Very good points. Thank you
Does an all-around gun exist?
- Thread starter zibzer
- Start date
Very good points. Thank you
OkayShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
I would say the 870 is the most versatile shotgun out there. Only because there is a barrel and stock for everything you want.
If you are going with one gun decide what you are going to do most with it. No one gun is perfect for everything but everything certainly can be done with just one gun with changes in ammo.
Restricted to just one gun mine would be a 12 gauge, 3" autoloader with a 28-30" barrel and choke tubes from a reliable maker. There's nothing it can't do. It would be excellent for clay targets and waterfowl, suitable but a little heavy for upland and small game hunting and would be just fine for deer hunting but would benefit from an optic or improved sights for deer hunting.
Restricted to just one gun mine would be a 12 gauge, 3" autoloader with a 28-30" barrel and choke tubes from a reliable maker. There's nothing it can't do. It would be excellent for clay targets and waterfowl, suitable but a little heavy for upland and small game hunting and would be just fine for deer hunting but would benefit from an optic or improved sights for deer hunting.
I have 2 shotguns that would fit this bill in my opinion an Browning BPS with a 28" vent ribbed barrel and rifled cantalever scoped barrel, and an 870 Wingmaster with a 28" vent ribbed barrel and smooth bore slug barrel with open sights. Both are 3" mag. 12 ga. I would lean someone on a budget towards the 870 because of available accessories though.
I'm with this guy. I have an extrema and have collected deer, coyote, turkeys, ducks, geese, pheasants, skeet, sporting clays, trap (although not ideal), and rabbit with it. It eats everything you feed it except very light reloads. It's the closest I've come to the "one gun" solution.
- Location
- Peterborough Ontario
I use my remington 870 express for all of them
including turkey
including turkey
With a $2000 budget I'm not sure why you'd limit yourself to one gun. But any smooth bore shotgun will do all those things. I used my Benelli Supernova 28" for all those activities, and though I wasn't lucky enough as a new hunter to take a deer with the shotgun it's what I used. I did however take rabbit, ducks, geese, trap, skeet. etc. Some of the more traditional guys look at you funny with a gun like that on the skeet line, but when you work that pump and hit the doubles you get nods of approval.
I do now own several rifles in addition to the SuperNova. I'd hazard a guess that you will too. But if you're set on one gun I recommend a Remington 870 of whatever configuration best suits you right now, and lots of ammo and clays!
I do now own several rifles in addition to the SuperNova. I'd hazard a guess that you will too. But if you're set on one gun I recommend a Remington 870 of whatever configuration best suits you right now, and lots of ammo and clays!
Options exist, and the 870 is a capable one and in the form of a wingmaster or SP (SPS too) one of my personal favorites.
Deer means slugs to many, and its hard to refute the benefit that a rifled barrel or at the very least sights more accurate than a single or double bead when stretching the range. Rifled chokes and the many receivers drilled and tapped may provide an acceptable solution as well but that is an individual decision I won't try making for someone else. Buckshot is another option, often overlooked and almost always dismissed by those who've never used it feel it range is too limiting its very effective when a well patterning load and choke combo is found usually looses its effectiveness beyond 40 yards.
I am not 100% sure what options you'd have available to you to locally that I may not see at my LGS, since shotguns for deer aren't that popular here. I would believe a field barrel and slug barrel would give you the best versatility.
In your position with 2000 to spend I'd be tempted to get a slug barrel and field barrel for a mid range semi like a Benelli M2, Winchester SX3 or high quality pump like an 870 Wingmaster or BPS, of course 2000 grand can get you more than 1 gun and allow you to specialize your guns a little more, particularly if looking at used.
Deer means slugs to many, and its hard to refute the benefit that a rifled barrel or at the very least sights more accurate than a single or double bead when stretching the range. Rifled chokes and the many receivers drilled and tapped may provide an acceptable solution as well but that is an individual decision I won't try making for someone else. Buckshot is another option, often overlooked and almost always dismissed by those who've never used it feel it range is too limiting its very effective when a well patterning load and choke combo is found usually looses its effectiveness beyond 40 yards.
