I usually make my models using box technique, i start with a box and work my way from there
it all comes down to what the model should look like too, for example details in guns i might use a cylinder to use or maybe even a spline?
but say the base of the gun -> box modelling
a character -> box modelling
thats the general idea anyway, it all comes down to what the object iam modelling should look like and therefore i choose what i find being the most efficient way of doing it
edit: but back to the topic: what needs to be scuplted? i find that models such as guns dont need any sculpting, since all normal details can be modelled in say 3ds max using a normal subdiv technique. A character on the other hand might need sculpting, not speaking of how much more easy it is to make details by sculpting a character, a gun would be more difficult.
I would also say that debree should be sculpted and a weapon like.. a baseball bat? sculpting in the wood details there would be more efficient imo.
[Q]uik, Quiker than most