I subscribe to the small, medium, and large school of thought for center fire bolt rifles.

Small: Prairie dogs and predators I use a Browning A-Bolt Stalker in .223 Rem with a 22” barrel. Scope is a Nikon Monarch 4x16x42mm.

Medium: Pronghorn, whitetails, mule deer, hogs, and goats I use a Sako 75 Finnlight in .308 Win with a 24” SS Douglas air gauged barrel. Scope is a Zeiss Conquest 4.5x14x44mm.

Large: Elk, caribou, moose, and bear I use a Weatherby Accumark in .300 Wby mag with a 26” barrel. Scope is a Zeiss Conquest 4.5x14x44mm

All of my bolt guns have short bolt throws, smooth bolt travel, correct action lengths, adjustable triggers, full bolt shrouds, and synthetic stocks. Two of the three have SS barrels with the A-Bolt having a matte finish.


Small game: Squirrel, rabbits, rodents, etc would be a .22LR. I use a Ruger 10/22 open sights.

Extra Large: Dangerous game would be a big magnum that was a .4xx something. I never plan on it so haven’t given it much thought.

My current rifle line up is :

Savage 93 in 22 WMR, 21 inch barrel
H&R single shot in 243 Win, 24 inch bull barrel
Weatherby S2 in 25-06, 24 inch barrel, sub-moa
H&R single shot in 280 Rem, 26 inch barrel

If I went on a Moose hunt I would like to have a 325 WSM
If I hand loaded I would have a 25-Rem 6.5 mm mag AI ( 40 degree's )

Small game-compound bow
Up to and including deer - 6mmbr in a REM700
Deer and up - 280 Ackley in a Rem700

I don't do much small game hunting. So i'll try with my bow.
Hmmm, i may have to move the 6br to include elk, i believe it has enough energy to be legal for hunting elk in Colorado.

Small Game-Savage 22 or 17 hmr with nikon bdc reticle scope
Varmint/Predator-ar-15 with nikon scope
Deer-Savage weather warrior rifle of any caliber with nikoplex reticle for long range and 30-30 marlin lever for short range
Hogs-12 gauge slug
Bear-Savage 300 mag
Elk-Savage 300 mag
Moose-Savage 300 mag

Small game 77/22
Varmint/predator M77 220 Swift
Pronghorn M77 7X57
Deer M77 7X57, 350 Rem Mag
Sheep/Goat M77 7X57
Bear dogs or bait M94 Win 45 Colt, spot & stalk M77 7X57, 350 Rem Mag
Elk M77 350 Rem Mag
Moose M77 350 Rem Mag

Gotta like a fella that lists the fine .350 RM that many times!!

__________________
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote
a blank check made payable to "The United States of
America" for an amount of 'up to and including my life.
That is honor, and there are way too many people in this
country who no longer understand it.

Small Game - Ruger 10/22 .22LR
Varmint/Predator - AR15 14.5" 5.56x45
Pronghorn - H&R 340 (com Mauser 98) in .308 Win
Deer - Marlin 1894S in .41 Mag/M1 Garand .30 Govt
Sheep/Goat - H&R 340 (com Mauser 98) in .308 Win
Hogs - Marlin 1894S in .41 Mag
Black Bear - Marlin 1894S in .41 Mag
Elk - H&R 340 (com Mauser 98) in .308 Win
Moose -H&R 340 (com Mauser 98) in .308 Win


CD

__________________
De Oppresso Liber
Iraq: 91',03',04',05',06',08' & 09'
Afghanistan: 09',10' & 11'

Small Game - .22 LR, 10/22 & MKII pistol
Varmint/Predator - .257 Roberts M77
Pronghorn - .257 Roberts & .280 Remington M77
Deer - .257 Roberts & .280 Remington & 35 Whelen M77
Sheep/Goat - .280 Remington M77
Hogs - .280 Remington & 35 Whelen M77 & 44 mag Super BlackHawk
Black Bear - .280 Remington & 35 Whelen M77 & 44 mag Super BlackHawk
Elk - .280 Remington & 35 Whelen M77
Moose -35 Whelen M77

Shoot straight and shoot often
GF

.22 Hornet
250 - 300 in a good bolt rifle, 24 in bbl.
Miroku 92 in .45 LC for everything else.

why make it difficult ?

__________________
"Life's tough ... it's even tougher if you're stupid " .... John Wayne

OnWard .... the OL' OutLaw

OK here it goes as I am now running

22PPC Remy 700 Varmint rifle
270 WSM Winny for long range hunting Deer >300 yds
but for a carry rifle my new Pup 7mm/6.5 Rem Mag
356, 358, or my 350 Rem Mag for larger game up close and personal <300 yds
340 Weatherby Mag for the Long Range larger game

and don't forget the Muzzleloader season

45 caliber Savage w/ 60gr H-4198 and any choice of bullet

16 gauge double for upland game
22 MAG for varmints & coyotes
243 for antelope
30-30 for deer with foothills & forests
.308 for everything else

TR

A. .22 Hornet, Brno ZKW465.

B. .308 Win, Winchester 88
.348 Win, Winchester 71
8x57IR/ 16 Ga, German Drilling by Gustav Raetzel, Berlin.

Pete

__________________
...don't count out lever guns such as the Winchester Model 88. This rig, chambered to .308 Win, will handle nearly any deer situation.

264 Winchester Mag for all listed 85gr to 160 bullets

Ruger Number 1.

.257 Roberts
30-06
.375 Holland and Holland

If I ever had to sell and downsize, these are the ones Id keep and use.

__________________
Be popular? Heck, I have enough friends.
and...
"That way lies madness".

Ummmmmmmmm! There was a time in my life when 1-GUN did it all Gents!
A .270 Winchester was my answer to 1 gun (poorman) hunts all things.

Small Game: 16ga with Poly Choke for rabbits, squirrels and birds.

Varmints/Predators (coyotes): .223 and 25-06

Deer: .44mag & 1895 Marlin in .444 caliber

Bear: Model 70 Winchester .375-Weatherby

Elk: Model 70 Winchester .338 Win mag

Moose: Model 70 Winchester .338 Win mag

Small Game - 22 long rifle
Varmint/Predator - 223, 6mm, 25-06
Pronghorn - 6mm, 25-06, 270, 280, 7x57
Deer (depending on where you live it can be short-long range) - 6mm???, 25-06??, 270??, 280, 30-06, 358, 7x57 -- cast bullets 44 mag, 444 marlin, 45-70, 45-90
Sheep/Goat 280
Hogs 30-06
Bear 338, 350 -what kind? Black would be different than White
Elk 338, 350 depending on location
Moose - 338, 350 depending on location