Closet full of rifles and none are absolutely sighted in

[charles p]

I lie awake at night thinking what I should do about my rifle battery.  I've got about 10 bolt action rifles from 243 to 300 WSM and not one of them do I have absolute confidence in beyond 200 yds.

I promise myself that I'm not going into another deer/elk season without all of them being perfect, or for sale. 
Anyone else live like this?  It's nerve racking to say the least. 

I think I should set aside a week and thoroughly clean all the barrels, then find another week to tweek my reloads and sight them in.  Problem is, I can never find the time.  Every one of these rifles have been tack drivers at one time - I just don't have any records of where they shoot or if they shoot and some of them missed a deer the last season they were used.

[DalesCarpentry]

Send them all to me and I will sight them all in for what ever range you desire. The catch is when I send them back you will be one light. Dale

[jvs]

I lie awake at night thinking what I should do about my rifle battery.  I've got about 10 bolt action rifles from 243 to 300 WSM and not one of them do I have absolute confidence in beyond 200 yds.

I promise myself that I'm not going into another deer/elk season without all of them being perfect, or for sale. 
Anyone else live like this?  It's nerve racking to say the least. 

I suppose everyone ends up with a rifle that isn't up to par sooner or later, but to have 10 rifles stashed in a closet that aren't dependable for a 200 yd shot clearly shows what abuse and neglect can do.  Buying another rifle and adding it to a collection of sub performance isn't doing you any good.

I don't mean to sound overly sarcastic here, but if you don't have time to take care of or properly store your firearms, you shouldn't have time to hunt.

Keep the two or three that you use the most, buy a cabinet or a safe for proper & secure storage, and get out to the range.

Where do you keep the ammo for these closet dwellers?

[kevthebassman]

If you wanted my advice, I would tell you to sell 7 or 8 of those rifles.  10 big game rifles is more than anyone can put to good use unless you've got all winter to hunt, and it sounds like you don't.  If you'd enlighten us as to what calibers and make/model of guns you have, I'd happily offer my opinion on which ones you could live without.

I like my system.  I've got two centerfire deer rifles.  One is a stainless steel Savage in 30-06 that wears a scope and goes out on the crappy days and is my go-to rifle.  My other one is a Marlin in .35 Rem that wears a peep sight and gets to go out on nice days and when I feel like hunting in close-in spots.  My other deer rifle is a .54 flinter, and I've got a Ruger Blackhawk that does whitetail duty as well.

[woodchukhntr]

My problem is that I am constantly trying different scopes on my rifles, and playing with different loads.  I need to set up a "go to" rifle that is sighted in for a specific load and left that way for immediate access.  It would make a good  loaner if necessary.  I'm thinking of doing that with my Lee-Enfield #4 Mk1 sporter.  But first let me change the scope.

[jmayton]

I tinker with mine too...but I always have the others ready to go.  My battery is pretty diverse, though not too large (10 long guns and 6 handguns).  If I'm tinkering with one gun (changing scopes or working up new handloads), I take another one with me to the range just for a check.  That way, I know where I'm at with each rifle at any given time.

[flintlock]

I don't have that problem...I have one center fire rifle..Not only is it sighted in for one load, I have tested about 10 different factory loadings on game and know what each will do to a deer...I also have an alternate loading that hits a half inch higher than the load that I have settled on for most of my deer hunting...

I have a friend that has your same problem...I started telling him about the different guns that I have and when I got through telling him what each preferred, he said "Dang, I wish I knew what each of my guns liked"...

I'd take one of them, put a good scope on it and wring it out this summer, so you know you have one go to rifle that you can use when you are hunting areas where a longer shot might present itself...

[SDS-GEN]

Charles, I hear ya.  I have a safe full of rifles and can't find time to get to the range to sight them in and experiment with loads.  However, I always have a couple that are sighted in and shooting tight.  After this spring's tinkering and swapping scopes, changeing rings, and loads I have four centerfires and two BP rifles to sight in, it probably won't all get done by the time season starts.  As long as I have an elk rifle, a varmint rifle, and a muzzleloader or shotgun for deer ready that's fine with me. 

If I were you I'd just concentrate on getting one or two rifles ready a month, that should get most of them taken care of by season.  Start a journal for each rifle and load to keep track of everything, and tape a chart to the stock of each rifle listing the load you're using with it and the bullet's drop at various ranges.

