# Shotgun as the main weapon??



## Frenchy (Sep 28, 2005)

_how many of y'all are using a shotgun as your main weapon for hunting an all around use at the homestead?? ............. I have several kinds of rifles but I have noticed more an more I just end up carrying a shotgun anymore for just about most kinds of hunting still mostly rely on my .22 for small game but for deer hunting I have gone to mostly just using slugs or buckshot anymore as most of my shots are not more than 50-70 yards max anyhow ..........and at night when I have to do a walkabout checking for varmits I just grab up the shotgun unless I have a clear shot an can take time for a steady aim head shot of said critter then I use my .22 mag................_


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I prefer rifles over shotguns for hunting anything other than birds.


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## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

my bump in the night gun is sg my tractor gun is 22 mag 223 bolt inside back door for stuff around pond or garden 100-200yds ccw 45acp


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

For years I just had 20ga. Mossburg for everything.I reloaded all my Ammo.

big rockpile


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## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

never had a hankerin for a shotgun. My boys both have .22's I can borrow.
But for me, I was wanting a 22-250, and found out that in kansas I can't hunt deer with it. So I need to at least go a size up. But I'm not partial to either the 30-06 or the 30-30.
for the same money, I could have gotten a 50 cal. at the gun show for 650.00. Might as well go all out. Didn't wht more than any other gun. Now the ammo might be a different matter.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

There would be less to field dress on a deer with a 50 cal rifle.  My only beef with a shotgun is size. I have a short double barrel but I dislike carrying a double barrel closed and just using the safety. Open is a pain. I would like an auto loader 12 gauge (or 20 is fine too) at some point. That would be a go to gun all right. Until then I seem to reach for my SKS most often.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

I am not much of a shotgun man....but a properly loaded and handled shotgun can take care of at least 90% of most folks business....in the woods anyway.

If you live on the plains, not quite so much.

Sounds like you have your needs fairly well covered with your shotgun and 22 Mag.


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

IMO the 12 ga. shotgun (or a twenty) is the most versatile firearm for home / camp / farm. I have two...the twenty and a twelve. Both Rem 870s. I like that a follow up shot is quick, the slide action absorbs most of the recoil. I have a rifled barrel for the 12 and I keep open sights on it. Use it for whitetail. Slugs are devastating in them. The twenty I keep for birds. In Ohio, buckshot is not legal for deer. I like that the shotgun is excellent home defense and any round that contains shot, won't carry beyond my walls to neighbors' property. Will use the scatterguns for rabbit but not for squirrels, as I prefer to get those with the .22.


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## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

Ross said:


> *There would be less to field dress on a deer with a 50 cal rifle*.
> My only beef with a shotgun is size..


 Never thought about that. Just wanted to be different.
I agree about the size and weight of a shotgun.
The 50 cal. that I picked up, aimed at the far wall, was perfectly balanced and felt comfortable.
Its on my bucket list of "gotta haves" before I die.
GH


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

If I could or would only have 1 long-gun it would be a shotgun (12GA) with a couple barrels, one for hunting (26 or 28&#8221; with screw in chokes) and one geared towards HD/Deer with rifle sights and an 18.5&#8221; barrel or 20&#8221; (either imp cyl or screw in chokes).

A pump or decent semi would take care of all my hunting and HD needs. Might not be perfect for every circumstance or use, but would make a pretty good compromise.

Luckily I don&#8217;t have to choose, so I view guns kind of like golf clubs, you can get by with a driver, putter and an iron, but what&#8217;s the fun in that?
Chuck


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

80% of my farm is shotgun only for deer anyway... Which kinda shows the silliness of arbitrary boundaries since the other 20% has many more close neighbours


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Originally Posted by *Ross*
> _*There would be less to field dress on a deer with a 50 cal rifle*.
> 
> 
> ...


With a Full Metal Jacket bullet, there could actually be LESS damage than a different bullet in a smaller caliber.

*Projectile design* makes a huge difference in the amount of damage it will do


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

I might add on my 20ga. I had one Barrel cut off so No choke.This was Good for Slugs on Deer,Rabbits with #6 Shot,Quail with #8 Shot.

Had a Full Choke Barrel used it for Turkey #6 Shot.

Bought a 12ga. Hated it.

big rockpile


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

I'm a rifle and pistol shooter. I shoot clays with a shotgun on rare occasions, and a few years ago I hunted birds a little with one, but otherwise my shotguns rarely got shot or used.

Guess it's partly location, and partly inclination.


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## JPiantedosi (Apr 23, 2012)

As someone who spends 90%of my days afield following pointing dogs chasing birds I am more comfortable with a scattergun than I am with a rifle or pistol. That said I still use a rifle for coyotes and squirrels, and I shoot a rifle when we go west after prarie dogs. However, for general farm use or if someone were to enter my house uninvited I go to a shotgun first and a pistol second.

I would imagine that if I had to choose on longgun for all my needs it would be a 20ga.

Jim


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Marshloft said:


> never had a hankerin for a shotgun. My boys both have .22's I can borrow.
> But for me, I was wanting a 22-250, and found out that in kansas I can't hunt deer with it. So I need to at least go a size up. But I'm not partial to either the 30-06 or the 30-30.
> for the same money, I could have gotten a 50 cal. at the gun show for 650.00. Might as well go all out. Didn't wht more than any other gun. Now the ammo might be a different matter.



For that kind of money, you must be talking about a 50 cal muzzleloader....not a 50 BMG.

If you shoot a deer with a 300 gr maxi out of a 50 black powder rifle, you'll be able to "eat right up to the hole". Will ruin a lot less meat than a 150gr expanding bullet from a 30-06.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

tarbe said:


> For that kind of money, you must be talking about a 50 cal muzzleloader....not a 50 BMG.
> 
> If you shoot a deer with a 300 gr maxi out of a 50 black powder rifle, you'll be able to "eat right up to the hole". Will ruin a lot less meat than a 150gr expanding bullet from a 30-06.


