If there were only 12 rifle cartridges....

[35 Whelen]

I'm in!!:

22 LR
223 Rem.
308 Win.
308 Win.
308 Win.
308 Win.
308 Win.
35 Whelen
35 Whelen
35 Whelen
35 Whelen
35 Whelen

How's that?

35W

 

[AK_Maine_iac]

The ones i do own: (Rifle)
338 Win Mag
416 Rigby
375H&H
35Whelen
3006
308
45.70
3030
6.5x5.5
223
22lr
22mag

My .50 is a black Powder ML

 

[klcmschlesinger]

My 12.......

Someone beat me to the concept, but....

1. 22LR
2. 223/5.56
3. 22LR
4. 22-250
4. 22LR
5. 30-30
6. 22LR
7. 30-06
8. 22LR
9. 338 WM
10. 22LR
11. 416 Rigby
12. 22LR

 

[Brian Williams]

22lr
22 Hornet
218 Bee
32-20
38spec/357mag
223 or 222
.17 Mach IV
6.5 Grendel
7mm-08
358
375H&H
45 Colt

 

[Caddisflied]

It's not easy to narrow it down to just 12.
I'd have to keep these 12 options available.

22LR
223
243.
25-06
260
7-08
280
7RM
308
30-06
338LM
375H&H

 

[zdc1775]

I actually had a hard time getting up to 12

22 LR
22 Hornet
22-250
6mm Remington
6.5x55
7x57
30-06
30-30
375 H&H
416 Rigby
45-70
50 BMG or 338 LM

 

[sansone]

I'll go real extreme minimalist here:
22LR
.243win
30-06springfield

 

[Geckgo]

+1 Sansone, but I guess if I wanted to play along (and I DO) I can make up a little list here

1. 22lr (Best cartridge EVER)*
2. 223/5.56 (coyote hunting, HD)
3. .243 (for the young or sensitive hunters out there)
4. .308
5. 30-06 (can't leave without grandpa)*
6. 50BMG (when 30-06 is just not enough)

um...
yea, that's all I got for the regular stuff. I would reserve the rest for pistol cal carbines, 9mm, 45ACP, etc.
* caliber I own

 

[sansone]

+1 Sansone, but I guess if I wanted to play along (and I DO) I can make up a little list here

1. 22lr (Best cartridge EVER)*
2. 223/5.56 (coyote hunting, HD)
3. .243 (for the young or sensitive hunters out there)
4. .308
5. 30-06 (can't leave without grandpa)*
6. 50BMG (when 30-06 is just not enough)

um...
yea, that's all I got for the regular stuff. I would reserve the rest for pistol cal carbines, 9mm, 45ACP, etc.
* caliber I own

oh yes sir, add the .50

 

[RevGeo]

I'm a minimalist as well...

.22 Short, Long, Long rifle (that counts as 3, huh?)
.22 Savage High Power (because I have one)
.30-06
7x57 (for old time's sake)
12ga

If I needed more than that, I'd be in a world of hurt.

George

 

[aka108]

I enjoy keeping things simple:
22 long rifle
30-06
45-70
12 g
That's all.

 

[MARKMALL]

Here is my list !

1) 22 lr

2) 22 hornet

3) 223

4) 250 sav.

5) 6.5 x 55

6) 270 win

7) 30/30

8) 30-06

9) 358 win

10) 416 rigby

11) 45-70

12) 458 lott

 

[NYH1]

Here is my 12-

22 LR.- Plinking or small game hunting.
223 Rem.- Varmint hunting and an AR15 for plinking and home defense.
25-06 Rem.- Long range varmint hunting, small to medium big game hunting.
280 Rem.- My favoritie cartridge. An all round medium big game hunting, deer, hogs, black bear from 4 to 400 yards, maybe elk and mosse at close to medium ranges. Also setup in a pump carbine.
7mm Rem.- Ultra Mag.- Long range medium to big big game hunting, deer, black bear, elk, moose ect.
308 Win. or 7mm-08 Rem.- A nice all round medium big game hunting, deer, hogs, black bear ect.
30-06 Spr.- An all round medium big game hunting, deer, hogs, black bear from 4 to 400 yards, maybe elk and mosse at close to medium ranges. Also setup in a pump carbine.
300 Rem. Ultra Mag.- Long range medium to big big game hunting, deer, black bear, elk, moose, the big bears.
338 Win Mag.- Long range medium to big big game hunting, deer, black bear, elk, moose, the big bears.
35 Rem.- Open/ghost ring sight for thick brush, deep woods, still hunting when shots will be 75/100 max.
45-70 Gov.- A ghost ring sight with a scout scope setup for hunting hogs, black bear, elk, moose ect. out to 150 yards or so.
416 Rem. Mag.- For anything the above can't handle. In my case I'd most likely never use it.

 

[coug]

Oh Let me set you all strait. LOL.
1.17 rem
2. 22lr
3..223
4.6x47 lapua
5. 6.5x47 lapua
6. .264 win mag
7. 7mm08
8. 7mm Stw
9. 300 win mag
10. .338 lapua mag
11. 408 CHEY-TAC
12. 50 BMG
Now that I have you all lined out......Go get em..

