What's your "go to" gun?

[mike in co]

i do not "hunt", so these are for other situations....
pistol: i have a cz97b...45acp 10 rds, plenty of mags....lol even legal in kalifornicating state.... alternate is my cz85 in 9x21....135's at "nice velocities".....ok i can easily do 1300 fps. 25+1 rounds.


shotgun moss 590 8 plus one with 9 more on the stock


rifle.....ar 10t......20 and 25 rd mags....24" bbl, i can hit the 600 yd x ring prone...(moa).
lots of various ammo as discussed by others. try the hornady 130 spire point. hits the lands from mag length ammo and shoots sub moa.


i agree lots of other rifles are good choice, but limited fire power.. most of my mil surplus scoped rifles will work at longer distances than production ar15's.

[9.3X62AL]

I wasn't thinking "When the balloon goes up"--I was thinking "what do I grab when I head out into the backcountry most of the time?"

[Charlie Sometimes]

EOWAWKI scenerio-
2 Ruger Blackhawk, 4 1/2 inch barrel, 45LC/45 ACP
1st rifle- Ruger 10/22 Deluxe, 22 LR, with 2-10x44mm scope, and open sights
2nd rifle- Winchester Model 70 Featherweight,laminated stock, 30-06, 3-9x40mm
Remington 870 Express Magnum- synthetic stock, 21 inch barrel, Rem Choked

All with slings and holsters.

[Curly James]

The handgun would be my 4 inch 686. It was my first duty gun in 1985 and lives in the nightstand drawer. Very comforting to have in your hand when unexpected things happen.

Shotgun would be my poor old beat up Remmy 870. Peep sights, extended tube, w/ a 20 inch barrel. Been dragging it around since the 80s also.

Rifle, either a Mini 14 or a bubbaed SMLE I picked up and finished the bubba job, turning it into one of the handier rifles I own. There ain't much (if anything)
in the Southeastern US that a 303 won't handle.

As for a a rimfire, I would have to grab the 10-22. I don't think you can make that thing stop working. My daughters and I have tried with no success. When the girls were young we would to to the club with a 500 round box of ammo and several 10 and 30 round mags. They would not stop until they used up the box and my thumbs were sore from loading the mags. It was also the rifle I left loaded with a 30 rd mag when the girls were teens and going to be home alone. I had taught them the value of several well placed 22 hollowpoints. So, I guess that really qualifies it to be a go to gun.

If you look at our choices, they all seem to be guns we've had for quite some time, have been with us when we used a gun successfully (for whatever need), and are comforting to us when we pick them up.

[Boerrancher]

If you look at our choices, they all seem to be guns we've had for quite some time, have been with us when we used a gun successfully (for whatever need), and are comforting to us when we pick them up.

I often think about what my Dad's good friend and my casting mentor once told me about guns, he had lots of them but there was only a small few that he would take to the woods. I can't remember the quote exactly, but it went something like this,"a good gun is like a good woman, when you start messing around with others, you never get to know any of them real well, you loose touch with the one you bonded with, and it does nothing but mess with your head and cause confusion." Over the years I have noticed that when I get away from the firearms that I carry on a daily basis, I just don't feel as comfortable with my ability to utilize them to their full potential.

This is not to say that some of the guns I leave at home are not good shooters, most of them are much better shooters than the old Winchester lever guns I pack around. I just know that I feel better with my 92 45LC, than I do my custom 6mm-06 or my custom 6mm-284, and both of those rifles fit me well and shoot like a dream. I have killed more ground hogs and prairie dogs with those two rifles than I can count, but they are not my mod 92, or my Marlin 1894c in 357mag that I grew up packing as a kid. I like the 92 better because it is lighter and the 45LC packs a bit more punch than the 357 with hand loads.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[dukenukum]

for a pistol : HI_POINT jhp .45 automatic
Shot gun : Ithaca model 37
for a rifle : either my O3 A3 or my #5 s.m.l.e .303 British

[part_timer]

Pistol_ Dan wesson 357 with 6' bbl
Shotgun_ rem 870
Rifle_ browning varminter in .204

depends on what "go to" means.

[Riverrat]

An interesting question!! I don't think I can limit myself to just three. For the pistol I would want a 1911 and my 6" Colt Python(a gift from my brother many years ago). For the shotgun I will take my Beretta Extrema II. The rifle would be an M-1 and/or a Mod. 70 in .270 Win.

Ed

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
PISTOL RUGER Rh-44 7/12"
RIFLE MY P.O.ACKLEY 7MM/06
SHOTGUN REM. 870 12GU.
TAKE CARE OF ANY THING IN USA
AND JUST FUN TO SHOOT.

