What would you pick if you had to start over.

If I had to start over in the hunting game, I would pick three Encores. Each with its own dedicated barrel .25/06, .30/06, and .35 Whelen Improved. With these three pistols, I am equipped to hunt anything in North America. These three calibers share the same parent brass (30/06) which minimizes the chance that I will ever become "brassless". The calibers have been around for a half-century so components and loading data are easy to come by. Even though the Improved Whelen is a wildcat, standard Whelen rounds can be fired in the improved chamber. The 30/06 is forever popular for its versatility, the 25/06 is enjoying a Renaissance of sorts, and the Whelen is more popular than ever. The best large game pistol hunting trio that I have found. Of course that does not include revolvers, or semi-autos etc.. Easy to see how one finds himself in these situations! What say you?

I have Encore Barrels currently in 223 Rem, 260 Rem, 7.62x54R, and 356 Win. I currently have three frames.

I also have a Contender, and Two G2 frames, and 22 LR, 6.5x30JDJ, 357 Maximum, and 35 Bullberry barrels.

If starting over I believe I would start with a Couple G2 frames, and a 22 LR barrel and a 30-30AI barrel. I would equip both with one of Tony's Forends. I would use Evolution Gun Works 6 screw bases as sold by Bellum, and Warne vertical split rings. For Glass I would go with the Burris 2-7 Scopes. I would have a Four Gill Muzzle Brake installed on the 30-30AI barrel. I would also go with MGM barrels for both.

My reasoning: I would have to own a 22 LR Trigger Time/Practice barrel. I cannot imagine not owning a 22 barrel. While I do not currently own a 30-30AI barrel, my brother does. I have been very impressed with it's performance. I have worked up loads with his barrel, and seen it's performance on deer. The locations where I hunt are pretty well limited to around 125 yards or so. More power than a 30-30AI is not really required.

Bob R

I would choose a Ruger single six 22/22mag for a woods bumming gun that would handle all the small game and predators at close range. since I hunt Iowa and have to shoot a straight wall cartridge for deer I would choose a 44 mag Redhawk with a Burris fast fire III. third choice would be a 375 Winchester contender for all things big game and still Iowa legal. if able to pick a forth- a bolt action SP in 7-08 for out west. I currently own all of these and that is what I would keep if I had to keep only a few

A good 22 RF revolver, probably a Smith 617. And as a handloader, a Smith 460 XVR, and my .375AI. With innovative hand loading, both, the Smith and the AI can be made quite versatile! memtb

KEEPING IT SIMPLE, AND KEEPING WHAT I ALREADY HAVE, 1) A 10 INCH FA 454 FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING; 2) A 14 INCH CONTENDER IN 6.5 JDJ, A LONG RANGER FOR SURE; 3) MY RUGER SINGLE SIX 22MAG/22LR 5.5 BLUE REVOLVER FOR SMALL STUFF, PLINKING AND PRACTICE, AND 4) MY 5.5 INCH SS RUGER BISLEY IN 45 COLT, CUSTOMIZED BY JRH AND/OR MY SS 5.5 INCH REDHAWK 45 COLT CONVERSION BY LINEBAUGH, OPEN SIGHT REVOLVERS FOR +P AND MORE 45 COLT LOADS, FOR BACK-UP AND ALSO FOR OPPORTUNITY KILLS.

If I picked one single shot pistol from whitetail through elk class animals, it would be my 7mm Dakota XP. With 160-190 grain bullets I can deal with any game animal I want, at about any distance I want.
If shorter and mid-ranges were in mind...6.5-284 or 284 Winchester XP

If I was picking one revolver for deer class animals it would be my 357 Magnum Franken-Ruger

If I was starting over:
30-06 Encore- up to elk and moose
44 Magnum flat top- all around critter getter
41 Bisley Hunter-deer
480 SRH - anything on this continent and most of Africa
460 Rowland G21-game up to elk and bear defense

Ruger single six
S&W 1917 45 apc/auto rim
contender 30-30 AI

It's all been such an adventure going this way and that, I'm not sure i would want to streamline it. Maybe start off with a 14" 30-30 AI contender barrel. I would likely skip the 45 colt and 22lr barrels as they don't get much love. Neither does the 10" 30-30. I would likely get into revolvers earlier. That just started happening in the last couple years.

Thank God I don't have to but, if I did need to start over, I'd go with my Ruger MkIII target with the Burris FF3, an open sighted Ruger .44 Mag, and an SP in something in the .300 WSM class.

Id start at a browning buckmark urx contour with 7.25? barrel, a G2 contender in 6x47, and a G2 contender in 30-30AI......both 14-15? custom in ss.

I could substitute a few. Ruger mk 2 3 or 4, 223 fast twist, or 6x45 and 6tcu, 35rem or 357 maximum.

Id still want more. 😬

I'd probably go with another Super Redhawk 44 Magnum for close range hunting and a Ruger Mk II for practice/small game, or a Mk IV if I couldn't find a Mk II. For the long range setup, a factory 15" 270 Winchester Encore, no contest.

I'm in this boat right now lol. Sold my Bisley Hunter to my dad and got a 3.75" Bisley 44 Mag...turns out they arent ideal for a hunting handgun, so sold it.

I may go Bisley Hunter again, BFR 44 Mag, Redhawk or 629....can't really decide. Wish I could shoot them all side by side and pick the one I liked best.

I still have my Sp101 .22LR and Mk II 22/45 for small game, and the 686 .357 for messing around.

God has been good to me and I`am satisfied and more then happy with what I own... Would not change a thing.... My Remington XP-100 in 260 is bottom photo which really rounds out my hunting handgun battery...

If I had to do it all over again I would have a Contender with two barrels, both 14" in .22LR and 30-30AI. Next I would build two XP's, both with 16" medium weight barrels in .223 and .284 Win.. To finish things up nicely I would have a Smith 6".22 LR and a 6 1/2" 629 Classic .44 Mag. and finally I just can't live life without my Freedom Arms 6" .475 Linebaugh.

I guess I?m pretty satisfied with what I have. Three .41s, Ruger BH, Smith Model 57 and Taurus Titanium Tracker. Two .44 mags, OM and NM Ruger SBHs. A Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt, a Flattop .44 Special, a Single Six convertible, and a Contender in .375 Win. This is what my ?collection? has evolved to so if I had to do it over there?s only two regrets. I didn?t keep the Single Six in .32 H&R Mag that I had nor the first Contender that I bought used in 30-30. That was probably the most accurate handgun that I?ve ever owned.

I like short barreled revolvers.
Medium barreled break/falling block actioned SPs.
Long barreled bolt action SPs.

I?d start in there somewhere.

Love it!

Were I to start completely over I would go for a Ruger Mark4 along with 243, 270, & 376 Styer barrels for my Encore. I could hunt anything on the planet with that set up.

I actually started over. My all time favorite is a Stainless Ruger SBH. And a Mark IV. I've owned many guns in my life and now will more than likely have no need for anymore. These 2 will cover any handgun hunting I will be doing. Well might add a BFR sometime. Lol