# Best all rounder???



## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Hi, talking with my hubby it seems he has always been interested in hunting (news to me lol) so we are now doing our research BEFORE jumping in!

Now, we are in middle Florida, tward the east coast. We would be after - in season - deer, pig and turkey. Nice about pigs being huntable all year round, they are TASTY!

The question, what is the best starter gun? Hubby is a big strong guy but I am neither big nor strong. We have been recommended the 270 as it would be light enough for me but strong enough for what we would be hunting for but I thought I would ask a few hunters as well as a sales man at a bass pro shop 

Oh, and we dont want to spend too much as, like everybody, money is tight round here :stars:

Any help and ideas will be MOST welcome!!!


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

A .270 is a good choice. I have one and like it very much. I also like a .243. They get a bad rap as being too small for deer, but they are more than adequate, especially for our relatively smaller Florida deer. They are also, especially in bolt-action, very accurate. Perfect for turkey. They are a little light for a large hog. If you're shooting a big porker with it, just make sure to stay away from the shoulder. The plate that the big ones grow over their shoulders can break up a small bullet. That would be true for the .270 in that case as well.

Don't overlook a good shotgun if you find a deal on one. They're more versatile than a rifle, especially if you get one with interchangeable choke tubes. You can use a good turkey load for turkeys, and buckshot or slugs for the deer and hogs. Either a Remington 870 or a Mossberg pump (can't remember the model no. on them right now-500 maybe?) would be a good choice.

Edited to add: Be sure to pick up a decent .22 rifle, such as a Ruger 10/22 or a Marlin model 60. I'll guarantee you it will wind up being the most-used gun you have.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

tyusclan said:


> A .270 is a good choice. They are also, especially in bolt-action, very accurate. Perfect for turkey. QUOTE]
> Y'all use a rifle for turkey?


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## Homesteadwi5 (Mar 16, 2008)

I'm more of a rifle guy,but if you'll be after turkey i'd say a good pump 12 ga. would be your best bet.A Remington 870 will easily harvest all three of the animals on your list.


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

hunter63 said:


> tyusclan said:
> 
> 
> > A .270 is a good choice. They are also, especially in bolt-action, very accurate. Perfect for turkey. QUOTE]
> ...


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

The way the *rifle *fits you is more important than the calber.

Anything from a 243 on up will kill deer, and a 243 would be ideal for turkeys
For hogs I'd want a heavier bullet.

While a 270 would be fine, a 7mm/08 will give you more power with less recoil, and you can get it in smaller rifles


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

A Remington 870 combo if you are buying new or if you could find a used one.
A barrel for shooting slugs at deer and pigs. and a smooth bore with change able chokes for turkey and any other birds plus rabbits and squirrels. I would think that would cover any thing huntable in your area.

Also for a rifle if ya just have to have one try a 7mm08 light on recoil and would also work very well on deer and pigs.

 Al


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

tyusclan said:


> hunter63 said:
> 
> 
> > Most folks use a shotgun, but a rifle is legal for turkey in Florida.
> ...


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## jamesdel (Mar 21, 2006)

BF hit it on the head fit and learning the rifle is far more important then size , with in reason of course 
Jim


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

Practice is the most important caliber there is.If you can't put a bullet where you want it,it does'nt matter.In Africa during the 40s-50s one of the most prolific elephant cullers used a Swedish Mauser in 6.5......he just put the bullet exactly where it did the most damage...7/08 is a great round.


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## Wis Bang (Feb 20, 2009)

I took over my dad's .270 when he passed away. I had been using a 30-06 which is the parent casing for the .270 along w/ alot more. The .270 has less recoil and shoots flatter than the '06. so a 130 grn bullet will go faster. 

I shoot 150grn core loc for PA deer with both rifles and I feel the .270 has better mannors. If you are going to hunt mostly hogs, I'd pick the .270 or the 7/08 over the .243. Shop for a used rifle w/ a recoil pad and you will be fine. You do need it to fit you but avoid a lightweight rifle. A few extra pounds absorbes recoil better

Start your learning experience by not shooting from a bench. The worst 'felt' recoil is at the bench while a kneeling or off hand position will allow you to realize it won't beat you up. Though your best accuracy will come from bench shooting and most important...

When shooting at game you will never remember the recoil...


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

You are all SO helpful 

Oh, and its bbq size hogs we would be after, they taste the best!


