Not talking SHTF tin foil stuff. Considering your location and needs, what would it be?

Mine would be a 12ga. 870 Wingmaster, full choke, synthetic. Not ideal for anything, but okay for everything.

I'll play. 444 marlin, because the only thing I really hunt/shoot around here are hogs once and while.

My Tikka .222 over 12ga.

Ruger MKIII 22/45 with a can. With that, I can get the rest

Savage 24 calibers debatable

My Remington LH 870 Wingmaster in 12 ga

No argument here, except on choke, but only because I've read and been told repeatedly that slugs through a full choke can lead to bad things happening...

.22-250 for everything local.

Remington 700 338-06

243

338WM by MGA

Same here. Make it a 1-8".


Travis

Thinking about it for a minute, for hunting, I'd like to have a nice German made combo gun. 12 ga over a '06. Probably a bit heavy, but I could live with it.

Marlin 1894c in 38/357. It will drop any game in my state, defend the home and not destroy small eating game. Ammo ain't heavy either.

For my locale...Savage Model 24 22LR/20gauge O/U.

.243 or .257 Roberts...can load up or down

My marlin in 41 mag and/or the old win 30-30.

Probably the one I carry, which is an old Airweight J-Frame .38. Sure would hate to have to just pick one, though.

If pressed to settle on one, 12g mossberg500 would present the most options for me as well. (Especially if I could keep the additional muzzleloading barrel!)

If big game hunting were off the table I'd settle on the .22 marlin 39M just for sentimental reasons.

Only really do deer hunting, so guess the only one I "need" would be this 99EG in 300 Savage. Always takes the biggest buck each year.

Don't tell the wife I only need one though!

My model 12 12ga. It holds 7 shells has screw in chokes.

my mdl 12 12 ga with the poly choke, it will kill anything.

slugs are smaller than any full choke (factory) they wont hurt a thing in a shotgun.

Yep. The issue w/ slugs and choke is one of accuracy, which will vary depending upon the gun.

I've also found that felt recoil, all else equal, to me feels more stout in a full choke. At least this has been the case w/ buckshot. I wonder if its real or imagined though.

.44 mag trapper version, covers all bases but wingshooting and I don't do much of that anymore.

several in the stable I could limp by with, but for handy, enough oomph and capacity it'd be a fair compromise.


course I'd have to convince my oldest boy that Indian givin is applicable!

Ruger scout rifle. Nice hunting/defense capabilities. Powerful, accurate, compact with up to ten rounds on tap. Hard to beat in my mind.

AR-15 with different uppers.. since the lower is the registered "gun" portion it counts, right?

Brno Combo 12/30-06

Tried to contemplate that for a moment and it was just too horrible. My heart almost stopped, and I felt the onset of a panic attack. Such questions are dangerous, and I think they should be banned from the fire as inhumane torture.

Drilling. 16 x 16 over 9.3 x 64 with a 5.6 insert for one of the 16 guage barrels.

And from the house fire thread...

Benelli SBEll

I would likely mimic your selection.

Yup, mines got 6 chokes [including rifled slug choke] and holds eleven rounds.

Gunner

my camo 12 gauge 870 supermag with 23" barrel and variety of ammo and chokes. anything within 100 yards or so gets a big hole. anything 50 yards and closer gets lots of little ones.

Another vote for that setup.

I'd stick with the 270 if it weren't for brown bears so i'd probably have to go with the 30-06.

"only one gun" games is stoopid.

I ain't playin'


Mike

My Ruger Scout Rifle in .308

If I could only choose one Rifle.....

If it was a Pistol, it would be my Glock 20 in 10mm

Sorry to step on the fun, but IMHO one gun is totally insufficient.

Isn't anyone thinking about redundant systems?

Beyond that, we all know that guns are purpose-built. A rifle, pistol and shotgun fill different roles � and in each category there are a range of purposes. My S&W .22 trail gun serves a completely different need from a Glock .40S&W.

Now, if you want to talk about the best 5, or better yet 8 to 16 guns, it might be worth discussing.

