What Would Be Your Rifle of Choice for Such an Adventure

[Randi]

https://www.gunsweek.com/en/shotguns/shot-show/utas-xtr-12-12-gauge308-combination-gun

I love it and ask my father to buy it for me. He ask me why he should. I told him as a reward for not getting pregnant, or on drugs while in college. He told me my reward was not being pregnant and on drugs !

I would like to get one. To me, they seem like a better option than the over/under combo,

 

[Mustangs Rule]

https://www.gunsweek.com/en/shotguns/shot-show/utas-xtr-12-12-gauge308-combination-gun

I had four combination firearms over time,,22/410, 22mag/20, 222/20 and lastly .223/12,,,in order of heaviness. That .223 over 12 was just brutal in the mountains, plus it was a neither nor gun,,,poor handlng qualities. They were cool, but been there done that.

I like carrying a swwet rifle with very diverse custom loads.

 

[Michael Case]

I am not sure how you are applying the term ellipses,,,plaese explain.

I think your thougt about a rifle being period available takes this post to a more interesting place for discussion.

Given that, then I would stick with a 94 38-55 or better yet a Model 95 in 30-40 Krag. To satisfy a need of mine,,,,which all other hunters here keep ignoring,,,small game loads,,birdshot too,, a 30-40, could have light lead downloads, and the rifles both had with them. the 38-55 and 40-72 with its 1/22 twist could make great close range shot loads for birds.

Am I the only one who gets, values, understands how inportant this is on a 6 month live off the land adventure?

From the cival war days and beyond soldiers were able to make the 45-70 an acceptable scavening tool with bird shot.

When Towsend Whelen developed the 35 Whelen he had light loads in mind,,,which he used to shoot the heads off of grouse in trees.

"Knock Knock" does anyone ele get this small game hunting game with just one rifle???

From what you have written so far I get that you are not just a well experienced hunter, but also a horse hunter as well

Please note my knod of approval. We have that in commom. Where we separate is in scabbard style and the rifles that go with it.

Seems like you are in a round wrold there and I am in flat world.

The world I was raised in was in Washington state. Mountains, flat land. Deer, Elk, Ruffed Grouse, Trout, Salmon. We even packed in Fly Rods to camp occasionally.
And my Father loved 1/4 horse's.
I still feel privileged to have had these experiences and have raised my kids and grandkids to enjoy the same. My father always brought a Winchester 12 ga. Takedown, yes the old one that fit in a Leather scabbord to get a few birds for dinner when the season overlapped.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I had four combination firearms over time,,22/410, 22mag/20, 222/20 and lastly .223/12,,,in order of heaviness. That .223 over 12 was just brutal in the mountains, plus it was a neither nor gun,,,poor handlng qualities. They were cool, but been there done that.

I like carrying a swwet rifle with very diverse custom loads.

I am a big fan of the "why have one gun when you can have two" school of thought (two, twelve, twenty, whatever it takes). In most areas "combo" products are the worst of both worlds - but when I saw it, I couldn't resist the post

 

[RaiderRich]

I am a big fan of the "why have one gun when you can have two" school of thought (two, twelve, twenty, whatever it takes). In most areas "combo" products are the worst of both worlds - but when I saw it, I couldn't resist the post

Had to laugh and interject this:

 

[Don Fischer]

I had a 22 mag/20ga Savage mod 24J. really pretty nice gun but turned out absolutely useless. Wasn't very accurate with the 22 barrel and just wasn't as handy as a bird gun as I though it might be. Still I've though several times since that a 22/410 like that might make a neat squirrel gun. Fortunately I've never come across one like that! If I were into hunting dangerous game I think a double rifle might be just the thing. Fortunately my pocket's simply aren't deep enough.

 

[Randi]

I am a big fan of the "why have one gun when you can have two" school of thought (two, twelve, twenty, whatever it takes). In most areas "combo" products are the worst of both worlds - but when I saw it, I couldn't resist the post

and I agree, with all points

I would prefer a gun for each "type" of hunt and even at my young age, have several. But, the original question was--what ONE gun would you take into the mountains and in that case I still think a combo---- shotgun, for birds, small game and a rifle, maybe a 308 for large game would not be all bad

When we took our Yukon river float trip. Each girl took a different gun-- one shotgun --one small bore rifle --one large bore rifle. If by myself with only one gun to choice from, maybe a combo, ( a 12 gauge and 308 would give me survival and protection options.)

However, you fellows have much more expiernce and knowledge than I, so I will graciously bow out of this conversation

 

[RaiderRich]

and I agree, with all points

I would prefer a gun for each "type" of hunt and even at my young age, have several. But, the original question was--what ONE gun would you take into the mountains and in that case I still think a combo---- shotgun, for birds, small game and a rifle, maybe a 308 for large game would not be all bad

When we took our Yukon river float trip. Each girl took a different gun-- one shotgun --one small bore rifle --one large bore rifle. If by myself with only one gun to choice from, maybe a combo, ( a 12 gauge and 308 would give me survival and protection options.)

However, you fellows have much more expiernce and knowledge than I, so I will graciously bow out of this conversation

We men only feign to have more experience and knowledge, most of us don't know what we are talking about. A combo if functional and easily packable would be a fantastic idea.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I am a big fan of the "why have one gun when you can have two" school of thought (two, twelve, twenty, whatever it takes). In most areas "combo" products are the worst of both worlds - but when I saw it, I couldn't resist the post

For the past nine days I have been recovering from minor knee surgery,,,of the right knee. Just a clean up of old scar tissue and a little ball of calcium that moved around and when I keeled right on it



OUCH !!!!!!!!!!!



Two years ago, at 71, I had an easy meniscus surgery on my left knee.



