2 rifles, one caliber?

[wildfowler.250]

Does anyone run two rifles in the same caliber?

I’ve clocked a wooden stocked, blued barrelled .270 that I’m very tempted by.. But I currently have a stainless .270 which I can’t bring myself to part with. Partly because second hand prices are pants, the ‘new’ rifle may not shoot as well and I’m nostalgic.

Is it daft to have two guns in the same caliber? Probably.. I’ve always felt rifles should fill a niche. But I wouldn’t think twice about having two 12 bores.

Is it a big job to convert a .270 to a .30-06 through a smith? Cost wise as well as practicality? It’s mainly the rifle I like more than the caliber and figured this may provide more use. I’ve got a 22CF and can have use of a 6.5x55 as well so don’t really have many ‘gaps’ otherwise.


Interested to hear folks thoughts. The sensible half of me says forget it but when something catches your eye..


I probably won’t go through with it but I thought I’d see the verdict on here. My worry is that it’ll be a bit like a classic car, gathering dust half the time. Plus it’s another scope etc.

 

[HandB]

It's a good idea to have two rifles in the same caliber as they can be configured for different applications yet reloading is simplified. I have two .308 rifles (one short barrel/small scope in driven boar configuration and the other is a long barrel/larger scope for longer range activities). The great thing is I can use the same brass, powder, bullets etc. in both rifles so there is less faffing around with different dies and other caliber specific equipment.

 

[JockStalk]

You’ll need ‘good reason’ for the second rifle. If you can come up with that, crack on.
The ‘good reason’ for the new 270 vs the existing 270 - setup for woodland vs hill rifle? More target oriented vs stalking? Night vs day shooting?
Have a think, decide on the good reason and the worlds your lobster

 

[JTO]

As long as you have good reason for owning each weapon:- Night vision/Thermal, daylight stalking, target/range shooting.
I have one calibre for all three, another calibre for the last two, and another calibre for the first and last, AND OF COURSE, a .22rf.

 

[wildfowler.250]

It's a good idea to have two rifles in the same caliber as they can be configured for different applications yet reloading is simplified. I have two .308 rifles (one short barrel/small scope in driven boar configuration and the other is a long barrel/larger scope for longer range activities). The great thing is I can use the same brass, powder, bullets etc. in both rifles so there is less faffing around with different dies and other caliber specific equipment.

This was my biggest plus for keeping the same cal is the same brass etc. Did think it would be handy to have a backup and can always load 150 grain

You’ll need ‘good reason’ for the second rifle. If you can come up with that, crack on.
The ‘good reason’ for the new 270 vs the existing 270 - setup for woodland vs hill rifle? More target oriented vs stalking? Night vs day shooting?
Have a think, decide on the good reason and the worlds your lobster

To be fair the local force are pretty decent. At least if you’re sensible enough to have one, the same shouldn’t be a problem.

I do fancy hunting abroad at some stage. .30-06 might be more ‘useful’ but I think the .270 probably still does it all.

As long as you have good reason for owning each weapon:- Night vision/Thermal, daylight stalking, target/range shooting.
I have one calibre for all three, another calibre for the last two, and another calibre for the first and last, AND OF COURSE, a .22rf.

The good old .22, I can’t bring myself to get rid of it as it can be very handy but it’s my least favourite of the bunch!

 

[freid]

I've got two 7x57's, one walnut/blued and the other is a synthetic. My reason is one is set up for woodland & driven and the other is set up for the hill.
N.B. - wet weather was not considered a good enough reason for the additional synthetic rifle, but the fact it is set up for the hill with specific scope and different twist rate was deemed sufficient!

 

[cjm1066]

Had 3x 22 rim fires at one stage, one issues as other had said just a good reason for each.

 

[gixer1]

Yup, I have a few rifles the same chambering in 6.5 and 22.

 

[bullet chucker]

6 x•22s a good use for all of them!

BC.

 

[Smellydog]

Two HMR here.

 

[alberta boy]

I have three 30/06's that are set up for different bullets/game . Come to think of it , I have a number of rifles in the same chambering .
You could easily switch the 270 over to an 06 , it would be a straight forward rebarrel and perhaps a minor bit of fitting in the barrel channel of the stock if the barrel is larger than the original . The question is , is it worth the expense ? If you really like the rifle , I'd say it would be worth it . What make is the " new " rifle ?

