brush) / self defense : 7.62×39 (SKS or VZ 52/57)
For small game / throw in the pirogue: 22LR (Ruger 10/22 in stainless steel)
All hunting needs/wants? I’m tossing out game laws because some states allow only shotguns for deer hunting
1) Ruger Model 77 mk II in .30-06. I already have it. It’s generally a Mauser action with controlled feed and the cartridge will handle everything in North America with the right loads. Mine has rifle sights on it and now wears a Leupold scope so that should be adequate for just about everything. I can also put a peep sight on the rear of the receiver if needed. I guess the only North American animal that might not take too kindly to the ’06 is a grizzly bear.
2) Ruger model 77/22 in .22lr this would be my small game and varmint rifle. It’s also a fine understudy for #1 above. My missus has this and it needs to migrate towards my side of ye olde gun locker.
3) Browning Citori 525 O/U 12 gauge. 12 gauge will handle everything from the clay sports fields to the hunting fields. The chamber is 3″ and the choke tubes are interchangeable. I’ll be prepared for birds of all types from ducks and pheasant to geese and turkeys with the right loads and the right distance.
I left off anything for big dangerous game in Africa because the flight turns me off and I’m at the point where hiking and climbing then dragging my game home is enough of a challenge without getting thumped in the shoulder.
Honorable mention cartridges, 7mm-08. I’d love a rifle in this cartridge because it is a mild cartridge with a flat trajectory and can still get the job done. the short action would be more stiff than a long action apparently. Came close to getting a Tikka T3 in the caliber but Cabelas gave me issues. Another honorable mention would be 6.5×55 Swede. If it can take moose and such in Scandanavia, then I’m sure it can be tailored to handle most North American game and it might be more mild than the .30-06.
Honorable mentions for rifles: Classic 1950s pre1964 Winchester Model 70 because that’s been the rifleman’s rifle for ages. I don’t know how the current models compare to the classics. I think they are made in Portugal now. Sako Model 90 or 95 Bavarian has a set trigger on it that is supposed to be amazing but would it be too light for serious hunting/shooting? CZ products are also quite tempting and beautiful rifles.
Gimme blued steel and fine walnut please!! These are works of art even when plain and utilitarian. The wood grain can be quite captivating.
What I have may not be perfect, but I think I’ve got my needs covered well enough that I don’t need (though I may WANT) to buy any more rifles.
Big Game: Weatherby Vanguard in .300 Weatherby. The only North American game I’d hesitate to hunt with this one would be grizzly.
Medium game: Bolt action rifle (drawing a blank on brand) in 7mm-08. It was my daughter’s first deer gun, low on recoil, and with the youth stock replaced by a full size one, it’s a sweet shooter.
Little stuff: Savage Mark II bolt action in .22 LR. A semiauto might be better for this caliber, but I’ve snagged a varmint or two with no problem with this nice little gun.
Of course, should the need to deal with goblins in the house arise, I’d skip the rifles (even my AK, which would actually be a good choice for medium game as well, come to think of it) and unlimber my Akdal MKA 1919 gas operated, semi-automatic shotgun with its 10-round detachable mag and some heavy birdshot.
Strictly for hunting:
-Browning X-bolt .30-06
-AR15 with a 6mm ARC upper
-Marlin Model 60 .22LR
So. I’m going to only assume hunting on the NA continent because I have zero interest in going any further afield these days.
1. Larger Game Rifle. Pre ’64 Winchester Mod 70 in 30.06. Because I own it. It was my grandfathers, then my fathers, and now mine. It’s a good rifle, a reliable rifle, and a better shooter than I honestly have ever become. Leaving the nice piece of glass that I have on it already there and it will do me a solid for anything I could ever want to use it for. A big part of this is because I own it already and know the rifle and how it works well enough to do the job.