Previously when in the bush I have had problems with either one knee or the other,,,one time both at once,,,deep in wilderness. Getting out was hell.



Then things got better,,,for awhile. I live to hunt, to stalk, to climb, to hike and ride.



I like to kneel down over a dead deer and bring out the carbon steel knives I have been using since forever.



I can walk forever,,,but not kneel.



Try dressing a deer out in the field without kneeling



The surgeon said I will have great recovery. I am sure the deer and elk would wish me otherwise.



I can get taken with notions.



One day, a half century ago I was in a ranger station on the British Columbia/Alberta border and was looking at a huge relief map of the Canadian Rockies and thought how cool it would be to backpack alone across them.



The next week some friends drove me to the other side of the Canadian Rockies and I began hiking back,,,with my US Navy Pilots knife,,,and no firearm. That took about 10 days,,,no trails, just raw wilderness with lots of both kind of bears



Doing that unarmed was transformational. The fears that can and do come up and have to be dealt with, especially in heavy grizz country changes you for the better forever.



Having a gun deprives one of so much, which if not experienced, cannot ever possibly be imagined.



I repeat:



Having a gun deprives one of so much, which if not experienced, cannot ever possibly be imagined.



Among the many things that happened was my awareness hit a level I never knew was there...very cool. It is like becoming an animal,,or as close as we can



I have had other notions,,,like doing a live off the land adventure, with just one rifle, hunting small game in Alaska.



I feel some other notion coming,,,not clear yet,,,but I am looking at some old Marlin 444’s online with the slow twist, but they are a big clumsy heavy rifle. The less gun,,,or guns I carry the better.



Also I just got a price to have one of my two post 64, non collector 30-30 Model 94’s rebored to 38-55. $250.



I could buy a new or used recent production Model 94 in 38-55,,,,,,but,,,,,they were only in 1/15 twist,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,which will give me the most horrible pattern. The cut off point is 1/16. In my 35 Whelen I could drop a grouse out of tree easily at 15 to 25 feet away



At twice that distance the 6’s and 8’s mix I made up would go through ½ plywood. That was my standard which I cut in half for really shooting a grouse on the ground or in a tree



I can get my 30-30 rebored to 38-55 with the original 1/18 twist, which is the twist used in the Barnes reloading manual,,,and based on my experience will deliver a serviceable close range shot pattern.



Now what and where can this notion take me? Wherever that is, I will be in a Matthew Quigley mood,,,,and take just one graceful vintage rifle



This year is too late, but I can at least hunt the first half of my deer season with my new knees and my old 30-30.



But next year.,,,my 60 th big game season,,,,a 38-55, with a big bright red front sight for 74 year old eyes and a flip up very saddle scabbard friendly vintage tang sight,,,,



I’ll have to put some more thought into all this.



Thanks for making this post so much fun



MR

 

[Panda Bear]

and I agree, with all points

I would prefer a gun for each "type" of hunt and even at my young age, have several. But, the original question was--what ONE gun would you take into the mountains and in that case I still think a combo---- shotgun, for birds, small game and a rifle, maybe a 308 for large game would not be all bad

When we took our Yukon river float trip. Each girl took a different gun-- one shotgun --one small bore rifle --one large bore rifle. If by myself with only one gun to choice from, maybe a combo, ( a 12 gauge and 308 would give me survival and protection options.)

However, you fellows have much more expiernce and knowledge than I, so I will graciously bow out of this conversation

Wait girl, dont let them run you off simply because they dont like the "combo", as there are others out here that do like the combo AND the drilling

The combo and the drilling were not made for competition or long range shooting, but for someone wanting --ONE, gun to protect and feed them, they work very well. My husband has no problem using his for large game, small game and birds . I doubt if he ever shoots further than 50 yards--usually less, and it is easy to carry.

I would love to have one of April's husbands "Drillings", or the Blaser she recently bought for someone. A 9.3 x 74 R on top of a double 20 gauge. I could definitely make that work for me. It would be heavy, so it would not be my first choice when on snow shoes, but horse, canoe, atv, sled, it would work just fine as a survival gun.

Also, meat from a large animal ( moose, muskox, bison, even caribou ) will feed two people and the dogs for a long time.

Guns are like husbands. One girls dream is another girls nightmare .

p.s. I have zero knowledge of the gun Vikingguy posted

 

[BKehoe05]

Ohh and lets talk about the conformation of horses too. The last two horses I had were of very differnent shapes.]

I had a quarter/appaloosa that was as round as barrel. and a running quater horse that had nice defined whithers and was rather eliptical in shape.

With the round quarter/appy boy did the saddle like to spin,,,not fun. I want a flat sided rifle and a more flat sided horse with well defined whithers,,not broad chested and rolly-polly.

HMM might I be talking about a Mustang? Wonder where that came from.
Also I liked the configurarion of appaloosa horses before they put too much 1/4 horse in their breeding.

I invested in three months of training last year with mustang mare that came out of Wyoming. The cavalry horses had a lot of Tennesee walker in them and when they turnd them loose in the wild, that showed up in the mustangs.

The mare I invested three months of training in was just beautiful,,,really collected well too. I loved her body,,,but she proved herself to be unsafe and un-ridable.

Reminded me of some two-legged "mares" I have chosen in times past.

" Ain't no cowboy that can't be throwed, Ain't no bronc that can't be rode"

I’ve got 6 different mustangs at the moment.. however I’be been laid up for the past 3 months from a broken clavicle and broke L1 courtesy of one of those fellas. Fixing to go get a few more come November up in Rock Springs too.
Back to the gun convo, it would be a .30-06 (I can scale down to 125 gr for small game or up into the 220 gr range for the biggest)… OR a .45-70.