Wild Outdoorsman

The break opens are very accurate. I have and shoot H&R rifles. I have 22-250, 25-06 & 300 win mag. All together they cost me under $750 new. Less the scope, rings and sling. Yes, you can reload them quite quickly with practice, but learning to make that first shot count is the way to go. I always like to have the same actions on all my guns. I can do whatever to them blindfolded. H&R rifles, Remington 870 shotguns and CVA Muzzleloaders, the poorman's guns of choice.LOL

game4lunch

Wyoming resident. Shoot the .300WM for everything. Mulies, bear, elk, moose, antelope, etc. I do use 150 grain for smaller game, 180 for elk moose. Lets face it, a well placed .22 can kill an elk. But, the reason you use larger calibers is so you don't have to chase it 'till it dies. Extremely hardy animals. You can shoot one perfect in the kill zone and still chase 'em for miles. The skin can literally close up behind the entry wound and not even leave a blood trail. If you want to wound one, use the 25-06. If you want meat in the freezer and a rack on the wall, go bigger.
That being said . . . I am seriously considering a Thompson Center Encore rifle in the 22-250 for varmints. Beauty is; you can buy additional barrels for a lot less than a new rifle, and they make a quality product.
I have a Contender pistol and am impressed. You mentioned the Ruger #1 which is a premium weapon,which tells me you are not opposed to a single shot break action rifle like the Encore. You can get it in black powder barrels too! All using the same frame and buttstock and forend (except for the black powder). Go to their site to see how many calibers they make. Barrels and stocks are all over eBay.

SILVERTIP-CO

Its plenty of gun, 25-06, 270, 280, 30-06 is best. But heck the local kids here in the area shoot elk with 243 on a regular basis, but I think thats a bit light. Anyone with a 300 mag or bigger for elk has read toooooo many magazines.

ShatoDavis

I don't for the life of me understand these "one caliber for everything" questions. Its quite frankly getting annoying. There isn't one "magic" caliber that is perfect for everything. Besides if My wife hears any of this I will be in big trouble.

Here's what you NEED:
1. 223 for varmints
2. 22-250 for long range varmints
3. 22 hornet for close range varmints
4. 218 bee for close range varmints when you run out of 22 hornetammo
5. 221 firebal for varmints (you can shoot all day without barrel heat)
6. 20 vartarg for varmints (because I want one)
7. 25-06 for antelope
8.270 wsm for antelope
9. 280 rem just because
10. 30-06 everyone should have one
11. 300 win mag no particularreason
12. 338 win mag for elk and scary stuff
13. 375 for anything scarier than the 338
14. 416 for anything scarier than the 375
15. Belgium Browning A5 sweet sixteen....nuff said
16. Quality over and under 12 gauge. for pheasants, clay targets etc.
17. 22 lr if you need a reason, It won't do me any good to explain.
18. A pre 64 Model 70 in the caliber of your choice
19. A cooper rifle in the caliber of your choice
20. A Kimber rifle in the caliber of your choice
21. A 45 ACP 1911 style pistol, for protection and uspsa shoots
22. A Glock because tommy lee jones used one in "US Marshals"
23. A H&K of some order. To appreciate German engineering.
24. A wildcat cartridge of some kind. Just to say you have one.
25. A Winchester 73 lever gun. It won the west, dang it.
26. A benchrest quality rifle either 6 PPC, 6 BR, 22 ppc, 20 VT etc. to make little groups
27. On of Ackley's "improved" cartridges. He's a legend, dang it.
28. A Weatherby.....to appreciate your other rifles....[8D]
29. An EnglishDouble Rifle....Because anything that costs that much has to be good!
30. A first generation Colt.

I'm sure there are more but I'm getting and ache in my wallet.