[beemanbeme]

I had a .300 Savage Classic Remington in the box for 2 years before I took it out.  But that is not a bad thing.  
If your rifles are clean, put them up and select one.  And treat it like it is your only one. Clean it, make sure all the scope screws are tight and sight it in. Then work up a good load with whatever wgt bullet you plan on using with it.  I am a find a good bullet/load and use it on everything kind of guy and don't believe in this happy horse$hit of "oh, I can load this bullet for that, and that bullet for this, and this other bullet....."  With 10 rifles, it sounds like you're the same.  Keep careful records and when you have your best load, load up a couple of boxes of ammo and put a sticker on the side that has the load data on it and put them up.  And start on another.  You don't need all 10 rifles spot on for deer/elk season.  You only need one.  Of course, you don't want that one to be the .243.  I've shot antelope, mulies, and elk on the same trip with a .300WM and 200gr bullets.

I don't know how far you're planning on shooting. I've only made one shot at big game beyond 300 yards and it was a hot dog trip.  

Recently, I took a 7mag out of the gun safe that hadn't been fired in over ten years and some ammo that I had loaded 16 years ago.  Shooting off of bags at 100 yards, three shots printed 1.5" high and .5" right.  A quarter would have covered the three shots (alright, alright, a little bit of one shot would have been hanging out )  Because of my gun logs and the data on the side of the box, I can duplicate that load now.  you've got to love those model 700's.

[AtlLaw]

I lie awake at night thinking what I should do about my rifle battery.

I feel your pain!   

I've got about 10 bolt action rifles from 243 to 300 WSM and not one of them do I have absolute confidence in beyond 200 yds.

I know, I know...  I've got 20 odd sportin rifles and for one reason or another I don't think one of 'em is sighted in at all!

I promise myself that I'm not going into another deer/elk season without all of them being perfect, or for sale.

I don't even try.  I set up 4 for each deer season to use.  This year it's 6 because of some new acquisitions.  I spend the spring and sumer working on the rifles and developing handloads for each.  By the time the others come up in the rotation I'll want to try a new bullet for that rifle or sumpin.  Like my 243 Browning Low Wall.  I set it up for Coyotes, having vowed I would never use it again for deer.  But it's just so darn pretty and light and shoots 100 gr. Sierras so good that I can't shake the desire to try it out again with the two other brands of premium bullets I've got.  Not to mention wanting to see if it shoots as well with H-4831SC as it does with R22!  So don't try to do them all; except keep them all clean and oiled.  Do enough for the coming season and next year do some more!  But NEVER sell a firearm!  I have in the past, but have always regretted it.

Anyone else live like this?  It's nerve racking to say the least.

'course we do!  But I don't let it bother me.  There are worse things to worry about... like my girlfriend and welfare check both being late... 

Problem is, I can never find the time.

Shucks boy!  what else ya doon that's more imporatnt!?

I just don't have any records of where they shoot or if they shoot

   Sumbody got to take you under they wing...

and some of them missed a deer the last season they were used.

"BAD RIFLE!!! BAD!!!!  from now on you HIT what I'm aimin' at, ya hear!??  "
<sigh>  Maybe you ought to sell them guns... 

[WyoStillhunter]

It's all been said above and, "yes" I have lived like that.  I still have five centerfire boltguns, three leverguns and a bolt .22LR but from year to year I commit to only a couple as "good to go" for big game season.

In 2006 it was 30-06 (deer and antelope) and .444 Marlin (elk).  In 2007 it was a new .257 Roberts for antelope and deer, then for elk I alternated days between 35 Whelen and .444 Marlin.  Day #2 the .444 tagged a raghorn bull.  Okay, okay...that was three rifles in 2007.

For 2008 it will be 6.5X55 for deer and antelope, and the .35 Whelen for elk.  The others will have to sit in the closet all clean and oiled...and pout about being left at home.

Over the last several years I have kept a Rifle Log that shows the updated sight/scope configuration for each rifle and the date of establishing a 100 yd. zero using a particular ammo.  That doesn't make them "ready to hunt" but they are at least minimally functional at all times.

PS -- I haven't needed to take a 200 yard shot at game in this century.

[weasel]

I kinda have the same problem, if it really is a problem. The guns I will shoot regularly are zeroed, others have not been shot, (at least by me and prolly won't be shot-by me), I just never felt the need to shoot what I feel is collectible. So they'll likely just sit in the safe to be caressed once in a while until the kids are going thru our stuff and sell them for $20 each at a yard sale. As long as they're clean, lubed, oiled, etc. where's the problem?

