Best all around Rifle or Shot Gun

303 Brit sporters start at $100 or so. There isnt a moose black bear or deer in Canada that couldnt be flattened with one. A brand new shotgun with a changeable choke can be had for around $300 (Remington or Mossberg being the most popular). Add a turkey choke for that gun for $35+-.

I am in the boat of those who would not use a shotgun as my primary moose gun.
 
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870 Marine Magnum... home defence, deer, and with a longer vent rib barrel, waterfowl... and she won't rust, break, or 'break the bank'.
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A shotgun with an included rifled barrel to do it all? I don't think so. Pick a nice Remington or Mossberg pump and that covers shotguns. As for the 30-06 (yes, an excellent choice) why buy a Remington 700 when you could have a Ruger M-77 M II or a Winchester Model 70? ;)
 
I live in southern ontario and do all my deer hunting with a shotgun for the controlled hunts. Like it has been mentioned numerous times in the previous posts, a pump action shotgun with a rifled barrel and 26" or 28" smooth bore will serve all your duck/goose/turkey/deer needs. I prefer a semi for duck hunting, but it's very pricey and hard to find a rifled slug barrel for most semi-autos. I have an 870 with a 2 barrels and it's great. Really easy to find extra barrels at good prices. It's a well built gun. Get it!

In terms of an all-round centrefire rifle you need to consider that there is also a 270 calibre restriction for hunting in southern ontario. So if you buy a 7mm-08, 308, 30-06 etc.. You cannot use it to hunt coyotes if the need arises. A 243 is great for coyotes and deer, but not for moose. For this reason I would get a rifle in 270. It'll do deer/moose/caribou/elk just fine. Or you can even get a 270 WSM if that tickles your fancy. Same bullets just getting there a little faster.

With a combo shotgun and a 270 rifle you will be able to hunt whatever you want wherever you want. a 22 is also a must but you can get a decent used one on the EE for under $200, so that shouldn't even budget in :)
 
You can do it all with one gun if you want: a combination gun with 12 or 20 gauge matched with a 7x57r, 308, 30-06 or 30-30.
The 7x57r (rimmed-the version used for break action design guns) and 30-30 are the most useful
of those because the rim design makes for more positive ejection.

The most common combination guns are Baikal, Valmet, Savage models 24v, cz 584, brno 802.
Put a low powered zoom scope on it (1.5-4x).
Get a hammond game getter in the rifle calibre to shoot grouse and rabbits and small things.

The Savage 24v in 30-30/20 gauge is a fast handling gun. If you find a good one, they usually run around $500.
The Valmet's have many fans, very nice gun. MOre like $1000 though.
The brno/cz's are heavy and well made, and that weight is very helpful if you shoot some slugs through one.
They are also accurate. They are also around $1000 used, $2000 new.

Of course, you'd have to practice to get your reloading speed faster, since you've essentially got 2 single shot guns.
However, for deer hunting that means a slug in the shotgun and a bullet ready to go. It's actually an advantage if there is any kind of brush.
A shell holder on the butt stock is what most people use, and makes reloading pretty quick.

If broken down, they can be carried in a case that's less than 2 feet long.

The combo gun is the perfect solution for the person who travels alot and doesn't want to haul around a collection of guns.
It also is the perfect truck gun.
 
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Rifle versatility comes primarily from handloading. A 7mm or .30 caliber rifle can be made to do anything that needs to be done in North America and much of the rest of the world as well, due to the magnificent selection of bullets available in those calibers. You just have to choose a cartridge based on the powder volume you think appropriate, although the versatile rifle should not exhibit intimidating recoil or muzzle blast, for 3-5 rounds. Conversely, a big case .375 does it all with a single bullet weight of 270 or 300 grs, shoots as flat as either of the small bores, and can reasonably be expected to kill the biggest game on earth or a deer with the same load, providing just enough wound volume in the former and not too much in the latter. Loaded to low velocities with handloads, these same bullets can kill small game and game birds with no more fuss than a .22.

But versatility also comes from rifle design. A rifle that weighs less than 10 pounds is infinitely nicer to carry than one which weighs more. A thin rifle like a traditional lever action is less fatiguing to carry all day than is a similar weight bolt action express rifle with it's drop magazine. A light crisp trigger makes hitting easier than a heavy creepy one, no matter how accurate the rifle might be. A low powered scope makes it easier to hit the target over typical hunting ranges than either irons, or the small field of view of a big power scope. Detachable scope mounts allows the immediate use of irons, should that become a necessity, and the versatile hunting rifle should be equipped with irons. The comb of the stock should be such that the rifle is usable with either irons or a scope; the tendency of recent designs is that the comb is too high for the use of irons. A manual action is less sensitive to load pressure and choice of powder than a gas action. A vertical magazine makes the rifle less sensitive to bullet style than a tubular magazine. A versatile rifle should be short enough to use in heavy cover, but long enough to point well. A versatile rifle should have the capacity to quickly and effortlessly change ammo from one type to another. This is best accomplished by a detachable box magazine or a hinged floor-plate. A rifle equipped with a shooting sling that can be used as a carry strap is preferable to just a carry strap because it makes the rifle is easier to shoot well, and is lighter, less bulky, and less sensitive to position than a bi-pod. The nature of the versatile rifle is such that it should be resilient to exposure to the weather and to the knocks and bumps associated with wilderness travel.
 
