Best all around Rifle or Shot Gun

BoogerChew

BoogerChew

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Innisfil, Ontario
Good evening all.

I am new to hunting and weighing my options for guns. I first started thinking about a 30-30 or 30-06 for deer, moose, beer, etc. Then due to the communist province we live in ( Ontario ) and all of there regulations, I decided that would also probably need a shotgun for the controlled hunt in my zone. Looking at a rifled barrel for distance. I really like the Deerslayer III.

Then I would also need a Turkey Gun and possibly a duck, goose gun.

That adds up to 3 or 4 guns. Although I could afford it. The Scottish in me makes me rethink things and makes me wonder if there is not a better solution. 4 guns is going to cost $4 - $6000. They are each going to be used once per year for a week.

Would it not be better is 1 or 2 guns could do it all?

If you had to pick 1 gun for everything (deer, moose, beer, turkey, duck, goose). What Shotgun would it be?

If you had to pick 2 guns for everything ( 1 shotgun and 1 rifle ). What would they be?

I would rather by 1 or 2 expensive guns that were more versatile than 4 guns that would barely get used.
 
4 guns should NOT cost you 4 to 6000 dollars unless your buying brand new reasonable expensive guns.

Hit the EE there are plenty good deals and you could get a .22 for small game and 12 gauge with deer barrel and 28" used for fowl/ birds and controlled deer as well as a 30 cal and somethings else of your pick for probably 2 grand.

Now to answer your question;

A Rem 870 combo with deer barrel and 28" choked barrel for the shotgun (does your controlled deer and fowl/birds/small game with the long barrel) for a shotgun. For a rifle it really depends on what you want in an action but you could get a .243 for yotes and deer or a .30 cal for moose or bear. Remington, savage, ruger (any maker really) makes a good bolt gun suitable for any hunting need. Or if your a lever gun guy there are plently of options there but I'd be looking for a used marlin or winchester 3030. IF you like semi's benelli, and browning make good guns (R1 and BAR respectively). Again for the rifle it depends what you wanna hunt and what action type you want.

Remember the old saying though: A jack of all trades is a master of none.
 
Turkey/duck/goose gun...

It can all be done by one shotgun...just change out the choke tubes and use appropriate ammo. A shotgun can hunt anything from Chipmunk to a Moose..it just needs to be set up right :)

Get yourself a Mossberg 500 and a choke tube set...can even buy a rifled barrel for it. You can get it in camo (many types) for about $50 more but I do not see a real need.

For rifles...get a bolt gun in .308Win for all your "big" hunting with a nice scope and something in .22LR...a Ruger 10/22 if you like semi auto or a Savage Mark II if you like bolt action.
 
BoogerChew said:
Good evening all.

I am new to hunting and weighing my options for guns. I first started thinking about a 30-30 or 30-06 for deer, moose, beer, etc. Then due to the communist province we live in ( Ontario ) and all of there regulations, I decided that would also probably need a shotgun for the controlled hunt in my zone. Looking at a rifled barrel for distance. I really like the Deerslayer III.

Then I would also need a Turkey Gun and possibly a duck, goose gun.

That adds up to 3 or 4 guns. Although I could afford it. The Scottish in me makes me rethink things and makes me wonder if there is not a better solution. 4 guns is going to cost $4 - $6000. They are each going to be used once per year for a week.

Would it not be better is 1 or 2 guns could do it all?

If you had to pick 1 gun for everything (deer, moose, beer, turkey, duck, goose). What Shotgun would it be?

If you had to pick 2 guns for everything ( 1 shotgun and 1 rifle ). What would they be?

I would rather by 1 or 2 expensive guns that were more versatile than 4 guns that would barely get used.
Click to expand...

naw, the more guns the better, lets get that straight right from the start! kick that Scott-####e crap right out the window! Right now! You're right about buying quality guns for sure, and buy as many as you can! You'll be glad that you invested! Get a quality gun for each job as you said that you can afford it, and it sure doesn't hurt to have some stand by's, too! Good luck and happy hunting. Other's will advise you with more info on cal's and fine firearms. There will be cheap low end bargain buster suggestions that come up, but just ignore and delete them and go bigger bucks and the best there is! ;)
 
1 gun: Remington 870 Wingmaster in 12 gauge with 28" barrel and extra 20" Wingmaster Deer rifled barrel (open sight or cantilever scope mount barrels are available.)

2 guns: Remington 870 Wingmaster in 12 gauge with 28" barrel and a Remington 7600 (high gloss walnut and blue) chambered for the .30-06.
 
Greetings from your ancestral homeland! Presently wishing I was home to hunt, so I'll have to live vicariously through CGN for now...

I agree that 4 guns in not necessary, but more is better. A combo shotgun for sure. 26 or 28 inch smooth, plus rifled, and if you want in the spring you can get a shorter smooth smooth barrel for turkey, although you'll be fine without. For an all around rifle, .30-06 is certainly fine. That was my first all around rifle, and it was great, but if I knew then what I know now my first gun would have been a .308 or a .300 Savage.

What you are missing in your consideration is definitely a rimfire, almost certainly a .22. As a new hunter (new shooter?), you'll want to shoot lots. Even if you think you enjoy 12 guage/.30-06 class recoil, I guarantee you your subconscious thinks otherwise. When starting out, you'll want to do 90+% of your practice with a .22 to learn good form without developing a flinch.

Glass is a big consideration. Whatever you budget for the hunting rifle, think ~$300 minumum (say Leupold VX-1 or similar) for the glass. That is more likely to be a deciding factor in a hunt than any particulars about the gun itself.

