Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Go-to Old School 3 gun battery

Of the guns I have today, the "all around" shotgun (a concept I refuse to embrace, but....) would have to be my 12 gauge Ruger Red Label. I've used it long and hard for every shotgun purpose. It's functioned perfectly, it's seemed bullet proof, and I can hit with it. CF rifle would be my Sako 85 6.5X55. Rimfire (and here I'll cheat a little bit) would be my Sako Quad. That's the practical selection.

Impractical but sentimental selection from what I have now would be (rimfire) Savage/Anschutz 141M .22 WMR. Centerfire would be my (original style) Ruger .44 carbine and shotgun would still be the Red Label.

I've always sort of envied the guys who get by with a 3 gun selection. I don't know how they do it. Both of my brothers only see guns as something to hunt with or carry for protection, they are not "gun guys" in any sense of the word, yet they each own probably 25 or 30 guns.

1. Winchester Model 12, 12 gauge 28" mod.
2. Winchester Model 61, .22 s,l,lr.
3.Winchester Model 1894, .30 WCF.

I received them for three consecutive Christmas's starting when I was twelve in 1966 (and in that order). My Dad was primarily a bird hunter so I guess that's why I got a shotgun first. Still have them all and use them on occasion.

My "Practical" 3-Gun Battery...

(1) Ruger Skeleton Stock 77/22 .22 LR
(2) Ruger Skeleton Stock M77 in .30-06
(3) Rem 870 or Win 1300 12 gauge


My "Slightly Less Practical" 3-Gun Battery

(1) CZ Heavy Barrel .17 HMR
(2) Ruger Skeleton Stock .35 Whelen
(3) Rem 11-87 12 gauge


My "Impractical" 3-Gun Battery

(1) Rem 700 6mm-06
(2) MRC 1999 .400 Whelen
(3) Weatherby Olympian 20 gauge O/U

You’re absolutely correct. Thanks for the correction. It was an SKB. Not sure why I remembered as an Ithaca.

I might also mention that Bruce (luv2safari) let go of one of his excellent drillings around a dozen years ago--a Sauer 16x16/6.5x57R, which he admits is one of the most accurate "soldered barrel" drillings he's ever owned.

It had a 30mm Hensoldt 4x in claw mounts--which I still have as backup--but a couple years later had excellent local gunsmith John McLaughlin (www.mclaughlinmetalworks.com) modify a set of Talley 1" steel detachable rings to fit the bases, so I can use any 1" scope.

Since it also came with a .22 Magnum insert for the right-hand shotgun barrel (which is very accurate), it could easily be used for almost all my hunting in Montana. I have used it not only to take a wide variety of birds but big game, including a pronghorn buck. Oh, and the birds have included both spring and fall turkeys. (Only shotguns are legal in spring, but rifles are OK in autumn.)

If a little saner that's what I'd do, since the 6.5x57R is also a capable elk round. Oh, and the rifle barrel has the "trendy" 1-8 twist--even though the gun is around 3/4 of a century old.

mine would be my:
pre 64 M70 .270 featherweight
remy 870 12 ga that I bought at Target of all places in 1978 right after turning 12.
My dad's winchester single shot model 67

10-22, 30-06,12 gauge.

Mine is a Winchester 62A 22 pump, a Mauser in 270 Winchester, and a Mauser in 375H&H or 9.3X62. If 3 is the limit I would not have a shotgun.


I don't use a shotgun much. In the 30 years I have been in Wyoming including all hunts done out of state I have yet to fire100 shot shells total, and that includes killing varmints around the home.

Ruger 10/22 i got when 14,a Mossberg Model 600 with 28" C-Lect-Choke and an ad -on slug barrel with sights,goodn or the shotgun only woods i grew up hunting in & A Marlin 336 30/30.

Only 3? Ouch! Hunting would be fine; just not as much fun.

1. 22lr bolt gun. Custom Shop Remington. Maybe slum a Browning 52.

2. 30-06. Mauser or Model 70 in a good synthetic stock.

3. 12ga double. My 30 inch Browning BSS would serve nicely but since only 1, probably a Model 21 or Ithaca NID. Yes, a modern O/U would be more practical. I don’t care. 🫤

My Dad’s three gun battery consisted of a Pre 64 Winchester M70 in 300 H & H, a Stevens bolt action .22 rimfire and a Savage 12 ga Autoloader,
Dad traded off the 12 ga, I shot a truck load of elk with the 300 H & H before trading it off for a light weight Kimber .308. The .22, ugly as sin has dispatched untold numbers of grouse and gophers & even my first called in Coyote. Still own the beast and wish I still had the H & H.

