428: 5 Guns Every Hunter Should Own

428: 5 Guns Every Hunter Should Own

Author: John McAdams June 18, 2026 Duration: 35:53

If you could only choose 5 guns to hunt with for the rest of your life, what would they be? Join me as I answer that very question as I lay out practical recommendations for a well-rounded five-gun battery that covers everything from small game, birds, and varmints to medium and dangerous big game.

What's your ideal five-gun battery? Drop a comment on YouTube/Spotify or email John at john@thebiggamehuntingblog.com

Sponsor: Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe on Patreon for first priority when I answer questions from listeners along with access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter 

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Resources

The Only 3 Cartridges You Actually Need for Hunting

5 Forgotten Classic Cartridges Making A Comeback In 2026


John McAdams hosts the Big Game Hunting Podcast, a conversation grounded in the realities of pursuing game across continents. Each episode feels like a detailed campfire talk, moving from the technical specifics of terminal ballistics and caliber selection to the raw, unforgettable narratives from the field in Africa, North America, and beyond. McAdams brings together a global community, with voices ranging from seasoned industry professionals to fellow hunters who call in with their own experiences. The focus is always on practical knowledge and authentic stories, stripping away any pretense to get to the heart of what hunters actually want to discuss. By sharing his own journey of learning and improvement, McAdams creates a space where curiosity and respect for the wilderness drive the dialogue. Tuning into this podcast means joining a serious yet accessible exchange where the complexities of the hunt are explored without filter. New conversations are released every Thursday, offering a consistent dose of insight and camaraderie for anyone passionate about the pursuit.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Podcast Episodes
419: 257 Weatherby RPM With Richard Mann [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:50
Field & Stream shooting editor and 25 caliber aficionado Richard Mann joins me in this podcast episode to discuss the new, SAAMI standardized 257 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum. Richard discusses the origins of the 2…
417: Double Rifles, 500 NE & Elephant Charges With Jeff Rann [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:26
Jeff Rann, one of Africa's most legendary professional hunters with nearly 50 years guiding dangerous game, joins me on the podcast to share his incredible stories of hunting elephant in Botswana. He takes us inside what…
416: 416 Caliber Cartridges With Terry Wieland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:24
Gunwriter Terry Wieland joins me on the show as we discuss his thoughts on the various .416 caliber cartridges: the 416 Rigby, the 416 Remington Magnum the 416 Weatherby Magnum, the 416 Ruger, and even the 416 Hoffman an…
415: 10 Best African Safari Book Recommendations For Hunters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:24
Today, I'm unveiling my definitive list of what I think are the 10 greatest African hunting books ever written. This list of African safari book recommendations includes works from people like Hemingway, Roosevelt, Ruark…
414: Leopard Mauling To Sudan Bongo Hunts with Robin Hurt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:14
Legendary Professional Hunter Robin Hurt joins me on the show today as we discuss some of his adventures hunting all over Africa like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Zaire, Zambia, and Namibia. As you can imagine from a…
412: Stories From The African Bushveld With Johan Seyffert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:35
I sat down with Johan Seyffert, one of my South African Professional Hunters, at the 2026 Safari Club International convention and recorded a short interview about some of his more memorable hunts from 2025, some funny a…
411: 458 Win Mag vs 45-70 Govt Cartridge Comparison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:59
Here's how the mighty 458 Winchester Magnum stacks up against the venerable 45-70 Government cartridge, especially with regards to how both perform in Africa. In this episode, we discuss the history, design characteristi…
410: Best Cartridges For Hunting Africa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:27
We're talking about the best cartridges for hunting Africa in this episode: plains game, thick-skinned dangerous game, cats, etc. The cartridges I list in this episode are based off the results of surveys I've recently c…