Must own firearms ????? your choices???

[rjohns94]

My brother and I were talking a bit about this and I have been thinking about it since then. Was wondering what you would have on your must have firearms. I am thinking it depends on the type of shooting you do, hunting that you participate in, or maybe even your geographic location. For me, the list looks like this:

Flintlock Rifle (mine is .54 cal) I hunt the late season here in Penn's Woods and this is essential in order to do that.

A .22 Rifle and handgun. Mine is a silenced Savage Bolt and a Ruger bearcat. Both very functional hunting, plinking, woods walking firearms.

A centerfire revolver. Mine a S&W Mountain gun in .44mag. A model 19 in .357 would be an alternate. My mtn gun has a 4 inch barrel.

A CCW firearm. Could be the same as a centerfire revolver. However mine is a 1911 in .45acp.

A levergun - for me, a pretty special 30-30 I'm getting from Mod71Alaska

A shotgun. I have two. One, a highly modified 870, and another, my favorite bird gun in sxs confiuration.

A quality pellet rifle - mine is german in .20cal, scoped and powerful

A centerfire hunting rifle - I have two, a shiloh sharps in 45-70, and a dakota in 375 H&H, with which I can hunt anywhere in the world I would choose.

I am by choice mostly a hunter, not a competition shooter anymore. I am also a 2nd amendment supporter and as such, I carry a firearm each day. I am a sheepdog, ready to defend the innocent no matter where that may be. Our LEO's cant respond quick enough and so, when the wolves come near, I will be ready. I don't compete anymore in shooting events, so my list is different now than it would be when I was competing. And I don't shoot at the range as much as I used to. But this is my list as I am now in this stage of life.

How about your list? no need to document all the firearms you have or any you have, but what would you have on your list. Who knows, you may uncover one that I may just have to have. lol




Just to be clear, I'm not talking a survival situation here. I am just curious which firearm categories you find to be must have and why. For instance, if you shoot cowboy action, then you would have to have certain guns to participate in your sport. If you shoot long range target, or skeet or trap or five station, or military matches, you would require some different firearms, must haves. Even different type of hunting requires different firearms. My list would be a lot different for grab and go, or survival, or teotwawke.

[Tycer]

Was wondering what you would have on your must have firearms.

A .22 LR rifle.

[AJMD429]

First - .45 Colt Ruger Redhawk (or .44 Mag)

• reasons - Can do the 'big three' reasonably well - CCW, home protection, meat for freezer. Easy to load for mice or bear. Rugged & Reliable & Basic

Others -

Marlin 1894 to match above - longer reach, same ammo supply, "it's a levergun"

Ruger 10/22 - the VW-beetle of firearms, inexpensive, can make into anything

Rimfire handgun - practice, more discreet shooting, inexpensive to shoot

Semiauto Centerfire Rifle - Fun, plus there might be times one needs one

• I'd probably pick an AR-15, but consider an M1A, etc....

Bear Gun - Ruger .375 Alaskan - easy to shoot but flat shooting and POWERFUL

Small DA Revolver for CCW - .44 Bulldog or a .357, something lighter than a Redhawk

[Lastmohecken]

If it came down to it, a good .22 rifle with a scope. Probably a Ruger 10/22
Smith and Wesson model 17 Revolver .22, second choice Ruger single six

Browning Steel Frame BLR in 308 Win with a 2 x 7 scope
Browning Auto 5 in 12ga, second choice Remington 1100
LC Smith Side by Side, 12ga

At least one pre-64 Model 94 Winchester in 30/30

5 inch 1911, series 70 design preferred
Light Weight Commander, or Glock 19 or Glock 22 or Glock 17

If there is still room for a mouse gun or two:
Old Production Colt 380 Pocketlite
Smith and Wesson 38 special Air weight

That leaves a whole lot of wants but I have gotten by with less

OH! I almost forgot, I would still want/need a muzzleloader or two and now days I prefer flintlocks

[Griff]

He who finishes with the most toys, wins. Ergo, I'm still working.

I still NEED a Winchester .30-30, or 30; a medium bore singleshot, I'm thinkin' .32-40; a .22 sixgun, preferably the Colt Peacekeeper; a combat shotgun, like a Benelli; and now... wait... NEVER thought I say it 2 more ARs! A 24" bull barrel varmit gun and a .300 Blackout unless I find the deal of the century on a 1928 Thompson!

