Utilitarian Reasons to Own Similar Rifles in the Same Caliber

[franzfmdavis]

I am interested in hearing your input on the utilitarian (not collecting, investment, commercial etc) reasons to maintain an arsenal of similar (not same) guns in the same (not similar) calibers. Also, does your opinion on utility change depending on the caliber and platform?

For example, it is fairly common for people who like AR platform rifles to have multiple variations in the same caliber rifle, such as an 18" .556, a SBR .556, and a standard 16" carbine, or twenty or more guns in any combination of these. Similarly, people who like 1911's have multiple such a 5" Government .45, a 4.25" Commander .45', a plain colt .45, a modern designed .45, and so on.

However, it seems less common for people who, for example, use a .416 Rigby bolt action to have three 24" bolt rifles in .416 Rigby, a 20" rifle in .416 Rigby, a single shot rifle in .416 Rigby, and a double rifle in .416 Rigby (like the one used by the character of Spenser Dutton in the show 1923 - just kidding, I read the post mortum of this in multiple other posts).

It is interesting to me that such a thing is much more common with some platforms/calibers and not others. The reasons for collecting are subjective, the reasons for investing are subjective and market driven, and the commercial reasons are market driven and geographical. Of course, I'm not making an exhaustive list of reasons for collecting, investing or selling, but I think the more objective analysis is on the utilitarian basis, and Im curious to hear your thoughts.

I also recognize that many (perhaps most or all) countries do not let traveling hunters temporarily import multiple guns of the same cailber, but that would not remove the value to a person in choosing a certain gun from a battery of similar options that was best suited to the type of intended hunting?

I have read many threads on the best caliber for a one gun battery, but none on why it would be useful to have multiple similar guns of the same caliber.

 

[mark-hunter]

I am interested in hearing your input on the utilitarian (not collecting, investment, commercial etc) reasons to maintain an arsenal of similar (not same) guns in the same (not similar) calibers. Also, does your opinion on utility change depending on the caliber and platform?

I have one 22lr rifle for hunting (cz452), one 22lr rifle for competition matches (anschutz), and I have one 22lr pistol for cheap training.

I have one bulls eye precision 9mm pistol DA/SA for bulls eye matches, and one 9mm pistol striker fire, for IDPA.

Does my opinion on utility change depending on caliber and platform?
Yes. Different calibers on different platform, have different purpose.
for example 9.3x62 and 375 H&H are very similar.
But 9.3 as semi auto I use as a poor mans double rifle, for driven hunts. And Bolt action 375 I use specifically for African hunt PG and DG. different platforms, similar calibers, different use.

 

[Trogon]

I wouldn't mind another 9.3x62, have the Ruger African and a composite stock with stainless or cerakoted action/barrel for wet weather would be fine (or a Ruger No. 1). Otherwise, I have a couple AR-15's in 6.8 SPC II plus another upper. I do have two rifles in 6.5x55, a Ruger No.1 and a Sauer 100. Bought the No. 1 as it was attractive to me and price was amenable 6 years ago. No great reason to offer on why I have two in that caliber but enjoy shooting them and the cartridge is pleasant to shoot.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I am interested in hearing your input on the utilitarian (not collecting, investment, commercial etc) reasons to maintain an arsenal of similar (not same) guns in the same (not similar) calibers. Also, does your opinion on utility change depending on the caliber and platform?

For example, it is fairly common for people who like AR platform rifles to have multiple variations in the same caliber rifle, such as an 18" .556, a SBR .556, and a standard 16" carbine, or twenty or more guns in any combination of these. Similarly, people who like 1911's have multiple such a 5" Government .45, a 4.25" Commander .45', a plain colt .45, a modern designed .45, and so on.

However, it seems less common for people who, for example, use a .416 Rigby bolt action to have three 24" bolt rifles in .416 Rigby, a 20" rifle in .416 Rigby, a single shot rifle in .416 Rigby, and a double rifle in .416 Rigby (like the one used by the character of Spenser Dutton in the show 1923 - just kidding, I read the post mortum of this in multiple other posts).

It is interesting to me that such a thing is much more common with some platforms/calibers and not others. The reasons for collecting are subjective, the reasons for investing are subjective and market driven, and the commercial reasons are market driven and geographical. Of course, I'm not making an exhaustive list of reasons for collecting, investing or selling, but I think the more objective analysis is on the utilitarian basis, and Im curious to hear your thoughts.

I also recognize that many (perhaps most or all) countries do not let traveling hunters temporarily import multiple guns of the same cailber, but that would not remove the value to a person in choosing a certain gun from a battery of similar options that was best suited to the type of intended hunting?

I have read many threads on the best caliber for a one gun battery, but none on why it would be useful to have multiple similar guns of the same caliber.

Hi, @franzfmdavis

In an ideal world where I could pursue an unlimited number of African lions (my personal favorite of the African Big Five), I would totally love to own two .375 Holland & Holland Rimless Magnums:
1) A Magnum Mauser Oberndorf Model 98
2) A Westley Richards droplock ejector

Both sighted in/regulated for the 300Gr Nosler AccuBond factory load.

