One gun to rule them all?

To be honest, I started this thread thinking of the Winchester 94 or a Rem 700. I do feel pretty pleased to note that the gun receiving most of the recommendations is the Rem 870 sitting right next to my bed, itching for squirrel season to start Saturday. Chambered for up to 3.5", it's been my go-to gun forever. I also wander the woods with a Ruger .22. Maybe I was better off than I thought, but I suppose a lifetime of shotgun use makes me dream about those rifles.
 
tholiver said:
12 gauge would be good, a pump, SXS or O+U.
Kinda off-topic but has anybody here tried the new Mossberg lever 30/30 yet?
Its fairly inexpensive and it has a tang safety instead of the crossbolt affair seen on the Marlins.If one must have a safety then i personally much prefer the tang type.
I'm really hoping they will keep the price low and expand their caliber offerings.
Been wanting a lever gun in .357 for a looong time.
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I have an old mossberg .30 30 leaver action from aruond the 70's (I think). It has shot very well and extremely accurate. My only complaint is that sometimes the leaver locks up when open and chambering a round. I had it cleaned by a gunsmith and that fixed most of the lock up issue.

All around, for the price it's a nice gun, but if I had it to do over, I would get the Marlin.
 
I'm always a bit different-

Assuming it's just a one gun thing, not a one gun with no supply thing-

A decent single shot or pump (I'd go single shot, but wouldn't argue with pump) 20 ga. with screw in chokes. Some of the modern brenneke sabot variations can get you 75 to 100 yards.

Barring that, I'd choose a .44 lever. I personally think the shotgun is going to be more versatile overall, though.

In a handgun, I'd probably end up with a .357 wheel with a nice long barrel.

If it's a "one gun and no supplies) situation, I'd choose a 20ga. double barrel flintlock with no choke in the left and a full choke on the right.
 
jawilder said:
I have an old mossberg .30 30 leaver action from aruond the 70's (I think). It has shot very well and extremely accurate. My only complaint is that sometimes the leaver locks up when open and chambering a round. I had it cleaned by a gunsmith and that fixed most of the lock up issue.

All around, for the price it's a nice gun, but if I had it to do over, I would get the Marlin.
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Is this your Mossberg?
mossbergleverguncrop.jpg

Nice looking guns, they look to be inspired by Marlins to me.

The new Mossberg is different than the old Mossberg of the 70's.
The new design is less than 2 years old and looks to be Winchester model 94-ish with some Mossberg "improvements".
http://www.gunblast.com/images/LFCombs_Mossberg464/fullview-2.jpg
I can get it here in Canada under $400 ($359.99 actually), thats at least $150 cheaper than the Marlin 336.
I like Marlins but i actually prefer a tang safety to the crossbolt safety.
See article on new Mossberg here
http://www.gunblast.com/LFCombs_Mossberg464.htm
 
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I've seen, and liked the new Mossberg lever, but there's something about my old Winchester 94 (?'73), maybe it is the romance of the name from my childhood. Dunno.

Good prices on the new Mossberg, though.


OH, BTT:

One gun...if I had access to ammo--slugs and shot, it would be my Savage .22/20 Model 24DL. If not, probably the old clip fed Stevens bolt action .22...if the clip fails, it still works as a single shot.
 
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The FInn's "squib loaded
the 7.62x54R during the winter war.
You could "squibload" 32acp bullets in .308 cases for small game.
Everyone I know has a minimum 5 gun load out for emergencies.
12 ga shotgun
Battle rifle in 5.45mm(AK-74) or bigger.
Automatic centerfire handgun.
Serious thumper of a revolver.
and a .22lr

Being from the south, "only one gun" has always meant a 12ga shotgun w/ an 18" - 24" barrel.
Really is the most versatile weapon......just the ammo is so damn heavy.
 
I love my m14s but I think for one gun, I'd go with my model 92 in .357...light ammo and pretty versatile with different loads.

I have an 870 as well (of course) but the ammo is pretty heavy as mentioned.

