In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Retirement Guns

SCOUT5SCOUT5 Member Posts: 16,182 ✭✭✭✭
edited May 2017 in General Discussion
I've worked on a short list of guns I need to keep when I retire. I do hunt a variety of critters and may live/travel/hunt some time out of a 5th wheel trailer. Plug in what you would use, these are what I have.

Doc's post made me think about this again so I decided to post it.

1) Carry pistol (.38 spc J-frame S&W)

2) House/trailer pistol ( .357 4" Ruger g-100, has multiple uses, and can be carried if need be., the carry pistol of course is also a house weapon, as well as anything alse really.)

3) .22 rifle (Winchester 67A or Remington 552, or both, needs to handle shorts as well as LR, but I like to use cb's sometimes, so?????? I may change this to a bolt action repeater, or a pump.)

4) .22 pistol (Ruger MKIII, may change to a revolver so I don't have to travel with any magazines that could be illegal in an given area )

5) Deer, elk rifle (Tikka .300 WSM or the .375 H&H, depends on if I will be hunting Alaska for moose or brown bears, though either would work)

6) Small caliber CFR (.243 remington 700, can handle prairie dogs and other varmints but can step up to deer, even an elk if it has to)

7) Upland shotgun (Ithaca 37 with 26" barrel and choke tubes, also has 2 slug barrels, one open site and one cantilever, or Beretta white wing, though that would give up the slug barrels .)

8) Water fowl gun with some range (Have 3.5" chambered mossberg 935, could also double as a bird gun if needed, likewise the Ithaca or whitewing with 3" shells could reach most geese also. See a pattern? Overlap and back ups. Extra guns for a buddy etc.)

9) House long gun (see Ithaca 37, use open site slug barrel, also doubles for shotgun only season/areas or a back up bear gun.)

10) Hunting revolver (.357 will double for that but I really like the RSRH in .454, may keep both)

11) Smokeless muzzle loader (because I hate cleaning up after black powder or pyrodex and want more than 3-5 shots before accuracy falls below minute of deer)

12) Side lock .50 cal Thompson muzzle loader (because sometimes the law says you have to if you want to hunt, I like hunting more than I hate cleaning up after black powder or pyrodex. Open sites, no scope)

Or course there are guns I like and use for other things, but I don't see me traveling with 50 guns. I really like a 20ga for quail, but need a 12 so it will have to do. Would love a 22mag or .22 hornet as well as a .22-250, .22lr and .243 will have to do it. I may toss in a .410 single shot, because kids matter and you never know when you'll run into one that needs an opportunity to learn to shoot.

Comments

  • BikerBobBikerBob Member Posts: 2,748 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'd opt for a .17 HMR. I think I use that one more than anything except the trap gun.

    Everything from red squirrels, groundhogs, raccoons, to coyotes.
  • redhawkk480redhawkk480 Member Posts: 2,470 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    T/C Contender and or Encore with several barrels
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,947 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have bought more guns since I retired than before. You are looking at this all wrong.
  • fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,722
    edited November -1
    a 22,12g,308,45acp thats all
  • mrmike08075mrmike08075 Member Posts: 10,998 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    1. Shotgun - pump action 20 gauge for defense - simple combat gun

    2. Shotgun - over and under 20 gauge for trap and skeet or upland game (pheasant - ptarmigan - duck - turkey - quail)

    3. Bolt action rifle with scope - .223 / 5.56mm - hunting platform / a ranch rifle (common military chambering)

    4. Bolt action rifle with scope - .308 win - hunting platform / a ranch rifle (common military chambering)

    5. Bolt action rifle with scope - .22 rimfire (s / l / lr) a target rifle that can serve as a small game gun or a hunting rifle that can serve as a target shooting platform

    6. Revolver snub nosed ccw piece - .357 magnum simple and reliable - exposed hammer and hi vis combat sights

    7. Semiautomatic target pistol - .22 rimfire (s / l / lr) target sights but capable of accepting optics

    8. Revolver - judge style in .410 gauge / .45 long colt - the kit that comes in its own case - for home defense (or rv or camping or on vacation) not the snubbie concealed carry version

    9. Lever action carbine - .357 magnum - companion piece to the .357 ccw revolver - home defense - range usage - hunting,,

    10. An AR platform - preferably in .223 / 5.56mm - companion piece to the .223 bolt action rifle - common military cartridge chambering - a modular platform that can serve many purposes or be customized to your tastes and needs - flexible architecture - perhaps additional uppers that support other cartridges

    10 basic go to retirement or stash house firearms

    Covers a wide range of shooting wants and needs

    Just an off the top of my head suggestion - a starting point for the greater discussion - a sounding board to&e...

    Single shot break open shotguns are a cheap and easy bonus

    Semiautomatic .22 lr rifles - target guns and range toys are a desirable bonus

    A heavier - longer ranged - harder hitting bolt action rifle in .30-06 or better chambering (.300 win mag maybe or a .375) is a desirable bonus

    A full size high capacity combat semiautomatic handgun - military or tactical style (Glock - CZ - Sig - ed brown 1911 - beretta) would be a desirable bonus

    A military surplus vintage battle rifle (K31 - garand - FN49 - sks - Swedish Mauser - British Enfield - M1 carbine) is always a good platform for a bonus gun

    Mike
  • SCOUT5SCOUT5 Member Posts: 16,182 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All a man needs for almost every thing in America is a .22, 12ga and a 30-06. Toss in a carry pistol and you're covered for practically everything you're going to hunt. But a few more options are handy, as well as fun.

    I have an encore frame and am probably going to order a smokeless muzzle loading set up for it. I could add a few extra rifle barrels for it, say a 22 center fire for example. But I'm not really interested in shotgun barrels for it.

    A 20ga will do most of my shotgunning needs, and I like the 20. But I've found a 12ga with 3" chamber more useful all around. One reason is that is what most folks I hunt with use and it's easy to borrow or loan ammo when out hunting.

    An example: I was in South Dakota a couple of years ago and got in the truck with another fellow and off we went. While out we decided to hunt some federal ground and it required a 3 round max and steel shot. Not being in my own truck all I had with me was 2 3/4" #4 lead and no plug. No problem, I just cut a magazine plug out of a bush and borrowed some of his 3" #2 steel loads. We shot our limit and went to the house. If I had a another gauge shotgun or just a 2 3/4" chamber we would have had to avoid that area or I would have had to watch him hunt.

    Also when out we may find an opportunity to hunt something we didn't plan on. Say your out pheasant hunting but see geese flying over to a field to feed. With the right equipment your laying in a ditch or fence line shooting geese, without it your not. So it's good to be able to share equipment. Loan or bum the right shells and you're both hunting. I usually carry a plug in my hunting coat, but it's hard to carry 4 different kinds of ammo when you're swapping vehicles like that.
Sign In or Register to comment.