243

First new gun I ever owned Savage 24J 22mag/20gauge. Will do everything in my area, man or beast. Bought one new in 1964 and traded it for a S&W 38 chief two years later, always regreted the trade. Found and bought the identical gun 49 years later a few months back. Still had the rifle case that I had purchased for the first one, looks real good in it. Havent fired it yet but sure enjoy looking at it and reliving my youth. GW

Ain't no such thing as one gun! If you beleive that try buying just one Savage 99.

.338 RUM

20 bore shotgun, modified choke.

Blaser with several barrels.

Not to somebody that only has one gun.

25-20 Winchester

When my house caught on fire I ran out the door with an old Brit SMLE in .303 in one hand and my old 94 30-30 in the other. I'll be alright.

This.

a 12 guage pumper would do. ..such as a model 37 Ithaca of ancient vintage.

but, only one gun causes one to think. probably i'd opt for a cheap-ass model 311 Savage, double triggered. IC and modified, with 26 inch barrels. not perfect, but what is?

i'm sure i'm not the best stalker on here. but with the right shells, the dbl triggered dbl barrel would put food on the table, and make interlopers very insecure.

There is a beautiful example of a pre '64 Model 70 Super Grade in .375 H&H at Cabela's in Hammond, IN.

That would do for anything period..........well maybe a .22 rimfire to fill the stewing pot.

No way would I have only one gun.

Never say never.

Ditto.

Ed

It's on the way, and I can hunt about anything, anywhere...

Simson 12/12/7X65R drilling with a 4X Hensoldt in swing mounts, a 22mag right barrel insert, and a fitted 9,3X74R shotgun barrel insert.

All I need are two guys to carry it for me.

If I could only have one gun it would be a Drilling 12 Bores over 7.62x54R (or some other such rimmed 30 caliber in 30-06 class).

Alan

Same as you except I'd run screw in choke tubes with modified in most of the time. If extra barrels are allowed, I'd have (and do) a cantilevered rifled slug barrel. I'd probably do the timney trigger in mine as well.

It would be this one right here:



30/06 Springfield

870 super mag, choke tubes, scope mount. Done deal for anything out there IMHO.

Though around here could get by with a 22 and bunch of ammo. Would take anything needed, but might be illegal on a lot of it.

Can I make mine an M1-A rebarrelled to 260 Rem? And that comes from a man who owns zero auto-loaders.

It would not do any one thing really well, but it would suffice for every thing I would need. I would definitely have to learn how to get closer to those elk though.

So you're allowed just one gun-and you're going to have to shoot some small game to survive eventually. You really think that 338-06 is a practical choice?

Remember...not a SHTF scenario. Just the single, best (compromise) gun for everything you do.

Alan,

The 30 Blaser would be perfect for you.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/30-R_blaser.htm

What is it built on?

I'll jump in on this one 'cause I used to carry rabbit/grouse/ptarmigan loads for my .338WM loaded with 000 Buckshot. It works!

Ed

~ KORTH

There you go, getting fancy again.

Ed

870

The CAMP GUN!



With its friend:

Winchester 70 6mm rem.

For where I live yes.
Not talking survival, talking about a gun that will take every game I need to hunt.
I think the OP had that in mind.

agreed, more than one way to skin a cat, and I know Patrick Smith at Kifaru works up small game loads for his rambling rifle, don't believe he uses buckshot, but a medium caliber rifle loaded way down will work on small game.

I went the same way with my choice and partly cause it's lever action so my whole family could still use it since I'm the only southpaw. The .44 trapper is light, handy holds 9 rounds and can be loaded on the fly.

course now that I think about it, I might opt for my .45/70 instead, the one that holds 6 rounds, I can use the old fashioned loads for most stuff, the Buffalo Bore type rounds for big game hunting and even though it halos the pattern a bit, it will shoot a .410 shotshell well enough to kill grouse. Plus it's got a scout scope setup on it.

but I could make do with my 7mm'08 as well, but it's a left handed bolt action so it would be difficult for the family to use.

can everyone in my immediate family have one gun Lt. Pat, if so, I can cover our needs easily.

momma gets the 870 Wingmaster

I get my .45/70

Sam gets his the Ruger 10/22

and Trevor gets his .30/06 ( I can shoot a right handed bolt, well if I have too!)

