Who follows Jack O'Conner's advice

[Richard B.]

A fan asked the gun writer Jack O'Conner what guns he should buy to hunt in North America and the reply was a .22, a 12 gauge, and a .30-06.

So my question is does anyone just have one .22, one shotgun and one centre fire rifle? I have more than the basic three.

[Dick284]

If you're on a budget that just won't budge.
Jack's analogy is bang on.

Unfortunately.
It's seldom the case.

Surplus income, and more play time. Equates to more firearms.
Nuff said.

[harv3589]

I'm close... .22, 12 gauge and a 25-06

[catnthehat]

And of course ol' Mr. O'Connor didn't follow his own advice either- how could he, he would not have been a gun writer then!
Cat

[elkhunter11]

I have many firearms, but I don't own a 30-06, and I have no plans to ever own one.

[wolf308]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

And of course ol' Mr. O'Connor didn't follow his own advice either- how could he, he would not have been a gun writer then!
Cat

haha ...yeah good point ...jack o hypocrite...kidding ... na thats the basix right there .... and gotta squeeze a 7mm in there just for good measure and cause its alberta

i one up d him when i set on this crazy venture of shooting .... 22 lr , 12 gauge and a 270 ....still have them .... the 3 originals in my arsenal ....( and got 2 30-06s now ... ones a semi auto ...take that moose or zombies that x my path )

[JustMe]

Originally Posted by Richard B.

A fan asked the gun writer Jack O'Conner what guns he should buy to hunt in North America and the reply was a .22, a 12 gauge, and a .30-06.



So my question is does anyone just have one .22, one shotgun and one centre fire rifle? I have more than the basic three.

Jack shot a lot of game with the 270, but although it was his favorite caliber, he openly admitted that the 30-06 was a better choice due to more bullet choice and larger wound channel.

I don't think you would go far wrong with his suggested 3; the 22 for plinking, rabbits, gophers etc, the 12 gauge with different shot sizes for any wing shooting from grouse to geese and the 06 for everything else from antelope to moose. Any other extra guns would be just that, extra....

[KCL]

Thank God my wife doesn't read this.

[Mistagin]

I do, almost, chose the .270 instead of 30-06.

[JD848]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I have many firearms, but I don't own a 30-06, and I have no plans to ever own one.

x2

[Jack&7]

Hmmmm. Well, I guess I am kinda following his advice without knowing it. That is pretty much what I have. I added a muzzleloader to the mix because I think they are fun to shoot.

It seems to me to be a classic 'need vs. want' scenario. His list takes care of the 'needs'...anything else is a 'want'.

[densa44]

I thought that it was pretty good advice. I followed it for 30 years.

[Tactical Lever]

I suppose you could get by, if you had to. Short term like, right?? I would think though that there is more than one hole in there, and the really glaring one to me is not having a centerfire .22 in there, such as a .223. Or maybe a Bee for closer stuff, and a 22-250 for bigger, farther away varmints!

Originally Posted by KCL

Thank God my wife doesn't read this.

The best thing to do in this scenario is just to let this topic fade away into obscurity where it belongs...

But when it was time for a new large bore lever action (which I did not have at the time) I opined that I had wanted one for years, since they came out. And I did want to go after large bears... and this was a safer choice than one of the other guns shooting small bullets, at a slower rate of fire... Well, maybe I don't need one that bad.... I got by with a smaller gun for years, and haven't got ate yet... Well, OK Dear, if you really think I should go ahead and buy it..

You see now? "Well sure, I guess I can get by with this old-fashioned gun that shoots such short distances. It'll be tough when the elk are bugling just out of range, but if I have to stay out there another week til I get a closer shot, that's ok too."

Or: "Gee, if I had a nice light rifle like that, I would never go unarmed in wolf country! At least attacks are relatively uncommon!"


Now let's lock this one down mods!

[catnthehat]

When I trapped I used only three, a 22, 12 gauge, and a "heavy rifle" as the natives called them, either a 30/30 single shot or an Enfield.

When I guided I carried a SXS 12 gauge for bears.
However, when recreational hunting for myself?
THAT is where the indecision starts!!

Cat

[DiabeticKripple]

I was close.

.22, 12G and 7mm rem mag.