AB

 

[wytonpjs]

I have two .308 - a Sako S20 with a dS and a Tikka Wideland Veil with a Z6i. The latter is barely 2/3rds the weight of the S20 with the same mod and 3 vs 5 rounds in the mag. One is my “specialist” go anywhere do anything, the other is what I choose to lug around all day with a trainee or witnessed stalk (safety) where I probably won’t fire it. When looking for a second lightweight rifle I found the Tikka ticked virtually all the boxes at a third of the cost or more of the expensive CF alternatives. Bonus - both have the same chamber/barrel/thread so not only does the same mod do both, but reloaded fire-formed neck-sized brass from one fits the other and vice-versa - mega bonus!

 

[antsa]

I have two .22RF's; one in wood for bunnies and plinking and one in a chassis for range work. Also two .223's; one with a sporter barrel as a truck gun and one with a heavier, longer varmint barrel for foxing further out. Then there's the .222. I was thinking of re-barrelling and re-chambering it to a .20 calibre but came to my senses. The Boys in Blue here don't fret too much about multiple rimfires and were happy with the given usage explanations for the CF's.

Cheers

 

[Overlay]

2 x 22 rimmy. 2 x 22 hornet
as others have said a genuine reason will get you them on your ticket
same with moderators I carry a spare 22 rimmy 22 CF and 30 cal mods on my ticket

 

[25 Sharps]

As i

Does anyone run two rifles in the same caliber?

I’ve clocked a wooden stocked, blued barrelled .270 that I’m very tempted by.. But I currently have a stainless .270 which I can’t bring myself to part with. Partly because second hand prices are pants, the ‘new’ rifle may not shoot as well and I’m nostalgic.

Is it daft to have two guns in the same caliber? Probably.. I’ve always felt rifles should fill a niche. But I wouldn’t think twice about having two 12 bores.

Is it a big job to convert a .270 to a .30-06 through a smith? Cost wise as well as practicality? It’s mainly the rifle I like more than the caliber and figured this may provide more use. I’ve got a 22CF and can have use of a 6.5x55 as well so don’t really have many ‘gaps’ otherwise.


Interested to hear folks thoughts. The sensible half of me says forget it but when something catches your eye..


I probably won’t go through with it but I thought I’d see the verdict on here. My worry is that it’ll be a bit like a classic car, gathering dust half the time. Plus it’s another scope etc.

As others have said show good reason and they should say yes.

Converting your current rifle to 30-06 is just a barrel change, £800-1200 and probably a 6 month wait.

 

[wildfowler.250]

Cheers gents. Appreciate the feedback.

I’ll sub the rimfires out of this but interested to see a few of you have 6.5 / .308 / .30-06’s . My main worry is it wouldn’t get as much use but it does make sense from a reloading point of view. I could quite easily load a heavy and a light round.

Out of interest, how do you go about rebarreling from a licence point of view? Variation first and then put the rifle in? I assume it’s a gamble to apply for the variation during the 6 month wait..

Anyone else have any similar experiences, would be keen to know. I think a lot of folk on here will have a ‘nice day’ rifle be it a mannlicher or a K95 or something. But I’m guessing usually in a different cal

 

[JTO]

Cheers gents. Appreciate the feedback.

Out of interest, how do you go about rebarreling from a licence point of view? Variation first and then put the rifle in? I assume it’s a gamble to apply for the variation during the 6 month wait..

If it's the same calibre, no problem.
If it's a different calibre, the most straightforward way might be to lodge the rifle with the smith and wait, wait, wait for the variation, then you collect your new calibre rifle.
Advice from plod would be the first step!

 

[TringSaint]

You’ll need ‘good reason’ for the second rifle. If you can come up with that, crack on.
The ‘good reason’ for the new 270 vs the existing 270 - setup for woodland vs hill rifle? More target oriented vs stalking? Night vs day shooting?
Have a think, decide on the good reason and the worlds your lobster

Indeed. Thermal vs standard scope vs no scope. Mod / no mod. Target and hunting vs hunting only.
I know loads of target shooters who have multiple rifles of the same calibre

 

[6pt-sika]

Multiple 222’s , 243’s , 260’s , 338 Federals , 6.5 Grendel’s as far as bolt guns are concerned . When it came to Marlin lever actions I think I had a dozen 30-30’s at one point doubles in any of the cartridges and when I came to the 444 Marlin I had over two dozen of them once although that was partly a collecting induced thing but I must say I did load and cast for every one of them and killed atleast one deer with each . Typically using a different home cast bullet in each gun .

 

[harrygrey382]

I don’t see any reason not to have more than one rifle in the same caliber - it can be a great idea. Frankly a lot of centre fire cartridges perform so closely it’s not that different to having say a 270 and a 7-08 or a 308. I’ve just bought another 7x57 barrel to build a second rifle in that caliber - not that I need it, I just like it.

One point to make about reloading and brass sharing - it’s best to have them headspaced the same otherwise you have to resize brass excessively or keep them separate and adjust sizing due separate.