Ithaca 37, 12 ga, 23" barrel with chokes.... or 870 same dimensions unless it's a 20 ga. Then it would have a 21" tube with chokes.

.243

12ga pump... from a reputable manufacturer.
[edit]full choke[/edit]

Well my brain says a 12 gauge pump w/chokes, and I too have a .357 Marlin and it is a sweet and versatile gun...

...but my heart tells me this; my old 20" .22/20 ga. Mod 24 "Camper's Companion", the version that stores two shells and ten .22LR in the stock. Seen here in action at Quemado (thanks Ben for the fine pic)



So many good memories associated with that gun: More'n a few kids have been introduced to shooting with it, and too many aluminum cans to remember over the years have met their demise amid laughter and joking. Takes down to components for travel in moments, and has oft stood in for a handgun overnight in tents and motel rooms in handgun-unfriendly New York State. Been a time or two it was mighty reassuring that we had it.

20 ga. slugs out of these old 24's can be an iffy proposition; point of impact relative to the sight picture can be all over the map, dependent on the gun. Serendipitously, this particular version of the 24 is choke-bored, and if you use the tapered base of the front sight as the "front sight" it is dead-on with slugs at 30 yards, longer distances you just hold over.

And shooting slugs out of this lightweight little gun is a blast, literally

Birdwatcher

My mutt AR-15 along with a 22LR upper. Does one lower and 2 uppers count as one gun?

Nice try, but no cee-gar.

Winchester Model 12, 12 gauge, improved cylinder choke. Worn-in enough so it can slam-fire. Way more versatile than the 870.

Got one, and it has much better balance.

BL-22, a Buckmark or Ruger Mk11. Last two w can and red dot sight n laser

Any of those. Rifle maybe w peeps.

I have it already,a Ruger 22/45 Lite with a supressor. Very accurate and all you really need.

Likely my 12 bore Ugartechea SxS slug gun.

Hell of an idea there, had not thought that one through.

Wonder why no one has done a shotgun upper for it. Ability to have anything about from a 22lr to a 50 bmg or crossbow on top.

Probably not considered one gun though. Grins.

You said "only one gun", not "only one barrel".

Get yourself a rifled slug barrel with iron sights, a shorty barrel with cylinder bore and a 30" barrel with about a half-dozen screw-in chokes, and you're still in the game.

I'd like you to look at my AR one of these days to see what you honestly think. It's pretty functional for a $400.00 rig (that's before the aftermarket trigger and Eotech holo site).
I've shot some fairly good groups with it.

My Cape Gun. 9,3x72x12 gauge

Covers any bets for most places

OMG, bring that to next year's boar hunt for show and tell!

I killed my FIRST wild boar at Careyonah Tennerrsee with that gun back in 2010.

This guy

I could likely get by with my 870 Express Magnum with the short (23"?) turkey barrel with it's assortment of choke tubes and my smooth bore rifle sighted slug barrel, but I'm just not much of a shot gun guy.

I really like Plinker's suggestion of a .357 Magnum carbine of some sort. Loaded with light 38s it could take small game without scattering edible bits across the landscape and with heavier loads it would fill the freezer with venison and maybe an occasional black bear, too.

I also have a CZ 527 in 7.62x39 that would cover most of what I need a gun for. Not as handy or quick to reload as a pump shot gun or lever action carbine, but it' such darned handy package that I hate the thought of being without it.

Dang - beheaded him - what a gun! Congrats!

Old Savage w/ 30-30 over 12ga.

Mossberg 500 w/ 28" vent rib & accu-choke, rifled slug barrel w/ cantilevered scope mount, and .50 cal ML barrel.

I live in the "shotgun only" section of Michigan, but even in the rifle zone shots are short enough that an ML or rifles slug barrel is no handicap.