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

For the thick swamps y'all have down there, I'd stick with a shotgun for turkeys. I much prefer a rifle for deer and hogs, but a shotgun with interchangeable chokes will kill anything that walks, crawls, or flies in the state of Florida. Plenty of great options out there, but for the $, it's tough to beat a Mossberg.

It's doubtful you'll need a super flat shooter down there unless you're hunting over ag land, so I wouldn't place a whole lot of consideration on that aspect, and as another poster pointed out, really small, fast moving bullets ain't the best option for hogs....ya' want something with a little more structure and weight for bustin' pigs even if you're not going after huge ones. Trying to navigate the swamp with a long, scoped rifle can be a huge hassle, and it just ain't necessary....a good ol' lever gun in 30-30 will serve you just as well as anything else, and millions of dead deer and hogs can't be wrong. A lever in .357 or .44mag would be a sweet selection, too, and they shoot beautifully with little recoil, but they tend to run a few bucks more than a 30-30.

......and you're right...smaller hogs make for MUCH better table fare, and in the kind of climate you're in, you've gotta' be able to get that pig wrapped, packed, and on ice pretty quick, not such an easy task with a monster hog. Tryin' to drag a 450 lb hog out of a mangrove swamp ain't my idea of a good time, either.

Best of luck in y'alls new venture, and happy huntin' to ya'.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

for the best all arounder , shotgun nothing can hunt as many things from one gun you can shoot a 1/2 pound dove to a 500 pound black bear. different shells same gun

but you give up range 

270 is a good round , i am a 30-06 fan myself but they are very similar 

make sure you look at a Stevens bolt in 270 they should be had for 310 dollars or so check buds guns online they had them delivered for that price i belive to your local dealer you pay transfer to your local dealer, if your looking new , there should be lots of used and if you found a 30-30 marlin for a good price that would do you fine also for all you have said you would hunt. if you you someone who knows guns a feind , you could probably do fine at one of the pawn/gun shops in FL.

for as so-so baliticaly as a 30-30 is no single cal. has as more deer taken in the usa than any othe round 
what feels right in your hands has more to do with it , so many of the different cartriges out there were made to get just a little bit more performance than the one before them but almost all will do just fine on a deer , or pig 223 or 5.56 might be fine for FL deer but would probably be a bit small for pigs , on the other hand i know a guy in TX who shoots boars with a 22lr but he does trap them first and it is only a few feet that he shoots them from


swamp man makes a good point a 44 carbine is a mighty versital gun also , fed with blazer shells at 23-27 dollars a box of 50 is more economical than a 270 that is likely to be 20 bucks a box of 20 or more 
look at the price of the ammo you want to be able to afford to practice , also look at wat the hardware store or other smaller stores around you carry , i have to drive 20 miles if i want anything but the few carried by the hardware store , not usualy a problem as i stock up on my rounds even though most are the very common but it is somthing to think about. kind of like buying a realy great car that only likes premium fuel in the end while it will do a few things a normal car won't do your paying a lot in fule for the rare occation you can realy use the benifits of the fast car.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

For shooting turkeys with a rifle a 243 is hard to beat. You can buy used golf balls from pond divers around most golf courses. Around here they run about 5.00 per 100. they make the best targets to shoot at to pratiac shooting turkeys in the head.

 Al


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

alleyyooper said:


> You can buy used golf balls from pond divers around most golf courses. Al


My hubby and I both read this and went  what gun are YOU using!?!

ROFLOL


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## Wis Bang (Feb 20, 2009)

alleyyooper said:


> For shooting turkeys with a rifle a 243 is hard to beat. You can buy used golf balls from pond divers around most golf courses. Around here they run about 5.00 per 100. they make the best targets to shoot at to pratiac shooting turkeys in the head.
> 
> Al


charcoal briquettes make a good 'reactive' target too PLUS you won't need to clean up the mess later...

In addition to considering a lever action, consider the pump action too. It is shorter than a bolt action and as fast or faster than the good old thirty-thirty lever...


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

I agree with all that said "shotgun" for turkey, hog and deer, if yout just looking for "one gun".
Mossberg or Remington 12ga.
Or what the heck, it's Christmas, how about one of each?


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

hunter63 said:


> Or what the heck, it's Christmas, how about one of each?


