So, I got to thinking...

[USSR]

The thread "is the 9mm gonna be the death of the 40 short?" got me to thinking that I don't find a need for the in between .40 caliber round for myself, what with my .38 and .45 calibers handling everything I need a handgun for. And by .38 caliber, I mean the .38 Special and .357 Magnum. So, I got to thinking, when they came out with the .357 Magnum in the 30's, surely they must have considered calling it the ".38 Magnum"? Guess I got too much time on my hands. ;o)

Don

 

[KHornet]

Maybe so.

Paul

 

[RBHarter]

Let me see .
3 major pistol cartridge lengths . Just 2 if you toss the BFR and S&W super mags .
4 major rifle action lengths . 5 if you count Mausers OM separately .
4 major shotgun lengths . 5 if you count 2 9/16 as neither 2.5 or 2.75 .

We have 4 major pistol actions with a dozen variations in sub groups .
4 major shotgun and rifle actions with almost as many variables as pistols .

Add switch barrels and cross overs and that comes to about 100 choices for 4 guns to hunt/shoot every season and we haven't even considered 5 gauges , 150 rifle cartridges in 20+ common cal , and an equal number of pistol cartridges and cal .

The days of the simple 22 LR all summer a 38/357 year around and a 12 ga Model 12 with a good 06' are gone .
Now to be equipped right you need a summer and winter CC , a trap gun , upland gun , duck/goose gun and in some places a rifled shotgun . A squirrel gun , dedicated varminter and at least 2 different big game rifles . The 357 is just passe' and marginal for anything ,you simply must have a mag or super mag and 44 at a minimum for a hunting companion .........

Then there's the dinosaurs that somehow manage to get by with a 22 LR , an 06'/7×57/etc , a 2-3/4 12 ga with a fixed choke , and a 357/45 Colts .

 

[USSR]

Yeah, RBHarter, but we dinosaurs make it up on those other guys, by having "LOTS" of guns firing those few cartridges. )

Don

 

[fiver]

I remember really really wanting a rifle with a scope on it.
I finally bought one and later a scope and Utah went to a draw tag system, that rifle sat and sat and never even got sighted in until I moved to Idaho about 15 years later then I used it to teach the kids how to shoot big game rounds.

it has had about 25 lbs of 4895 burned down it's barrel pushing plated and cast bullets over the years, but not once have I pulled it's trigger on an animal.....
I don't know why, I just never have.

 

[Eutectic]

a 12 ga Model 12

Nope........ Make mine a Model 97!

Pete

 

[Ian]

Make mine an Ithaca Model 37, 16-gauge with a modified choke. Got three Model 12s because that was supposed to be the "best", never have been happy with them. Had a 97 trench gun with bayonet, ventilated handguard, the works...nice shotgun but gotta get real close to the birds with it! Traded it for the three Model 12s and will probably trade two of them off one day to get something I like more.

I went for a long time with a 10-22, a Winchester Model 37 3" .410, and a Marlin 336 in .30-30. JP Sauer & Sohn K-38 Target Masterpiece clone and a Springfield 1911 were all I needed in a handgun. Could still get by just fine with only those, though the Ithaca 37 sure helps and a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser can get out to 300 yards on deer pretty easily. "Want" and "Need" are two different things!

 

[Rally Hess]

Until the "Bunny Huggers" got in the mix and made laws implementing "Fair Chase", certain caliber, gauge, type and material shot should be made of, there were a lot of folks did just fine in the bush, with .22 Rf, .30-30, and a shotgun. Some areas the Native population still are getting along just fine.

 

[Eutectic]

Make mine an Ithaca Model 37, 16-gauge with a modified choke.

I had one with a ribbed barrel many years ago. My real good buddy quit Chevron and was moving to the oil fields of Oklahoma where he was from. He just wouldn't quit 'hounding' me to sell my 16ga. Ithaca. I did before he left and my gun is his in Oklahoma. I have two Remington Model 31's in 16ga... one Modified and one I.C. choked. Very close to the Ithaca 37 for weight, balance, and pumping ease. I love them! But I've got two Winchester Model 97's in 16 ga as well. One has Briley tubes. It's a cryin' shame the 16ga has 'faded' even in my lifetime. I was blessed to live and shoot the 16 when it was more popular than the 20!........ and the shells were still paper.......

