“The All Rounder and the Specialist” This is up for discussion on a couple of levels. What makes a good all rounder and you suggestion. Also how your views change over time.
Often when you start shooting you are looking for that all-rounder that will cover all the things you could ever think of shooting. You see the question on forums all the time. Then as you acquire more guns and knowledge you buy specialist guns the fit the purpose. A often custom gun for target shooting again a specialist gun for the type of competition you want to do. Then you have a specialist gun for for different forms of hunting. However after a while do you find you always take one gun out of the safe for hunting in effect going back to a all rounder?
In my early days of shooting I always wanted the biggest gun that I could and would shoot everything with it, I also went down the fastest route (220 Swift) and a few odd ball calibre’s before I decided that some were not so much fun to carry around, not much fun to shoot a lot, too expensive to get ammo for or in the case of the 220 Swift got sick of changing barrels
I think for me a good all rounder is something that you can carry around all day while walking and be comfortable with. It also needs to be of sufficient calibre to handle any game that you are looking for. As we don’t get a lot of deer over here and I am mainly shooting roo’s, goats and smaller animals my all rounder is my Ruger 22-250.
As for a specialist gun that would be pretty much the same reasons but without the carry part. In my case it is my Sako 30-06. I take it out when going for camels, donkies or any other large animal. It is also my favourite to use for target practice.
As for in general I think it would be 223 for an all rounder and either 308 or 300WM as a specialist gun.
If i don’t know what i’m going to encounter i always take my bolt shotgun and an assortment of different 12g rounds ( slugs and shot ) sometimes of different sizes
I think, if we’re are taking a pedantic view on this, a shotgun is the real all rounder. Especially something like a combat/trench pump action one… I feel so filthy saying this. Sure, there are better, much better guns for everything, shotgun too is great for purpose. But if you’re looking at it from ‘I can only have one’, then a shotgun with a variety of ammunition and couple of sets of barrels is it.
If you have different barrels for it, is it really just one gun?
I mean, you can’t use them all at once so it’s kind of multiple guns.
If I have 3 Howas or 4 Tikkas with the same stock and chamber but different barrel configurations (light & short, std sporter, varmint, short varmint): do I still only have one gun?
Its good we all have different tastes or we would all be after the same girl. To me the shotgun is the last on the list. I know you guys are looking at it from you have a range of loads in your pockets for what you might encounter. However its range is just so short with shot and its accuracy is not great when shooting slugs. I mean in that vid when testing the new Aussie explosive slug the were shooting a jug at 10yds so they could get on target and that was with a rifled barrel. My all-rounder would be the 308 it is accurate enough and will dispatch anything from short to long range. When I start to get out the correct fishing pole for the type of fish ATM it would be the 243 but that is on the big side, my 223 is just not as precise or as @AusTac would say we just haven’t gelled yet otherwise that would probably be the other. It may be under gunned if a deer were in the headlights though.
For a target rifle the 6BR would have to be up there as number one followed by 6.5*47 then the 7SAUM as the distance and conditions got worse. Then it would be the 300wm or at a stretch the 338Lap if I ever thought I needed to hit something in the next suburb.
@sungazer With my smooth bore i could easily hit that steel plate up the hill at plinkfest with winny foster slugs, did you see the dents they made? I think that youtube channel shoots so close for good video.
@AusTac Ok that was a good long way. I take it back I really didn’t think they could achieve those results. Perhaps I will be a convert. Will have to give them a try. I am a shit shot with the shotty at clays. I busted 1 in 20 at a recent event.
Surely if you wanted an all rounder and could only have one firearm, you would choose a combination, pick your preferred centrefire cartridge slung over a 12 g.
Although… 308. It can be loaded up or down with a broad projectile weight and has enough thump for pretty much anything at most practical ranges. Light weight, rugged and ammo is just as available. 223 is also another contender, not as much of a thump, but can carry a lot more ammo.
From what I have been told by some of the other rifle shooters and the gun shooters. The clays arnt that hard but there is a different technique for clays than rifles obviously. Once you get in the swing they say. Even though I can shoot a moving target such as rabbit or fox I tend to stop with the shotgun trying to aim rather than Point.
I get a few quail at my place over summer and though I have never tried to shoot one. They seem a lot closer and slower than those clays
I’ve only just started playing with clays but the number one thing I keep hearing is point, don’t aim… My boy and I have been having heaps of fun in the paddock with a hand thrower and my SxS coach gun. We’re getting pretty good and thinking about stepping it up and heading to a club this Saturday but have a horrible feeling that the clays will be much, much faster and I’ll just look like an idiot…
223 over 12 g combination fitted with a very low magnification scope… Light shot for close range small game, heavy slug for big game, 223 for everything in between?
Go to a club and have a go, The clubs I have been to are very supportive and no one has ever been made to look or feel bad. The people have always bent over backwards to help. It is a personal goal and improvement environment. Like I said I have been there and seen people not be able to hit a 6ft target from 100 yrds with a rifle. Then hit quite a few clays. Myself shotgunning clays is a first time deal and everyone starts at their bottom,