[MGMorden]

A lot of mine are always in some various stage of replacing mounts, redialing the scope, etc.  All in all, I don't mind it (that's what hobbies are for).  Basically, as long as I got ONE that I know will work every time, then I'm good to go.  Right now I know that my Savage .30-06 and my .225 Winchester are both sighted in and I trust them as far as I trust myself to aim.  The rest of them that are fully assembled are boresighted so I doubt it'll take me too long to dial them in if I get around to taking them to the range.

[slim rem 7]

 ok the laws coming to pick up 7 of your guns ..you got 2 hours to lay those 7 on the living rm floor..gottem their yet..
  now sell them and keep the three you kept,,  right ..i think you would be better off.
   plus brother you only live once .. take them guns out there, an get to knowum..

[Hairtrigger]

I am in the same boat with varmint rifles. Often times I will buy a new rifle and swap scopes. When I move a scope I do make sure the rifle is sighted in but this is often done on my 40 yard range... not exactly varmint range.
Last year I decided I was going to shoot at least one woodchuck with each of my varmint guns. I learned it is much better to shoot one gun well than many in an average way.
This year I picked one rifle and am using it all season. My hit % is way better than last year.

[beemanbeme]

Guys, I'm not real anal when it comes to keeping records but when I get a new rifle, one of the first thing I do is get a three ring binder and start a log on that rifle. Front page, I list serial number, what kind of rifle, etc. what scope I mount on it. If I glass bed it, that gets logged and so forth.  If I switch scopes, that gets logged.  I use notebook sized targets or make my own and as I do load development, those targets go into the binder with the load data, powder charge, bullet, velocity, weather conditions, comments on the target.  When I get the rifle pretty tightly dialed in, or I'm using a target rifle, I will have more than one bullseye on a page. All of the targets, the good, the bad, and the ugly go into the binder. 
When I took the .300 Savage out of the box, I started a book on it.  It's in the locker with a scope on it now. I'm not done with it in that I haven't glass bedded it and I'm still tinkering around looking for the best load but there is a box of ammo on the shelf for that .300 Savage and it is sighted in. 

[sandcritter]

Guilty  
For almost a decade, either school/poor, occupation, or country of residence kept me out of hunting, and sold my one gun. Now am making up for lost time. Started with a browning octagon .30-06, this was supposed to be my "do it all". It morphed into that plus a sako 75 greywolf .270 (which is was i REALLY wanted initially anyway, but didn't find). Then a CZ 550 .243 as a target/sometimes hunter. When a 6.5x55 came to light, which is the other REALLY always wanted rifle, had to get it. And two more interesting used muzzleloaders, cuz am just really looking for an excuse to get into ML.
They're all sleeping in storage, all but two still in shipping grease; am in iraq with internet that *sometimes* get's gunbroker.com = dangerous.
A new .308, another -06, and maybe the .243 will be sold to prove my sanity (to myself, if no one else)  

[30WCF]

I dont agree with the others that say sell most of them. If you want to keep them all, fine. That said I would definitely suggest selling a couple that you dont use to buy a good safe to protect the others. I would also suggest selling ones not being used if you need the money to buy good glass or other parts for the one you plan to use.

What I would suggest is pick the one that feels best to you and that you will use next season and then work with it until you feel comfortable with where and how it shoots. From there go to another one for a backup in case you have a mishap and drop or break your other one during hunting season.

Don't fret about all of them but at least get one or two up to par. I couldn't imagine sitting in a stand and not KNOW I can put a bullet where I aim. When I go hunting I just want to think about the hunt and and have complete confidence in my equipment.

[slim rem 7]

  of course one other choice considering the times.. if you have enough fore thought..
  unless you had an gun theft ,,mabe sellum to real good friends for a song
then make sure there stored w plenty good ammo in clean dry place..
 huh excuse me gotta go take my meds .. aint making no sense am i ..
  oh well ,,i find it hard to really put in enough time to really get to know more than three good rifles.. getting to knowum is the main deal in my opinion..good luck ,,what ever you decide to do..

[Rangr44]

Mine're all sighted-in & ready to hunt, at a moment's notice.

For a week-long out-of-state deer hunting trip, there's a Monday gun, a Tuesday gun, a Wednesday gun, etc (you get the picture) - then (just in case) there's a "Rain gun", and a "Loaner", a long-range stand/Sniper rifle, and a Brush gun too.

That doesn't take into account handgun hunting, and pistol packing in combo with one of the other long guns - not to mention a sub-caliber "coup-d'grace" CCW pistol.

Phew ! I'm dizzy.  It's a good thing I'm retired. 

