If you could only have one long gun for all purposes

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12 gauge. The do-all of the gun world.

Bird hunting....Check
Home defense.... Check
Bear hunting.....Check
Fun plinker.....Check, if you like skeet shooting
Armor Piercing rounds for SHTF.....Check
Big foot hunting....Check

Long range shooting..... ummm, try putting 5 Sabots in a 1" hole at 100 yards an pretend:neener:



The ammo really isn't that high when compared to other long arm ammo. You just have to know what to look for. Even Buck Shot can be found for less than a dollar a shot.
 
Only one gun is a depressing thought.

But the shotgun is clearly the most versatile firearm. Carry buck, bird and slugs and you are ready for just about anything at close range.

This works for me when I only want to take one gun and be prepared for any situation. The 20" barrel is compact enough for SD use but it is hunting quality gun with rib and choke tubes.


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30-06. There are bound to be those times when you've just GOTTA reach out and touch someone.
 
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Ruger 10/22. I already have one. Cheap and fun to shoot, and can be quite satisfactory as a defensive weapon. There's quite a bit that can be done to trick it out as well. I don't hunt, so I wouldn't miss a hunting rifle (don't own any centerfire rifles now, anyway.)
 
Everyone should have a shotgun, no question, but for longer distances a rifle just does it better and easier. I do love the AK, but since they're out of the price range, I'd choose either an SKS or Marlin .30-30, both will do whatever you'd need a rifle to do....within reason of course.
 
I'd go with a .22lr semi auto as well. There is no other way I can afford to mass thousands of rounds of ammo.
 
Thompson Center with various rifle barrels and a shotgun barrel. It's a single shot but I've rarely had an opportunity or need for a followup shot.
 
If I could only have one gun and money was a problem I'd buy a Mossberg 500 pump 12 ga 3" mag, I'd have three barrels 18 1/2, 28 mod and a slug barrel. I've hunted for 40 years and most everything that I've shot could have been shot with a Mossberg. You'll have home protection with the 18 1/2" barrel, Ducks/Deer with the 28 mod and 150 yd shots with the slug barrel.
 
It's hard to say anything other than shotgun since they can be bought so cheap and are so versatile. However, I think I'd go with a Marlin 1894 in .357/.38, which I happen to already own. I'd then pair it with a 686+ for around the home, and an SP101 for carry. Since I don't bird hunt, that would cover all of my major gun needs, and they could all share ammo.

Fortunately, I don't have to limit myself to one.
 
I've been doing some thinking since my response last night. I still like my choices of lever action (my first choice) or the mini-14 or 30. However the more I reflect on the original post, a pump shotgun will likely do all that you need. The shotgun is limited to somewhere around 100 yards but in reality, for self defense it is very very unlikely you will need to or should shoot that far. Stats I've seen show most deer are taken at or under 100 yards. The shotgun will likely cost half of what a rifle will cost. The more I think about your specific situatio, the shotgun is a very good choice. Also, save up for training classes. It will make a HUGE difference in your effectiveness. I cannot over emphasize the importance of training. Good luck and let us know what you get.
 
Shotgun, there aint nothing you cant do with one.
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What can you do with it at 300 (never mind 1,000) yards?

Wave it in a threatening manner?

A heavy barreled bolt action .30-06 is good for everything from prairie dogs to elk, and people on foot or in vehicles.
 
jkmurry said:
If you were poor like me and found yourself in a position to get just one long gun that would be the best compromise to do everything you wanted to do, what would it be? Shotguns are great for close range defense, but lack the ability to reach out and the ammo is expensive. Bolt action rifles are great for hunting and target shooting, the ammo is a lot less than shotgun shells, but the rifle isn't good at close range. ARs and quality AKs are just too darn expensive. There's something to really put thought into. What do you do, and why?
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Hmm, one long-gun that meets the following:
-Close range defensive gun
-The ability to "reach out"
-One intended use is hunting
-Ammo that isn't too expensive
-The gun isn't too expensive


It really sounds like you need to drop one criteria, or go with two guns. Like you said, the shotty is a great home defense gun, but if you want long-range it won't go there. With most rifles, you have long range, but you risk overpenetration if used in home defense. One rifle caliber, .223, is great for home defense (not too much overpenetration potential), but it isn't legal to hunt large game in many (most?) states, and at truly long ranges it will lose a lot of power.

One possibility is a .308 of some kind and buy the expensive "tactical" rounds (lower power, often frangible rounds that aren't as prone to overpenetration) for home defense. I'm not sure how cheap the ammo will be anymore though.

Personally I really like lever rifles. In revolver calibers they make capable home defense guns, and with .357mag, .44mag, and some of the more powerful loadings in .45LC they are good up to about 100yrds for hunting game up to deer. They are also a ton of fun. You would have to forget long distances.

If I was on a very limited budget I'd go with a used lever gun, a shotgun (and lose the range) or get an H&R Handi-rifle or one of the other single shot rifles with removable barrels and buy one rifle with two or more barrels to handle all your intended needs (though again, it is a compromise- one shot isn't terrific for home-defense). Probably the lever gun or shotgun (used preferably) for now, then since you want distance I'd pick up a used bolt action hunting rifle ASAP (Savage makes guns that are great values and may be a good way to go).
 
Sounds like you main "need" is defensive. I'd skip the long gun and get something like a Glock M19, M23, or Ruger SP101 or GP100 in 357 mag (revolver). You often can find used police guns at gunshows for fairly cheap. But it sounds to me like $500 for a gun is a burden.

Otherwise, I'd get a 22 rifle and probably a Marlin Model 60.
 
I guess the real criteria is that we are severely cash deprived, and that is the limiting factor, not so much the one gun scenario: A TC Encore with mulltiple barrels is obviously the most versatile set up, but will still run into a bunch of cash. for a single gun, a 12 gauge Remington 870 can be set up with a rifled and scoped barrel, variable choked and lengths of bird bbls, an open sighted 18"bbl for home defense, and even a muzzleloadiing bbl. It doesnt get much more versatile than that. I have never had need for any shots greater than even 100 yards here in upstate Ny.
For settting up on a real budget, a good used 12 gauge pump and a good used inline muzzleloader could probably be had for under 400.00, which would take almost any game in the continental U.S. I have a tought time seeing how an M1 or AK offer any versatility. 30-06 hardly can be used on any small game, not to mention birds of any sort.
 
On a tight budget, then I would probably opt for an SKS. If a little more money became available, then an AK-47 would be my choice.
 
How good is an M1A or AK for squirrel and duck hunting? The question asked is what compromise has the widest utility for a do-it-all gun?
 
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