best hillbilly gun

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a drilling would be nice but doubt a "Hillbilly" could afford one. a combo bbl slug/bird bbl shotgun in 12 ga would be nice for closer ranges. mtn's can have some long shots and bears likely in those areas, 2nd choice a 30-06.
 
a real Hillbilly could trade a jug of Granny's rheumatiz medicine fer a straight shootin iron and maybe a pig or 2.
 
A hillbilly would for sure use a double-barrel hammer shotgun once owned by his grandfather.
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I'll have you know it's hammerless.

Actually, with family spread across where GA, NC, and SC meet I'd say that there are more single shot 12 ga than any other type of firearm in the family. Bolt guns are edging out the 30-30 now. Anything can show up though. My grandmother owns a tec-9.
 
Can't speak for West Va or North Georgia but in our corner of East Tn. our go to gun would be an AR-15 or Mini-14 and thats because everyone in the family can shoot them and shoot them well. The mountain folk I know will spend more to get the most latest greatest firearm available. We may not have indoor plumbing or good shoes but we will have a good rifle. The family heirloom can hang over the fireplace. My kin always had modern firearms. I think the single shot shotgun or doublebarrel is a sterotype image (The Beverly Hillbillies).
 
nachogrande said:
a drilling would be nice but doubt a "Hillbilly" could afford one. a combo bbl slug/bird bbl shotgun in 12 ga would be nice for closer ranges. mtn's can have some long shots and bears likely in those areas, 2nd choice a 30-06.
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I might be wrong as I am from the hillbilly are of new york, but I imagine the mountains of Appalachia are very dense and one would not worry about long range shots.
I would bring my 10/22 or my saiga 7.62. That is all I have right now anyway.lol
 
Skyshot said:
Can't speak for West Va or North Georgia but in our corner of East Tn. our go to gun would be an AR-15 or Mini-14 and thats because everyone in the family can shoot them and shoot them well. The mountain folk I know will spend more to get the most latest greatest firearm available. We may not have indoor plumbing or good shoes but we will have a good rifle. The family heirloom can hang over the fireplace. My kin always had modern firearms. I think the single shot shotgun or doublebarrel is a sterotype image (The Beverly Hillbillies).
Click to expand...


I do remember as a kid @ 9 or so having a single shot 410 for a while.

Yup growing up in WV we may have had a red letter 37 or two as collectors, but most of our hunting shotguns were 11's, 12's, and 29's with a few 97's thrown in from the old days. We still have all of them....For modern autos that never were hunted with I have a set of 11-48 410-12 and 58 Sportsmans.

Centerfire rifles were few but included Model 100, 700's, Sako, 99, 742's, BARs...and a dozen or so 22's autos and bolts.



The hillbilly single shot and 30-30 sterotype is only alive and well in hollywood and DC's dreams.
 
I am a simple hillbilly. My primitive mind often has difficulty grasping the subtle nuances of your advanced society...

As a hillbilly, I can assure you the best hillbilly gun is the one he is holding at the time!
 
Being that I am a hillbilly from northern Maine and tradition here runs deep. I see a 94 Winchester in 30-30 or 32 special and a H&R 16 gauge in the mix. Yes these are hand-me-down from generations ago.
 
I'm at the base of the Appalachians and have about 20 acres of woods to walk around and shoot on. A couple of hints to keep in mind here are terrain and sight lines. 150 yards outside of standing on a road is rare. As for Terrain lots of up and down' so you want something light. I have several 10 22s, my favorite to carry is just over 5 pounds and does about anything I ask it to, but while it is capable of taking deer at short range (many would argue but I've seen it myself several times with subsonic head shots) if I could only have one it would be a 22WMR bolt gun. Better range, reliable and light weight ammo. Shotguns are great but for weight of ammo I have to go with the WMR. A friend has offered me one in fact, a Ruger 77 all weather stainless for $400.
 
This Hillbilly from the far East(of KY) has always made due with a .270 for deer.A lot of my friends and family use 30-06,.300 Win Mag etc.. and kid me about my "lil".270,but it's never left me wishing I had a bigger round.I only take good shots.
I think the reason people like the bigger round is so they can take bad shots and just wait for it to bleed out from the bigger hole in it's arse.
if I had to choose one gun.it'd be a 870 so I could shoot small game with bird shot and deer with slugs.
 
Ever seen "Swamp People"? Bolt rimfires. It doesn't get much more hillbilly than that.

Just moments ago I stepped out on the front porch eye to eye with a doe not 35 feet from the porch. Could have taken that one wih a pistol.
 
Born, raised 'n livin' 'n the southern hills of West by God Virginia (Let's Go Mountaineers!! in the Big 12). The 30-30 still reigns supreme for gettin' big vittles 'n Marlin 60 for 'bout everything else. Sometimes, ya'll will find a bolt or repeater if ya like just shootin'.
 
But, if yer a *real* purist, and think of stayin' off the beaten path long enough for store-bought ammo to be problematic... a real stout flintlock rifle... maybe even a smoothbore so's it'd double as a shotgun. Yeah, ya might have to stalk a bit, but at that level, you're kinda One With The Woods anyhoo.
 
I don't really care for the stereotype of "hillbillies." I think the OPs question is quite vague. What is your intended purpose on your visit to the mountains? Around here for day to day use my 870 probably sees more action than anything. I can use slugs for bear, deer and boar, buckshot for yotes and birdshot for rabbits and birds. Plus it's a great HD gun. If I could only have one then that would be it.
 
Well since my screen name implies my orgins I feel obliged to toss in my .02 cents worth. If I was forced to roam my hills with just one gun it would be.....(drum roll please)....My hammerless 12ga SxS coach gun!!!! No matter the number of legs a critter I may encounter may have this old coach gun will put 'em down. Now I just have to figure out the logistics of carrying/stashing all that fat heavy ammo.
 
nachogrande said:
a drilling would be nice but doubt a "Hillbilly" could afford one. a combo bbl slug/bird bbl shotgun in 12 ga would be nice for closer ranges. mtn's can have some long shots and bears likely in those areas, 2nd choice a 30-06.
Click to expand...
One thing about us hillbillies is we don't have to afford a Drilling...we just build 'em if we see the need for one.... ;)
 
Marlin 30/30 or Yugo SKS. I have one of each that shoot extremely well. The bayonette on the SKS could be very useful plus it holds more rounds. 30/30 ammo I'm sure would be easier to get though so I'd probably say 30/30. Hope I never have to make that decision.
 
First... it's Appalachian American.

rswartsell has the "flavor" correct... at least according to my Southwestern Virginia roots.
 
My people came from Mendota, VA. This is the oposite end of the "holler" from Macie Springs from whence came the "Gospel Singing Carter Family" of whom Mother Maybel Carter was the matriarch (famous depression era folk artist), and her daughter June Carter Cash (famous to a latter generation as Johnny Cash's last wife).

My mother went to High Scoool, such as they had with June. Their girls basketball team in the WWII or thereabouts era, went to state finals held at William & Mary College (one of the most prestigious in the country). A lifelong achievement for Ma.

I once met the Carter-Cash's. Really good people. Celebrity notwithstanding, poverty is the major social issue to this day. I personally find it to be a proud heritage.
 
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