Is old school late 1800's to 1920's? Is it 1930's to 1960'? What defines old school timline?

The only hunter in my family while growing up was my grandfather on my mother's side. He used a 22bolt action of unknown lineage possibly sears or Montgomery ward, an iver johnson champion 12 with a 36 inch xfull choke, and a hunter arms double 12 26 mod full . He passed when I was 5 and the guns were left in the closet at grandma's till I was given them at age 16 or so. By then I was in the process of getting my own firearms and his were full of closet gunk ,so I cleaned them up and used them occasionally ,really liked the double but I was into duck hunting and steel shot was not good for it ,the 22 would group with the best of them but it needed an extractor and you had to use a pocket knife to get thr round out, made it slow when the squirrels were running ,and the ivr johnson was just a sledgehammer to shoot plus it would open on it's own when it was fired ,so I moved on to better things, 1st was a Winchester 190 22 auto, then as I got a job driving the school bus (yes in 1974 in north carloina the students could have a job as the bus driver) I managed to aquire a Remington 742 30 06 Redfield 3x9 scope that has since gone to someone that wanted it more than I did. The shotgun at that time was a rossi sxs 12 imp mod . I still have the 190 and the rossi take em out and play with em once in a while grandfather's guns went to a cousin who acquired the house and farm so it just seemed right to let grandad 's guns go home also.the cousin is a hunted and he can pass them along to his kids who also hunt

If we’re talking old school that I own. It would be a model 12 16 Ga, for a pump action shotgun. Remington model 11 if auto shotgun. A Mexican Mauser 7x57. A Winchester model 60A 22rf. The 60a was sold years ago and wish I had it back. Since I know longer have an old school 22, gonna have to make it a 2 gun battery.

My great grandfathers 3 gun battery would have looked a little different.

If rifles I think Jack O'Connor had a pretty decent handle on it: 222, 270 or 30/06 and 375 HH, but I think that was a 3 rifle battery deal.

I would go 22 LR, 308 and 12 gauge if pressed.

Model 24 Win side by side. Paid $125 and it remains the best dollar per shot gun I have ever bought.

Rem 541s. Does what a good 22 should do.

35 Whelen on a FN mauser action. Built by my father for me 40 years ago. It has been on every hunt but one since that time.

I always differed by using bolt action rifles and side by side shotguns. All my friends I grew up hunting with had a REM 760 in ‘06, a REM 870 12 gauge and a Marlin 22. And they still do.

My grandfather owned 3 guns........a Remington 12 gauge double barrel with hammers, a 22 S&W Kit Gun, and an old 32 Colt Police Positive. My dad had a Winchester Model 12 in 12 gauge, a Marlin 39-A 22, and a Remington 760 30-06. Later on he acquired an M1 Carbine. Now, he did like handguns and was always trading them, so he usually had 3 or 4 of those. Growing up, I had a Winchester Model 12 20 gauge and a Remington 511 22 rifle. Those two guns took care of all hunting needs, up to and including deer. Fortunately, I soon remedied that situation and didn't have to rely on just a few guns.

1903 Springfield from the armory in 30-06. Was given to me by a friend of my dads when I was 5. Still not sure if he was trying to wind up my ol man or just generous when he had me walk home with it in the middle of the Viet Nam era. Traded it for my first car. Would still like another.
Parker. Don’t know the gauge or model. It got off somewhere out of the family when my grandfather passed. (Substitute here a model 12 16 ga.. My hunting mentor and all around firearms influencer believed every young hunter should own one with a full choke. His son in law is deadly on sporting targets and game with the one he owns. My son shoots the one I was given very well also)
Marlin 39a. This made it through from my grandfather. What a job it does in the squirrel woods…. Or keepin the bird feeder clear for the birds. The original Lyman peep he had put on still works. But I’m sure glad it’s new enough to have been factory drilled for a dovetail rail for a scope. Squirrel meat is too good to risk missing.

Winchester Model 70 featherweight in .30-06, Winchester Model 12 in 12 gauge (modified choke) and a Marlin 39 would be my choices…….although any of the ones already mentioned would work just fine!

PennDog