2. Woods rifle/deer. Winchester Mod 64. in 30.30 Again, because I own it and I know the rifle.
3. “Dangerous Game” rifle. I used to think that if I were hunting blue helmeted ilk, I would want something like my M1A and would use that. These days, no, that is no longer my choice in any way. I still love my M1A and shoot it from time to time, but she’s a heavy beast, and I don’t really think I would need it for that kind of hunting. I also used to think that in a pinch, my SAR-1 would do me just fine. But for different reasons I no longer think that I would use it for such a reason. The ammo would be a lot less commonly dropped by those who would be targeted by it. So, honestly at this point, I’d likely just pick up one of my AR’s that I already have and use that. Probably my S&W if I’m being honest.
Of course, all those are absolutely hypothetical. I lost all my guns in a boating accident.
Remington 700 BDL in 30-06 I have the economy version in a model 78.
Winchester magazine fed bolt action 22lr I have the Ted Williams version.
AR in 6.8 SPC another one that I have.
Ruger 10/22. Small game and varmints. .22LR is the salt & pepper of gun stuff.
Browning BLR Lightweight in .308 Win. General purpose big game rifle. Almost as accurate as a bolt rifle. It is fairly short (40in), light (6.5 lbs), nearly as good on the plains as it is in the woods. It is a no shit 300 yd rifle for game up to 400 lbs. Even bigger game (think elk) if you keep the range to 200 yds, and use premium controlled expansion bullets
CZ550 Lux in 9.3×62. Because it will kill anything in North America, including grizzly & polar bear. And yet can be used on whitetail.
Only three? This is an eeeeevil game,* but I’ll play.
Small(ish) game. One of my Brno ZKK 601s in calibre .243 Win. Scope to be decided, but the original Carl Zeiss Jena fixed 6×42 scopes that came with these rifles as an option were and still are no slouches. If something more modern were needed, probably a Meopta Optika 5 or Optika 6, which are the best value in optics at the moment, in my opinion. The ZKK 601 with the pop-up iron sights is also quite usable without a scope, in case the optics get stolen, lost or damaged.
With the right loads and proper shot placement, this rifle, cartridge and (original) scope combination will humanely and efficiently dispatch hare, rabbit, fox, raccoon, muntjac, Chinese water deer, roe, fallow and red deer (and their cervid and antelope cousins around the world), mouflon, chamois and boar no problem.
General-purpose. My Ruger American Predator in .308Win, with a Timney trigger, and a Vixen (Japanese) 1.5-6×42 scope with duplex reticle and illuminated centre-point. This is the rifle that most often goes to the field with me. It is short, pretty light, handy, accurate and deadly with 180-grain Winchester Silvertip ammunition, and just all-round nice to use. I have much “fancier” rifles (Ferlacher handmade, Brownings, Blaser R93, for example), but this is the one I usually reach for. If I could choose only one rifle, this would be it.
Heavy game. Not really my cup of tea, but I would take a Brno ZKK 602 out of the safe in either.358 Norma, .375 H&H, or .458 WinMag, depending on the quarry. Carl Zeiss Jena 6x scope as originally supplied is perfectly adequate. I know someone who hunts everything from foxes to red stags with one chambered in 9.3x62mm Mauser, to which the .375 H&H is very similar.
Thanks for the fun hypothetical. Looking forward to reading lots more answers…
*Because this is an eeevil game, I want to pick a fourth rifle from the vault, which would not be out of place in this lineup, at least for short-ish distances: a Brno ZKM-611 .22 Magnum autoloader. .22Mag is a nasty piece of work within its distance limitations, and is not known as a poachers’ favourite for nothing. Plus, it is a *lovely* rifle.
Matching most of the rest here.
Light – 17HMR – Volquartsen – modified 10/22 mag.
Medium – 7mm-08 – call it a modified Rem700
Heavy- 45-70 – Henry lever-action
Already have :
Winchester M70 in .375 H&H
Weatherby Vanguard 30-06
Bushmaster Varminter .223
I’m set.
And if there’s a need to go to extreme range there’s the Savage .338 Lapua.