I've had a similar combo since I bought the smooth bore/open sight slug barrel & 28" VR accu combo w/ paper route money in 8th grade! Sld those barrels and just have 24" vented accu tube for it today. Only shotgun I've ever had and done an awful lot with it!

It would be one of my Model 87 Ithaca's. Either 20 or 12 gauge.

Probably the 12 gauge. I have extra barrels and chokes that allow its use in a number of ways.

This one: .22LR or 22 Mag

dang it Pat, if yer gonna be that way about it, I'll pick my S&W Model 19.

I would really hate to be limited to just ONE GUN TOTAL!
But for where I live and my age if I could find one
a Stainless Marlin 1894 44 magnum.
A little more knockdown than a 357 magnum.
Those shotshell loads for snakes and rabbits.
44 SPECIAL loads for home defense.
Plus if I went to Idaho to hunt with my brother
If I get close enuff I could bust a Elk or other big critter
with some of those Buffalo Bore loads.

I hate this game but if I had to pick, it'd be my 9422Mag Win.

My 1187. 26" barrel for smallgame/birds 21in smoothbore w/ rifle sights for deffense and itd handle 75% of my deer hunting. Id sure miss my pistol though

If everything could stay the way it is, and I just had to pick 1 gun, it would be one of my 12 Gauges. Of what I currently own, I'd probably pick the REM 1100 with 4 different barrels. Propped up next to the bed, it'd sport the deer barrel with the rifle sights. Turkey season, it'd wear the trap barrel. For squirrel I'd use the Mod-choke. The skeet barrel would take all the rest.

I don't think one needs to go further than this. ^^^

I'm not much of a shotgun kind of guy,..but if it ever really came down to it and I could only have *one* gun, it would be a very sturdy 12 gauge pump gun with a 20" modified barrel.

Class "A" defensive weapon and hunt everything from mice to moose with it,..depending on the software.

You forgot the rest.






A.I.

Five of the reasons why I'm attached to that little Mod 24; everyone in this pic (two months back), just some of my crop of nephews up in New York State, were introduced to shooting on it when they were little....



A big part of me having "coolest uncle" status doubtless is due to the fact that I am the only shooter in the family, and every time I go up there I make sure that they get a chance too.

That Mod 24 ain't by any means the ONLY gun of mine they've shot, but it is still is a favorite. Here we are across the state line in Pennsylvania, where they have public ranges on state lands...











I've been blessed

Birdwatcher

Only 1 gun and they are Shiloh 74's.

If we're talking strictly BG hunting (like these sorts of threads usually do), iffn I was in Alaska I'd possibly choose a magnum like a .338 (7mmRM if I could get by with 175 Partitions? in big bear country?).

But in the contiguous-48 flatlands would either choose the .280 or .30/06 for everything in a LA bolt, or .308 in a SA bolt or other action.

Once upon a time when I was first starting a family, I was down to just an 870 with a bird barrel and a smoothbore slug barrel. It worked for my hunting in Va, and I didn't feel undergunned for deer in the national forest and killed a couple at woods ranges. Sure did want a rifle at the time, though.

Really tempted to go along with Biden and ltppowell on this. For years, both as a kid and as an adult, 1 SxS was all I had--1 gun. My present shotgun I've had for many years, an Abercrombie & Fitch by Zoli Rizzini in 12-ga, found in a San Francisco gun shop. Like a double rifle, complete redundancy for dependability; dual barrels/chambers, triggers, firing pins, (2 different) chokes. Simple. EZ maintenance. EZ transport. Peace of mind. Makes me smile.



But, if I really could only ever have one gun, just to go along with your premise, a drilling or change-barrel firearm would be a serious consideration, to get around the "rules".

One gun = a '98 Mauser in 7X57 which screams Africa!

Family heirloom . . .


or an Atkinson Custom Mauser in 6.5x55 . . . another African legend . . .

It'll get it done, from crackheads 0 out to 150 yards with slugs and deer, turkeys and upland birds out to 45 yards with the assorted chokes.

Gunner