5 firearms to keep

roysclockgun

Handloader
Dec 17, 2005
736
1
I have not seen it done this year, so let's do it. If your collection of firearms had to be pared down to only five, what five would it be. Include caliber and a short explanation of why that firearm must be on your list.

I am primarily a hunter. My hunting experiences began in the 1940s, when my Dad and three of his brothers came home from WWII. My earliest hunting experience was of walking behind them, carrying a couple of rabbits that they had shot. My feet were cold and the rabbits got heavy, but I felt that I was a crucial part of the hunting party. The passion to go afield with firearms only got stronger, as I got older.

A part of my reason for choosing some of these firearms is that I have lots of ammo for that piece, and/or loading components. So here goes.

(1) Browning Stainless Stalker in 280Rem, topped with a Zeiss variable scope. I went through many rifles and calibers over the years. I really like this combo for taking game animals, and hope to die while still owning it.

(2) An old AR15 sporter with the triangle fore stock. I can hand load for this one also, but I bought several thousand surplus Israeli cartridges when they were ten cents a piece. While my FN FAL has better knockdown power, the AR15 is my choice for survival when society breaks down. Plus it is a hoot to fire and fills in on varmints when I have to get rid of my 22-250 bolt rifle.

(3) US M1 Rifle. Again I hand load 30-06 and have cans of ammo on hand, bought when surplus M2 Ball was very inexpensive. Definitely the rifle to have in hand when the terrorists come down the front street. Been firing one since Basic Training and can still shoot it all day and not get sore. The M1 Rifle, for me, is a natural pointer. The 30-06 round will take out just about anything, if you do your part.

(4) Remington 870 in 12 ga. can be used on any game bird or bad guy and won't jam. Looking down the business end of a 12 ga. is definitely a deterrent for anyone wanting to come into my house uninvited. Have multiple barrels, so very versatile. It is the only gun with which I took triples on quail and shot 25 straight on trap.

(5) The handgun. An old Hartford made Colt M1927 45ACP. I can hear you moan. My 45 is an outdated piece that belongs in a museum. The only thing I can say is that at the range, it comes up very nicely at combat ranges, not over 20 yards, I can put 8 rounds, center of mass, into a man sized target. No where near world class shooting, but it gets done what I want it to do and those rounds will take down a man wearing any sort of body armor.

Okay, those are my choices. What are yours?

Steven L. Ashe
 
If I could only have 5......

1) 12ga Remington 11/87 3” with 28” barrel. This shotgun could do it all.

2) Ruger 10/22 compact with 2-7 leupold. Could do 90% of my small game with this rifle.

3) Remington 700 custom in 300 RUM with leupold 3.5-10x50. My main hunting rifle, near or far it kills everything in front of it with style.

4) AR15 flat top carbine in 223, but would like a few other caiber uppers!

5) lightweight 270 winchester with either 6x or 3-9 lightweight leupy, with 1-8 twist barrel. You need something light and medium powered for hiking and deer/caribou sized game.

I couldn’t think of a worse thing than being limited in how many guns I could own.
 
Only 1?
I shudder at the thought.

1) Ruger 10/22
2) Winchester .338 Win Mag
3) AR15
4) Model 58 .41 Magnum
5) Remington 870

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<shudder> a cold chill went down my spine.

I'd definitely keep my Nosler 48/300WSM. Can't imagine I'd need anything else for any big game hunting I'd ever do.

My Benelli M2- I'd hang on to that.

I'd keep a .22 bolt action sporter for sure- which one? Who knows, it'd depend on the day and the mood but my CZ 452 would be a really consideration.

I can't think of much I'd "need" beyond those. I'd likely hold onto my Steyr Scout just cause I like it and it's handy

I'd probably also want a handgun of some variety- I've had a pile of them. I could probably pick one at random and be pretty happy.

If I could pick up something new for the list, it'd likely be a Thompson Encore...with a grip of barrels in a variety!
 
S&W Shield 9mm
Protecting the home front comes first

Mossberg 500 12 gauge.
Got to have a shotgun

Winchester 70 Stainless/Synthetic 30.06
With the right load will do anything I need to do in the wild

Thompson Contender w/14" 44 Magnum barrel for when I want to go small

Winchester 141 22LR
Gotta have a 22 and I like bolt actions.