That'd do... Ya know, another NM M1 would fill a need, as would a Browning 1919A4!

[horsesoldier03]

S&W 19
Marlin 336 30-30
Marlin 9422
Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 with bird and riot barrels

[TedH]

This is what I currently have that I feel I really NEED to have.

22 rifle
308 bolt action
12 ga pump, short barrel, ghost ring sight, defensive purposes
12 ga semi auto hunting gun
45acp 1911

[Grizz]

my short list

.22 lever rifle

12 ga shotgun

the do it all combo for me

[Streetstar]

Must own from a utility standpoint --- or a lust/"Hafta Have It" perspective?

I could get by with 3 on the first premise, ----- The "Hafta Have It" premise is a different story ---- this is the domain of Gibbs double rifles, McMillen precision rifles, Turnbull takedown leverguns, and the like

HK 91, (or its domestic PTR brother) , -- or a FAL if you dont like what an HK does to brass, -- DSA markets nice re-builds

Any variety of Glock in a common caliber

12 gauge pump gun


--- I love leverguns, 1911's, AR's, etc. ---- but they all have a shortsoming or two compared to the 3 i mentioned above. Although my 3 choices sacrifice "precision" and panache for utility

Leverguns for me are a lifestyle choice --- and i love 'em --- but deep down inside , i know i can do everything that a civilian might ever encounter with the 3 above choices
-- leverguns - limited range usually
-- AR - pretty small caliber for hunting anything bigger than whitetail size game
1911's --- a bit more finicky than a Glock at times, with 1/2 the capacity

[1894c]

Ruger SP-101 (357mag)
Glock 26 (9mm, multiple hi-cap mags)
Rem-Marlin 336BL (30/30)
Marlin 1894 (357mag)
Browning BL-22 (.22cal.)
Ruger Single-Six (.22cal.)
Remington 870 Police Magnum (12ga.)

... :)

[C. Cash]

When times are hard, a single shot shotgun and a good 22 rifle Mike. The bearcat in a pack makes sense too. When you look back at the great depression, thats what worked and they still mąkę sense as "must haves."

[FWiedner]

Hmm...

I'll stick to types of firearms and uses versus specific models of firearms:

A 12Ga pump-action shotgun.

A lever-action woods carbine suitable to take deer, hogs or black bear inside 150 yards.

A tack driving .22LR rifle for small game.

A magnum caliber revolver suitable for either home defense or hunting.

A semi-automatic magazine-fed rifle of a type and in a caliber suitable for "Homeland Defense".

A semi-automatic magazine-fed pistol in a caliber suitable as a side-arm for Personal Defense.

A bolt-action high-power rifle suitable to hunt large game to 300 yards.

A .22LR semi-auto pistol for pests and utility use.

Then maybe something to address armored vehicles and light aircraft...

[tman]

Glock 27, with a 9MM extra barrell. Rem 870 12 gauge, 18" barrell, rifle sites, mag extension, with extra full, clynder,and rifled choke tubes. A model 94 .356WCF. Henry .22.

[cshold]

Removed

[deafrn]

When times are hard, a single shot shotgun and a good 22 rifle Mike. The bearcat in a pack makes sense too. When you look back at the great depression, thats what worked and they still mąkę sense as "must haves."

I'm also doing the "look back" thing, but have been doing so for a while... largely thinking about what my older relatives and other male role models used (none of them owned more than three or occasionally four guns that I am aware of excepting some WWII "bring-backs"), and speculating what more recent developments they might have adopted. It has been kind of fun to simplify, truth be told. No guns in "uncommon/hard to get" chamberings, no guns so rare that spare parts will be impossible to get, no guns so heavy that they overcome me on a three-mile hike and back. Simple slings or holsters for each. Anyway, in descending order of importance:

1. .22 S/L/LR (and CB cap) bolt-action rifle with a simple (no AO or BDC) low-medium power scope and backup iron sights.
2. 12 gauge pump shotgun with a barrel having removable choke tubes.
3. double-action .38/.357 revolver, preferably stainless steel.

