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Will i ever find that “do it all” rifle? Anyone else have this problem?

BiggBeans

BiggBeans

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Minuteman
Feb 20, 2017
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Ive noticed i have a little issue. i’ll go out and buy a rifle, exactly how i want it. And i try to make myself believ that this is that one rifle. The rifle im going to shoot the hell out of. I try to convince myself im going to learn this rifle like if it was a part of me.The rifle im going to hunt all winter with, and put hundreds of rounds down range on steel so i can learn it. But ill take it out once or twice, and im on to the next project, and once again i make myself believe this next rifle is going to be the one i shoot the hell out of. But ive been doing this for years and i havent been able to stick to one rifle, learn it, learn what it likes, what it doesnt like. Learn the ballistics. I have friends that know their rifles like the back of their hand because they shoot the hell out of them. I cant seem to keep my attention on one for very long before im onto the next one. Anyone else like this? Ive come to realize i need to slow down. The amount of money i spend every year almost makes me cringe. I guess ive always been in search of that do it all rifle. Do those exist? I love banging long range steel and hunting coyotes and deer all winter long.
 
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Yes, I’ve got one. It’s a featherweight M70 30-06. But where’s the fun in that. I have shit loads of rifles but if I had to choose one that would be it. That being said, I shoot it maybe once a year for sight in the one at a deer or elk. Then it’s back to all the others.

41
 
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What is "all" for you? Why do you move on to the next one? What was missing for you? I don't think you are answering what is important for you.

Depending upon your needs you may need a "golf bag" full of rifles for those needs unless you know what is important to you and if one rifle can meet those needs even if not ideal for the task.
 
If there is one even close to a "do all" rifle, I would recommend a Pedersoli Boar Buster lever action carbine. Available in .45-70 or .444 Marlin. Straight wall, smokeless and black powder compatible. Proven Winchester Model 86/71 receiver. Cast bullets or jacketed. HUGE knockdown power for all North American big game. Compact. Easy to pack away in a backpack rig for hiking/camping, or toss in a car/truck. And most state and many local governments will not give you grief over it if you are traveling frequently with it. The Boar Buster Mark II is a modern tacticalized version of the original Boar Buster. Not a looker. Not at all. BUT, the Mark II is like a fat chick or a moped... As long as nobody else sees you with it, it is fun and not embarrassing, and definitely WILL fully satisfy any need you require taken care of...
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When i buy a rifle there is a method. I shoot 200 rds of factory ammo thru it. Then i work up a load for it. By the end of that we usually know each other pretty well. For me the fun is seeing how accurate i can get the rifle to be with me behind it. If you only ever bought a few boxes of factory ammo for any rifle i could see how that may lead to some dissapointment in my opinion. Doesnt sound to me like you are giving any rifle a real fair shake.
 
There's no silver bullet ...unless your the Lone Ranger.

1614922121285.png
 
I'll clarify the golf club analogy further. You really only need a driver, an iron and a putter, a sand wedge if feeling fancy or the course needs it.
If you need or want 10+ specialty clubs there is nothing wrong with that.
 
I tend to be interested in a rifle for a specific purpose. Within that purpose it is optimized. That said, there is not a single rifle that is an end-all, be-all rifle for me.
 
I thought the closest thing to a do all firearm would be if Fostech (finally) releases their 7.62, 5.56, etc quick change set ups for the Orgin 12. Then a ruckpack full of every conversion part and caliber would be all you'd ever need...
Plus a handgun. Something like the raging judge magnum in .410 45lc and 454 casull.
And a backup handgun. Maybe with a red dot.
A Dedicated Long range gun.
A Concealed carry weapon as you wont conceal either of your other pistols.
A plinker for training and cheap skills runs- and helping kids learn to shoot.
A 50 bmg, for when you need it, which is thirsdays., A gray AXMC, a Barrett mrad in the mil calibers not in your AI, and a modest lever action trio set.
All in all, others may say there are things this one set up can't do, but I've kinda got a minimalist attitude since everyone has to to start somewhere till fostech steps up ptoduction.
 