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Alright here goes -

Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless in .30-06 with a Leupold VX-2 3x9x40mm scope on top.

T/C New Englander .50 caliber Muzzleloader

Rossi M62A .22 L.R.

Ruger Vaquero 45 L.C.

Remington Model 700 in .25-06 with Leupold VX-1 4x12x40mm scope.

Don't need a shotgun as I don't do enough bird hunting anymore, and yes I could get by with only one handgun.

These are my 5.

Dale
 
I'd have a hard time choosing between a couple of them so for the most part I based it on use but I hardly ever shoot a pistol despite owning 5 of them.

Colt Anaconda .44mag
Benelli SBEII
6.5-300wm
7-300wm
.375-.358STA I don't use this one much anymore but I've shot a lot of stuff with it and you never know when you need a big gun to get things done. Or if another trip to Africa/Alaska is in order. I could easily substitute my .416 Rem Mag in here as well.

And a few of these might change this year as I have a couple builds in the works that might replace the 6.5-300wm and 7-300wm with a 6.5x68 Imp and a 300wsm or 30-338 Norma Imp.
 
Ruger 10-22 topped with a Leupold 2x7

Colt Ar-15; Eotec optic;

Ruger mdl 77. 30/06 I've owned the rifle for nearly 50 years, she's never let me down and still sub moa.

Benelli m2; 12 gauge;

Springfield 1911; carried it on the job carry it when I'm off.
I very well may swap out the ar for the .375
 
For long term survival, I would want a good, solid flintlock long gun smooth bore in .70 cal. After all modern ammo is gone and components needed to hand load are also gone, one would need a flintlock. Black powder is always around, as it is a simple process to produce it. Beyond the powder, one could load and fire most anything, to include pebbles and/or bits of metal, to be effective, at least at short range.

A while back, I read of a gang banger who tightly rolled a magazine to 12 ga., then taped it up. He epoxied a piece of sharp steel to the primer of a shotgun cartridge and "loaded" the cartridge into his "periodical gun". He stood against a brick or concrete wall and when his enemy appeared in front of him, he slammed the "gun" into the wall, thus getting ignition and a good, close range spread of shot. Then, either run fast or have another "periodical gun" at ready.
 
Good grief - don't tell my wife I could get it all done with only FIVE GUNS! :shock:

Guy
 
A 1911
A semi auto shotgun
A 22 rifle
A bolt action
An AR

Cartridges each would chambered in is the dilema. Probably 45, 12g, 22 as stated, 308, and 223.
 
Guy Miner":84fbi9mv said:
Good grief - don't tell my wife I could get it all done with only FIVE GUNS! :shock:

Guy

Bingo! Can't believe I would be reduced to such a condition in the near future! :shock: :grin:
 
Keep weapons I already have;

a .45 1911, an 870 shotgun, a .22 semi-auto pistol, a big-bore rifle, and maybe an AR.

Just sayin',
 
I seriously thought about this and have to agree with Guy, Dr Mike, and Dewey.

I have more than five "sentimental" firearms, plus "collectables" and none of the firearms in these two groups, are the ones I would hunt with.
 
I have a new "favorite" gun each time I pull the trigger. It's kinda the flavor of the week deal for me I couldn't bear thinking about that possibility.
 
Remington 1100 Trap -- Used for shooting clays (30" raised rib barrel) or birds (26" barrel with removable chokes). I put a lot more rounds thru a shotgun shooting trap than hunting birds, so this works well for me.

Semi-Auto .22 mag -- Everyone needs a good "plinking" gun. I like the .22 mag a little better than the .22 LR -- makes my circle of influence with the ground squirrels a little larger in the bigger pastures.

6.5 Creedmoor in a bolt-action rifle -- My "do everything" gun. Great rifle for deer, coyotes, and wolves. Can shoot it fast and flat for varmints, or slow and stable when playing with long range targets.

Savage 99 lever action .308 -- Sentimental favorite. My first rifle -- handed down from Dad 40+ years ago. My daughter started carrying it this year. (It's also fun to shoot -- can put a lot of lead in the air on a running coyote...)

30.06 in a bolt-action rifle -- Sentimental favorite #2. Dad's rifle -- he had it built to hunt with me when he gave me the .308 way back when. Will be the rifle I carry when my daughter starts chasing elk around.
 
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