Myself I would be very careful recommending using any given hunting rifle with a carrying sling being used in the second instance as an offhand shooting aid (although this looks to be very beneficial if it can be done) I tried this with my Remington 788 a few years back in Saskatchewan. Turns out the wooden factory fore-end was too lightly constructed for this and in a tight forearm wrap, put a side load on the rifle barrel causing off centre shooting. Perhaps a different rifle/rifle stock would not be a problem for this shooting stance. Thankfully this was discovered at the shooting range well before actually deer hunting.
Had to deep six this idea and shoot it offhand wihtout the aid of a sling wrap.
 
woodlotowner said:
A shotgun with an included rifled barrel to do it all? I don't think so. Pick a nice Remington or Mossberg pump and that covers shotguns. As for the 30-06 (yes, an excellent choice) why buy a Remington 700 when you could have a Ruger M-77 M II or a Winchester Model 70? ;)
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Not trying to start an arguement but why would you believe that a 12 gauge combo shotgun couldn't kill a moose,bear, elk or cariboo???? A rifled barrel the right slugs and a scope ....in some cases more effective than a 30-30win and more accurate than some i've shot. Just a question? I have no argument that a good rifle, in a mans Caliber of choice isn't a fundamental of a hunting arsenal. With a good choice of combination shotgun and components a new hunter could easily kill every North American game animal out to 150yrds no??????? I have no argument against a rifle and would advise any hunter to always use enough or more than enough gun for the game they are after and to stay within the hunters ability. But, I see no reason a properly set up shotgun couldn't get the job done. That is just my opinion.
To the OP I still by my first statement."enjoy the journey" The shotgun is a starting point. Let your experience and personal preference guide your future purchases of hunting firearms
 
It's pretty hard to argue with the 700/870 combo. Not a Remington fan? M70/500 would be fine too. Add a 10/22 and you have the bases covered.
 
cdn1canhunt said:
Not trying to start an arguement but why would you believe that a 12 gauge combo shotgun couldn't kill a moose,bear, elk or cariboo???? A rifled barrel the right slugs and a scope ....in some cases more effective than a 30-30win and more accurate than some i've shot. Just a question? I have no argument that a good rifle, in a mans Caliber of choice isn't a fundamental of a hunting arsenal. With a good choice of combination shotgun and components a new hunter could easily kill every North American game animal out to 150yrds no??????? I have no argument against a rifle and would advise any hunter to always use enough or more than enough gun for the game they are after and to stay within the hunters ability. But, I see no reason a properly set up shotgun couldn't get the job done. That is just my opinion.
To the OP I still by my first statement."enjoy the journey" The shotgun is a starting point. Let your experience and personal preference guide your future purchases of hunting firearms
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Have you looked at the price of sabots slugs.......yikes! A new shooter should be shooting. I'd go bankrupt if I had to shoot sabots. Easily 2, 3, 4x times the cost of standard rifle cartridges.
 
cdn1canhunt said:
Not trying to start an arguement but why would you believe that a 12 gauge combo shotgun couldn't kill a moose,bear, elk or cariboo???? A rifled barrel the right slugs and a scope ....in some cases more effective than a 30-30win and more accurate than some i've shot. Just a question? I have no argument that a good rifle, in a mans Caliber of choice isn't a fundamental of a hunting arsenal. With a good choice of combination shotgun and components a new hunter could easily kill every North American game animal out to 150yrds no??????? I have no argument against a rifle and would advise any hunter to always use enough or more than enough gun for the game they are after and to stay within the hunters ability. But, I see no reason a properly set up shotgun couldn't get the job done. That is just my opinion.
To the OP I still by my first statement."enjoy the journey" The shotgun is a starting point. Let your experience and personal preference guide your future purchases of hunting firearms
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The terrain is what hamstrings us to certain ranges. But in all honesty I would say you are more correct in saying this tool ( a 12 gauge combo gun) is good for this side of 100 yards perhaps, and only if the shooter knows what he/she is doing. And certainly not an inexperienced new big game hunter.
How about 75 yards to be safe? Then I could agree with your opinion friend. Not too many of us can afford to shoot sabot slugs to the point of becoming highly experienced with them.
 