I guess it really depends on what you are doing. If I was in a vehicle I'd probably take something different than if I were running for my life in the woods!
 
the 12ga. ammo is pretty bulky, but the versatility of the shotgun is great- I'm really not sure why a 20 or perhaps a 16ga isn't considered. It seems to me like not considering the .30-06 just because a .375H&H is available.
 
misanthropist said:
I love my m14s but I think for one gun, I'd go with my model 92 in .357...light ammo and pretty versatile with different loads.
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I was thinking the same thing...a surplus bolt would be another option, but I really like the .357 lever idea (mine is a Win Mod 94 Trapper). You can load really light to really heavy (~180 gr) loads that give you a lot of versatility from rabbits to deer. Having an integral magazine tube is both good and bad; bad if it get's damaged; good, because you can't lose it:D I like the thin lever gun because it's easy to carry, light and compact. I'm sure some feel the same about the .44 mag (and .44 SPL) lever guns, but I only have the .357.

Shotguns are very versatile, but if you're on foot, ammo is just too heavy to carry in abundance. As mentioned, if it's the home or I have a vehicular platform to travel in, the shotgun is hard to beat (preferably 12ga and pump action...18" and a longer 26" barrel with removeable chokes).

ROCK6
 
Koyote-

"If it's a "one gun and no supplies) situation, I'd choose a 20ga. double barrel flintlock with no choke in the left and a full choke on the right."


Mine is not a "flintlock" but rather a coach gun with the same setup...
 
The problem with threads like this is that they're too open-ended. This leaves the "reason why" up to everyone's own interpretations of what the "reasons" might be.

Survival situation?

Hunting?

New national Law?

Urban riots ?

Is resupply an issue?

Handguns allowed as additional gun or not?

etc, etc.

.
 
Strictly one gun? Rem 870 12 ga.
If given the option for a handgun, I'd go with the 45 Colt. Since I roll my own I can adjust the power to suit.
 
I have to ask what the situation is. Home defense, survival, hunting, tactical, or all of the above?

I have to say that the 870 is pretty good in all those things except maybe tactical. Good luck shooting distances. The 870 is a simple action, less to go wrong.
The ammo is rather heavy though and you could not carry much. A .223 would do a lot well but not so great for big game.
Hmm tough decision. I would say a rifle would be better than a pistol though. Hmmm.....
Well in the case of zombies Im not sure if anything would beat an 870 though....
 
Darteres said:
I know we're a bit about having all kinds of options for all kinds of situations around here. I mean, come on, who doesn't like a new knife? There are probably hundreds of threads on what you would carry if you could carry just ONE knife. What about one gun? I was doing some reading about Col. Whelen late one night, and came across more than a few articles saying that he often carried one gun with multiple load bullets. Some low powered for small game, mid and high for the various sized critters out there. Anyone else do that? Think it's a good idea? What would be the ideal gun to do something like that with? Probably a lever action of some sort? My uncle reloads shells/cartridges of his own, so it would be no problem to get him to load some for me. Thoughts?
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You can answer this question differently 10 times in one day. It's tought to choose just one gun to own. If you hunt vs if you don't hunt, are you a small game hunter only and don't hunt big game, etc. etc?

If I wasn't a hunter or shooter and wanted a firearm just to have in the house it would be a carbine in 22 lr.

If I was a big game hunter I would choose a rifle in the caliber that's most common and most available in my area. Here it's the 30-06 so that is what I have for a hunting rifle.

One handgun, hell that's even more difficult to choose. Do you carry it or is it strictly a house gun or range gun?

My gun choices have changed over the years but I keep the basics, at 22 rifle, scoped 30-06, 12 ga shotgun and a revolver in 38 sp. That totals 4 different guns but each are my choice for "the one gun" in their catagories.
 
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Personally, I think it's more interesting to leave the question open-ended. I've looked at several different guns based off recommendations in this thread because I never would have thought about them for my particular use. One gun has to be open a bit, since not everyone uses them the same. Plus, the comments are fun. If I said just hunting, it would get into a 12 ga vs .22 thread.

I will say that I'm REALLY looking at the new Mossberg 464. Looks like a Winchester, upgraded like a Marlin. I'm going to have to get one of those in my hands for an afternoon.
 
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