If you hold a bit of money in reserve until you know what hunting and hunting style you like best, you might be happiest in the long run. For example if grouse hunting becomes big for you, a very particular shotgun might end up being most gratifying.

RG

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Something that needs to be considered is your experience with firearms. As mentioned in the above thread if you have little experience a .22 is a must as no matter how much you spend on a rifle and glass, if you cant shoot straight you've wasted your investment. If you are new to shooting start with a .22 and get yourself to a range and get shooting 1000's of rounds down range. Practice the principals of marksmanship until they are second nature and natural.

Then, try different guns and calibers. People will suggest a 30-06 as the perfect all around game caliber, however not everyone enjoys the recoil of a 30-06 and if you don't like it your mind is going to prepare you for the recoil and you will not be a good shot. With so many different considerations out there, weight, types of actions, location of the safety, style of stock, you need to hold as many as possible up to your shoulder to see what fits and whats comfortable. That in itself is another advantage to hanging out at your local range. Then there is the question of the right grain for what you are hunting. 30 cal is probably the most versatile caliber to hunt with in North America. A 130 grain for deer and a 165 for moose. If you want PM me and I will give you a link to a website that will help you choose the right caliber and grain for what you want to do.

I know nothing of shotguns so I wont comment.

Go out and have fun, find a rifle of a caliber that you enjoy holding and shooting and you will hunt for the rest of your life.

Marcel
 
Mossberg 930. Bird and rifled barrel. 6.5 tradex. Mossberg 650
and nice 6.5x55 Mauser 550. Scope maybe 150 and for 1250 you can shoot every game in Ontario. 6.5 also is legal for yotes. Don't listen to the guys who mention a 30 06. Trust me I had a 30 06 and 7 mm reg mag. Traded both. Both are a lot to handle for a new shooter. 6.5 is a very nice slight recoil and kills everything just fine.
 
Grab a Remington 700 (not sps) or Winchester Model 70 in .270, 280 or 30-06, put good glass in good mounts on it (I am thinking VXIII 2.5-8 or 3.5-10, Zeiss Conquest 3-9, Minox 2.5-10 in Tally Lightweights). Shoot 130-165 bullets of good repute (I would choose the TTSX or Partition) and shoot animals in the front half.
Then buy a Remington 870 Wingmaster in 12ga. 3". They are easy to maintain, and run through anything.
 
Rem 870 or Mossberg 500 package with 28" vent-rib barrel with screw-in chokes and a rifled barrel. Add to that any decent .30-06 or .308 and you're in. Currrently I like the Winchester Model 70 or Ruger Hawkeye rifles; if I had the extra few hundred bucks I'd look at the Sako 85.
 
Try lebaron, they still have the 870 three barrel set for $550, either that or, ive got a stevens 311 in 12 gauge, 2 3/4 only, thats never been an issue, but im not a waterfowler. Im in love with my rossi92 in .44mag, I reload, so its a very versatile cartridge, and also good for anything with factory ammo too. If i had to choose two, those would be them. skokie.
 
Ruger 10/22- grouse/plinking
Rem 870 - duck, goose, turkey, grouse & the odd deer with bucksot
Rem 700 with good glass in .308 or 30-06 for deer, bear & moose
Under $2k. That was my base set up

Easy to build a collection from there
 
BoogerChew said:
If you had to pick 1 gun for everything (deer, moose, beer, turkey, duck, goose). What Shotgun would it be?
Click to expand...

Any 12 Gauge that had a good selection of interchangable barrels and accepted 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" shells. A remington 870 of your choosing would probably work well.

BUT, I don't think I'd want to rely on strictly a shotgun for bear or moose.

BoogerChew said:
If you had to pick 2 guns for everything ( 1 shotgun and 1 rifle ). What would they be?
Click to expand...

Shotgun: Same answer as abaove.

Rifle - 270 is a great all-round caliber that has dropped everything in your list for decades. It would be my "One Rifle" choice for Ontario hunting.

That said, a 30-06 or 308 would do just as well.
 
Yup, 12 gauge pump like: Remington 870, Mossbergs version, the latest iteration at Winchester, etc. Getting one with a a couple of barrels might be an idea. One for slugs and one birds.

Rifles, well you can't argue with the logic of a 270, 280, 3006, or 260, 7mm08, 308. One poster mentioned 6.5x55, this one is worthy of consideration as well. Pretty soft shooting with an a very good bc and sd in 130 and 140 grain bullets.

I like bolts, particularly Winchester Model 70's, CZ 550's and Ruger Hawkeye's. You probably can't go to far wrong with a Tikka, the Savages, or a Remington either. Probably a godd idea to handle a bunch and see what feels good to you.

The first three mentioned will run you 700 to 1100 and you may want to consider spending about that much on glass, mounts and rings.

The beginning of decent scopes starts with the Leupold VX3, the Bushnell 4200 Elite, and the Zeiss Conquest. If you are going to hunt with it I would recommend staying with a 3-9x40 type scope. The higher magnification scopes are not needed, add weight, and clumsiness.

Remember there is no free lunch and quality costs money. As for the EE, there are some good values but there are also a lot of items priced at near full new retail less tax for something that is claimed to have usually shot less than 200 rounds. If I am going to pay new price, I'll buy a new rifle.
 
You can easliy kill just about every living critter in northamerica with a 2 barrel combo shotgun. Then you can purchase more firearms after you attain some knowledge, experience and some prsonal preference! thats my 2 cents. Don't go nuts and buy things all at once enjoy the journey and your evolution as a hunter/shooter and outdoors person.
 
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