Pete

 

[KHornet]

Yep Rally, 22RF (short, long, long Rifle) a 30-30, a shotgun (often a single shot)
was common where I grew up in western N.Y. in the 40's and 50's,

Paul

 

[Rally Hess]

Paul,
I have a buddy/ customer, a native, who owns a Savage 24 in .30-30/ 12 ga.. He lives on a local reservation and does more hunting, fishing and trapping than anyone I know. He bought a piece of land with a burned out house, but also a garage that was fairly new. He bought it for $5800.00 and just ran water to the garage. He is seldom there, and prefers to just camp where he hunts or traps. Weather doesn't mean much to him, and he has several families he brings fish and venison, whom trade him for a meal or shower when he wants one I'm guessing the ladies of the house may insist at times on the shower. LOL. If guns could talk, I'd very much like to talk to that Savage.

 

[Ian]

If I could have only one to pack on my back everywhere I went in the woods, that would be my choice too.

 

[USSR]

FWIW, I live about 30 miles from Ithaca. We refer to it as "12 square miles surrounded by reality".

Don

 

[gman]

I always wanted a model 12. When I finally got one I was disappointed. Just didn’t fit me and I was constantly fighting the gun. Now the A-5 is my shotgun. I duck hunted with some younger guys a few years back who referred to it as a relic. Got a chuckle out of that.

 

[smokeywolf]

Consider myself somewhat shotgun poor. Have a model 36 Winchester Garden Gun (9mm shotshell), a double barrel 410, model '97 and model 1911 (the Widow-Maker) Winchesters in 12 gauge.

 

[Rally Hess]

Gman,
We have similar taste in shotguns, relic or not.

Ian,
In my early years trapping I had a Savage 24V in .222/20 ga. When I carried a SS .22 the fox would walk out there at about 90 yards and taunt me. After getting the Savage, I didn't hit them all, but more than paid for the rifle, and brought home plenty of rabbits, squirrel and pheasant to boot. I think I still have the Lee Load All in .222 I cobbled the ammo together with.

 

[Pistolero]

Yep, RBHarter, and all the people and animals shot by those dinosaurs are still dead.

Like Ian said, want and need are two different things. If I only had a Gold Cup, my 6"Ruger Std auto,
my Marlin/Sears bolt .22 and my Mossberg 500 12 ga, plus my Ruger 77 in7x57, I could never need another
one.

But I do WANT them, and have them.

Bill

 

[freebullet]

We have plenty, 97 in 12, couple 20s, a5, other 12s, very fortunate. If I could only take one afield, my ol'beater 500 with slug, smooth, & muzzleloader bbls would be tough to beat I've taken everything legally allowed in Nebraska with it. Sadly haven't been into shotgunning since my last dog past, but was raised on them.

The a5 was dads & the first I carried at 11-12 yr old, can't let that go. The 97 was my great grandads, all others can be replaced, those two would require my death to take.

I pretty much like most guns that don't say Taurus or similar on them.

 

[RBHarter]

I grew up on Model 12 Winchesters . I have a 1916 , 47 to go with Dad's 57'&68' . I made a mistake , I shot a BPS . All of the grace , the fluid lines , and most important steel parts . I had a lust for an A5 too . I found a Belgian A5 mag with a Special Steel barrel mismatched on a 1974 action and furniture with a white reciever . Of course 1 must have a 37 to compare to the BPS . I could do without the rim fires although I do like the Win 290 . I have a single action pistol with a mag cylinder to go with it .
My love of the Mauser has lead me to some foolish purchases . Some dumb luck too . A 1916 DWM action with a Jeager trigger and a 7mm A square so far shot out the thing would chamber a .301 . As luck would have it a brand new 7×57 barrel fell in my lap .
Bought a 45-70 just because it looks good next to the Colts . How many 45 Schofield chambered N frame S&Ws do you suppose are around ?
Kind of sucker for the old stuff and more so for milled steel .

 

[Bret4207]

FWIW, I live about 30 miles from Ithaca. We refer to it as "12 square miles surrounded by reality".

Don

Been through there a few times. Nice, accurate description. Lotta towns in this state like that.