Shotgun - One gun fits most?

[mhm2a]

Ok...I need some suggestions on a do it all type shotgun. Things I would like to be able to do.

-Shoot slugs with accuracy to 75 yards for deer or larger game

-Shoot a fairly tight pattern with #4 lead or steel shot

-I would also use this gun for coyotes as well

-Shoot some skeet occasionally or possibly bird hunt and this is the least important.

I have a current home defense shotgun. It is a Winchester Defender 1300 and I have found a 22" slug barrel for it ($159). It has rifle sights and a winchoke to pull the patterns in a bit. That may be my best option, but I wondered if anyone else was in the same predicament or had experience with a do it all or one gun scenario.

Thanks.

[Smith]

I'd go with the extra barrel IMO.

[whiskey]

Well one barrel probably isn't going to do all you want. If you are going to buy a barrel for slugs I would go ahead and get the fully rifled barrel.

You may want to look at the Mossberg combo guns. I bet you could get a new gun with two barrels cheaper than you could buy 2 more barrels for your winchester.

I have a mossberg combo that I use for turkey and deer. It has the shorter field barrel which is good for turkey, but isn't good for wing shooting. Really to have one shotgun to cover all hunting, you really need 3 barrel. A fully rifled barrel, a shorter 22-24" turkey barrel and a 28" duck/dove barrel.

I tried the rifled choke tube and it was barely acceptable at 50 yards.

[Guest H0TSH0T]

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[Hidalgo]

If I had to "start all over again", I would go with a Beretta and the appropriate barrels. Of course, we're talking money. I've used Berettas extensively to waterfowl hunt for years in some of the worst conditions that you can imagine. They've never, ever failed to operate.

If money is an issue, you can and probably should go with what you have and get the appropriate barrels. As for the person who recommended a rifled barrel, that is the preferred avenue. However, there are slugs that will shoot pretty accurately if you find one that your barrel "likes".

[mhm2a]

After a little reading and much debate I think the best choice would be a good gun with a combination of barrel's. I will probably save for the Beretta 391 which seems to have a good following, but is pretty pricey.

Or....an inexpensive slug gun like the H&R USH with an inexpensive low magnification scope and essentially a turkey gun in 12 Ga. to go with it and several chokes and a variety of ammunition to test to my liking?

Who knows....I think the more I look into it the more I think a 30/30 for coyote and deer and a dedicated turkey gun would fit my needs as well. I have always wanted a lever action anyways......I cant decide!

[Hidalgo]

After a little reading and much debate I think the best choice would be a good gun with a combination of barrel's. I will probably save for the Beretta 391 which seems to have a good following, but is pretty pricey.

Or find a used, in food condition, Beretta A303. I have one that I have owned since 1993 and it has been the best firearm I have ever used. They're out there ... if you do some searching.

[Guest Patty]

I use a 20 gauge mossberg 500 youth model.

[DaveS]

I use a Remington 870 Express with interchangable choke tubes and a slug barrel. Does everything I want, and it didn't cost a fortune!

[gregintenn]

Where's the fun in owning just one gun?

[Patrick Henry]

I recomend the Beretta at Wally World and a Hastings rifled choke tube. I get 3 inch grouping or better at 50 yrds with Williams rifle sights. Use low velosity sabots, about 1300 fps.

[broylz]

i have a mossberg 535 which is a turkey gun with a 20" barrel with the choke tubes. it does ok with slugs but i cant get comfortable shooting past 50 yards with it as accuracy suffers past that. i am going to try to get a rifled slug barrel for mine as well.

Patrick Henry - you may try a different slug to tighten up those goups a bit unless you never shoot farther than that. also if you match the slug length to the camber length, you will normally get better accuracy as well, like a 3" slug in a 3" chamber as opposed to a 2-3/4" slug in a 3" chamber. it affects how accurately the slug enters the rifling. i still have a problem with this as well since i have a 3.5" chamber and i dodnt think im gonna shoot a 3.5"slug. it did prove true on my older 870 slug gun though.

rifles are easier to make accurate at longer distances but sometimes you cant use them in certain areas. i have a M1A Scout i also am going to use this season but if i shoot on fort campbell, its shotgun or muzzleloader only. they do however let you shoot those firearms throughout archery season as well though.

[Sidewinder]

Have you considered the Savage Model 24 series of combo (over/under) guns? Savage made a turkey gun with a centerfire rifle on top, and a 12 gauge turkey barrel on the bottom. I have a couple of them, but haven't actually hunted with them yet. One is a Savage Model 24S-E in .22Lr/20ga., and the other is a Savage Model 24V-B in 30-30/20ga.. The 30-30 also comes in 12ga. also. I also have a couple of the Marlin 30-30s as well. This pretty well covers a lot of the hunting. I'd check out ###.com. That's where I goy mine. Hope this helps, and good luck.

Why do they call it common sense, when it's so uncommon? TN Sen. Fred Thompson

[Sidewinder]

After a little reading and much debate I think the best choice would be a good gun with a combination of barrel's. I will probably save for the Beretta 391 which seems to have a good following, but is pretty pricey.

Or....an inexpensive slug gun like the H&R USH with an inexpensive low magnification scope and essentially a turkey gun in 12 Ga. to go with it and several chokes and a variety of ammunition to test to my liking?

Who knows....I think the more I look into it the more I think a 30/30 for coyote and deer and a dedicated turkey gun would fit my needs as well. I have always wanted a lever action anyways......I cant decide!

If you're still looking, and considering a .30-30 lever action, I have a very nice one i can part with. I'm also here in the B'oro.

Why do they call it common sense, when it's so uncommon? TN Sen. Fred Thompson

[mhm2a]

I just bought a Marlin 336A at Dicks about two weeks ago. I wish I could have predicted the future availability. I would have preferred to by a good used one. They did have a sale price and rebate to $329 which I thought was a good buy for a new gun.

The good news is that I did not expect to like it as much as I do. I ordered a low profile peep sight from skinner sights (which I highly recommend by the way) and was putting 6 inch groups at 100 yds without a bench rest. I will pick up a scout style rail from Xs sights and a leupold scout scope eventually but it is good to go right now.

I am going to pick up an extra barrel or two for my winchester and call it good for now.

Hunter.

[wjh2657]

One gun that can do it all? Get this post off the board! Our wives might see it and no more Christmas presents (shotguns.)

[Guest KarlS]

I recomend the Beretta at Wally World and a Hastings rifled choke tube. I get 3 inch grouping or better at 50 yrds with Williams rifle sights. Use low velosity sabots, about 1300 fps.

Not to get off thread but Wally World still sells guns there? They took them out awhile ago here...To politicaly incorrect

I'd cast a vote for a package deal on an 870 express with a rifled barrel and a 28" vent rib. Rifled is the way to go for deer.

WJH2657 is right..one gun? I had a tough time coming up with 5 I couldn't live without on the other thread.