I've never had the money to do that. Conceptually, I suppose the answer is a sufficiently accurate .308 size semi-auto Maybe try buying a rifle and then turning your creativity towards a different type of firearm. Buy your rifle and then focus on the do-it-all handgun.
 
1hectorivan3 said:
Ive noticed i have a little issue. i’ll go out and buy a rifle, exactly how i want it. And i try to make myself believ that this is that one rifle. The rifle im going to shoot the hell out of. I try to convince myself im going to learn this rifle like if it was a part of me.The rifle im going to hunt all winter with, and put hundreds of rounds down range on steel so i can learn it. But ill take it out once or twice, and im on to the next project, and once again i make myself believe this next rifle is going to be the one i shoot the hell out of. But ive been doing this for years and i havent been able to stick to one rifle, learn it, learn what it likes, what it doesnt like. Learn the ballistics. I have friends that know their rifles like the back of their hand because they shoot the hell out of them. I cant seem to keep my attention on one for very long before im onto the next one. Anyone else like this? Ive come to realize i need to slow down. The amount of money i spend every year almost makes me cringe. I guess ive always been in search of that do it all rifle. Do those exist? I love banging long range steel and hunting coyotes and deer all winter long.
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No disrespect intended, but it sounds like researching and buying the rifle brings you the greatest joy instead of shooting. It happens to a lot of us sometimes. Militaries and history have proven that there is not a “ do it all” gun, but there are ones that will get the job done.
 
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What’s long range steel?

If you’re ok with 500yrds or so for the steel, a nice AR like a JP CTR02 18” with good couture would do, toss a good optic on and maybe offset RDS and that would work well.
I know lots of people think you need a 125mm to hunt deer, however with most ranges most deer are taken at, and if you have the skill to hit long range steel, you should be fine
 
No such thing...horses for courses, the right tool for the job, etc. Pick your euphemism.

Closest I can think of is a well sorted AR-10, or maybe a SCAR17 as mentioned above.
 
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Well, it could be tattoos. Eventually you'd run out of space. With rifles you just get another safe, back of closet, attic, give to family and or sell it.
 
In my mind a 243 bolt gun is the closest I’ve had for a “ do it all” rifle.
Crows, groundhogs and drops deer on the spot. If twisted right they are good to 1000yds for target shooting also.
 
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Yep. I just have one precision rifle, an AWSM. Does it all for me but I don’t require much, I’m just banging steel at various ranges.

I have a buddy with a custom 6.5 hunting rifle, he uses it for everything from hunting to competition tactical crap. He’s obviously at a slight disadvantage but it works for him, and obviously he knows that rifle inside and out.
 
I guess it depends on where you live as well. In my part of the country, a 6.5 creed will take any game animal and hit steel at any range i have available. I hunt with the same rifle that i shoot matches with - a 24" 65 creed built on a 700 action in a MPA chassis. Im shooting less matches these days, so my next barrel will be shorter - maybe 20".
 
You can find one but have to be willing to compromise that it will do 80% of things well and 20% just ok but not ideal. As long as that 20% isn’t needed very often then you’ll be good to go.

I have 2 do all rifles and they overlap in uses a bit so that with those 2 I can do pretty much everything.

1 is a mid weight .308 bolt action that I can use for hunting as close as 20 yards and steel out to 1k.

The other is a 5.56 that works from bad breath distance out to 600 pretty easily.

Between those two I can hunt everything from pig/coyote/deer, bang steel out to the ranges I have available and run competitions a few times per year. They are my go-to for most outings and anything else I have fits that specialized 20% I mentioned just for fun.
 
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BiggBeans said:
i try to make myself believe that this is that one rifle.
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Sounds like commie shit to me! :D :D

Who needs more than one rifle?

EVERYONE!

Different styles of guns and different calibers have different purposes. The only way you could be satisfied with one rifle is if you only ever have one purpose for shooting.
example: I deer hunt, and that is the only time I shoot
would be easy to get a great hunting rifle and be done

I shoot anything and everything any chance I get, can't be done well with one gun. ;)
 
Try to find the "One" pair of shoes that you'll wear your whole life, for every occasion, for every activity, for every type of weather, for every environment...

