I have been a hunter since I was a kid. Started off with BB guns and birds in the back yard, then a single shot .410 and rabbits . . . and so on. Over the past 3 years I have kinda gone crazy with guns. Bought everthing I thought I wanted or needed as funds alllowed. My focus is elsewhere during the summer months (racing cars), but as the temps drop and my focus moves from Horsepower to Firepower the urge to splurge arrises each fall. I have read ALOT on here and other forums (snipercentral) and have learned alot - BUT - now I am at the point where I want to focus on rifles that I will actually use or need, rather than what seems cool or a must have at the moment.

Please help me decide on what rifles I need, what I have that I can upgrade to what I need, and what I should get rid of. I will lay out my list of needs, wants, and what I currently have. I would like advice on what to keep, sell, or upgrade. I will selll/trade what I don't need.

WANT -
Woods/CQB gun - something that will be OK for tight woods hunting and sub-100 yards Zombie engagement
Open Fields gun - something that will be good for 100-400 yards on North American game
SHTF gun - something that will be reliable and common caliber in EOTWAWKI/SHTF stituation, higher mag count a plus
1000 yard gun - something capable of shooting 1moa or better @ 1000 yards. Will only shoot past 400 yards a couple times a year.
only 3 calibers at the most to have to buy ammo for (9mm, 308, 5.56)

HAVE-
Rifles:
Rem 788 in .308, 18" bbl, shortened stock, lightweight - shoots 1.5 MOA
Savage 10FP, .308 cal, 24"bbl, Choate stock, 13# with optics - shoots 0.75 moa
DPMS SASS, .308 cal
LMT CQB MRP, .223, with the MRP upper and the SOCOM stock fairly heavy for a carbine
Stag - .223 carbine, 16" bbl
Stag - 6.8SPC carbine, 16" bbl
Spikes Pistol lower w/ POF 9.25" piston upper (weighs about as much as a standard carbine, got in case I move to a free state where I can have a SBR)
Spikes lower w/ ACE ultralight entry stock
Spikes lower w/ 4-pos stock
Spikes lower w/ 6 pos Tan stock

Optics;
Nikon 3-9x50 Buckmaster (currently on Remmy788)
Nikon 4.5-14 Buckmaster (currnetly on Savage)
Meopta Meostar R1 4-16x44 (currently on SASS)
LMT BUIS (currently on POF pistol upper)
Eotech 553 (currently on LMT)

Mounts:
GG&G  Accucam (on Savage w/Nikon 4.5-14)
GG&G  Accucam AC-30 (on SASS w/Meopta)
Leopold 1" standard rings on 788 (Nikon 3-9)

Other:
Surefire M900a light/VFG combo


Some of my thoughts -
The LMT is a great rifle, but with a Surefire M900 grip/light and Eotech and extra batteries in the stock it is pretty heavy.
The LMT is pretty expensive so it makes it hard for me to want to shoot it alot. I want to keep it pretty rather than use if for what it's made for.
The SASS started off to be a hunting gun - but at 14.5# it is not very fun to carry around. It's heavier than my more accurate Savage "sniper" rifle.
I can put 5 shots in 3" at 400 yards with the Savage and a scope - but can't hit a paper plate at 100 yards with a carbine and the Eotech.
My AR pistol with the POF piston upper weighs as much as most carbines. Thinking about selling the POF upper and getting a simple lightweight 7" to 9" upper. But should I go 9mm or .223? If I go 9mm I'll have to invest in all new mags that will only be used with that one rifle.

So, what are your thoughts??

AR10

Colt 6940 or equivalent.

1. For tight woods maybe a good slug or anything with a heavyier bullet.

2.I really think that you have everything you need for a shtf gun.

3..  Sell the pof upper and by a bcm 11.5 and stick with the .223 round.

I just spent the last year thinning my safe out. Seems you are in the same quandry.

I kept two 22 Rifles a 10-22 and a Henry lever action trapper, Colt HBAR, SP-1 carbine, Armalite SPR and my AR-15 A2 Govt Carbine. I also kept 2 dove guns Rem 1187 12 and 20 ga and my Beretta A303 turkey gun. Thats whats left of over 32 long guns.

I had over 50 pistols of which I kept 2 Glocks a 22 and 23. I kept my SW Mod 29 44mag (DO YOU FEEL LUCKY!!) and my Wilson combat 1911.. I also kept 2 Ruger Mk 2's one stock and 1 SS w/ target barrel.

As for the Ar's The A2 Govt Carbine is my go to house gun and is kept clean and loaded at all times in my safe which has a keypad lock. It has a Trijicon reflex sight VFG and surefire light attached. The SP-1 carbine is my dedicated always there truck gun and my SPR is my reach out and touch someone piece. I kept the HBAR just because it was my 1st Colt and has a lot of memories attached. It will go to my oldest son eventually.

It was both hard (like parting with family) and easy (new harley and boat) getting rid of the stash as my wife calls it. The hardest part was parting with my custom Wilson Combat master Duo. There were 3 the officer, commander and govt. I kept the commander just as it is lieghtweght and a great shooter. So good luck and break out the whiskey and kleenex cause its harder than leaving your girlfreaind

well, as i see it you already have 3 things covered with just the 6.8.    hunting brush gun, SHTF, and out to 300 yds or so.

as far as 1,000 yd gun..... do you ever really see yourself shooting @ 1,000 yds????   keep a .308 for out to 600 yds +/-  .

keep a .223 just because ammo is everywhere.

as far as a 9mm rifle, it won't do anything the others won't except be alittle cheaper to buy blasting ammo for.

