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)

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)

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.

Between the 223, 6mm, 30-30, and the 8mm you should be good to go.

Honestly, you should have all your bases covered with just the 223 and 8mm.

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.

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

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?

PigBat: You're a pretty bright guy! The only thing you left out was that I could loan the 6mm to son-in-law since he doesn't seem to have something similer.


-AimHigh