Shotguns are the best choice for an "Only" Gun.

[Adam Helmer]

I have several friends and neighbors who are new to country living. They may become CCW folks down the road, but at present they are evolving from urban to very rural living. Their first shock was their learning that dialing 911 is NOT an option until we get cell service hereabouts. I gently suggested the folks buy a shotgun to deal with critters; two and four-legged that may bother their homesteads. There was reluctance at first. Within 6 months, or so, all my neighbors made the trip to the gunshop to "even the playing field."

I tell them all about how one night at 2:00 A.M., my dog asked to go out to "tinkle." I wisely looked outdoors first and saw two skunks at the birdfeeder. I put the dog in her kennel, grabbed the 12 gauge pump, fired two shots and then walked the dog on her leash. I buried the skunks after sunrise. For two weeks I listened and NO ONE ever asked about the 2:00 am shots! Bottom line: we are on our own in the boonies and the "Cavalry" probably will NOT respond.

For the men, I suggest a 12 gauge and offer instruction here on the farm. For a widow living nearby, I suggested a 20 gauge. All are now armed and living more comfortably than they did in the big city.

Adam

[popplecop]

Agree whole heartily, city folks move to the country have very little knowledge what it is like. A shotgun is probably the best investment they can make and the simpler the action the better. The 20 is probably better than the 12 if they are not shooters and I'd reccomend a SxS as it is easy to operate.

[Gil Martin]

You do not need a gun until you need one very badly. A shotgun is an excellent choice. All the best...
Gil

[Catfish]

Heaven forbid, but if I could own only 1 gun it would be an AR, with acouple of uppers. :D I do agree however, that for someone that has never fired a gun that a shotgun would be the place to start.

[kt]

when ever i think of this though the two things that come to mind are loud and bright, i've been dwelling on a 357 for home purposes, but with any of these revolver, AR, shotgun, how quick does the average person recover from a loud kaboom, a bright flash, and some recoil in a dark living room, should the first shot not do the job? so incredibly loud in a confined space. i've also seen shotguns at first light and the 2 foot muzzle flash they let loose. any insight?

[popplecop]

One thing about the shotgun even though there is a muzzle flash a load of bird shot will stop any intruder at close range. My personal bedside firearm is a 1911 with a rail in 38 Super and it has a Sure Fire light attached to the rail. The light is blinding to anyone who has to look at it.

[Adam Helmer]

kt,

Yes, firing any gun inside a house will deafen a person. We fired guns inside the "fun house" at the range under all light conditions and with, and without, ear protection. The flash is brighter to the target than the shooter. As for the noise, we worked out a last ditch scenario: Fire the pistol strong handed, place the weak hand over the weak side ear and roll the strong side ear down onto the top of your shoulder. With practice anyone can hit a man-sized target within any home and still preserve their hearing. Give it a try and work out the details.

Adam

[buckhunter]

They aren't the best choice for a rookie they are the only choice. Its like this kid I work with. Got his carry permit. The first thing he bought was a Mod 29 S W. He just cannot figure out why he can't hit anything with it. I suspect that will be mine in a couple of months. Told him to start with a 22 but he knew better.

[Adam Helmer]

buckhunter,

I agree with you. About 20 years ago a newby bought a M29 6-inch and a box of factory Mag loads. He showed up about 0800 on Saturday at the club outdoor range where I was the only other person on the range. Newby had no target, no stapler and NO ear muffs. I stapled up a target at 25 yards and offered him my muffs while I sat in my nearby truck. Newby said, "No thanks, I will only shoot 6 rounds." He shot six and left the range. A week later at the monthly club meeting, Newby said, "I should have borrowed your muffs. My ears 'Rang' for 4 days, I had a headache and mised two days of work." I asked Newby why he did not pay $10 for muffs when he paid $600 for a M-29 and $35.00 for a box of ammo? Newby said, "Because I was only going to shoot six rounds." GO FIGURE!

Adam

[Larryjk]

My father was a "sod-buster", plowing his farm out of the prairie in early 1900s. For many years all he had was some kind of a "38" my mother told me he carried when he sold cattle and had the proceeds in cash. Later He bought a Winchester Model 12 in 12 gauge that was his means of protecting his farm from all kids of vermin. I have had possession of it since 1967 and am now going to turn it over to my son so he can protect it until his son is old enough to be the keeper. I have had a v-rib installed and had it reblued and have made a new stock and forearm that is ready for checkering. I shot some trap with it and it became my "money gun." My son knows the guns history.

[Rapier]

Modern folks think there is magic to the fancy guns, and I may be the worse at that.
When my grandfather died in 1984, I got the guns I learned to shoot and hunt with. Now he carried a Colt in a hip holster when he paid the farm hands in the fields on a folding table, as the big co-op farm's foreman. However, on his small farm he had a Remington 510 SS 22 LR which shot shorts all of its life and a Stevens 12ga single barrel. He shot deer and birds with the 12ga and anything else with the little 510, hogs, gators, steers, bob cats, etc.

If you find the factory demo film (35 megs) on the Saiga shotgun on youtube, you will see a shotgun that the Russian military has turned into quite a weapon.
Ed

[popplecop]

Ireceived a Rem. 510 for my 8th birthday. Now some 65 years later it still is my prize .22 even though I probably have a dozen others.