50Cal. P&B 180gr. 54Cal. P&B 225gr. both do good enough.

big rockpile


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

If you can't decide a 243/12ga might work.









http://cz-usa.com/products/view/brno-combo-rifleshotgun/


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

I have a Mossberg with 18.5 barrel-28" bird barrel and a real nice custom slug barrel...very rarely use it..but nice to have..


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

EDDIE BUCK said:


> If you can't decide a 243/12ga might work.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just gettin ready to say myself, that if I only had one rifle to choose from, then it would be my old Over&Under. Savage brand with a .22 cal. on top and a 20 guage on bottom. 

I could use the .22 for small game such as rabbits, squirrels, snakes, etc, and the 20 guage for birds, small game, and use slugs for deer or medium sized varmints. Buckshots for self defense.


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## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

EDDIE BUCK said:


> If you can't decide a 243/12ga might work.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I like the 243,, still tryin to figure out things.
I saw a .22/410 at the gun show. Thought about getting one for my boys. But didn't see another barrel.
I think anything above a 22-250 is legal in kansas. So a 243 might be good.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

big rockpile said:


> 50Cal. P&B 180gr. 54Cal. P&B 225gr. both do good enough.
> 
> big rockpile



Your talking sabot, I'm talking maxi. Two different pews in the same church.

The reason I specified maxi is it takes the principle I am trying to illustrate to it's logical conclusion.

Heavy, blunt bullets of large diameter at lower velocity kill well without ruining a lot of meat.


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## Chazz (Dec 14, 2012)

Personally,I have a .22 or a .410 for small game but deer season's where I hunt is limited to bow, shotgun and muzzleloader. FWIW, my scoped 12ga slug gun perfect for my deer hunting needs, 12ga. pump for around in the home.


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## JJohnson (Jun 7, 2012)

All my hunting is down with the 20ga. slugs for deer, 4 or 6 shot for rabbits.

12ga. pump with 00 buckshot for home security.


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

Marshloft said:


> never had a hankerin for a shotgun. My boys both have .22's I can borrow.
> But for me, I was wanting a 22-250, and found out that in kansas I can't hunt deer with it. So I need to at least go a size up. But I'm not partial to either the 30-06 or the 30-30.
> for the same money, I could have gotten a 50 cal. at the gun show for 650.00. Might as well go all out. Didn't wht more than any other gun. Now the ammo might be a different matter.


Not to hijack but there are a lot of calibers between 22-250 and 30-06...lots of them. On topic though My territory (Kansas) dictates a rifle for both hunting and varmint control


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

Bearfootfarm said:


> With a Full Metal Jacket bullet, there could actually be LESS damage than a different bullet in a smaller caliber.
> 
> *Projectile design* makes a huge difference in the amount of damage it will do


Many local laws dictate a soft expanding projectile for hunting atleast.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

The three rules of life I taught my children in reverse order:

3) Never pay retail

2) Never argue with an idiot

1) Always grab the shotgun!!

My 12ga. model 37 is my "go to" gun. In an emergency I will either own or devistate anything within 75 yds of where I stand. In the 40 years I've been shooting it she has done me well on Deer, Rabbit, Grouse, Squirrel, trap, skeet and embarassing people with much fancier guns throwing slugs. In a defensive situation, if I can't solve my problems with a load of #4 buckshot and a couple of well placed slugs then I have a problem that can't be solved. It is light, has Remington rifle sights, a 20" cylinder barrel and will slam fire so fast I can knock off two rounds but you will only hear one report. I know that rifles have greater range but here in New York its hard to claim self defense when you shoot someone 1/4 mile away. The bottom line though is that I know this gun. When its in my hand it is a part of me. In a stressful situation it is not anything I have to waste time worrying about. Besides being practical, with the short barrel, high profile sights and corncob slide it is the nastiest looking non-tactical gun you'll ever see.


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

shotgun is pretty versatile, and I lug around my 12 gauge sometimes, and wished I had the rifle for the longer varmint or deer shots. I've taken deer with a 12 g. slug at close range, though. For birds around the woods, like grouse or hare, I'de mostly take the .22. For other game birds, it would be the 12 g. and appropriate size shot. Some seasons I pocket quite a variety of shot sizes from 2 to 8 shot for anything from geese passing over to woodcock on the wet trail.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

back home in the eastern part of VA. rifles are illegal for hunting. everyone uses 12 gauge or children use 20 guage for deer. dogs are used by all the hunt clubs to run the deer, and the deer are killed by the thousands during the season. 

a 12 g. can do anything you generally will ever need done. esp. here in the east.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I'm more of a shotgun person. Don't have the need for long range shooting on this place. Too much brush in the back, too many neighbors in front.

Don't have much use for a scope either, takes me too long to find the target, so pointability is important to me. Most of my shooting is for varmints.

Ed


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I love my shotgun....But....I have lever action Winchesters and colts. You can tell which I USE most. I carry the Colts, I USE the rifle. Ever see the difference in a .357 from a pistol and a lever action rifle? Even for home defense, I can kill an intruder, even IF it was right beside my wife. I would hesitate to with the shotgun, I know I would hit what I was aiming at, problem is what else. A rifle is real gun control. Long distance, close up, crowded or just me and IT....James


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

James, point well taken. I prefer levers myself when in need of a rifle. I live alone, however, and shotgun is usually better for my current needs. Handguns are good to have, and I wear one especiall when I go to the pasture, Super Blackhawk, if my hands are ocupied, I want something really close by for any feral hogs that show up.
Ed


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