One Gun to Rule Them All
Forget the Colt Peacemaker. All due respect to Colonel Colt and his fine creation the 1873 Single Action Army was not the gun that won the west. Nor was it the Winchester Rifle. No, it was a humbler arm that really bears that distinction. It was the shotgun.
Originally the shotgun went west as a single or double-barreled muzzle-loader, but the guns that really won the west were double-barreled breach-loaders, usually in ten or twelve gauge. If you could have only one gun that was what you chose. Why? Because depending on the load it could do most anything, at least at relatively short range. A light load with fine shot took rabbits, squirrels, and game birds. Load it with a bit heavier shot and it took waterfowl. Buckshot took medium-sized game and was fearsome for self-defense. A ball or later a slug could take even the largest North American game.
The shotgun is no less versatile today- with modern loadings even more so. It is possible to buy a single shotgun to handle every job from home defense and big game hunting to shooting squirrels or partridge- and to get it for the cost of a decent hunting rifle. It always astonishes me how many ‘preppers’ neglect the humble shotgun— or misunderstand it’s role— when building their arsenal for the end of the world.
I am not a ‘prepper’ but I understand that where I live natural disasters are possible. Earthquake, Lahar… even a major storm could disrupt services, possibly seriously, for days at a time. A modicum of preparation is just good sense. In the most extreme of the likely scenarios it might even be wise to be prepared to defend ourselves against opportunistic criminals. This is not a major consideration when we consider purchasing a firearm, but we do sometimes give it a passing thought.
I’ve owned a few shotguns over the years. When stationed in Kansas I had an ancient single-barrel Savage 16 Gauge that I used for Prairie chickens and pheasant, and a .410 Snake Charmer that I bought… I have no idea why I bought it. I did actually kill a snake with it, but he had it coming. When I was in Law enforcement and security I had a Savage 690 12 gauge Police shotgun that I occasionally shot clay birds with. I also had some experience with a department-supplied S&W pump shotgun that turned out to be terrifyingly unreliable.
More recently we thought we might enjoy shooting clays and bought a used (ancient) Winchester 1911 12 gauge. It was inexpensive and we figured if we didn’t enjoy it we wouldn’t be out much. Despite being a Browning-action long recoil gun it kicked like a bastard even with target loads. That and other circumstances caused us to lose interest.
Then there was the J.Stevens damascus side-by-side 12 Bore that we had solely because it was a work of art. The damascus, the construction, the details and tasteful, beautifully decorated engraving, the balance and feel of it were astonishing. But we couldn’t shoot it; it just wasn’t safe with modern loads and we were discouraged from trying it even with ‘period’ loads. No room for a gun we can’t shoot, so eventually we bid it a reluctant farewell… but it gave me a taste for fine doubles. The unfortunate thing is that a fine double is usually a very expensive proposition.
Considering the matter recently i find that my tastes swing to opposite extremes- either a .410 or a 12 gauge.
A .410 is generally light, has low recoil and with slugs can take up to medium sized game. Ammunition is light and compact. My wife Linda would be comfortable shooting it and we could even practice at the local pistol-range. The disadvantages are that it is relatively low-powered and actually more expensive to shoot than a 12 gauge. With the right gun, though, it is worth considering.
12 gauge is the most common shotgun ammunition. It’s easy to find a great variety of loads for different uses. Even in these days of ammunition shortages there are shelves full of 12 gauge in most stores. As mentioned previously with the right gun you can take any game animal in North America.
If you fancy a double the importation of eastern european brands has recently brought these guns back into the realm of affordability. Baikal, a Russian manufacturer, is imported by European American Arms and has a number of offerings for both side-by-side and over-and-under shotguns. These are stout, serviceable arms priced in the $450- $600 range.
Going a bit more up-scale we have the CZ-USA shotguns made by Huglu in Turkey. These feature better metallurgy, better fit-and finish, finer balance, better mechanisms and better wood that the Russian guns. A bit more expensive starting at $700 or so, they are easily worth the difference in price. Each comes with five different screw-in chokes ranging from Full to Cylinder Bore. Recently these guns have received excellent reviews and the consensus is that they are competitive with guns costing much more.
In the pump-action shotgun category the Mossberg 535 offers exceptional value, with kits featuring a 28 inch barrel with a variety of chokes and a short cylinder-bore barrel for defensive use. It comes with a full stock and a pistol grip (which I loathe) in a combo package for around $400.
For those with tactical tastes the Catamount Fury is a semi-auto based on the venerable AK-47… or more correctly a Chinese knock-off of the Saiga shotguns based on the AK-47. Available in twelve-gauge it comes with two five-shot box magazines that accept 2-3/4 or 3 inch 12 Gauge shells and three screw-in chokes, Full, Modified and Cylinder Bore. They appear to be well made and I’ve seen some good reviews so they are worth considering at around $600. Saiga offers AK-based guns in .410, 20 or 12 gauge for $700-$900. These guns have an excellent reputation. It should be said that in 12 gauge these guns are quite heavy and might not suit smaller persons.
Whatever your taste and budget choose carefully, lay in a variety of ammo and you can be ready for anything from the Apocalypse to Duck season. The shotgun is truly One Gun to Rule Them All.