I am the weatherby guy for rifle.
accumark for rifle a400 for shotgun
and yea combo shotgun in the bush around 100yards will do any game in canada
 
remington 870 expres magnum 2 3/4, 3 and 3 1/2 shells, you can put on different length barrels or rifled barrels and screw in different chokes.

go for 30 cal rifle then you can take anything in north america. if you dont got alot of money to spend and not hunting past 100 yards get a iron sights mosin nagant (cheap surplus to practice with and you can get hunting ammo also). otherwise get a remington 700 or ruger hawkeye in 30-06 put on a scope and call it a day.
 
Brutus said:
Myself I would be very careful recommending using any given hunting rifle with a carrying sling being used in the second instance as an offhand shooting aid (although this looks to be very beneficial if it can be done) I tried this with my Remington 788 a few years back in Saskatchewan. Turns out the wooden factory fore-end was too lightly constructed for this and in a tight forearm wrap, put a side load on the rifle barrel causing off centre shooting. Perhaps a different rifle/rifle stock would not be a problem for this shooting stance. Thankfully this was discovered at the shooting range well before actually deer hunting.
Had to deep six this idea and shoot it offhand withtout the aid of a sling wrap.
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Some folks seem to of the opinion that the use of a shooting sling aids steadiness when shooting off-hand. That has not been my experience, and IMO there are better techniques for achieving a solid hold from off-hand. The shooting sling is at its best when used in supported field positions such as kneeling, sitting, and prone. The hasty sling technique of wrapping the sling around the forearm of your support arm works in a pinch, but the use of a shooting sling doesn't involve wrapping the sling anywhere. Rather, in the case of a military loop sling, a loop is formed in the strap and held in place by the keepers, or a saddle is simply pulled up on the back of your support arm as is the case with a Ching Sling or a Safari Ching Sling. The Ching Slings are faster to use than either the military loop sling or the CW sling (a single strap which is fastened ahead of the magazine and at the forend tip for shooting and at the butt for carrying) the use of either of the latter requires adjusting the sling to transition from a carry strap to a shooting sling. Because the shooting sling pulls straight back from the front swivel, rather than from the side, it is less likely to produce bedding related issues which result in a shift to the point of impact. Rifles should fired on a range prior to being used in the field, not just to confirm the zero with the ammunition you're going to take, but also so that problems can be identified and resolved.

The Safari Ching Sling . . .
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Slung up, sitting . . .
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A shotgun can do it all, CDN1, I agree. It's just that these guns should at the very least be fitted with a proper sight (aperture or scope) to make them effective beyond 75 yards, one cannot reload sabot rounds (easily), which are very expensive, and the recoil is such that they are no fun to shoot more than one or two rounds in this configuration. There's no taking them to the range to sight in and fire 50 rounds or so without it being a very costly and joyless experience. If I lived in a controlled hunt area only, however, I would probably go this route. Having said this, two of the people I hunt with use shotguns with slug barrels and they seem to manage fine. Just a matter of overall preference I guess.
 
woodlotowner said:
A shotgun can do it all, CDN1, I agree. It's just that these guns should at the very least be fitted with a proper sight (aperture or scope) to make them effective beyond 75 yards, one cannot reload sabot rounds (easily), which are very expensive, and the recoil is such that they are no fun to shoot more than one or two rounds in this configuration. There's no taking them to the range to sight in and fire 50 rounds or so without it being a very costly and joyless experience. If I lived in a controlled hunt area only, however, I would probably go this route. Having said this, two of the people I hunt with use shotguns with slug barrels and they seem to manage fine. Just a matter of overall preference I guess.
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For the record woodlot I'd rather shoot a rifle at everything rather than a shotgun, if only to save my shoulder and my wallet! But for advise to a new shooter/hunter I recommend a shotgun then let them decide their own rifle purchase after some experiences!
 
cdn1canhunt said:
For the record woodlot I'd rather shoot a rifle at everything rather than a shotgun, if only to save my shoulder and my wallet! But for advise to a new shooter/hunter I recommend a shotgun then let them decide their own rifle purchase after some experiences!
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It would seem we are in substantial agreement. Also, your comment about preferring a rifle? Well.....yes. :) Now if the OP had an inexpensive .22 rifle for practice/plinking to add to his fledgling collection... ;)
 
To answer the OPs question concerning the most versatile rifle cartridge, versatility comes from handloading, thus any cartridge which can produce moderate to high velocity can be versatile. The more bullets that are available in a particular caliber the more versatile a cartridge in that caliber becomes. Thus cartridges whose bullets measure 7mm and .308" represent the most versatile cartridges available today, with one exception; the .375 (H&H, Ruger, Weatherby, Ultra, Dakota, etc). This bore diameter attached to a cartridge of sufficient powder capacity is the most versatile for big game ever to come down the pike, and it only needs a good quality 300 gr bullet to take antelope the size of jack rabbits, or elephants and everything in between at ranges from blood on the shoes range to a quarter mile. Of course if you're not looking for a 10 pound rifle and 40 pounds of recoil, you might require a more specialized piece.
 
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