The magazine rifle would be wearing a Weaver K5 telescopic sight and employed for shooting lion over bait. The double rifle would be equipped with wide V Express backsights & an uncovered ivory bead foresight for on foot lion stalks and follow up work in the thickets.

This pairing would also make for an excellent leopard hunting setup. The magazine rifle would be employed for hunting leopard over bait. The double rifle would be employed for hunting leopard over hounds. And also for follow up work in the thickets. You can get away with employing a magazine rifle to follow up a wounded lion. But it’s practically guaranteed suicide to employ one when spooring a wounded leopard. Due to the immense speed of this game (combined with the close ranges at which a wounded one charges), your bolt action rifle essentially becomes a single shot weapon which you can practically never manage to successfully get off a second shot with before the leopard manages to reach you.

John Pondoro Taylor fantasizes about a similar pairing in his book “African Rifles & Cartridges”. But chambered in .425 Westley Richards instead of .375 Holland & Holland Magnum.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Hi, @franzfmdavis

In an ideal world where I could pursue an unlimited number of African lions (my personal favorite of the African Big Five), I would totally love to own two .375 Holland & Holland Rimless Magnums:
1) A Magnum Mauser Oberndorf Model 98
2) A Westley Richards droplock ejector

Both sighted in/regulated for the 300Gr Nosler AccuBond factory load.

The magazine rifle would be wearing a Weaver K5 telescopic sight and employed for shooting lion over bait. The double rifle would be equipped with wide V Express backsights & an uncovered ivory bead foresight for on foot lion stalks and follow up work in the thickets.

This pairing would also make for an excellent leopard hunting setup. The magazine rifle would be employed for hunting leopard over bait. The double rifle would be employed for hunting leopard over hounds. And also for follow up work in the thickets. You can get away with employing a magazine rifle to follow up a wounded lion. But it’s practically guaranteed suicide to employ one when spooring a wounded leopard. Due to the immense speed of this game (combined with the close ranges at which a wounded one charges), your bolt action rifle essentially becomes a single shot weapon which you can practically never manage to successfully get off a second shot with before the leopard manages to reach you.

John Pondoro Taylor fantasizes about a similar pairing in his book “African Rifles & Cartridges”. But chambered in .425 Westley Richards instead of .375 Holland & Holland Magnum.

Sounds fantastic. Do you know of countries where you could bring both guns in the same caliber for a hunt?

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Is this for hunting or competition?
For comps, it would be for different styles of comp, ieffhand, bench, prone etc
For hunting, it would be different styles of hunt, ie: from a blind, walking open ground, thick bush, etc
Gumpy

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Sounds fantastic. Do you know of countries where you could bring both guns in the same caliber for a hunt?

I think you can still do this in Botswana.

 

[Kharn]

In .22LR I have a bolt action, lever action, revolver & pistol.
It's the most abundant caliber upon this world, in my opinion.

EDIT: And if I can find one I'll buy one of those combination over under 12GA x 22LR. survival weapons.

 

[IvW]

Culling buffalo
2 x 375 H&H same action

 

[Hunter4752001]

Maybe not quite what you asked, but I have BRNO 602 rifles in 300 WM, 375 H&H and 458 Lott all in identical stock configurations. The reason being that the manual of arms and the 'look and feel' is identical which means the muscle memory is identical. Under stress, that is important.

 

[Scott CWO]

I am interested in hearing your input on the utilitarian (not collecting, investment, commercial etc) reasons to maintain an arsenal of similar (not same) guns in the same (not similar) calibers. Also, does your opinion on utility change depending on the caliber and platform?

For example, it is fairly common for people who like AR platform rifles to have multiple variations in the same caliber rifle, such as an 18" .556, a SBR .556, and a standard 16" carbine, or twenty or more guns in any combination of these. Similarly, people who like 1911's have multiple such a 5" Government .45, a 4.25" Commander .45', a plain colt .45, a modern designed .45, and so on.

However, it seems less common for people who, for example, use a .416 Rigby bolt action to have three 24" bolt rifles in .416 Rigby, a 20" rifle in .416 Rigby, a single shot rifle in .416 Rigby, and a double rifle in .416 Rigby (like the one used by the character of Spenser Dutton in the show 1923 - just kidding, I read the post mortum of this in multiple other posts).

It is interesting to me that such a thing is much more common with some platforms/calibers and not others. The reasons for collecting are subjective, the reasons for investing are subjective and market driven, and the commercial reasons are market driven and geographical. Of course, I'm not making an exhaustive list of reasons for collecting, investing or selling, but I think the more objective analysis is on the utilitarian basis, and Im curious to hear your thoughts.

I also recognize that many (perhaps most or all) countries do not let traveling hunters temporarily import multiple guns of the same cailber, but that would not remove the value to a person in choosing a certain gun from a battery of similar options that was best suited to the type of intended hunting?

I have read many threads on the best caliber for a one gun battery, but none on why it would be useful to have multiple similar guns of the same caliber.

I have two different rifles in 375 H&H. They are completely different for different hunts and environments.

