If you had only 3 hunting firearms......

Hmm, so plinking, shotgun and deer rifle. I'd go Savage MKII for the plinking. However, you mentioned preference for a semi or lever. Semi, either the Remington 597 or Ruger 10/22. Depends how much time and money you want to invest in the rifle. Lever, definitely the Henry. I love Henry rimfires.
Shotgun, I'd go for something with interchangeable barrels and/or screw in chokes. I'm not much of a shotgun fanatic, so I can't give any good advice here. I'd go for the pump. SxS are nice, but pricey. And, I can't think of anyone hunting turkey with a SxS, though I'm sure it's been done.
Rifle for deer. Hmm... Good Winchester lever action in 30/30, open sights. Even a sporterised Lee Enfield.
Trust me, when I say your three guns will quickly expand to 4, 5, 6, 12... If you have your restricted, it gets even worse(or better, depending on your point of view.)
 
The FIRST Gun to get is a Winchester Model 1300 Deer Combo. This is pretty much the perfect gun. (I've got the synthetic)

It comes with a rifled slug barrel and a smooth bore. Each can be swapped out in less than 10 seconds!

For Muskoka bush (as where I hunt) the 1300 is awesome. I put a $35 red dot on it, shoot cheap winchester super X slugs (I don't mess around with those bank bustin sabots), and I've got a durable bush gun that'll shoot 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards. You can shoot the 3" magnum slugs too and it's got more muzzle energy than my .308! <Model 1300 MOOSE Combo!>... Yes I hunt moose with it to... You should see the size of hole it makes!

Swap out for the smooth bore, and you've got a great duck/goose/partridge/bunny gun (and coons I suppose). Or, grab some 00 Buck and head back out for deer. (just don't shoot the buck-shot through the rifled barrell - I tried once just to see what would happen... It's slightly more accurate than a hand grenade:p Pattered an 8 foot group at 20 yards. Probably none too good for the barrell either...)

Long story short, as a first gun, it'll allow you to hunt pretty much everything while you gain experience and develop a sense of what the perfect high power, and rim fire rifles are for you, your hunting style, and your hunting environment.

But, to finnish off my 3:

Rimfire, is the Ruger K10-22 (all weather carbon and stainless) Perfect bunny/grouse gun. Topped with a cheap little 3-9 power scope, you just zoom in on their little heads and...

Centerfire, been using a Win model 88 in .308. Wonderful gun, but now i'm looking for something shorter, lighter and semi. Been bouncing back and forth between the Rem Model 750 and the BAR, but have settled on the rem due to cost and it's still a few inches shorter than the BAR.

*** Oh, Beware - the 1300 with mag slugs kicks like an angry mule... But you learn to savour it:D That bruise on the shoulder is meat in the freezer!***
 
Southpaw stuff

I'm a fellow southpaw and just got my PAL before Christmas.
Since then I've picked up an Ithaca m37 and Savage MkII GL. The Ithaca is a great shotgun for lefties because it is bottom ejecting; its also an all around solid shotgun. I'm also very happy with my Savage, the L in GL means it has a left-hand bolt action. Its great fun shooting, feeds just about anything and is more accurate then I am.

As for a centrefire rifle I plan on getting an SKS as soon as money allows it, I'm still a student though so that may take while :mad:. An SKS will certainly be accurate enough for northern Ontario bush hunting and ammo is relatively cheap.
 
Allready have my three:

1. Ruger Frontier in 338 Federal, conventionally mounted VX III 2.5-8X36 Elk, Moose, Bears on foot.
2. Ruger Deerfield in 44 mag, VX III 1.5-6 X 32 Dogging gun, Black bears on the stand
3. 26" Beretta Xtrema II 12 ga, Burris Speed Bead: Everything else that walks or flies

You really need 4 though

4. Browning Buckmark Carbine .22LR, Holosight XLP: The coolest little .22 ever built :D
 
Marlin 1895 45-70
12 Gauge pump (whatever brand, mossy, rem, mine happens to be an Ithaca 37)
Semi auto 22LR (ruger or remington nylon)

That pretty much covers anything on the planet I think.
 
Toxid said:
As for a centrefire rifle I plan on getting an SKS as soon as money allows it, I'm still a student though so that may take while :mad:. An SKS will certainly be accurate enough for northern Ontario bush hunting and ammo is relatively cheap.
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An SKS is a hoot of a gun, and awesome for deer! A little light if you're planning to hunt moose though: You've only got about 1000 ft/lbs at 100 yards. Doesn't mean you can`t though... I`ve got guys in my group that moose hunt with a 30-30. You just gotta know your gun inside-out and not try any hail mary's.;)
 
Husky Featherweight .30-06
Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge
Marlin 39 Original Golden .22

Sorry to all my higher priced pieces, but the above three are low fuss, and proven.
 
Shotgun dual barrels (riffled slug and smooth bore). Birds and shogun only area for deer.
223 rifle for predator hunts
270 rifle deer/moose
 
.22 LR Anschutz 64 action or 54 action
Encore with 24" barrels in .22 LR, .223, .308, 20 gauge, and .375 H&H
Contender in .22 magnum, .357 magnum and .30-30
 
I am not big on plinking, so a 22 would not make my top three (although I do admit to owning one, and to occasionally plink with it). I am not a farmer, so I have no need for a varmint gun.

I shoot skeet, and I hunt birds. Ideally, I would have a dedicated O/U skeet gun, and a semi automatic shotgun in 12 Gauge for waterfowl. For upland birds, I prefer a 20 Gauge semi-auto. Finally, for large game, a 30-06 bolt action rifle does the job. That is one gun too many. the 12 gauge semi can serve double or even triple duty, but it cannot be replaced by one of the other two for waterfowl. Since I can only have three, I would (reluctantly) sacrifice the 20 gauge semi. My decision to drop the 20 and not the 12 Gauge O/U is based solely upon the fact that I spend much more time shooting clays, than I spend hunting upland birds.

So:

12 Gauge O/U
12 Gauge semi-auto
30-06 rifle
 
1) .22 LR.
2) 6.5x55 Swede.
3) 12 gauge.
Click to expand...

Yup, that would do it for me too. But unlike Calum, I'd have 3 guns as opposed to 3 barrels for a T/C. Because, with only one, my wife would have nothing to complain about. ;)
 
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