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One gun to rule them all

HuskerInIowa

HuskerInIowa

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2022
Messages
1,000
The fondness @Empostarr spoke of about his Mossberg got me thinking. If the support thread didn’t exist to “talk you out of” buying more things and you could only own one gun (to hunt with) what would you buy and why?

Personally I’ve had my Remington 870 express since I was 11 years old and I’d make that purchase again. Bought it slightly used for $125. Got the slug barrel as my big Christmas gift from my folks that year to be ready for youth deer the next year. I shot trap with it, hunted pheasants, partridge, ducks, geese, turkeys, and deer with it. Dropped it into slough water and shot ducks 10 minutes later. Won a 20 yard youth trap shooting contest with it when I was 14 and got second in the adult portion the same night. Shot a buck on a dead run at 75 yards after I tripped in a plowed corn field and based it off that frozen dirt. Guessing many of us have something we’re just as fond of and wouldn’t trade away, sometimes the darn memories are worth more.

Tried to search (including the google sort words way) and didn’t see anything but if so I’m sure a more veteran member will help and redirect.
 
Funny, I was just thinking about this.

Part of me says Mossberg 500 with the field/slug barrel combo I bought.

The other part was wondering about buying an improved cylinder barrel for the Beretta AL2 I have, slapping a Burris FF3 on a speedbead mount on it, and shooting fosters slugs for deer and #5 bismuth for everything else.
 
My instructor buddies and I always do a little play skit for the younger hunter ed students related to this topic. One of us asks the kids and their folks accompanying them this same question. It’s more directed to the modest folks who can only afford one gun to do it all. Inevitably, the knee jerk response is the .22. We then ask them to consider the 20 gauge? Can you shoot deer, bear, boar and griz? Yep. Upland game and waterfowl? Yep. Turkey, coyotes and fox? Yep…… I would say a Remington 870 with a 26” vent rib Barrel and a slug barrel would be one gun to rule them all. If you had to choose one barrel, 24 or 26” vent rib with a modified choke could do a lot in the fields and forests!
 
Of all my guns, my Benelli SBEII with both slug and field barrels would be my favorite and choice if I could only have one. A close second would be my ruger 10-22. Both guns are relatively cheap to shoot, and in a pinch I could do absolutely everything with either (wouldn’t shoot a deer of course unless it was necessary to survive). My ARs, handguns, and rifles would all go before my 12 ga and .22.
 
woodsdog2 said:
My instructor buddies and I always do a little play skit for the younger hunter ed students related to this topic. One of us asks the kids and their folks accompanying them this same question. It’s more directed to the modest folks who can only afford one gun to do it all. Inevitably, the knee jerk response is the .22. We then ask them to consider the 20 gauge? Can you shoot deer, bear, boar and griz? Yep. Upland game and waterfowl? Yep. Turkey, coyotes and fox? Yep…… I would say a Remington 870 with a 26” vent rib Barrel and a slug barrel would be one gun to rule them all. If you had to choose one barrel, 24 or 26” vent rib with a modified choke could do a lot in the fields and forests!
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My dad was a hunter safety instructor for 25+ years. Dropped off his old materials for me a couple weeks ago and there were tests and an answer key in the folder. Told my wife I got 50 out of 50 32 years ago when I was 11. She thought my mind had declined; 50 of 50 again. I’ve thought about helping out with that or the high school trap team or somethin and never done it, good for you for being an actual contributing member to society.
 
HuskerInIowa said:
My dad was a hunter safety instructor for 25+ years. Dropped off his old materials for me a couple weeks ago and there were tests and an answer key in the folder. Told my wife I got 50 out of 50 32 years ago when I was 11. She thought my mind had declined; 50 of 50 again. I’ve thought about helping out with that or the high school trap team or somethin and never done it, good for you for being an actual contributing member to society.
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Thank you. You should consider it. Sadly, I’m actually one of the “younger” instructors at double nickle age…… the hunter safety ranks need more volunteers!!!
 
I’m gonna hafta agree with the shotgun vote, and an 870 is a fine candidate. Like the Chevys of the gun world, parts grow on trees and are cheap as well. Sold and modifiable to just about every application, super easy to build or reconfigure.
 
Plebe said:
For versatility, the T/C Encore series did a lot
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My only regret with this one was not buying multiple calibered barrels when they were readily available. You can buy an entire gun for what people are asking for the barrels now. Love my .50 cal encore muzzleloader set up… but I definitely failed to capitalize on the potential with this one.
 
Pavehawk01 said:
My only regret with this one was not buying multiple calibered barrels when they were readily available. You can buy an entire gun for what people are asking for the barrels now. Love my .50 cal encore muzzleloader set up… but I definitely failed to capitalize on the potential with this one.
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It’s truly sad that T/C Arms is no longer in business. The quality of their firearms is second to none!
 
Same with the Rem 870 express, I got the youth edition 20guage on my 10th Bday and I’ve never bought or owned another shotgun in my life since then (24yrs). I’ve killed everything from squirrels, armadillos, deer, rabbits, hogs, hell anything I’ve ever hunted. It’s a youth edition so it’s a shorty and very versatile, only thing I’ve found is I can’t squirrel hunt in most of Tensas with it bc the trees are too tall lol which wasn’t a problem. I can’t even fathom the amount of round that have been through this thing and it’s never missed a beat not once not ever no jam no problems whatsoever and though had been kept in a climate controlled area it has been used and abused and never really oiled or cleaned extensively. And I’m not the only one with one with a story like this. I regard it as the most reliable gun ever produced.
 
woodsdog2 said:
Thank you. You should consider it. Sadly, I’m actually one of the “younger” instructors at double nickle age…… the hunter safety ranks need more volunteers!!!
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Taught a hunter ed class today. Did one last Saturday and have another next Tuesday. I really enjoy it! I would have to say my Benelli SBE II or my Belgium browning. I have a slug barrel and a 30” vent rib for the browning.
 
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Pavehawk01 said:
My only regret with this one was not buying multiple calibered barrels when they were readily available. You can buy an entire gun for what people are asking for the barrels now. Love my .50 cal encore muzzleloader set up… but I definitely failed to capitalize on the potential with this one.
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I’m just glad I scratched the TC itch when they were relatively cheap. Picked up a 45-70 barrel yesterday mostly just because the price was right although it will be fun to hunt with.

Back on topic, I’m not a bird hunter so not having a shotgun isn’t a problem. Since we’re allowing barrel swaps it would be a toss up between a custom action with a 700 footprint or if strictly for hunting a Blaser K95 stutzen.
 
I'd have to go with a 50 BMG cause when I shoot something I wanna make sure it's dead :tearsofjoy: Seriously though. If I had to pick just one gun I own it would have to be my Browning A-bolt 7 mm mag. I don't hunt small game or waterfowl any more just deer, moose, and the occasional bear. My Browning has taken many of all of them, usually with just 1 shot. It's also deadly accurate and has performed flawlessly for over 40 years now.
 
My Ruger M77 Mark 11 .300 win mag stainless. Every deer I have killed with a riffle has been with this gun except one. You can hunt in the rain or any weather you want to and take it home set it in the corner and the next day its ready to go.
 
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