One Rifle Only

[jyl]

You can have ONE rifle. Whatever you like to do or want to be ready to do, that ONE rifle has to do it all. Target shooting, hunting, home defense, Red Dawn, survival, ratting, boat gun, anything - only ONE rifle is allowed you.

What would you pick and why? Model, caliber, and accoutrements.

Oh by the way you’re not allowed any other firearm. No pairing the ONE rifle with a tactical shotgun, a NFA subgun, an airgun, a pistol, etc. And, while this is implicit, you can’t change rifles. ONE rifle for life.

Think of it like Hunt For Red October. “One ping only”.

(I thought about this question because, seems to me, for much of American history a man might well have had only one rifle.)

[sc_rufctr]

Right now: AR10 with robust optic and back up iron sites. 30 years ago I would have chosen an FN FAL or H&K G3.

The 7.62×51 NATO is by far one of the most versatile rounds ever created.

[Rick Lee]

If really only one, then it'd have to be an AR-15. Parts and ammo grow on trees.

[dlockhart]

FN SCAR H or AR10 in 308

[Arizona_928]

Ak47. Wasr or better for country of manufacture.

[Jeff Higgins]

It would have to be my standard Marlin 1895 in .45-70, fitted with a Skinner peep sight. This rifle shoots readily available factory ammunition, and if one handloads, an incredibly broad variety of bullet weights and configurations. It can be loaded down with light bullets of less than 300 grains at at less than 1,000 fps for casual plinking, or "loaded for bear" with 400 grain bullets at over 2,000 fps, capable of killing literally any game animal in North America. It is accurate enough to win rifle matches that are restricted to lever guns and single shots. It holds five rounds and can be "topped off" on the fly, making it suitable for home defense or outright battle. It is absolutely reliable, and as indestructible as any rifle we are capable of producing. It shoots cast bullets or jacketed bullets equally well. There are at least a dozen different powders that can be used to assemble useful loads. Brass lasts forever, with a couple dozen reloads pretty normal before they have to be discarded. The lighter, lower recoil loads make it a fantastic rifle to teach new shooters. At about eight pounds, it's light enough to carry all day when hunting. Just a very versatile rifle.

[Bill Douglas]

Probably the humble bolt action .22LR.

A creature of habit, I guess, but you can shoot all day for very little money, easy on the body, quiet, accurate.

[911boost]

+1 on the FN SCAR H with a Nightforce ATACR 1x8 because that’s how mine is set up and it’s very versitile.

[aigel]

30-30 lever action with iron sights - a ghost ring or peep.

[rusnak]

What a terrible question. I guess I'd have to keep the Browning Mk 3 and tell people to get the hell out of my line of fire in a HD situation. It uses .308 Win.

[Geronimo '74]

I believe the correct term is spoon.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by aigel

30-30 lever action with iron sights - a ghost ring or peep.

That would be the Marlin 336 I've had since '78.... stock sights are good enough for me. Or mebbe the .357 version ...

Ammo availabilty would be the reason .... probably the latter wins.

I recall what was hard to find, but still around when shelves emptied a couple of times.... had to go to the "boonies" and pay a fortune, but it was here.

I have no need for anything reaching out over 75-100 yds.... not around here.

[Geronimo '74]

Longspoon

[Bob Kontak]

I don't know guns except the WW1 Springfield made good headshots in Nazi Zombies.

I'm looking over what you guys would choose and I like the one on the left. I think it's the AR10. If I had to choose I would choose no scope especially for home defense situations.

[svandamme]

1903a3

3006 will stop anything
can shoot it all day long
Can hit things out to 600 yds all day long
Can hit things beyond 600 if I put some extra effort in it
No batteries to run out
optics to fog up or get damaged.
ammo matched to the irons, I can shoot various distances in wind and rain and hit. it.

Y'all can keep the mattel guns

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Geronimo '74

Longspoon

I believe I've even seen folks call those a "ladle" here.

[cabmandone]

For all the proposed uses, I'd probably go shotgun rather than a rifle. Semi automatic, I can get some distance with nice punch if I need it with slugs, Home defense and zombie attack 00 buck. Boat gun yeah why not? I like a shotgun for an "all the above" gun.

[cassisrot]

Benelli M4 12 gauge

[jcwade]

Originally Posted by cabmando

For all the proposed uses, I'd probably go shotgun rather than a rifle. Semi automatic, I can get some distance with nice punch if I need it with slugs, Home defense and zombie attack 00 buck. Boat gun yeah why not? I like a shotgun for an "all the above" gun.

^^^^
This, but a pump.

[mattdavis11]

The Ruger M77 shoots well, I'd like a .243. All around, for a rifle, probably a .270 caliber.