One is a CZ550 Safari Classics set up for Alaska. It has a composite stock for the wet weather; the metal parts are coated with cerakote for wet weather; the barrel is 22” for maneuvering through brush; it has a Winchester style three position safety and it has a barrel band sling swivel attachment that lowers the barrel when shoulder carried through brush and alders. This rifle is about as weatherproof as possible.

My other 375 H&H is an Interarms Whitworth Express (Mauser-type action). The Express model has upgraded wood, a barrel band sling swivel attachment and iron sights with three different blades. I had Wayne at AHR change out the trigger, switch the safety to a Winchester three position style safety and he also stoned the action and bolt to slick up the action. It is an African style rifle and very attractive. I’ve never seen better wood on a Whitworth. I wouldn’t dream of taking it to wet environment, like Alaska.

In addition, I recently bought a Dakota Travler from @rookhawk with a 375 H&H barrel and a 458 Lott barrel. This rifle fills the job the Whitworth had covered for Africa. I’ve considered selling the Whitworth but I killed my lion with it so not sure I would sell it unless I received quite a generous offer.

 

[KJE81]

In Sweden it is unfortunately an easy choice...only 4 licenses allowed (6 if you can motivate the need) means that there is really no room for redundancy

All depending on what one hunts of course, if one only hunts big game there are more room...but for me (who hunts whatever I can on my land) my 6 spaces are taken with one kipplauf, one upland hunting side by side gun (20 bore), one heavier over-under gun in 12 bore, a .22 LR, a combination gun/cape gun and a .375 H&H (still waiting on that one thought).

 

[BeeMaa]

Maybe not quite what you asked, but I have BRNO 602 rifles in 300 WM, 375 H&H and 458 Lott all in identical stock configurations. The reason being that the manual of arms and the 'look and feel' is identical which means the muscle memory is identical. Under stress, that is important.

This is one of the major benefits of the Blaser R8...one stock is capable of shooting 17HMR to 500J. I use the same stock for 22lr, 300WM and 375H&H. Muscle memory is real. If you don't believe me, brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand.

@Scott CWO - Liking that CZ550 375H&H.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Excluding pistols and shotgun platform and caliber overlap.

It would be AKs and ARs. I don’t want to state a number. Just in case the Leftists ever form their own version of DOGE. And we know the Leftist won’t be searching for waste, fraud and abuse with their DOGE.

 

[mark-hunter]

In Sweden it is unfortunately an easy choice...only 4 licenses allowed (6 if you can motivate the need) means that there is really no room for redundancy

Have you considered exchangeable barrels? like one Blazer R8, and then to add barrels as necessary? Is that feasible?

 

[KJE81]

Have you considered exchangeable barrels? like one Blazer R8, and then to add barrels as necessary? Is that feasible?

Yes, but I am to conservative for the Blasers, the only one I owned was a bockdrilling, the Blaser BD880, back then they were still all steel and walnut...the R8 while being a great concept is far to modern for my taste, I am more of Mauser M98 guy.

 

[BonUm16]

Franz, you didn’t grow up hunting or around firearms as a part of every day life, did you?

 

[mark-hunter]

the R8 while being a great concept is far to modern for my taste,

We are of same taste. I have mostly classic long guns.

 

[Hillcountry63]

I have four 30-06 for different hunting situations here in the US....... three Winchester 70's and a TC Encore. Of the Winchester's one is Featherweight with a 22' for stalking/mountain hunting, one is a Super Grade with a 24" for powerlines/food plots that I've put a B&C stock on to save the factory wood, one is an Extreme Weather with a 26" McGowen barrel for extreme weather. The TC Encore has a 26" barrel and breaks down for travel. All rifles wear Trijicon optics also. I look at it like playing golf, the situation dictates the tool.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I have two different rifles in 375 H&H. They are completely different for different hunts and environments.

One is a CZ550 Safari Classics set up for Alaska. It has a composite stock for the wet weather; the metal parts are coated with cerakote for wet weather; the barrel is 22” for maneuvering through brush; it has a Winchester style three position safety and it has a barrel band sling swivel attachment that lowers the barrel when shoulder carried through brush and alders. This rifle is about as weatherproof as possible.
View attachment 678062

My other 375 H&H is an Interarms Whitworth Express (Mauser-type action). The Express model has upgraded wood, a barrel band sling swivel attachment and iron sights with three different blades. I had Wayne at AHR change out the trigger, switch the safety to a Winchester three position style safety and he also stoned the action and bolt to slick up the action. It is an African style rifle and very attractive. I’ve never seen better wood on a Whitworth. I wouldn’t dream of taking it to wet environment, like Alaska.View attachment 678063

In addition, I recently bought a Dakota Travler from @rookhawk with a 375 H&H barrel and a 458 Lott barrel. This rifle fills the job the Whitworth had covered for Africa. I’ve considered selling the Whitworth but I killed my lion with it so not sure I would sell it unless I received quite a generous offer.

I would like to do this with my 416 Rem. It would be nice to have a weatherproof short barrel for jungles or Alaska.