I am not 100% sure what options you'd have available to you to locally that I may not see at my LGS, since shotguns for deer aren't that popular here. I would believe a field barrel and slug barrel would give you the best versatility.
In your position with 2000 to spend I'd be tempted to get a slug barrel and field barrel for a mid range semi like a Benelli M2, Winchester SX3 or high quality pump like an 870 Wingmaster or BPS, of course 2000 grand can get you more than 1 gun and allow you to specialize your guns a little more, particularly if looking at used.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
I agree with Jim here. A slide action BPS or Benelli would fit the bill for anything that flies and dedicated slug gun as a second can be had for within this budget.
Yes u can have one gun to do it all 12 ga. 3" 26" bll semi auto sx3 / beretta a300 0r a400 / Benelli Montefeltro light wieght guns reliable . Stay Way from mossberg / rem 870 express and other entry level guns . Quality costs money browning maxis would be a good one . With any of the above u could shoot on a skeet field / 5 stand / sporting clays these sports are basically shot with guns that have stocks thAt have field demensions .
With a $2000 budget you open up some options. Many times newbies post a $500 budget which severely limits recommendations.
For you, I would recommend two guns, both on the used market... and if you are patient this can easily be done within your budget.
Start with an 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge 28" vent rib, Rem choke barrel... I shot one of these for twenty years, great, reliable field gun. I have a buddy who hunts everything on your list with one, including deer. I took him hunting one time and he dropped a walking 8 pointer at 115 yards (paced it) with two slugs an inch apart right through the center of the lungs. You will have enough wiggle room in your budget to buy a slug specific barrel for the Wingmaster if you choose to at some point.
For the second gun, keep your eyes peeled for a Browning Citori 20 gauge, 26" or 28" barrels and Invector chokes or just plain fixed I/C & Mod chokes... this will do the bulk of your field work for upland game, including rabbits and hares.
This is a two gun system that has everything covered... BUT here is a warning... if you hang around at CGN much, you are going to increase that budget and the number of guns you own... there is just too much eye candy and imagination grabbing hunting tales on a day-to-day basis here... kinda like holding AA meetings at the LCBO.
For you, I would recommend two guns, both on the used market... and if you are patient this can easily be done within your budget.
Start with an 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge 28" vent rib, Rem choke barrel... I shot one of these for twenty years, great, reliable field gun. I have a buddy who hunts everything on your list with one, including deer. I took him hunting one time and he dropped a walking 8 pointer at 115 yards (paced it) with two slugs an inch apart right through the center of the lungs. You will have enough wiggle room in your budget to buy a slug specific barrel for the Wingmaster if you choose to at some point.
For the second gun, keep your eyes peeled for a Browning Citori 20 gauge, 26" or 28" barrels and Invector chokes or just plain fixed I/C & Mod chokes... this will do the bulk of your field work for upland game, including rabbits and hares.
This is a two gun system that has everything covered... BUT here is a warning... if you hang around at CGN much, you are going to increase that budget and the number of guns you own... there is just too much eye candy and imagination grabbing hunting tales on a day-to-day basis here... kinda like holding AA meetings at the LCBO.
My opinion:
You don't need to spend $2K. I have a $2K Beretta Xtrema 2 with Kick-Off recoil reduction and I ONLY use it for Canada Geese. Don't get me wrong, it sees several hundred rounds of 3.5" BB each season and works utterly reliably, but it's heavier than sin, is long, and is not capable of much accessorizing.
When I need a shotgun and have to actually walk around with it, I grab a shorter 870 with choke tubes and just change the choke depending on application. If I'm walking REALLY far and care a lot about weight, I take my Ithaca 37 Featherweight, but truthfully, the 870 gets carried far more often. Takes a beating and keeps performing.
I'm building up another 870 right now just because I'm getting bored of having to change the barrel to a 28" when I need to grab loaner gun for goose hunts. The beretta is a great goose gun, but a 3" Wingmaster is a good solid second choice for that kind of work and will do everything else as well.