For the best bang for you buck by far in a long range 1000 yard precision rig look no further than a Remington R5 milspec. You can find them for right at $1000 and I dare someone to find a better

out of the box accuracy rifle. I know a couple guys who shoot competition and have shot .25 MOA with them and consistently shoot just under .5 MOA.

I agree with what has already been said. Only thing I would throw out is about a 1000 yard gun. I know you are trying to limit calibers but in teh case of extreme long range given you said you would not be shooting alot at that range, why limit yourself. I'd pick a more potent round that is better suited for that distance. There are several more potent rounds that are much flatter shooting at 1k yards. The 300mag comes to mind first although there are some nice smaller calibers out there. Nice thing about the 30 cal magnums is they can be used for hunting in addition to punching holes in paper.

Your 6.8 will do just about everything but long range. What you lack is a serious 1000 yard target gun. You like the AR platform so I'd say get a heavy barrel 6mmAR upper for one or your lowers. Add a good trigger, sights/scope and you are good to go.

Thanx, Russ

Thanks everyone for the input. The 6.8 sure is a popular choice. Do you think down the road there will be more and more factory loads for it, and maybe even military surplus at some point? That's what makes the .223 and .308 so appealing to me right now. There are hundreds of factoy loads between $1 and $2 per round, and tons of mil-surp for $0.25 to $0.50 per round. Hard to embrace something new ya know. . .

Here are some of my thoughts:
- I have some shotguns and rimfires - mostly focussing on centerfires here.
- although the 6.8 may be a better round for many situations - you can buy 5.56 and .308 anywhere anytime (maybe 6.8 will be that way soon?).
- I have never shot at 1000 yards, and may never. I guess I don't really NEED a gun that can do it - just would be nice to have one.
- probably will get a .260 Rem or .338 Lapua for super long range. The .260 could be a 24" AR upper. The .338 would be a bolt gun.
- more to come  .. .

I think the 6.8 is on the way out.  however the guys who love it cannot see that forest.  I would stick with 308 and 223/556 for the reason you stated.

Looks to me like your Remington, Savage, and Stag carbine cover all the uses you anticipate.  Keep those and get rid of the rest.  Having stuff in your safe that you do not use is a vexation to the spirit.  If you don't shoot 'em, dump 'em.  That's my motto.  Of course, I have to go shooting a lot to justify some of what's in my safe.  Ha, ha, ha.

I have a buddy that competes in long range (600, 1000) with a Savage bolt and he fares pretty well against the big boys.

The Stag carbine is light and handy, covering all SHTF scenarios with the right optics.

For close engagement in the woods, that 788 is hard to beat.  Plus, you won't be heartbroken if you ding the thing up.

Starting with those three rifles, and given the missions you describe, I, personally, would keep the Stag, try to migrate from the Savage to a Rem 700 with top-shelf optic for long range hunting and target, and work toward a lever gun in 45-70 to replace the 788.  But, it seems what you have has you covered for the time being.

Thanks again! I went and shot the Savege, SASS, and Rem 788 again today.

Shot a 2" five shot group at 400 yards with the Savage and Federal P308F load (150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip), and a little larger group @ 400 with the SASS and Hornady TAP 168gr. All was prone from the bed of my truck with a Harris bipod.

Shot a 3" five shot group at 200 yards with the 788. Not too bad for a 25-30 year old gun with a pencil thin 18" barrel! :)

When I was at the local gun store I played with the new Savage 10 Precision Carbine. It is a 10FP with the Accustock (in digital ACU camo), a 20" barrel, and detachable box mag. It weighs WAY less tham current 10FP with the Choate stock and 24" barrel. From what I've read - going with a shorter barrel can get you just as good of accuracy at intermediate ranges as a long barrel (stiffer, but not as much muzzle velocity). Honestly, as cool at 1000 yards sounds, I'll probably never actually do any real shooting at that distance. 400 yards is about 1/4 mile, and that is the longest range I can safely shoot on any of the property I have available. . .

I would sell the AR pistol w/ piston upper mainly because I have no need/desire for an SBR or pistol AR, just personal preference. I would also rework the LMT MRP to be a lighter package to use as a CQB/SHTF gun.

The 6.8SPC will fit the role of a 100-400yd rifle. The 6.8 is a good hunting round that will take most any North American game.

The Savage you already have should fill your 1000yd request.

For a Brush gun I would highly recommend a lever-action rifle. I love mine, so much fun, very light and handy. I have more fun with it than my AR. You could also keep the Rem. 788 though, if it's light and handy enough should work out very well.

I would also figure out what which of the spare lowers I liked the most and keep it, sell the other two off.

That will free up funds for quite a bit. Keeping those 4 rifles you have will have you at 3 calibers, .308, 6.8SPC, and .223. I think this would be a good all-around set-up still leaving you plenty capable, but also having some variety to enjoy.