One gun to rule them all!!!

[Baylian]

I was wondering if their was such a gun as one that can do it all? What gauge is it? What brand? What action? What choke? Why? I really haven't used a shot gun since I was a boy when my H&R 20 gauge single shot killed lots of doves and some ducks. I reallty just want a gun to have one in case I go hunting something that requires one.

Thanks in advance, TJ

[Dom]

No, not really, sure you can 'make do' -- but with todays specialty shotguns you're at a disadvantage if you try and make one do all. For instance, why sling lead at barn walls with a smoothbore when you can have a rifled barrel, scoped shotgun for deer, which would be useless for upland game. I think the best shotgun for winged game is a double barrel O/U -- two chokes, barrel selection, etc.

But, if I was going to try and make one do, it'd probably be something like a Remy 870 pump with slug and smoothbore barrels, choke set, and just set it up depending on what's in store for the dinner table, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[fabsroman]

I would probably go with the new Benelli SBEII if I had to use a single shotgun for everything. I could live with it on clays and I already use it for all my shotgun hunting with the exception of upland and occassionaly doves. For upland and doves in the early season, I tend to carry my Beretta Teknys 20 ga. and for clays I use my Beretta Teknys 12 ga. However, prior to buying both of those guns a little over three years ago, I used to use my SBE for all my hunting and I used to use a Beretta 682 for all my clays shooting.

Now, the SBE I currently have I also use for deer hunting. I bought an ER Shaw barrel for it and the scope and rings come on and off with the barrel, so I do not have to worry too much about scope alignment when I change up barrels. I have also seen people use SBE's at the clays range, but mine doesn't like the light loads, and I do not like shooting heavy loads unless they are at waterfowl or deer.

[jmarriott]

With over 6 million already produced it would have to be the rem 870 12 guage pump shotgun. Accessory parts are abundant, Prices on used wingmaster 12 guage magnums can be surprisingly small.

Mine will fire light and heavy loads up to 3 inch.

A cutts comp barrel with all accessory choke tubes cost me anothe 45 bucks used and even with the extra noise the second shot is easily placed for doves ect.

Mossburg Hastings shaw GBG and Remington make rifled slug barrels with cantiliver scope mounts start in price at 110 dollars new to over 500, Boyd brothers and ross and choate make monte carlo and thumbhole stocks for the 870 to get the eye aligned with the scope.

I have 7 barrels for my 2 870's and i can take close 10 foot rabbit shots to 55-60 coyote shots and still board card shoots and deer out to 150 plus yards. I guess i could stop any north american animal with one gun if close enough to it.

[HPBTMTCH]

The one shotgun is maybe the 3 1/2 in 870. It is not expensive so you don`t cry when it gets scratched up. With a rifled choke tube and scope it does just fine with deer, and a turkey choke handles turkey and coyotes. Any 3 1/2 inch 12 will work, except mossberg, because they say no slugs through their shot barrels, but they are cheap enough you can get both the gun and rifled slug barrel so they work also.

[rem 700]

I'd say 3 1/2" 12 gauge Rem 870. A modified will handle most hunting situations but a full or extra full for turkeys. Pump gun because you can shoot dove loads to turkey loads without loading problems, and the ease of cleaning.

[MN Tonester]

Rem 870 would tie with an M1/M2 Benelli Super 90. Both guns are durable and simple in operation. I would tend toward the 20 gauge because of the variety of ammo loads that would cover a pretty wide spectrum of game.

[gold40]

While i own half a dozen shotguns, I could hunt everything with my Browning Gold Hunter, as well as shoot Sporting Clays, Skeet, and Trap. I'm at no disadvantage using it for any of the clay bird games. I do shoot it more than any other.

A very similar "Do Everything" shotgun is the Winchester SuperX-2.

Having said that, iti s fun to own more than one shotgun !

[Catfish]

What only have 1 gun????????????????? And not have to chose which gun you`ll use today??? No way! I want abunch of guns.