I LIKE the way you are thinking :rock:


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I`m not much of a hunter, can`t hit the side of a barn, even if I`m inside. So I have two 12 ga. shotguns one for each hand , (watch out barn!!) TY Marc


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## CSA again (May 2, 2007)

Im on the side of the shotguners too..........
A good pump will take care of anything you will find in Fla.
Being you are neither big nor strong I would look at a 20 ga.
with slugs the 20 will outdo the 12 ga. smiller dia. faster, more range.
I like the 250 GR SST hornady for deer, 2" groups at 100 yds.http://www.hornady.com/store/Slugs/ true these are for rifled barrels.
I would sugest getting a rifled barrel for slugs and a smoth barrel for shot.
Mossberg has some good combos http://www.mossberg.com/products/default.asp?id=3&section=products and the barrels are so easy and cheep to change out.
good luck


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I will also go with the shotgun. With the availability of modern ammunition a 12ga. pump gun will fill a lot or roles. I use to recommend a 20ga. for people of little stature how ever with the advent of reduced recoil loads a 12ga. will work well for everyone. By the same token , again with improved ammunition the 20ga. will offer 12ga. performance. You'll also find that some guys will sit around and talk shotguns all night long. Check out Shotgunworld.com, go though the forums and get an education. Its a great site.


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## TnTnTn (Dec 23, 2004)

GBov, You really need about 3 firearms for hunting anything from squirrel to deer/hogs. One would be a quality 22 rimfire repeater like a CZ. Two would be a pump 12 guage shotgun like a Remington 870. And number three would be a centerfire rifle in say .308 as an all arounder. The Stevens 200 is a real good quality inexpensive centerfire rifle. If you can only get one, get the 12 gaRem 870 express and get the others as you can. TnTnTn


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Academy curently has the Stevens chambered in .270 Winchester on sale down here for $199.

You can't beat that with a stick.


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## okcamman (Dec 4, 2009)

Jolly said:


> Academy curently has the Stevens chambered in .270 Winchester on sale down here for $199.
> 
> You can't beat that with a stick.



Nope. It's a good deal for a good tool.


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## denaliguide (Aug 30, 2008)

my new 3 LONG gun battery will be[mine only, not wife's, hers is different] is the REM Mod 7 Youth in 7mm/.08, the Rem Youth Jake Special in 20 Ga, and a scoped Marlin 25 [ new to me ] or Marlin 22 autoloader. Three very SHORT long guns. The Jake is sooo short, makes a perfect house gun. Lordy with a folding stock it would almost disappear !

The de luxe item would be a Savage 24 Under over in 20 Ga / .22 MAG, with sling.

Add to that a .22 revolver and a Tanfoglio Witness .45ACP w/ .22 kit, and thats all folks !

My wife would like her .44 Mag cowboy gun back, a .22 autoloader and 24" straight stock 20 double. She says 3 is enuf. I say 3 is a good start !



TnTnTn said:


> GBov, You really need about 3 firearms for hunting anything from squirrel to deer/hogs. One would be a quality 22 rimfire repeater like a CZ. Two would be a pump 12 guage shotgun like a Remington 870. And number three would be a centerfire rifle in say .308 as an all arounder. The Stevens 200 is a real good quality inexpensive centerfire rifle. If you can only get one, get the 12 gaRem 870 express and get the others as you can. TnTnTn


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## wigglesworth (Nov 11, 2009)

That remington model Seven is on my "gun radar" also... I want one in .308 but the 7-08 would work. Actually could very well do for a "one rifle" scenario for hunting most anything from black bear/deer down... 

That marlin 25 is a good gun. I had a marlin glenfield model 20 years back and gave it to a guy in need. I found a model 80 a couple years back and just got a model 25 with scope/sling extra mag for cheap so could not say no... its real nice. 

They shoot pretty good...


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## denaliguide (Aug 30, 2008)

because a lot of remote places might stock the top 3 calibers, and for sure, places like Fairbanks, stock mostly the "Top 10. Shot 'em any place you want, but only killing shots count, hence my choice of 7mm/.08 due to FLAT Trajectory out as far as I can humanly, reasonably shoot. I never never never gratuitously aggravate any bear, so a trustworthy constructed bullet, 140 gr or heavier is what I carry in a 7mm. The 20 Ga JaKe Special in its short config with 3" Bennake slugs are my bear medicine "IN CASE", rather than Because.

