Your long gun purchasing philosophy

[acarnahan]

I started out just as a pistol guy (exception was a 10/22) and only in the last year did I start shooting rifles for fun. I've got a mosin & AR15 which are both a blast to shoot. My question is along this line. Do you believe in having multiple rifles in the same caliber? Same action/same caliber like two AR15s or would you have a bolt action & a semi auto? My thought is that I'd like to keep a somewhat minimal set of calibers, so I was looking into another .223 and was thinking of a bolt action rather than something like a mini-14 or another AR. Just thought I'd see what others think of when building their rifle arsenal.

obviously I think it will be a lot of personal preference, so your thoughts may be to buy it solely cause it looks cool and believe me I've thought of that when looking at rifles as well.

 

[mikerccie]

I started out just as a pistol guy (exception was a 10/22) and only in the last year did I start shooting rifles for fun. I've got a mosin & AR15 which are both a blast to shoot. My question is along this line. Do you believe in having multiple rifles in the same caliber? Same action/same caliber like two AR15s or would you have a bolt action & a semi auto? My thought is that I'd like to keep a somewhat minimal set of calibers, so I was looking into another .223 and was thinking of a bolt action rather than something like a mini-14 or another AR. Just thought I'd see what others think of when building their rifle arsenal.

obviously I think it will be a lot of personal preference, so your thoughts may be to buy it solely cause it looks cool and believe me I've thought of that when looking at rifles as well.

I try to get the best gun I can afford in each "role", I have a long AR and a shorty AR. I like the mini-14 so I have a pretty one and a folder.

I focus on the role and planned usage way before caliber.

 

[littletommy]

With the cheap but powerful ammo and relatively low cost of Mosins and AKs, that is what I have chosen to sink my gun money into, aside from my EDC handgun. I'm not much into ARs, but that's just me, and they are fine weapons. I love Ruger products, and mini 14s are way cool, but the mag prices are a killer for me. I buy mags for my AKs at least 10 at a time, I wouldn't want to, or be able to do that with a mini14.

 

[indykid]

Bought firearms because they looked cool. Bought firearms because I thought they would be cool to have. Bought because they were priced too low to pass up! Bought just for the heck of it.

It's an addiction!

 

[sgreen3]

Bought firearms because they looked cool. Bought firearms because I thought they would be cool to have. Bought because they were priced too low to pass up! Bought just for the heck of it.

It's an addiction!

^^^^THIS^^^^^

 

[gunman41mag]

If the rifle is a good deal & it "TICKLE my PICKLE" i'll buy it

 

[Fordtough25]

I'm the same way, if the price is right and I like it why not. As far as consolidating calibers, I used to think that but I ended up way far away from that goal. Oh well, it's fun.

 

[snowman]

I understand you concern when it comes to buying to many different calibers. I try to do that as well, but I stoped buying new rifle calibers when I have five different ones, 5.56, .308, 30-06, 7.62x39 and 7.62x54r. (I dont want to talk about how many pistol calbers I have, it is a pain to buy for all thoes different sizes.) Here's the sad part, I realy want a 300 win mag, to reach out a long way. So, I will likely break my own rule soon.

If you just keep it limited to a few, you'll be good to go. It does allow you to get different types of rifles, that can fit different senarios or needs. Personaly, I think you need an AK next. Whatever you decide to do, get something that is high on your "cool" meter.

 

[redpitbull44]

I try to get the best gun I can afford in each "role".

This.
I need a pistol for bad breath distance, I need one that will do it's part reliably to 50 yards. I need a shotgun and buckshot combo that will reach out to 50 yards lethally, and a slug that will do 100yd.

I need a rifle for out to 300yd, this role is filled by a VZ 2008 in 7.62x39 (but could easily be any intermediate cartridge). I need another rifle/ cartridge good out to 800yd. I trust .308 for this. Beyond that, and out to ~1500m, I am going to count on .300 win mag. Of course at that point I could make the jump to .50bmg, or another trustworthy long range cartridge/rifle combo, such as the .408 Chey Tac. What you have to realize is, in Indiana, you are either going to be fighting 50yd on in, or out past 300yd. Think cities/ suburbs, forest and fields.

