Who subscribes to the 'one rifle' lifestyle?

Since targets vary in size and distance, both paper and animals, I choose to prepare accordingly; and I don't have to carry all of them at the same time!

Of course I "could live" with only one centerfire rifle (and if I "had to" it would be chambered in 30-06, and of my current rifles it would be my Tikka T3 lite because then I figure that I would be carrying it); however, I don't choose to limit myself to only one and enjoy having a variety of rifles for a variety of reasons and applications.

I like target rifles. I like hunting rifles. I like light rifles. I like heavy rifles. I like small cartridges. I like large cartridges. I like wood stocks. I like synthetic stocks. (I think you can see where this is headed...) But above all else, I like accurate rifles. Not accurate, not in my safe for long.
 
If I had to pick but one iron sighted centerfire rifle to use the rest of my days it would be the BLR in .308.
 
1974 Shiloh Sharps in 40-70 Sharps Straight it is my do all rifle.Cast bullets(230grs-430grs) That I make and some black powder. Plink(200m) or out to 550yds groups you cover with one hand on a nice day. I have 17 other rifles in different cartridges and configurations. None do as consistently well as my 40-70 SS.None of my rifles have had more load development by me for my rifle and cartridges shot by me.The cartridge taught me how to really shoot and made me more "accountable" for cold bore shots in all types of weather.It is the one cartridge that let me learn the rest of long range shooting and everything else easier.Very fond of this rifle and cartridge brass can be made from 30-40 Krag, 405 Win. but is easily obtained from internet outlets. There is smokeless load data that I have never played with as B/P provides superior ballistics for this cartridge and heavier cast bullets accuracy was easily obtained 5 different bullet molds.Only rifle I would own if only one.
 
Longranger: that's some awesome trigger pulling there! I hope to be that good one day. You bring up a topic I'm really interested in. Cold bore shots. The more I use my rifle the more important I realize that is. Bravo, sir.

L_killkenny: what was this rifle you built? Details man! Pics even better. :D

So far seems the concensus is a bolt action rifle, light (er) weight in the grand 'ole 30-06 (one of my favorites) or .308. A couple mentions of 6.5 Swede too, which I also have a soft spot for. Another for .223 which in the right area (one minus big furry angry animals) makes good sense. Super widespread ammunition acceptance & not too pricey.

Thanks for your input. Keep the comments going!
 
I'm moving in that direction. I could do everything I need to do with one of my bolt rifles. My pick if just one would be my 308's, but most anything from 243 up to any of the 300 mags would do depending on the game likely to be encountered along with personal preference.

The problem with actually getting down to 1 rifle is that I own 4-5 with too much sentimental value to part with. Even though they haven't been out of the safe in years.
 
I would HATE to have to.:(:(

that said, if the decision were today and I could sell the others, it would have to be a .308.

And, THAT said, I think I'd be deliberating for years between my Garand M1 in .308 and my Savage 99F in .308.:confused:

However, I use handguns for more shooting than rifles, so it wouldn't be AS sad as " which ONE centerfire handgun would you stick with if you had to?":(
 
In the US I have a safe jammed full of rifles. My intention is to have every model of every rifle I think I have an interest in so that when I retire I can weed my way through them without having to spend my retirement funds to find what I really want.

Living here in Japan I am slowly making my way through the process to getting a hunting license which means I will be restricted to shotgun only for the first ten years. Once I have passed the ten year mark I can start the process for a rifle - and will be a "one rifle" hunter at that point.

Having thought long (I mean really long) and hard about it I have decided what I want will be a Mauser action in 7mm '08 Rem. 22" medium weight barrel. Fancy walnut stock. I will be building it in the US and exporting it to a dealer here.

Lots of down-sides to hunting in Japan. The up-side? : No limits on deer. Hunt any day of the year and take as many as you want. Bucks, does, whatever. The country-side is infested with them since few people have any interest in either hunting or jumping through the hoops to be able to hunt.
 
I've been a "one rifle" guy for many years. Certainly nothing wrong with having a whole arsenal (I used to have at least six, most of the time), but I have learned that ONE will do. Simpler to maintain, reload for, much easier to get good with, etc. Just simpler all 'round.

As for reliability, as mentioned by other(s).....no problem there. My one rifle is a Mauser....and you CAN'T get more reliable than that.
 
I like rifles, I have more than I need but less than I want.

I have a Gunsite Scout, and its sweet. But if I could only have one? My M1A hands down.

To me though, .308 is the perfect caliber.
 
If we take a .22LR as a given then I am sticking to one CF rifle: my .308 CZ550.

Partly by choice and partly by decree.

I could buy another, but my gun cabinet's specs mean that, by law, I would need to buy a new, beefier cabinet were I to want a new gun. I am at my cabinet's capacity limit under current regulations.
That is the decree part.

I would therefore need to sell something else to make space and I am not prepared to do that.
That is the choice part.

Otherwise a semi auto rifle would be my choice: a CZ 858, or an AR platform of some kind.
 
Up until about 26 years old I only had one .22 and it was a junker and a 7.7mm Arisaka rifle... Ammo for the Arisaka was expensive but I had 2 boxes of brass and a Lee loader. Then I got a good paying job and within 2 years, I had 5 more rifles. Now I'm up to around 30 and I'm not going back to one rifle until I'm too old to shoot them and then they will be passed out to my grandkids...

Tony
 
I could buy another, but my gun cabinet's specs mean that, by law, I would need to buy a new, beefier cabinet were I to want a new gun. I am at my cabinet's capacity limit under current regulations.
Click to expand...

It seems obvious, then, that a new and bigger gun cabinet (safe?) should be on your near future shopping list. ;)
 
One rifle

I have one for deer way out there. One for deer up close. One for elk. One for behind the seat of the truck. one for the closet. one for the bedroom. one for the wife's car. one for the safe. one for fun. one for coyotes. I lots of one guns
 
I currently only own one rifle: a sporterized Mauser built by my grandfather.
It has a lightweight laminate thumbhole stock so it's handy and easy to carry, it shoots a 1" rested group at 100 yards despite the bolt and receiver being about 110 years old, and is chamber in 8MM Mauser, which is enough gun to take anything in NA (it's similar in power to a 30-06.)

However, I have no doubt there will be more in my future. Gotta have an AR someday...
 

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Bolts, and levers. Sdmi-autos and break opens. Milsurps and comercial sporters. Custom mauser target/varmenter, and a few evil black rifles.
Like I tell my wife, ever see a golfer with one club in his bag? :D
 
I have known a number of people who had only one gun, a rifle; they hunted deer and that was it. No plinking, no target shooting, no self defense, no nothing. They might fire a couple of shots before deer season to "sight in" the rifle, and if they hit a pumpkin at 50 feet they told everyone how good a shot they were. A box of ammo might last five or six years, maybe more if they didn't spot a deer that year.

Jim
 
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