 

[USAF_Vet]

Here is my list of 12, and they aren't even all rifle calibers:
22LR
5.56 NATO
7.62x39
7.62 NATO
7.62x54R
30-06
30-30
9x19
45ACP
12 gauge
20 gauge
.410

and I don't even have guns in all of these calibers (yet)

 

[morcey2]

1. 22LR
2. 22-250
3. 6mm Rem
4. 257 Roberts AI
5. 6.5-06
6. 7x57
7. 30-06
8. 30-30
9. 8x57
10. 35 Whelen
11. 45-70
12. 50 BMG

And just to be odd

13. 7.35 Carcano

 

[Smith357]

Don't need near that many,

.22lr
.243
.30-06
.45-70

anything else is gravy.

 

[VFR]

22LR
6.5 Grendel in my bolt gun
6.5 Swede
300 H&H
9.3x64
.404 Jeff

Don't need 12. The last three have served me around the world for many years.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

1. .22 Long Rifle -- yep. Everyone needs a .22 rifle

2. .223 Remington -- Yep. A top-notch varmit cartridge, and with the right bullets can take white tails

3. .243 Winchester -- What will it do the .223 won't do at the low end or the .30-06 at the other end?

4. .260 Rem. or 6.5x55 SE -- What will it do the .30-06 won't do?

5. .270 Winchester -- -- What will it do the .30-06 won't do?

6. 7mm Remington Magnum -- -- What will it do the .30-06 won't do?

7. .30-30 Winchester -- Yep, for a horseman. It's a great saddle gun.

8. .308 Winchester -- What will it do the .30-06 won't do?

9. .30-06 Springfield -- Yep. It will do everything all the lower calibers will do.

10. .338 Winchester Magnum -- Yep. For elk, moose, grizzleys and so on. The .375 H&H would be just as good.

11. .416 Rigby -- Yep. If you're going to Africa.

12. .45-70 Government -- What will it do the .30-06 won't do?

 

[Ole Humpback]

Not to thread jack, but i'd also be interested in seeing people comparing their list of 12 to the rifles they currently own/plan on owning

No problem.

My current rifles/plan to own list:

1. Remington Model 41 Targetmaster 22
2. Henry Golden Boy 22 WMR
3. BLR 257 Roberts
4. Pedersoli 50cal Hawken Rifle
5. Winchester M70 Safari Express 375 H&H Mag
6. Pedersoli 1874 Sporting Deluxe Sharps 45-70 Govt
7. FS2000 5.56NATO

My 12 rifle cartridge list (own or plan to own in red):

1. .22 Long Rifle
2. .257 Weatherby Mag
3. .257 Roberts
4. 7x57 Mauser
5. 30-30 Winchester
6. 30-06 Springfield
7. 300 Weatherby Mag
8. 358 Winchester
9. 375 H&H Mag
10. 416 Rigby
11. 45-70 Government
12. 470 Nitro Express

 

[mavracer]

Could do every thing with 4
1: 22lr
2: 223/5.56
3: 30-06
4: 416 Rigby
I do every thing I want with these 10+ pistol caliber carbines
1: 22lr
2: 22mag
3: 223/5.56
4: 30 carbine
5: 30-30
6: 30-40 krag
7: 308
8: 30-06
9: 38-55
10: 45-70
I want to add a 35 remington and a 50bmg at some point.

 

[Ranger30-06]

Hmmmmmm.

1) .30-06 Springfield
2) .30-06 Springfield
3) .30-06 Springfield
4) .30-06 Springfield
5) .30-06 Springfield
6) .30-06 Springfield
7) .30-06 Springfield
8) .30-06 Springfield
9) .30-06 Springfield
10) .30-06 Springfield
11) .30-06 Springfield
12) .223 Remington



Ok my serious list:

1) .223/5.56x45 Nato
2) .243 Winchester
3) .270 Winchester
4) 6.8mm Remington SPC
5) .308/7.62x51 Nato
6) .30-06 Springfield
7) .338 Winchester Magnum
8) .35 Remington
9) .375 H&H
10) .416 Rigby
11) .45-70 GOVT
12) .50 BMG

The reason behind these choices are that they are some of the most common calibers on the face of the earth. It covers anything from rabbits to elephants, and calibers 1-8 and 11 can be found in 95% of gun stores. The heavier stuff can be had with some poking around. I own the boldfaced ones.

 

[sugarmaker]

.22 LR
.223
22-250
6.5x55
7-08
7mm Remington mag
.30-30
'06
338 win
375HH
416 Rigby
45-70

 

[Redneck1911.45]

If the all shotgun and pistol ammo was still around I would have to say...1) .22lr...2) .30-30 winchester...3) .30-06 springfield...4) .50 bmg..... 1) cause its a .22lr 2) cause popa used it 3) cause its a work horse. 4) cause i might get attacked by a train one day. "Y'all pick the other 8"

 

[MCMXI]

I don't really know what the best 12 cartridges would be, but looking at my collection of rifles, I have the following cartridges covered and only three from Chuck Hawk's list.

.223 Rem/5.56x45mm NATO
.260 Rem
7mm-08 Rem
7.62x39mm Russian
.308 Win/7.62x51mm NATO
.300 Win Mag
.300 WSM
.338 Lapua Magnum
.357 Magnum
.45 Colt
.45-70 Govt.

That's only 11 cartridges so maybe I should add another ... a .22LR perhaps!! Honestly though, I think that the following cartridges would be enough and certainly a list I could live with.

.22LR
.223 Rem
.308 Win
.300 WM
.338 LM