[deltecs]

I know how he feels.  I've got the same problem with my stock of rifles.  I had a bunch of re loaded ammo for the last 8 years matched to the rifles, so used them when I went out.  Still got good groups and sights were still on targets with all loads.  However, went to my gun shop to replenish my reloading components and go figure, they were all out of my preferred powder, primers, and bullets in every caliber.  Due to the high fuel costs, I decided to try some different loads with the supply in stock rather than make another expensive trip to town.  So, over the last 2 months, I've loaded over 2,000 rounds from .223 Rem, 243 Win, 6mm Rem, 280 Rem, 30-06, 308 Win, and 9.3x62.  I have several rifles in each caliber and am hoping my new loads will work in each rifle without changing bullets or powders.  I had to wait until the snow melted from my target range just behind the house, which was last week.  Now to get out the chrony, set up targets, and start shooting each rifle with respective rounds, both medium and heavy bullets for caliber.  At least this will keep me busy for a month or so testing all the rounds and rifles.  I should be really ready for hunting season this fall with all the shooting I'm going to do.  The next time I go to town will be for a huge resupply of ammo components, as I believe the costs are going to up exponentially in the near future with all the anti and tax proposals on ammo components.

[charles p]

I started this post.  I am guilty of loading for certain calibers, then never range testing, then buying a new rifle and starting over.  Throw in a few switched up scopes and it's easy to loose confidence it almost everything.  Year before last I hunted with just one rifle and last year I did the same with a different rifle.  I just wish that I had the same confidence in all my rifles.  They are all cared for, cleaned properly, etc, just do not have the range time to keep everything up of the proper records to know what works.

Some might say sell some rifles and concentrate on a few.  Well, I'm in my 60's and don't need the money, and I hope to soon have some grandkids who can use old Boom-Pa's rifles.

[bluebayou]

I don't see the need to sell anything.  Maybe you just need to moderate the time that you spend with other hobbies or get the grandkids involved in helping out.  You could have some little helpers for range testing. 

I started deer season 2 years ago with no rifle sighted in due to load development and scope changes.  I will admit that I am guilty of what Beemanbee mentioned with loading multiple loads for each rifle.......heh, 165 Gameking and 120 Hornady's and.....It was exciting and interesting when I got started reloading.  Now it is a necessity because of cost, not just for accuracy.  Now that cost is such a factor, I can't see buying 3 different types of bullets for every rifle (except for initial load development and even then I have leftovers from previous rifles).

I have one dead, solid, perfect rifle and it is a 7-08 Remington 700 with Millett DMS-1 scope of all things.  I don't see making any changes to it anytime soon.  The others are up for grabs as time allows.

[beemanbeme]

I'm sure I am preaching to the choir but I'll say it just in case someone needs the info:  You don't have to hit the bullseye with every loading.  Let's say you're seeing if ole trusty rusty shoots 150's or 165's better and the rifle is sighted in to shoot Hornadys 180's dead on at 100 yards but you've got some Speer 165's and some NP 150's. 
It don't make any difference if your group is 6" high and 4" right. It's the group you're looking at. 
When I'm lookin to fine tune a load, I may put 4 or 5 1" stickers on a single sheet of paper and shoot a different powder load at each sticker.  (I will be zeroed in at close to dead on)  When I take the sheet down, I write bullet, powder, etc at the head and write the amount of powder next to each group and its measurment.  And then it goes in the book. 
Once you have a load worked up and some ammo put back, you can tinker around with other bullets and powder all you want, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T CHANGE YOUR SCOPE.   

[WyoStillhunter]

sandcritter,

Thanks for your service.  Come home safe and sound.

"Semper fi"
WyoStillhunter
a.k.a. Cpl. R. D. Naumann, USMC, HqCo, 7th Marines, RVN '68-'69

[jro45]

I know where all my rifles sighting is at. I have a safe full of rifles and I make it my bussiness to know where each one is at.

[1sourdough]

 I have about 10 'deer' rifles in various configurations. I usually have 1 to 3 set up to go & others are in some type of mid range storage. I have some never shot, or not shot in 10 yrs or so. One happens to be a mint 1966 Sako Forester & another a mint Sako 75. I say having a few extra isn't a problem, but you need to key in on one or 2 & set them up so you have total confidence in them. It's helpful to get used to the 1 or 2 guns you plan to use, the safety, trigger, loading & all.

[charles p]

That usually describes me.  I'll retest about four and probably only use one or two per year.  Usually cross out the magnums and the smallest calibers and focus on those in the middle.

Still enjoy owning more rifles than I need.   In a perfect world all would be sighted in 2" high at 100 yds and shoot one MOA accuracy.

May use my Contender in 7-30 as well.