In the "BECAUSE" scenario, I carry my .338 Win Mag with 215 Gr slugs or my 870 12 Ga. As I get older, I hope I get smarter and carry lighter weapons.

That Mod 7 comes in a Youth Model WITH Iron Sights already part of it, and will get a sling, and a Scope I wont use much, 'cept for any varmiting work I decide I want to do. A sling will be about all I add beyond that.

I want to do some load development as I enjoy handloading and all my buds just have buckets of .308 cases for me to neck down and load. Factory-wise, the 120's and 140's will do the job. Severe problems will be resolved with Nosler Partition Bullets or Copper Solids, all others probably with Sierra or Nosler "Ballistic" Plastic Tip styles. Lung shots on edible game, and Central Nervous System shorts on the others are what works for me,
The synthetic stock is not particularly pretty, but very practical, and already sized for me, so I dont see how I cannot buy one or two copies of this gun.
Might be the 2nd copy will be XCR STainless / CAMO for my wife who likes such things in stainless.



wigglesworth said:


> That remington model Seven is on my "gun radar" also... I want one in .308 but the 7-08 would work. Actually could very well do for a "one rifle" scenario for hunting most anything from black bear/deer down...
> 
> That marlin 25 is a good gun. I had a marlin glenfield model 20 years back and gave it to a guy in need. I found a model 80 a couple years back and just got a model 25 with scope/sling extra mag for cheap so could not say no... its real nice.
> 
> They shoot pretty good...


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## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

I have taken pigs and deer with both my 30-30 and savage .308. I use hornady leverevolution ammo for my 30-30, I like the improved trajectory. Once you sight it in for that ammo you can't really switch around, but that goes without saying. The nice thing about those two rounds are ammo availabilty. I had toyed with the idea of replacing my .308 with a 7mm08 but after this season of pigs I changed my mind. 

I have neck issues and can no longer shoot firearms with significant recoil. I have a nice winchester super x shotgun that I should probably just sell or something.


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## quietstar (Dec 11, 2002)

You asked good questions, all important when starting serious hunting. Since you are wise enough to harvest smaller pigs, and avoid the older, tougher Boars, all the suggestions you got will do the job at hand...except for hunting the turkey. I hate to pick shot pellets out of the game I eat. A turkey head is large enough to hit with a rifle in the hands of a good shot, however the trouble is not target size, but the simple fact that they never hold their heads still. The answer I've found is to aim to hit where the neck expands and joins the prized breast. That part is usually not bobbing around much and will provide the same instant kill. Good Hunting...Glen


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## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

I have a .308 and 30-30. Both rifles have harvested both deer and pigs, with one shot. The .308 had the stock cut down to fit me and a nice recoil pad. Fit is important for a rifle. 

I have an old neck injury which flares up when I shoot anything with a significant recoil, like my 12 guage, I may as well sell it. I managed to get 2 pigs in one sitting with my 308, one of them was rather large. I will post a pic when I get home. My very first pig was taken with my 30-30. It was a head shot and it was DRT. 

You don't need a 7mm mag to get game in fla. I was looking at 25-06 and 7mm-08 rifles for awhile but decided on something in a common caliber that my friends use as well. 

The important thing is that the rifle fits you, and that you are comfortable shooting it. A good scope helps too. I am going to upgrade the scope on my 308 before the next season.


Here is my friend with the big piggie









Here I am with the little one - check out the exit wound!










Those ones were taken with the 308. This one was taken with a 30-30 and hornady leverevolution ammo


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Well, we went with a .270 and a .22 as we got a good price on the two.

Have been out a few times and came home on Sunday with my first ever kill................

A rabbit lol

LOTS of pig sign so fingers crossed, more meat for the freezer.

Thanks HEAPS for all your help :cowboy:


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## gwest (Oct 9, 2008)

I'm with the shotgun guys, I grew up on a Remington 870 WingMaster pump. Loved that gun and hunted everything with it, would stand against anyone with an auto shooting doves  But now I use this baby doll


















My 12ga Russian Baikal IZH-43K Bounty Hunter 2 man is this one sweet girl. At an overall length of 36" it's perfect for being in the thick of things. It's also great if you have all three sets of choke tubes for it. EEA Corp in Cocoa Beach,FL. used to import these but now you can't find one without the Remington stamp all over. So you guys/gals, if you own an original you better hang on to it. I've seen the Remington models, they go for $400-$500 now.