That would be the core, and I didn't go into brands/models because there are so many out there that will work. Anything else would be a specialized need (or "want") gun. For a midwesterner like me, those more specialized guns would be (and since they are tailored to my needs/wants, I'll elaborate):

4. a centerfire utility carbine/rifle in a popular caliber adequate for the largest animal you'd likely encounter in your neighborhood that a 12 ga slug wouldn't cover. Possibly blasphemous talk on this site, but I'd go with an M-4 type AR from BCM, Colt, DD or Noveske unless I started hunting deer again.
5. a compact semiauto pistol suitable for CCW, and in a common caliber. I would choose the Glock 19.
6. a .22 rimfire handgun with decent adjustable sights. Nodding towards a Ruger Mark II or III 5-1/2" target semiauto.
7. a low-to-mid power "springer" air rifle. Something along the lines of a Weihrauch HW30 or HW50... probably in .177.

[Lastmohecken]

I remember my grandfather who was an avid hunter, only owning 2 to 3 guns most of the time.

For the last third of his life or so, he had two main guns, an old Browning Auto 5 with a Cutts Compensator, but he never changed the choke, all he used for everything was a spreader choke which looked huge when you looked down the busniness end of it.

His rifle for many years was a Winchester 100 in .308 win with the factory iron sights, however I did finally put a scope on it for him, about the time he turned seventy or so and he kept a scope on it the rest of the time, but finally ended up with a Browning BAR in .308 for the last couple of years that he hunted. He was semi-auto man the whole way, and had little use for other action types, except for TC Hawken he used for Muzzle loading season.

He hunted everything with those three guns, and didn't even own a .22 most of the time. Although he did eairler in life. He was a no none sense guy when it came to hunting and with game being much less plentiful, espacally deer, then they are now, He wanted to make good on any opportunity he had, and wouldn't consider a boltaction rifle at all. However, it was a different time than now, and I am glad I got to share some of it with him.

I guess I basically got by just fine when I was a young man, and at that time all I had was a Remington 700 in 270 win, a Remington 1100, and a Smith and Wesson K22 and I recond I still could even today, other then a Muzzleloader for that special season, and there is something to say for only having a few guns and knowing how to shoot those well, but I am afraid it would be pretty boring, for a gun nut like me.

[alnitak]

Hmm...

I'll stick to types of firearms and uses versus specific models of firearms:

A 12Ga pump-action shotgun.

A lever-action woods carbine suitable to take deer, hogs or black bear inside 150 yards.

A tack driving .22LR rifle for small game.

A magnum caliber revolver suitable for either home defense or hunting.

A semi-automatic magazine-fed rifle of a type and in a caliber suitable for "Homeland Defense".

A semi-automatic magazine-fed pistol in a caliber suitable as a side-arm for Personal Defense.

A bolt-action high-power rifle suitable to hunt large game to 300 yards.

A .22LR semi-auto pistol for pests and utility use.

Then maybe something to address armored vehicles and light aircraft...

I like this list. Add in a springer air rifle and it is complete for any of my anticipated needs.

[L_Kilkenny]

Boy, "must own" can very so so much. "Can't live without" is much shorter than my "I really really don't want to be without" list. I'll take em in order:

1) 12ga pump. Probably an 870 with a few different barrels.
2) .22lr rifle. My choice = 10/22
3) Centerfire rifle. Make mine a .243 bolt.
4) 4" .357. Just fine with my Security Six.
5) .22lr pistol. 22/45 for me.

That's it, not a lot, can do plenty with them though. Top 2 are "pry from my cold dead hands" guns the rest I would cry over losing. But (big BUT) with all of the gun control talk lately I'm really wondering if I can live without a few others. Really thinkin about an AR and maybe a good .40 or .45 semi. My can't live without list may definetly change if and when certain guns are no longer available and have a feeling I may kick myself if I don't pick those up.

[jeepnik]

My dad had a saying. "Everyman should have at least one rifle and know how to use it". Growing up, the minimum to meet that requirement was a good bolt action 30-06.

Today, I'd modify that to a good bolt action in either 30-06 or .308 win. Dad's and my choice is based on having a rifle chambered for an effective hunting round, and one that was/is used by the US military. Not so much that one would/could get ammo from the military, but that rounds such as these are usually pretty popular and readily available, not only nationwide but to a greater or lesser degree worldwide.