What you need to do is assess what your shooting capabilities, fighting style, and budget allow for. I mean, if you are not skilled enough to make hits past 300yd, then you don't need much more than 7.62x39, 5.56, 5.45x39, or similar. On the same note, the further away you can take your target down, the better. I think having one reliable, accurate rifle per able bodied adult, for each range you are likely to encounter is a smart idea. There are times when it becomes impractical to concern yourself with lugging around 2 rifles, a pistol, and maybe even a shotgun.

If I had to pick just one rifle cartridge, it would probably be .308. It will do everything you need it to, out to 1000m.
One rifle? At this point, it appears I have chosen the HK G3. I do like the POF P308 though...

As for handgun cartridge: 45acp.
Shotgun? I like Winchester 16 pellet #1 buck, and Winchester 1oz rifled slugs.

 

[Psode27]

Bought firearms because they looked cool. Bought firearms because I thought they would be cool to have. Bought because they were priced too low to pass up! Bought just for the heck of it.

It's an addiction!

Agree 100%! Now I am trying to have more purpose, weed out un-needed duplicates (yes, there are some NEEDED duplicates...). Any commercial rifle will be .308 or .223 unless I get a really wild hair... I have started to limit calibers. If I could start all over I wouldn't do too much differently rifle wise, I keep 7.62x39, 7.62x54, .308,30-06, 5.45x39, and .223. While that isn't real streamlined, my heart is in milsurps so that's kinda hard... This doesn't count pistol caliber carbines right?

 

[03A3]

I have a little Ruger .223 compact/lightweight bolt action that is a handy little rifle to pack around and is a pretty good shooter. It's nice to have if you walk alot coyote hunting ect.
I like 10.5" and 20" AR's. That's a pretty extreme difference, but they serve different purposes. I have a few @ 16" AR's and my favorite 16" is the Colt pencil barrel flat top.
I have too many calibers. For example I don't have alot of use for a heavy barrel .25-06, except for really hammering coyotes at extended ranges. I really doubt that I'll ever hunt antelope ect. It's just one more to buy/keep components for and to maintain. I often look at some of this stuff and wonder why I keep it.
I used to be heavy into precision rifles, but that has fell to the wayside. But if I sell off my stuff I will no doubt be out buying it again in few years when my interests change again.
The only solution I could see was to buy a bigger safe.

 

[gunowner930]

I don't hunt and currently only have 2 rifles. a 5.56x45 chambered 16 in AR and a mosin nagant 91/30 7.62x54r, that's mostly due to my current budget, there will be more in the future including .308/7.62x51. I use the AR as an HD weapon and a potential SHTF defensive weapon. The mosin is a fun toy and in my opinion is the best $100ish firearm available. Next up will be either a .308 scoped bolt gun or a semi-auto .22 LR plinker.

I'm not too concerned with what a firearm looks like that I'm interested in, instead I look at what do I need or what would be fun to shoot? I think the SCAR H is hideous, but I'd love to have one.

 

[Shadow]

I thought that way for a long time ---one cal. for both my hand guns and rifles. Well i can honestly admit --------------------it didnt work ,like everyone says its a addiction and the only cure is to buy more.

 

[dom1104]

I broke my needs down into 5 long arms.

1. General Purpose Rifle
2. Long Range Rifle
3. PDW
4. Pump Shotgun
5. Semi Auto Shotgun

1, 2, 4, and 5 are used in IDPA 3 Gun, 3 will stay at the house permanently.

Here is how I filled those slots.

1. 16" Daniel Defense Lightweight 12.0 FSPM w/ fixed sights and Aimpoint Micro + UBR. Full up milspec rifle from a great maker, with the exception of a Geissele SD3G trigger. It also will be fitted with a suppressor when it arrives.
2. 20" Krieger barreled S-DMR style gun w/ Geissele HiSpeed Service Match trigger, A1 stock, A4 upper, detachable NM service rifle carry handle. <building this one now>
3. Have not come up with a decent option for a PDW.
4. Remington Wingmaster 21" vent rib barrel W/ extention tube, CDW light mount, and speedfeed hardware. Perfection.
5. Benelli M2 Field 24" w/ extension tube.

