As many guns as you want to do it all!!!

[denton]

I used to want a lot of different calibers, but I've gotten past that. The useful applications of most calibers overlap a lot.

Here's what I've ended up with, and I'm happy with the collection:

handguns--

.41 Mag Ruger Redhawk for lots of fun target shooting, and for hunting if I decide to use it that way. Plenty of power if needed, but very pleasant to shoot with target loads.

9x18 Makarov for plinking and occasional concealed carry. Cheap, well made, same muzzle energy as a .38 Spl.

.22 Ruger Single Six for tin cans and for teaching the grandkids how to shoot.

rifles--

.22/20ga Rossi convertible break action, strictly for teaching the grandkids. The .22 works great. The 20 ga has really nasty recoil, and is effectively useless for the grandkids. The break action keeps the ones that just shovel ammo through the gun to a reasonable rate of use of ammo.

.223 Browning Stainless Stalker for varmints up to coyote size, and for really excellent target shooting. You can go through 100 rounds, and wonder why you didn't bring more.

.243 Howa 1500. I like this better than the 22-250, because its likely to give me longer barrel life. Good varminter, and with Partitions, a good basic deer rifle for the grandkids. This is one gun in the collection that isn't really ideal for anything.

6.5x55 Pac-Nor barrel on an FN action. In a modern action, it does about anything a 25-06 or 6.5-06 will do. Plenty of reach for those distant coyotes, and no questions about its capability on deer. In my case, I went for a heavier barrel, so this one isn't fun to carry over the mountains. Hence, we had to have...

7x57 Zastava, my new main hunting rifle. Lightweight barrel makes it pleasant to carry. With the right bullet, ample medicine for elk, and anything smaller. Mild recoil in spite of the light weight. Seems to be a very "happy combination."

30-06, Remington barrel on a Turkish Mauser action. An outstanding rifle, good for about anything I want to do.

8x57 Yugo. My loaner rifle. It's there in case someone wants to go hunting with me, and doesn't have a suitable rifle. 2.5" five-shot groups at 100, potent enough for elk.

Assorted: Finnish M39, Swedish Milsurp 6.5x55, just because they're classics. Browning 30-06 A Bolt with BOSS, because I was dumb and had no idea what real muzzle blast was like. SKS because everybody needs at least one bullet hose POS for those afternoons at the range where you just want to tear up tin cans.

shotgun--

Rem 870. About the most fun gun I own. Hard to beat an afternoon with my sons/sons-in-law with a couple of gallon jars of shells and three boxes of clays.