If you could have only one caliber, what would it be?

[Lloyd Smale]

well it would have to be a 223 because if i was down to one rifle it would be a ar15 to protect my family. Now if your talking one jacketed bullet hunting rifle it would be either my win 70 featherweight in 06 or its twin brother in 280. One cast bullet gun? A 44 mag without a doubt.

[5090SS]

A difficult choice to make but we are lucky to have the choices we do.
It's the 44 SPL/44MAG for me, covers snake loads, nightstand loads and a lever gun for deer/hogs.

[DW475]

I'd have to go with 45-70 as it's never let me down and i'm primarily hunting Elk, Deer and Black Bear in heavy timber.

[Outer Rondacker]

Still think if it was a one job does all it would have to be a 38/357. In a lever of course.

[Gobeyond]

I’ve had more fun with a 44 special than with any other. Smith 624 and rbh Bisley 4 3/4 until they shut down my shooting area.

[kopcicle]

I noticed that the 38/357 got a lot of traction.

.308 because I have Single Shot, Single Shot Pistol, Bolt, and Semi-Auto.
Cast, Jacketed, Mono, there isn't much that I can't do with .308.

Back to 38/357. If it was caliber instead of cartridge it would have been the .358 bore.
That would cover the 38/357, 357 Sig (not really a fan but), 35 Remington, 35 Whelen, 358 Norma Magnum, and any or all wildcats in between.

Very specific obscure mention of the 358 bore in the AR15 platform and a silly project from years ago where a 358 found its way onto a 404 Jeffery case. Recoil from the 358/404 was uncomfortable in an 11 pound rifle.

[Bill*B]

Well, as the creator of this post stated, it's just for giggles. That said, if I could have only one rifle, it would be a .22 rimfire. Nothing else is as practical. In a pinch, it will produce. When I was dirt poor on the farm, it was all I had. But really, it was all that I needed.

[davidheart]

I love that 7 years later this thread is still going strong despite never being made into a sticky or the thread title being changed to "If you could have only one cartridge, what would it be and why?" like I requested it to be changed to years ago.

Glad everybody is enjoying!

[Tall]

My favorite cartridge - 45 Colt with a 250 grain LSWC (or Berry's Flatpoint) over 7.1 grains of W231. Epic round.

[Charlie Horse]

22 Hornet. It is just a very effective round in rifles and my Contender pistol. The military used to use it in survival rifles.

[dverna]

5.56

If only one caliber, I need something for when the SHTF. The AR15 is my preferred weapon. I can still shoot it for fun but I would sorely miss my other toys.

Over seven years, and my choice has not changed. BTW, had to find my old post to be sure. Lol.

The most important function of a weapon is to kill people that need to be killed. The 5.56 does thst well. It can down deer, so I could still hunt and there will never be a shortage of components to reload it, or ammunition.

Everything else is just fun shooting and I can still have fun shooting 5.56.

My last CF guns will be a few AR’s and a bolt action Howa mini-Mauser.

[Lloyd Smale]

depends. if your talking shooting cast make mine a 44mag, if its a hunting rifle 06 hands down but if i could only have one gun it would be a 556 ar

[BUFFALOW RED]

44-40
My favorite rifle is a copy of 1866 yellow boy and I have 2 Rugers in that caliber

[kaiser]

A .357 Magnum would be my choice for the following reasons: 1) small, economical powder capacity 2) small ammo carry requirement, ie. can carry more rounds with less weight than competing cartridges 3) a rifle in this caliber is usually 300fps faster with the same load as a pistol, increasing its power and range considerably 4) very accurate caliber 5) easy to load out of a "shoe box" with a Lee "whack-a-mole" or 310 "tong tool" 6) gun in this caliber will also chamber and shoot .38 Special and .38 Long 7) lastly, any .357 rifle or pistol is a caliber that pleasant to shoot = easily controlled recoil, although loud in a short barreled pistols.

[white eagle]

there is only one choice for me that would be the 220 Swift
don't really know if I already answered here but that's my story and I'm stickin to it

[ttd444]

i would say a Winchester m94 in 35/30-30, but someone said no wildcats.

but if i had one cartridge to choose from it would be 7x57 Mauser. from groundhogs to elephants, the 7 Mauser will kill it.

[Patrick L]

I'm in agreement with the shotgun crowd, but for me it would be a 20 gauge. Yellow bullets are best for me. Will handle any game I hunt OR play.

[Divil]

At this time, I could pick .38 Special or .40 S&W and be fairly content.

[Kosh75287]

I probably have answered this question multiple times, and probably with a different answer each time. I'd probably go with a good .308 bolt gun, since it'll drop anything in the lower 48 if I do my part. Since I now have a lifetime supply of Alliant Unique and BE-86, I'd probably run a lot of cast projectiles through it, also.

Were I limited to only one sidearm, I'd want a forged frame 1911A1 in .45 ACP, with .22 LR and .460 Rowland conversion kits. Or is that cheating?

[Duffy]

I'm on board with the 38/357 crowd, a lever action rifle and revolver seems like the best all around choice/combo for utility and variety.