Other than possibly a .458 SOCOM upper for hunting, <which I almost hate to do, as similar as it is to slug shooting, just getting a rifled barrel for the Benelli makes as much sense>

Thats all I need.

 

[malern28us]

I never pass up a good deal on a firearm that I can afford. It will always make a good trade/barter item if I am desperate.
I do believe that a good idea would be to have at least 2 firearms that are very common calibers (I.e. 30-06, .308, 5.56, 9mm etc.)
I do think it would be more important to keep a spare of every moving part for you particular firearm of choice if SHTF. Otherwise, you are just carrying a crappy club. I sure hope that all of the people that have their$ 200 trigger assemblies have spares or have something that I want in trade when they need one of my stock triggers so they can shoot.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

My large calber rifle: Mosin 91/59
My go to rifle: Maadi ARM
My tack driver: Bushamster XM15 M4
My long range rifle: Savage edge .223

 

[dom1104]

I never pass up a good deal on a firearm that I can afford. It will always make a good trade/barter item if I am desperate.
I do believe that a good idea would be to have at least 2 firearms that are very common calibers (I.e. 30-06, .308, 5.56, 9mm etc.)
I do think it would be more important to keep a spare of every moving part for you particular firearm of choice if SHTF. Otherwise, you are just carrying a crappy club. I sure hope that all of the people that have their$ 200 trigger assemblies have spares or have something that I want in trade when they need one of my stock triggers so they can shoot.

I agree with this 100%.

A spare of every moving part is easy to do with AR15s, especially if you have 2 or 3 lowers.

Not to mention LPKs are easy to get, and people with 200 dollar triggers <like me> always have the original trigger assembly in the ol range bag for the exact reason you mentioned.

 

[03A3]

Spare parts are very important to me. That's but one reason why I like USGI arms so much. They are so easy to work on. I have tons of 03A3, M1 Carbine, M1 Garand, M14, BAR, 1919, AR15 and 1911 parts, accessories and tools.
Short of having a receiver fail I'm covered, and I'm going to get some spare receivers at some point soon.
This is also why I don't care anything about all these Kel-Tecs or whatever they are that I keep hearing about. I mean can you actually tear one down, replace parts, then get it back together again? How hard is it to get parts/how long does it take to get parts?
My biggest gripe with the Mini 14 is Ruger won't sell you a spare firing pin, among other parts.

 

[Miller Tyme]

I just hit the century mark with my collection yesterday and I have 52 that are the same caliber ( 7.62x54r) another 18 are 7.62x39, the rest are across the spectrum. The nice thing about sticking mostly to a couple of calibers is the ammo will work in more than a couple of your collection, and it simplifies going to the range with multipule guns.

 

[Yeah]

My 'philosophy' is to select a spectacular bullet, determine a suitable chambering with which to drive it as fast as is reasonable, then select a rifle with a mag box and throat that allow the above bullet seated in the above brass to reach the lands in repeater configuration. So my rifles currently start with something like a 75 AMax, 85 TSX, 105 AMax, 162 AMax, 30 Scenar....thats pretty much it.

Then depending on what I plan to do with the thing the other parts fall in line. For a fixed position rifle maybe a #4 contour, or #5 on a boomer. Stick with sporter weight on factory barrels. Maybe a laminate stock, or heavy fill McMillan A5 if I have one. For a hunting/walking around/utility rifle I tend toward LW contour barrels, an McM Edge or standard filled MR. Either way, cut the barrel to achieve proper balance.

Mount a good quality non-moon scope in good mounts, so Talleys for the latter and Seekins for the former unless I have something else laying in front of me.

There are a slight handful of stock rifles that fit into the above. The majority make useless concessions: pointless weight, bad balance and handling, bendy stocks, tight mag boxes, bendy actions, fragile, too many bolt lugs, lousy recoil lugs, etc etc.