My Ruger MK III.
With the scope, it will put 10 rounds in a quarter at 50ft, and will feed you for a long time on all game up to and including deer. Has the accuracy for lethal shot placement if necessary from ranges out to 100 yds (I know for a fact this is true, no it is not legal, but as a kid, a buddy and I used a .22 to kill a deer with a single head shot at just over 130 yds). Ammo is available almost everywhere, and a .50 cal ammo can will hold over 5,000 rounds, and still be light enough to carry around for short distances.
The shotgun rules. Defense of hearth and home, small game, large game, waterfowl, upland birds, rabid dogs.
It was the most common firearm chosen by the frontier family. Side by side then, still good choice now, but I would pick my 870 if I could only have one firearm.
This is easy. The most versatile, useful firearm is a 12 gauge pump, either Mossberg 500 or Remington 870.
- One can legally hunt everything between birds and deer;
- nothing more effective against 2 legged predators
- effective range >100 meters (sabot slugs)
- can swap barrels without tools
- can use iron sights, red-dot, scope or no sights
- pistol grip or full stock
- relatively quiet (compared to an M4 for example)
Only downsides are:
- not great CCW,
- limited magazine capacity,
- heavy/bulky/expensive ammo
I think if I could only have one gun period it would probably have to be my Ruger GP-100, that way I could shoot .38s or .357s, good for self defense, good for hunting if needed, still able to be concealed.
Parts a plenty, cheap and plentiful ammo... and over 8,000,000 in existence and more in production... and will take a literal beating and STILL work. Gotta love that.