[dovehunter]

Here's another vote for the shotgun as the only weapon for both self defense and game. Here in Virginia a lot of localities only allow shotguns for hunting, A 12 ga. pump, though maybe not ideal for all situations, can certainly handle anything in a pinch, particularly at close range.

[skeet]

Another thing..You can make a 12 ga into a good fairly long range deer gun too. My scoped rifled 11-87 was good for a couple hundred yards with the right sabot slugs. My daughter is still using my ol 11-87 back east..one shot one kill every year now for 15 years. One was a lazered 212 yds That is a very long shot back in Md

[Jack]

I'd have to agree about the new rifled slug barrels on shotguns. Those have changed slug shooting completely. The combination of a rifled barrel, a good scope, and the right sabot, and a shotgun isn't just a close range deer killer any more.
Btw, the right sabot makes a huge difference- every shotgun has it's preferences, and you just have to spend some time at the range finding out what your gun prefers.

[skeet]

You are right Jack. It isn't a lot of fun doing it but the shotgun sabot thing is like 22 cal rimfire. You have to shoot the darn things to find what shoots best. Luckily I only had to try 3 before I found one that shot great in my 11-87.. The blasted things are painful to shoot from the bench but nowdays they have lead sleds. makes it easier. BTW if you find what shoots good buy quite a few. I bought a case sold a few to recoup some of my initial cost The sabots are not inexpensive... and in fact some are terribly expensive now

[270man]

As one who has pondered a "best" choice firearm for home defense (and maybe camp and truck as well), I've enjoyed the many comments about the scattergun. Recently I was reading an old article by gun writer Sam Fadala titled "Home Defense Firearms". Here are his recommendations with some comments: (1) short-barrel double (side-by-side OR O/U), (2) 20-gauge, (3) #4 buckshot, (4) external hammers.

Sam believes that the 20-ga with #4 buckshot has all the power and pellets needed to stop an agressor and yet not penetrate interior walls. He likes external hammers since the springs remain at rest for long periods and are strong enough that they are hard for children to pull them back into full-cock position. O/U shotguns of this type aren't readily available but the Armsport company used to make such a side-by-side shotgun in 12-gauge. I'm not sure if it is still in business.

270man

[Rapier]

270,
There is an error in that article and the author's idea that #4 buck fired inside a house, will not penetrate an interior wall, it will sail right through it if its sheet rock. As a matter of fact # 7 1/2 will put a good many shot through both sides. The safest gun in a house is a shotgun with say #9 or smaller shot, it makes a big nasty hole, full of shot, and is least likely to penetrate into other rooms through walls. We did tests on this at the range, and it still penetrates sometimes, depending on distance from the wall.

Oh, yes in a house the distances are real short for a shotgun and with a shot cup, shot does not spread much, if at all, shot is like a slug at a distance of about 15 feet. So it is still a know what is beyond your target deal.
Ed

[Skinny Shooter]

Adam I agree with your thoughts.
I only use 00 Buck in my 12ga.
This website has done some interesting tests:
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

The following is why I won't use something smaller.
Birdshot might work if you pop someone in the head at extreme close range but who can do that in the dark at 3am after waking up from a deep sleep?
Besides, Dick Cheney is still walking as a free man... ;)

http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=176

Some hollow point pistol bullets may fill up with clothing fibers and fail to expand. Someone shot with birdshot while wearing heavy clothing and/or is high on whatever, might just shrug it off and then kill you.

Allen

[8X56MS]

I do not think I would recommend a shotgun as an 'only' gun for a rural resident. Oh, I would certainly say they should have a shotgun, but 'only' is the part I have a problem with,
A good .22 rifle, and another with a bit more umph is what I would suggest. No gun satisfies every need. Even a former city dweller can be trained.

[Adam Helmer]

8X56MS,

Perhaps I was unclear in my original post. I will restate for clarification: I had well-to-do urban neighbors buy and reside on a nearby farm. They had 90 acres and farm buildings. They had wildlife issues with their livestock and called 911 and were told to call the game warden, county sheriff or whatever. They received minimal service and asked me for advice. I told them to buy a pump 12 or 20 gauge shotgun and protect their chicken coop from raccoons.

I did not say a shotgun "was an only gun." I said my neighbors did not want ANY guns, but if they had ONLY ONE gun, I RECOMMENDED a shotgun because they had no firearms aiming skills and a shotgun covers much aiming inability. I agree with you, all farms need a .22 rifle, a shotgun and a deer rifle. When the farmers desire to own NO guns, where would you start?

Most old folks here are gun oriented, but many new rural residents do not share our regard for firearms. Start from there and try to assist as I did.

Adam

[wrenchman]

i no friends that live in rural areas and that all they have is shot guns.
rifes are not allowed for deer hunting were they live and they have realy never thougt about a hand gun becouse there kids hunt with them same guns.

[Adam Helmer]

As an update to this thread: Last week a friend and live-alone widow on rural 65 acres nearby asked for gun advice. She has a few bears that continue to come up onto her rear porch/deck and press on the sliding glass doors. She has no guns and deems a gun would be prudent if the bears get into her house. She has no gun experience and calling 911 is not an option.

We met at a local gun shop and there was a single barrel 20 gauge hammer shotgun on the used rack for $75.00. My friend bought the gun and a pair of ear muffs. At her farm we test fired light field loads, #3 Buckshot and slugs out of the 20 gauge gun. After a good range session, I left her with a gun to deal with critters on her land.

Again, I will say, "For those who only want one gun, the shotgun IS the gun."

Adam