Why have multiple rifles of same caliber?

FOTIS

Range Officer
Staff member
Oct 30, 2004
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I never understood the allure of having 3 270's or 5 30-06's. Can anyone explain? :?:
 
Had three .308's at one point:

1. Model 70 match rifle, all custom, 30" Krieger barrel. Built for NRA Highpower & Palma competition to 1000 yards. Not really suitable for much of anything else, but great at those things.

2. Rem 700 VS w/24" Krieger barrel, McMillan stock. Built specifically for SWAT use. I also use it for hunting from time to time (though it's a little heavy) and also for match shooting.

3. Browning BLR w/20" barrel. Excellent general purpose hunting rifle - but I think it would fall flat on its face if I tried to use it in competition...

Same cartridge. Three very different rifles for three different uses.
 
Doesn't every red blooded American aspire to have a 30-06 for every day of the week?

Seriosly though, my military collectables aside (gotta have one rifle in every configuration/arsenal/interesting features), I can see the allure of having one all purpose round serviced in at least 3 configurations. Use 30-06 as an example. One could have a heavy bolt action with good glass and a nice barrel for LR big game hunting, a plain jane Savage Model 11 for general purpose, bad weather and to loan to friends and also a 30-06 stainless all weather mountain rifle for packing into the back country. I think I could justify those 3 to the wife by espousing on the savings on dies and reloading equiptment loading just one caliber.

I definately see the logic in having 2 in the same caliber zeroed to the same load to have a spare rifle on a hunt. Stuff happens, easier logistics if I just have to drag along one box of ammo.
 
Guy I understand what you're saying. I am talking guys having like 4 or 5 sporters in XXX caliber.
 
It's pretty easy to do when you build your own. I just built a 7-300wm on a #5 contour for hiking and I have another barrel in a AMU contour for long range accuracy. The #5 is accurate but it's easier to shoot heavier guns more accurately IMO. I had 3 STW's at one time too. I almost always build 2 of something for some reason.
 
Back when I was collecting pre '64 model 70s, I had variations of them in the same caliber, although not shooting hardly any of the more valuable ones. Upon reviewing my old records, I had 8 stds. in .300 H&H at one time 8) .

I also had a couple of Brownings and a few 721 Remingtons in that caliber!
 
I'm working my way toward that concept for a couple of reasons.

One- I've got multiple immediate famliy members that now hunt with me and I occasionally need to lend rifles to hunting partners for a specific hunt (generally coming from the L48, just easier to let them hunt my rifles than have them drag one up here).

Two- Logistics- just easier to stock/load/transport/keep up with a relative few cartridges than a whole bunch. On my family's big hunting trip this year we had 4 centerfire rifles, 2 rimfires and 2 shotguns- all in different chambers. That's eight boxes of ammo to keep up with. If we all had an '06- we could have had just one box and had cartridges to spare. If we all had a 12ga. (or a 20) we could have had just two boxes of ammo- one rifle and one shotgun. We'd probably have left the .22s are home in hindsight.

Doesn't seem like a big deal until you try to move it all 30mi into the backcountry.
 
Sorry Hodge but I have never seen a bunch of 30-06's shoot accurately with the same load.
 
FOTIS":10h5eg0j said:
Sorry Hodge but I have never seen a bunch of 30-06's shoot accurately with the same load.

Depends on your definition of accurate... 1", 2" or 4"

Moose are pretty big... :lol:
 
OK on Moose just about anything will work.
 
If you regard a rifle as a tool, kind of like a garden rake or wheelbarrow, it makes no sense at all. But if you like rifle design and rifle history it makes plenty of sense to me. That's why I have four Krags and a Winchester 95, all different and all in 30-40. Of course I don't have a wife to remind me to be practical about my gun buying.
 
duckcreekdick"...................... Of course I don't have a wife to remind me to be practical about my gun buying.[/quote said:
A ha! :mrgreen:
 
I had 2 30-06's, a M700 BDL and a M742 Carbine.
Sold them both.

JD338
 
I have two .280s--it just happened. I had three .356s, and gave one to my hunting partner. I just like Model 94s. I have two .307s. Again, I just like Model 94s. However, I only have one 30-06. :grin: I can't justify my predilection to owning multiple rifles chambered in the same cartridge. In fact, it is impossible to justify my predilection. I just like some rifles and some cartridges. As long as I can smuggle them into the gun room, I suppose I'll keep buying.
 
I currently have (3) model 70' s in .270 win. At one time I had 4. Classic stainless, classic supergrade, and a 1949 currently sit in the gun room.

I think for me it comes down to this:

I love model 70's and I love the 270 win.

I now have three daughters and I hope to one day give them each one to keep. I guess that means I need one more so dear old Dad has a rifle to use :)
 
Well, being on the verge of building another 250 savage...(I may or may not ) but there aint more than a whisker of difference between it and the 243 and I may do it anyway. One has a lot of sentiment but a marginal trigger , a poor safety, and is a long action that dosent feed that short case well. So hopefully, one will "work" and I'll mostly polish the other. Oh, but the one I "polish" will shoot cloverleafs..... See my problem :roll: :evil: ? CL
 
I have two Wby 340s, one Mag-Na-Ported and one with a brake. The Mag-Na-Ported one may get sold.

Two 7mm Wbys, one is my stainless and the other is a Lazermark that is my "wallhanger" as my hunting partner says. Hardly counts as I'm not sure I will ever use the Lazermark. It is on its way back from the Weatherby Custom shop after being reblued.

Two 300 Wbys in the safe right now, though I've never shot either one. They're on the "project" list, and available if/when my son would go elk hunting with me at some time. One was a gift, the other a backup rifle we didn't end up using. Long story.

Dad has four 7mm Wby rifles; his original stainless, then an ULW, then a Japanese one with a snow camo stock, and then a Sako in 7mm Wby he's never shot but bought because the price was right and he likes 7mm Wby. :shock: We've discussed buying one of the Remingtons in 7mm Wby but Dad's not a fan of 90 degree bolt lifts or 24 inch barrels so it hasn't happened.

I'm wondering why the guy who swaps rifles more than some people swap underwear is asking why some of us have more than one of the same caliber. :mrgreen:
 
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