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## backwoodsman (Jan 21, 2010)

Im a shotgun man, having said that though a .243 would be a good choice for you and all 3 critters you mentioned. H&R/N.E.F. make "handi rifles" which basicaly are single shots with a hammer and break open action. N.E.F. will fit shotgun and rifle barrels to your stock and reciever for around $100 each. Buddy of mine got the .223/5.56mm barrel and a rifled 12ga deer barrel with rifle sights and a 20ga plain barrel modified choke for squirrels n such. The stock/reciever and 3 barrels were less then $500. I know several guys who swear by the "handi rifle" setup and design. With those 3 critters you mentioned a .44 mag handi rifle would be a good choice too as far as caliber depending on shooting/hunting ranges/distances. Almost no felt recoil out of the handi rifle. Do you have any idea how much you are wanting to spend? One gun or several? Heres my thoughts on deer calibers and by no means am I an expert .243 is the minimum. Most would be better served with a .250 or above. .243's will and do take deer cleanly but theres not alot of room for operator error. I have seen .243's blow up on shoulder blades of deer and then requiring more shots/time to harvest the deer. No matter what rifle/caliber you decide on please practice practice practice. .22-250's are popular in some states where legal but they are too light in my opinion. A used rifle/shotgun will be cheaper then new also. With the new leverolution ammo you can shoot "pointed" bullets in tube feed guns now so that opens even more calibers for short to moderate range deer hogs and turkeys. Another thing to consider is how/type of hunting your planning to do. Stalking, stand hunting, hunting over bait, hunting open field foodplots, running deer hounds etc? Gun and caliber requirements for each are different. Good luck, let us know what you decided and how you did.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

We went with a .270 and a .22 but then found that after deer season the wild life management area banns center fire riffles so now have a 12 gauge so I can keep going there. Its only 2 miles away so can go after dropping the kids at school.

So far I have shot a rabbit lol

Dead pleased with it and it tasted fab but am after pigs so still trying. Gave a pig squeal call a try on Thursday and managed to call something up after only an hour or so.

It was another hunter :shocked:

Boy was he surprised! 

And embarrassed!

Major disadvantage of where I can hunt is that LOADS of other people can also squeeze in a few hours so its crowded. But its also crowded with pigs, now I know what to look for (each day I come home pig-less I do more research) so can see the wallows and scrapes and can tell the difference between hog and deer tracks. Saw a tree scrapped up to past my elbow high and tracks almost as big as my hand!!!

LOL Sound like a kid again but with no one to teach me this stuff its just me and the computer and learn as I go so just being able to spot where a pig had lain down with its herd mates to sleep or where one scratched its bum on a stump feels like a victory to me.

Am going to try another access point as I am now familiar enough with the area I have been trying to use the satellite maps of the area to tell that there is no way for me to get through the swamp in the time I have available to me. The other access point is much drier and a bit more open but its also where most of the other hunters go in at.

Hubby got me a good book for next deer season. Hunting Big Whitetails. By Bruce L. Nelson. Its really good :goodjob: have learned loads from it!

Thank you all so much for your great information, couldn't have done it without you guys :clap:


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## backwoodsman (Jan 21, 2010)

Welcome to the great and rewarding sport of hunting. Congrats on the rabbit, we all started somewhere. Heres a suggestion on deer hunting info, Deer and Deer hunting magazine. Its not like the other glossy mags with all kinds of salmon fishing, kudu hunting in south africa etc. It covers deer and deer only. Another good mag is called Rublines. Its hard to find to even subscribe too but worth the effort to find it as it has alot of stories from us "average joes" on first deer, big deer, meat deer, weapons etc. Backwoodsman and Fur-Fish-Game are good down to earth mags too. Heres an deer author I like, Charles Alzheimer, theres several more good ones I'll look up for you if your interested. A .270, .22 and a 12ga should cover anything you can hunt/get into in Florida. If you "get into" upland game ie: quail, rabbits, pheasent, squirrel etc a 20 might be more toward your liking(cept for the pheasent, theyre tough) but a 12 ga will work with lighter loads. A good combo gun that you might want to look into later is a .22 or .22 mag barrel over a 20ga or 12gas tube. Savage made alot of them and so has several other gun makers. The .222 over 12ga is a great varmint gun and probably a good choice for a dual turkey/hog gun too. Good Luck Be Safe and have fun.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

backwoodsman said:


> Welcome to the great and rewarding sport of hunting. Congrats on the rabbit, we all started somewhere. Good Luck Be Safe and have fun.