With your budget, if you go 870, either get a Wingmaster or a cerakoted version of the Express. The cheaper express guns will start to rust if you look at them sideways. The high polished bluing or cerkoting will not rust anywhere near as readily.
You don't need to spend $2K. I have a $2K Beretta Xtrema 2 with Kick-Off recoil reduction and I ONLY use it for Canada Geese. Don't get me wrong, it sees several hundred rounds of 3.5" BB each season and works utterly reliably, but it's heavier than sin, is long, and is not capable of much accessorizing.
When I need a shotgun and have to actually walk around with it, I grab a shorter 870 with choke tubes and just change the choke depending on application. If I'm walking REALLY far and care a lot about weight, I take my Ithaca 37 Featherweight, but truthfully, the 870 gets carried far more often. Takes a beating and keeps performing.
I'm building up another 870 right now just because I'm getting bored of having to change the barrel to a 28" when I need to grab loaner gun for goose hunts. The beretta is a great goose gun, but a 3" Wingmaster is a good solid second choice for that kind of work and will do everything else as well.
With your budget, if you go 870, either get a Wingmaster or a cerakoted version of the Express. The cheaper express guns will start to rust if you look at them sideways. The high polished bluing or cerkoting will not rust anywhere near as readily.
There are a lot more differences between an 870 Wingmaster and an 870 Express, than simply the finish.
I agree the finish on the Express models is terrible and rusts very easily... but the Wingmaster not only has a better finish (deep bluing), but the action is much more precise, smoother, faster and the fit & finish is light years ahead of the "dumbed-down" Express models... the quality of the metal is much better and you get a finely contour Walnut stock rather than the clunky hardwood Express stocks.
OP... do a little watching and waiting and find a nice condition Wingmaster... well worth the wait.
Like Hoyt, I also love 20 gauge shotguns.........Just starting out as the OP explains his situation, I would be tempted to lurk here on our shotgun exchange and snap up both a Wingmaster 12 and a Wingmaster Light Weight 20.......Both should be set up for 3 inch shells and both should have Remchokes.......I would not care which one I was able to get first. Having both guns with same safety, same action, same feel will go a long ways in helping to become a proficient shotgunner. Given a choice, I would have the 12 with a 28 inch barrel, while the 20 would have a 26 inch barrel.
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I was referring specifically to the magpul cerakoted version of the Express, which is sold at a Wingmaster price point. Supposed to be better then a run-of-the-mill express. FWIW, when I had to make this choice, I got an old Wingmaster with a roached barrel and converted the receiver to 3" and put a new tube on it, refinished it, and voila. Spend more than an Express in the end, but got a better gun.
All around gun exist in countries where regulations and limitations to purchase multiple guns,also financial situations of some parts of the world,prevent such hunters to own gun for every species they are after.
Ie. Eastern Europe countries during communist rule people had very limited budget and lots of rules in place to buy multiple guns.
Usually Baikal OU or SxS,or some older Belgian or Eastern Germany Suhl at that time served well for everything from birds and rabbits to boar with slugs. People used those guns for years and years and they were tested and tried in every possible scenario.
Ie. Eastern Europe countries during communist rule people had very limited budget and lots of rules in place to buy multiple guns.
Usually Baikal OU or SxS,or some older Belgian or Eastern Germany Suhl at that time served well for everything from birds and rabbits to boar with slugs. People used those guns for years and years and they were tested and tried in every possible scenario.
Agreed... even a Fixed Mod choke in the 12 gauge would be fine... not likely you will ever need to change it from Mod. I would prefer an O/U or SXS 20 gauge for upland but I have done a lot of upland shooting with a Wingmaster LW-20 as well as a plethora of 1100 20 and 28 gauge guns... actually now that I think about it an 1100 LW-20 would be a good choice to partner with the Wingmaster 12 gauge... I am one of "those" guys... you know... the ones who say; "nothing feels like an 1100 cycling."