[405]

No way no how to best answer but:

Handgun- Colt DE 45 ACP (close tie with Glock)
Shotgun- Beretta O/U 12 ga
Rifle- Win M70 270

[shdwlkr]

HAND GUN
would be either my 45 auto, 38 super or 9mm depending on which I grabbed first. why because if you are a baddie I want you to know I mean to mess up your day or die trying
RIFLE
would be my .375 winchester, 45-70 or one of my 30wcf again depends on which I grab first. Why because I want to make it very plain you picked the wrong place at the wrong time.
SHOTGUN
one of my ithaca shotguns most likely my home defense model if I can get my hands on one with double 00 buckshot to mess up your plans.
This is if it is a shtf deal otherwise I would pick what seemed fun to shoot at the time.
I hope I never have to go this route but if I do I will do my best to make it a mistake for those who thought I was an easy mark.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Go to for :
1911 Colt Combat Commander .45ACP personal protection
S&W 29 44mag walking in the woods/fishing/hunting
Rem 870 Home def.
M1A 308 just because
44, 30/30, 45/70, 338 hunting

S.L.

[Ivantherussian03]

1911 Officers Edition Colt 45ACP--ENOUGH SAID--

[Leadforbrains]

Armalite AR10
Benneli M1
Sig P226 .40

[scb]

Benjamin HB17
Crosman 1100 Trapmaster Shotgun
Daisy Red Ryder

This is the thread Junior thinks the NSA's watching , right? No.

STG 58
Glock 20
Ithaca 37

[looseprojectile]

I read it here on this forum.
Paraphrased; Amateurs practice till they get it right, Proffessionals practice till they can't get it wrong.
I will stick with the 20 inch barreled AR 15 with two forty shot mags to start with and a bag of other full mags. This needle shooter has a Burris 3 to 9 mil dot. I figure head shots to four dots.
When it comes time to repell boarders the Para Ord 16 shot .45 ought to enable me to get to the rifle. Lately been carrying the Taurus PT 145 Pro. Shoots good feels good. And cheap to buy.
Shotgun is an 870 TB Remington, always can break 23 or 24 with it.
Also like the 10 22 Ruger and the Rossi .357 carbine. The model 28 S&W 6" is a sweet shooter.
When something goes bump in the night the S&W .357 is the one. It is sllent to get into action. I do the exit out the back door, at the knock on the front door thing. I am probably paranoid but who knows?
PS, It's hard to miss with the M1 Garand.
Life is good

[Ed Barrett]

For a pistol; My S&W combat masterpiece. I've been shooting it about 40 years and it knows how to hit better than me.
For a shotgun; Winchester 1300 XTR
For a rifle; a 92 Puma clone in 454 casull can be loaded down to small game loads or up to 45/70 range, very accurate with them all. For long range I have a custom 1909 Argentine with a 8-24 scope that's good on 4" targets out to 300 yds and mansized much more.

[JSnover]

I wasn't thinking "When the balloon goes up"--I was thinking "what do I grab when I head out into the backcountry most of the time?"

Most of my backcountry was heavy brush or low, swampy areas. I don't get out there much anymore but the shotgun was best for me. Max visibility was 75 yards and the HiStandard pump was light, short and not much to look at. Didn't matter if it got scratched up a little.

[Ron in PA]

Pistol 1991 .45 ACP, LCP .380. Rifle M1 Carbine. Shotgun 11-87 12 ga.

[Gerry N.]

When I hear "Go-To" I think load the camper, call my dog and head into the hills.

In that case my go-to pistol is an old Hawes Western Rancher .22 made in Germany of pot metal and spring steel stampings, it shoots pretty much any .22 LR pretty much to minute of Necco Wafer out to 20 yds or so. I have a Paco Kelly "Nasty-Nose" tool to hollow point the .22 shells I use for possums and snakes. It's nearly criminal what a nasty nosed LR will do to a possum, nutria, or feral cat.

My "shotgun" is a .45 caliber T-C Seneca I had bored to .50 smooth because the bore was so pitted it tore patches to shreds. It will put .480" patched roundballs into 4" at 50 yds, and gives a 30% pattern of 5/8 Oz loads of #4 at 30 yds. Good enough for grouse and rabbits.

Go-to rifle(s) are an Armalite .22 survival rifle that lives in the camper and a M1912/61 Chilean Mauser the Chilenos rebarreled to 7.62x51mm in the early 60's. That rifle is more fun than anyone should have, and its reconfigured 2-groove Springfield barrel handles cast bullets quite nicely. I have an adaptor cartridge chambered for .30 Carbine so I can shoot quieter and cheaper. Again, about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Gerry N.