If you could have only one rifle Caliber?

[JayDee Flohr]

My most-used rifles are all .54's

Ditto ! :thumbsup:

 

[Coot]

If the choice is only between a .40 & a .45 & you plan to go hunting, go with the .45. A .45 is legal for deer in most states, a .40 is not nearly as widely accepted (by the game officials). For small game/target work, you can always use a lighter load in the .45. If the choice is more open, a .50 or .54 is likely the choice of a "one all purpose rifle" kind of guy. Many like the .54, personally I am happy with my .50. For a two rifle kind of guy, I would reconsider getting the .40 & get a .54 as the other.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Easy for me. I'd go with a 62, and it's a tossup whether a 58 or 69 would come in second.

Sir, as a fan of the fine 1-ounce bore, I must ask why you fail to consider the excellent 16ga as an option?

Regards,
Joel
with a beloved 16ga double fowler, but lacking the discretionary funds at present for a similar-bored rifle.

 

[luieb45]

I would have always thought for my neck of the woods I would choose the .45 cal because the biggest we have around here is deer and .45 would do good on turkey even squirrels and rabbits.

 

[Dave K]

For me, it would be the 40cal. I hunt small game more than deer. Also, I am a bowhunter, so getting close is not something that is hard for me. A 38 is legal in Ohio for deer, so for the way I hunt deer anyhow, it would do fine.

 

[Robby]

Without reading anything more into the question than asked, .54, hand's down.
Robby

 

[shootemup]

No question about it... I'd choose a .50 caliber. It's an excellent whitetail caliber and since a head shot is necessary with a .40 or .45 caliber on small game, why not use a head shot with a .50 caliber?


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

In my state, .40 is the largest caliber you can use for small game unless a big game season is open. Otherwise I would agree with you.

:hatsoff:
Spot

 

[MSW]

well, if you could have only one of the two, i'd go with a .45. if it were only one rifle i would recommend a .54, and if it were only one flintlock, i'd go with a .62/20 guage smooth rifle.

just one guy's free opinion, and worth what you just paid for it!

 

[BadHorse]

What would that be....?

I'm torn...between a .40 and a .45....

I can shoot both well. And the ballistics are there. Small game to semi-large will fall to both and that is what I hunt. I can compete with both, and do fairly well.

Just ponderin' what is the most versatile rifle caliber...all I'm sayin'. :hmm:

wow,,,,,, if i had to choose, i would choose a 50 cal! as a matter of fact my rifles all of them are 50's. i use them for everthing from squirrel to elk!

 

[vern faulkner]

I would choose the .50cal because I already have one and I like it and it has never let me down. Vern

 

[Tom Compton]

If legal for deer where you live, the .40 is my favorite.
TC

 

[Snakebite]

.54, everything you need and then some.

 

[jan buck]

another one for .54.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I only have one, 45

 

[mpriester]

for me a 54, everything from barking squirrels to elk and possibly more.

 

[Dave K]

I don't have any idea why I posted to this thread/question/survey. I know I can't live with just one gun, so why try! There are so many answers that have good merit. Which cal. gets me the most shots per pound of lead, per pound of powder and still gets the job done for the game I have in the area I live or hunt in. If I was living off of the land, that would get me my answer. :v

 

[smoothy]

I hunt deer exclusively, maybe someday going for something bigger. So my choice is 54 for rifle. The deer I've gotten with my 54 dropped in their tracks. Maybe lucky shots, but I'm not willing to bet against Lady Luck.

 

[mrclean100]

i love my gpr .54 cal . got the .54 cal pistol also to just to keep things less complicated .

 

[bioprof]

As a scientist, I would add up the caliber recommended in each post and calculate the average. A caliber of 0.475 sounds about right. :idunno:

 

[shootemup]

:grin: Would you load a .465 ball or opt for the tighter .470?