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New Gun NEEDED?

2K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  aimhigh 
#1 ·
New gun NEEDED?

I'll be relocating from NM to PA in the next two years. Going to Johnstown, in Cambria Co. My daughter's family lives a little to the north in Du Bois. My son-in-law is also a hunter and "gun nut", so I have a readymade hunting buddy. I know PA does not allow semi-auto's for hunting.
I'm taking a Savage bolt, w/3-9 scope in .17HMR; H&R Handi (HBAR), w/4-12 scope in .223; Rem 788 (L/H) w/2-7 scope in 6mm Rem; Marlin 336 w/o scope in 30-30; and Yugo Mauser, w/o scope in 8x57 mm.
I figure the 17HMR for small game, the .223 for groundhog, 6mm for whitetail in the open/power lines, 30-30 for whitetail in the woods, and 8mm for anything larger.
What I am I missing? Any hogs in PA or coyotes? Anything else worth hunting? I never cared for duck hunting; but maybe pheasant? Good pheasants in PA? (posting this to the bolt and lever forums)
 
#2 ·
I'll be relocating from NM to PA in the next two years. Going to Johnstown, in Cambria Co. My daughter's family lives a little to the north in Du Bois. My son-in-law is also a hunter and "gun nut", so I have a readymade hunting buddy. I know PA does not allow semi-auto's for hunting.
I'm taking a Savage bolt, w/3-9 scope in .17HMR; H&R Handi (HBAR), w/4-12 scope in .223; Rem 788 (L/H) w/2-7 scope in 6mm Rem; Marlin 336 w/o scope in 30-30; and Yugo Mauser, w/o scope in 8x57 mm.
I figure the 17HMR for small game, the .223 for groundhog, 6mm for whitetail in the open/power lines, 30-30 for whitetail in the woods, and 8mm for anything larger.
What I am I missing? Any hogs in PA or coyotes? Anything else worth hunting? I never cared for duck hunting; but maybe pheasant? Good pheasants in PA? (posting this to the bolt and lever forums)
 
#3 ·
I've always held to the philosophy that one "needs" 5 guns; everything else comes under the heading of "want".
All you "need" to do pretty much any reasonable task with a firearm are rimfire rifle, rimfire handgun, centerfire rifle, centerfire handgun, and a shotgun.
Since those are the basic needs, they will see a lot of use. It follows that ammunition, magazines, parts, etc. should be both cheap and readily available.

Since you asked, I would add a .22LR bolt rifle (another Savage) and a 12 gauge pump shotgun with 26 or 28 inch choke-tubed barrel and 18 inch rifle-sighted barrel (Rem 870 or Mossberg 500 combo). Handguns, too, if you want.

Alternatively, since you are used to single-shots, a Rossi or H&R rimfire/shotgun switch-barrel combo would be cost-effective.
H&R / Marlin (now owned by Remington) may still be doing their "add a barrel" program, where you send your SB2 receiver in to be fitted with as many spare barrels as you can afford. Last I checked, they were about $90 each.
 
#5 ·
Pigbat and Kevin: Thanks! I do have a Ruger 10/22 and Mini-14 along with a slew of handguns and a couple 12ga pump HD shotguns. I was just hoping someone would say I NEEDED a 25-06 to round things out. :rolleyes:

Seriously, the real question is about hunting in PA and I though I was pretty much covered. 8mm and 30-30 ought to do for hog. My son-in-law has a 30-06, 357 mag lever, and a 270 win. Maybe he's the one that needs a .223, 243, or 25-06!!!!! (had to get the 25-06 in there somewhere as it's close to being the perfect "one gun solution" for all but the largest game.)

-AimHigh
 
#6 ·
Sorry, I misunderstood.
<enabling mode on> OF COURSE you need a quarter bore! That goes without saying.
That little ol' 6mm can't "carry the freight" on a long power line cut: some of those PA whitetails run 200+ lb. Your 8x57 has the power and (probably) inherent accuracy, but you probably can't shoot it accurately enough with issue sights to be sure of a humane kill. The .30-30 has the power, but not the range.
That leaves you NEEDING a long-range, accurate rifle with enough power to humanely and quickly kill a 250 lb critter. You could go to .30-06, but a .25-06 shoots a bit flatter and has less recoil, so it's probably the ideal choice for your hunting circumstances.

How'd I do?
 
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