Other than that, I must have:
A .22 lr handgun and rifle, in my case a S&W model 17 and a Browning .22 auto
1911A1, these days a Randall lefty
12 ga shotgun, lefty 870

Then there is the one must have I have yet to have. Someday I will find a reasonably priced Webly Fosbery. Hey, a fellow can dream.

[Grizz]

Interesting choices. My short list is based on what I can carry in my boat or car and that includes ample ammo for my needs. And that includes what I need and can haul after I dismount. Or disembark.

So another way to look at "the" list might be, which ones would we NOT leave behind. Or IOW, what guns can we maintain control of and feed as long as necessary.

'Cause, looking through the lists, there are some obvious assumptions. If y'all are game, it'd be interesting to filter the list and see what you come up with.

Grizz

[AJMD429]

You guys DO realize how this thread would look to a 'non-gun' person, don't you...???

To them, owning just one firearm might seem a bit odd, but why would you have to own several?

I explain to them that it's like golf-clubs - you could play a game of golf with just one club, but I doubt any golfer would want to do so.

(BTW - during the 50 years before the 1986 "machine-gun ban" came along to protect us from machine-guns, more people were murdered with golf-clubs than with legally purchased machine-guns.)

I remember as a high-school kid making a list of the 'essential' firearms, while reading Mel Tappan's "Survival Guns", and thinking eight or ten would do the job (and of course they would). However once it becomes a hobby and not just an idle thought-experiment, you decide you "need" all sorts of 'niche' guns.

[Mossyoak1957]

Winchester 1886 45-70
Ruger No.1 45-70 "oh yeah the older red pad"

[Lastmohecken]

Interesting choices. My short list is based on what I can carry in my boat or car and that includes ample ammo for my needs. And that includes what I need and can haul after I dismount. Or disembark.

So another way to look at "the" list might be, which ones would we NOT leave behind. Or IOW, what guns can we maintain control of and feed as long as necessary.

'Cause, looking through the lists, there are some obvious assumptions. If y'all are game, it'd be interesting to filter the list and see what you come up with.

Grizz

I see your choice was a .22 lever rifle and a 12ga shotgun. That sounds pretty good. I think it would sorta depend on the circumstances and how long far one was going, or how long was one going to be in the bush. Or the mission, survival only to get back from whereever, or the peaceful hunting of big game, or are we talking about a TEOTWAWKI senerio.

If I was going to be gone for a very long time, without re-supply, I think I would choose maybe a .22 leveraction rifle, with a top quality scope and backup iron sights. I think maybe a Winchester 94/22 or .22 mag, and a Smith and Wesson K22 or a Ruger Single-Six. When I was young I killed a lot of game with just a .22 revolver, and I think I could still do it. I might want a shotgun but the ammo is too heavy and bulky, And even a centerfire rifle's ammo gets heavy pretty quick, I could take even big game with the .22, but really it does depend on what part of the world I would be walking through.

[deafrn]

I explain to them that it's like golf-clubs - you could play a game of golf with just one club, but I doubt any golfer would want to do so.

Or for the women who seem to find owning more than one gun inexplicable-- "You don't do all your cooking with only one pot or pan, do you?" or "How many pairs of shoes do you really need?"

BTW, that line of questioning from a woman is not to be confused with Mrs. deafrn's reflexive "WHAT do you need aNOTHer gun for?" (followed by "You don't use the ones you already HAVE!") that I used to hear back when I was still in the accumulation phase.

[COSteve]

Rifles:
Rimfire: 10-22 and Henry carbine
Pistol Caliber Rifle: 357mag Rossi carbine and Rifle
Large Caliber Rifle: .308 Winchester 88
Mil Type Small Caliber Rifle: AR15 Middy carbine and 20" A4
Mil Type Large Caliber Rifle: M1A
Mil Small Caliber Rifle: M1 Carbine
Mil Large Caliber Rifle: 1903-A3 and M1 Garand

Pistols:
Rimfire: Buckmark
SA Pistol: 357mag SA 1873 Colt or clone
CCW: 40s&w Glock 23
HD & Woods: 45/10mm Custom Glock 20/21L
Mil Pistol: 45acp 1911

It's no accident that my list coincides with my collection. I have a specific desire for each firearm I own and have sold off anything I don't feel is a 'must have'.