You'll find there is a reason people who can afford it, generally have several different types of shoes.
The same thing goes for rifles / pistols and such things in the firearms world.
 
Depending on the specific task at hand, you develop an idea of the perfect rifle for that role. By the time the rifle arrives you have moved on to some other niche and that rifle doesn’t quite fit so another must be purchased.

It’s a damn good way to acquire a safe(s) full of guns. The guy with not enough money to have more then 1 or 2 rifles is probably way ahead. However probably doesn’t have enough money to shoot much so back to square one.

For some of us the anticipation and the search of a new gun is the appeal. It’s not that it fills any specific role but more an imaginary need/desire. Just like a kid at Christmas that’s been waiting for a new toy that Santa is bringing. Suspense and wait for Christmas morning, tear off the wrapping paper, play with it for two days and then see the next great toy advertised. Rinse, wash, repeat!

A particular bullet at a certain velocity has the same trajectory regardless of the case or the rifle it was fired from. Hoping that doing the same thing over and over will yield different results keeps some us buying gun after gun 🤣 carry on... never can have to many to choose from.
 
KeithR41 said:
Yes, I’ve got one. It’s a featherweight M70 30-06. But where’s the fun in that. I have shit loads of rifles but if I had to choose one that would be it. That being said, I shoot it maybe once a year for sight in the one at a deer or elk. Then it’s back to all the others.

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Men used to have one large caliber rifle, usually a Win. or Marlin lever and maybe a military rifle from the wars. It's all they had or needed. Growing up, I ended up with a 700 BDL in '06 w/4x Weaver. It was a do everything, hunting, home defense or bug-out take to the hills fighting rifle if it ever came to that.

When offered so many choices today we now have a problem.

I have a laser accurate, custom .270 sporter built on a K98 action thats my main hunting Fudd rifle that would be deployed as a sniper rifle if the SHTF.
 
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Rthur said:
One action.
Preferably with interchangeable bolt head.
2 barrels
2 stocks/chassis.
As close as you'll get to doing most.

R
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This. With bolt guns becoming firearm legos like the AR platform you don’t need only “one” gun. You can have a drawer full of parts and assemble what you need for a particular task
 
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I’m hoping my upcoming build is going to be just that, a do all. One chassis, one scope, one case to load and 4 calibers.

Terminus Zeus QC
MDT ESS chassis
TT Diamond
Bartlein 26” 6mm Dasher
Krieger 26” 6.5 CM
Krieger 26” 223 Rem
Bartlein 28” 7 Saum

Have everything but the 223 and mag bolt for the Zeus. That will happen as soon as Joel has them ready. Also the 7 Saum bbl...

Should cover all my needs...
 
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All rifles are do it all rifles. OR is feelin all snipery not worth dragging a 17 pound rifle to the deer stand? 🤣 🤣 🤣
 
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supercorndogs said:
All rifles are do it all rifles. OR is feelin all snipery not worth dragging a 17 pound rifle to the deer stand? 🤣 🤣 🤣
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Dragging a benchrest gun to a stand would be fine, it’s like shooting from a turret. It’s not ok to carry all week long in the mountains
 
This checks a lot of boxes. You could probably pop that pink part off and us the cup as a dip spitter in a pinch. Side note...That’s the weirdest tervis cup I’ve ever seen.
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"Do-all" explicitly means one thing - compromise in all things.

If you can live with the compromises, then a single do-all rifle can easily fit the bill for you.

Five years ago, I wanted a do-all rifle for whitetail hunting with a suppressor (only 6mm and 30cal were legal in Indiana at that time and recreationally banging steel/punching paper. I also preferred to simplify my reloading component supply chain and standardize the components I needed, specifically primer and powder.

I ultimately had a 20" 6 Dasher built. 107s @ 2800, plenty for whitetail and fun out to 1000yd. I could even compete with it, knowing full well I'd be at a 150fps disadvantage to 26" Dashers and hotter 6. Given my uses, I was okay with that.

...of course now I've got a 18" 6.5 Creedmoor which I wanted for ease of factory ammo, but now have two jugs of H4350, a box of 130 Hybrids, etc etc etc..
 
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