Then I bought an SKS

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by Richard B.

A fan asked the gun writer Jack O'Conner what guns he should buy to hunt in North America and the reply was a .22, a 12 gauge, and a .30-06.

So my question is does anyone just have one .22, one shotgun and one centre fire rifle? I have more than the basic three.

This really is the perfect starter package.
But these days you could switch up the 30-06 with something else.

But the primo starter package would include a bow imo

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

When I trapped I used only three, a 22, 12 gauge, and a "heavy rifle" as the natives called them, either a 30/30 single shot or an Enfield.

When I guided I carried a SXS 12 gauge for bears.
However, when recreational hunting for myself?
THAT is where the indecision starts!!

Cat

In Jack's day, Serious hunters would go out for a month or 6 weeks and live off the land, that's what would get you by. Even in those days, gun collecting was an addiction for some people.


Grizz

[Pathfinder76]

I hunt with a very basic battery. The 30-06 is a fine choice and if you can't be successful with it it has everything to do with you and not the cartridge. Most people over complicate things when it comes to hunting rifles.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by chuck

I hunt with a very basic battery. The 30-06 is a fine choice and if you can't be successful with it it has everything to do with you and not the cartridge. Most people over complicate things when it comes to hunting rifles.

Yes !!!!

People today over complicate things too much.
Or should that be ..... manufacturers are pumping out too much stuff?

[bat119]

I grew up reading Jack's story's he sold me on the 270
During my mortgage days my battery was basic
270 for deer
410 double for chicken
22 gophers
8 Gibbs for moose
12ga for geese
I've always looked at the 30-06 as the vanilla of calibers

[drake]

i am not a gun guy....infact i really dislike shooting for "fun"...i own a .22, a shotgun and a hunting rifle. no more no less.

[Stricks]

Originally Posted by Tactical Lever

You see now? "Well sure, I guess I can get by with this old-fashioned gun that shoots such short distances. It'll be tough when the elk are bugling just out of range, but if I have to stay out there another week til I get a closer shot, that's ok too."

Or: "Gee, if I had a nice light rifle like that, I would never go unarmed in wolf country! At least attacks are relatively uncommon!"

Let's just drop the 'lever' and stay with 'tactical' eh ...CSIS could use you.

I think I fell out of favour with Jack by my 19th yr.

[leo]

You have to take Jack's advice in context with the times. From the 40's to the early 80's, very few people I knew had more than one 22, 1 shotgun (usually a 12 or 16 gauge) and 1 rifle. His advice at the time was bang on during an age when people made do with what they needed, not what they wanted. My dad had a 16 gauge Winchester single shot, a 22 ACE single shot and a 303 No4 Mk 1 SMLE.

[elkhunter11]

The 30-06 is a fine choice and if you can't be successful with it it has everything to do with you and not the cartridge

True, but you can say the same thing about dozens of other cartridges.

Originally Posted by Luxor

Yes !!!!

People today over complicate things too much.
Or should that be ..... manufacturers are pumping out too much stuff?

I think it's great that the manufacturers provide so many options. The consumer still has the final say in what to purchase. If you don't like something, then don't buy it.

[t.tinsmith]

Those choices are excellent...even today

[KegRiver]

I have the .22 I have the 12 gauge, I have the 30-06, I guess I'm good to go.

So am I supposed to get rid of the other three .22s, the .218 bee, the 16 guage, the 20 gauge the 7.62 x 39, the .284, the .four .303s and the 30-30 ?

[KegRiver]

In all honesty I agree with the man. It's a good basic list.

[dmac]

I agree with Jack's perspective. Trouble is we have a lot of choices and the industry does a good job in swaying our minds on what we need. Jack lived between 1902 and 1978. The three mentioned were effective and popular rounds during that period.

I have a .22, 12 gauge, .308 and recently a 7mm-08. Never owned a 30-06 but used a .270 for many years.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

True, but you can say the same thing about dozens of other cartridges.



I think it's great that the manufacturers provide so many options. The consumer still has the final say in what to purchase. If you don't like something, then don't buy it.

Of course. That's the point.

As far as I'm concerned I haven't seen much from any manufacturer worth getting excited over in a long time.

[huntwat]

As a matter of fact, I do have those 3. Plus many others.