BTW, I used the 'shoes' reply years ago when my wife asked about my collection and she's never questioned it since.

[ollogger]

the two I wouldnt leave behind are a pre 64 30WCF & a 45 colt in a ruger
I have the most ammo for them two, Id be real sick bout leaving the rest



ollogger

[El Chivo]

It really depends on what you do with it. I mostly target shoot, so I'm happy with my 22lr there. Also it can take game and be used for defense. But so could a .223.

I'm about to get rid of my shotgun because it's so big and loud, when I could take a (sitting) bird with my airgun. A deer hunter just needs his deer rifle, a duck hunter his shotgun, etc. Somebody who doesn't hunt just needs a 9mm.

At first I was comfortable with short range rifles like .357 and 30-30. These days I'm thinking more of a more accurate bolt gun in a varmint caliber.

[Ysabel Kid]

For a short list:

Rimfire:
Ruger 10/22
Marlin Model 39 Mountie
Ruger 22/45 or Mark II
Bolt action (Mine is a Marlin 25) capable of firing shorts, longs and long rifles.

Centerfire:
1911 .45 ACP
S&W Model 19 .357 Magnum
Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum

AR-15 5.56/.223
Winchester 1886 .45-70 Govt
Marlin 1894 (.44 or .357 depending on the handgun above)
Remington Model 700 (or another quality bolt-action)

Shotgun
12 gauge pump (Remington 870 or Mossberg 500)

Muzzleloader
Colt 1860 clone
Hawken .50 calber

[gamekeeper]

At the moment, where I live I can get by with my .22LR 9422 and my Cooey .410. my main enemy is in my avatar...

[missionary5155]

Good morning
One rifle and or handgun you can say this is really me. Maybe even something Custom.
My rifle is an old Glenfield 30-30 (A model) that I had JES open to .412 caliber and then I reamed to 414 Supermag. That is my favorite levergun..
Handgun.. took a 44 Dan Wesson and made it a 45 COLT. That is my favorite double action. Did the same with a 375 Supermag making it a 414 SM.
Found an old Belguin double flinter 16 guage with real steel barrels. Installed new L&R locks and have shot crows with it. Also have some rifle sights that install on the rib for shooting Round ball.
So get yourself a firearm and lay your hands to it. Make it yours !
Miie in ILL

[mikld]

Well, not being a survival situation, my all time favorite is my .44 Magnums. I have 3 revolvers, one scoped single shot, and a lever carbine. I can have fun plinking with 125 gr. round ball loads and up to 300 gr. T-Rex Killers. My wife can have fun with my "Big Dog", a stainless Ruger SBH w/7 1/2" bbl., shooting round balls, and I can hunt with my carbine (if I ever get around to it). I think my "need" list would be Ruger's .44 Mag. Bolt Rifle, a few more .44 molds and mebbe a ton or so more lead...

[Grizz]

I see your choice was a .22 lever rifle and a 12ga shotgun. That sounds pretty good. I think it would sorta depend on the circumstances and how long far one was going, or how long was one going to be in the bush. Or the mission, survival only to get back from whereever, or the peaceful hunting of big game, or are we talking about a TEOTWAWKI senerio.

All of the above. These are the guns I will own as long as I can grasp them. I have some sd stuff and what I'd have on me depends on scenario. My list is for WHATEVER happens. In SE Alaska I can live off the land with the .22 rifle. And hard cast slugs in the shottie will stop anything that needs stopping. Plus will gather game too. This is true in any and every scenario, but my escape pod is a couple of small boats that have pickup camper accommodations, but can take me anywhere I need to go. Like a waterborne suv.

I have some plastic stuff that will be cached appropriately.

Everything else in the inventory has been disbursed to the chill'ns.

There is nothing else I want to or need to do that those 2 long guns won't.

Best,

[Grizz]

bump

here's my point about the shottie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3rfYnfp ... =fvwp&NR=1

I don't have need for any more than this meat maker.

Grizz

[Blaine]

Absolutely bare bones? A .22 rifle, the 9422M, the Single Six with both cyls, both of the Win 30wcf.....That "would do", but it would make me sad. This is today, tomorrow I might have an EBR, and a 410 H&R on the list
The Grizz Duo would be just fine, too.....