Thanks, really enjoying it so far. Made it out for a couple of hours and found two tree stands, saw one garter snake and got a tick bite.

Long way from pigs but fun never the less lol


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

Congrats on the rabbit, and on your purchase! .....270 is a sweet chambering, and will most definitely fill your medium-large game needs anywhere in the good ol' USA.

Know anyone with private land you can hunt?.....Public lands make me nervous as can be during hunting season.

If you know any farmers or even folks with hay fields, they might be more than happy for you to rid them of a few hogs.

Not sure how the seasons run down there, but you might have better luck with the hogs once deer season is over, as they get spooked with so many hunters in the woods and move into deeeeeeeep woods and swamps until the hunters clear out.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

swamp man said:


> Congrats on the rabbit, and on your purchase! .....270 is a sweet chambering, and will most definitely fill your medium-large game needs anywhere in the good ol' USA.
> 
> Know anyone with private land you can hunt?.....Public lands make me nervous as can be during hunting season.
> 
> ...


We are new in the area so know no one yet. Have tried on Craigs list but no offers yet. And deer season is over in the WMA so had hoped the pressure would be off but lots of people now after pigs instead of deer lol

Still trying but you are right, they are hiding in the swamp during the day. The area is mostly one HUGE swamp, some flood plain and some old growth oak with a few stands of planted pines. Really want to try the flood plain area but havnt managed to walk into it yet and the weekends havnt been good enough to try by boat. Talking to another hunter he said he saw about 20 pigs all in a line swimming from one island to another so a good place to try.

Will keep plugging away at it, eventually I will get good/lucky enough to bring some more meat home. A racoon almost came home with me but it stayed on the far side of a swampy pocket so if i had shot it I couldnt have reached it, well, without a cold mucky swim anyway.


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## Hoosierdaddy (Nov 22, 2005)

Hey Wigglesworth,

Watch out for the recoil on that Remington Model Seven in 308. I just sold mine to a good friend, because the recoil was more than I could shoot (and enjoy). On an Elk hunt, in Idaho, in the fall of 2007, that little "peashooter" as my companions called it, moved the lead sled farther than the 300 Win Mag.. Talk about kick. I've hunted since I was a child. Used everything form a 22 to a 10 gage. Nothing kicked like that little Model Seven in 308.

Good Luck

Brett

Maybe if you had the barrel ported????


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## backwoodsman (Jan 21, 2010)

Barrel porting (Magna Porting) cuts the recoil considerable and is well worth the cost for some folks. I have several guns that were magna ported when I bought them. Thing I dislike about porting barrels is the muzzle blast/noise. When target shooting you will need good hearing protection. If you dont use protection even with smaller/moderate calibers your ears will ring for days and hearing loss will be a danger very quickly. Even hunting with ported guns is not comfortable without some type of protection or ear muffs. I have a 20ga Magna ported deer gun that is wicked. You definetly want the muzzle OUTSIDE of any enclosed blind when you fire it (trust me, long story).


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## max22 (May 22, 2010)

For pigs, deer and turkey you don't need more than a good 12 gauge and/or a .22 mag.. ...both of those will cover all the bases. No need for a centerfire with costly ammo when you are trying to save money and when you can do it just as well with a .22 mag or shotgun.


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## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Hey Guys,
I'm with the fellow who's sying a 30-30 is enough gun for Florida hunting there inexpensive, light recoil, cheap ammo accurate enough for deer and pig and two legged rats. They can be easily and cheaply reloaded. and have been around for a hundred years or more.
In the same class powerwise and possibly cheaper would be an SKS if your technicly minded enough to handle a semi auto.
Cheers,
Dutch


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

*


alleyyooper said:



A Remington 870 combo if you are buying new or if you could find a used one.
A barrel for shooting slugs at deer and pigs. and a smooth bore with change able chokes for turkey and any other birds plus rabbits and squirrels. I would think that would cover any thing huntable in your area.

Click to expand...

*


alleyyooper said:


> Also for a rifle if ya just have to have one try a 7mm08 light on recoil and would also work very well on deer and pigs.
> 
> Al


Totally agree.


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