What's your "go to" gun?

S

Steve Steffy

Well-known member
I dind't want to hi-jack another thread so I decided to start a fresh one. What's your go to gun for the majority of the hunting season? Semi-Auto? Double? Pump? Not really looking for brands or models just actions.

I'm with Chuck on this one...
As for the replacement gun, I'm a pump guy, have been since my second season hunting, and though I've been eyeing up some 20 ga doubles, I'll always be a pump guy at heart. Just can't beat the reliability.

Chuck
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I've always hunted with a pump myself and some of my past and present hunting buddies bust my cahoonas for it. Though, I'm usually the one doing the laughing when the action in their high priced semi-auto is froze up and I'm still shooting, or they get a shell jammed in their gun and can't get it out, or pieces of their action fly off into the murky marshy abyss never to be seen again, etc. etc.

Chucks right...you can't beat the dependability of a pump. And I beat mine and neglect it all season long. Nothing against the semi-autos, there are some fine models out there...they just aren't my thing. I would like to get my hands on a nice double though. I would even take better care of that than I do my pump.

Steve
 
My primary gun is a Benneli Vinci. I have a lead on a used M1 that recently became available at a steal of a price. I just have to find out what shipping will be from ALabama.
 
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used a pump for years and years. Love them.....then I started doing some field hunting....then hunting snows...

Now I went to semi auto and will NOT look back. Those overhead shots or goofy angles are just too tough to reliably shuck a new shell. I have done it, did just fine mind you, but just not worth the effort.

now, sitting in my layout were it is only divers low on the deck straight at you, any gun works...
 
I shot a pump, an Ithaca 37R, for 35 years and never knew how much I was getting the snot beat out of me (even with 2 3/4" shells) until I went to an SBE back in the mid 90's. My pump and I were as fast and reliable as almost anything out there but I won't go back to a pump. About 4-5 years ago I picked up a 20 ga SxS and that is now my go-to gun for anything waterfowl. At least as reliable as my pump was and usually more so. The hulls don't go flying when I reload and with the correct shell selection is good to go for geese as well as ducks. For upland my O/U 28 ga. is all I want to carry.
 
If I am upland hunting it is definitely a double gun, preferably my 16ga SxS Fox Sterlingworth.

In the duck blind it is a semi-auto Benelli M2 that gets the nod. Although I very much like the double guns and will likely (hopefully soon) replace the Benelli with a double gun.
 
I am a waffler... I shoot pump, auto or SxS. My heart pushes me towards the SxS's but my gut pushes me back to the pumps I grew up shooting. For doves and planted birds I shoot an O/U.
 
870 any guage, any "trim" level, any time. Anything that has been on the market since 1950 must have something going for it. (Go for it Dave, you won't get a better opening!) :)
P.S. My "go to deer rifle is a 760 in .270 Win
 
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Shot pumps for years, then I bought a Berretta 390 from WalMart in 2003 and never looked back.
I love it, wouldnt go back to a pump.
 
Currently-

Browning Citori Satin Hunter 12 ga
Ithaca 100- 20 ga.

I have been dreaming of a Model 21 Duck since I was 20 years old- had a chance to buy one once for $2000.00 and didn't do it, dumb.....
 
My "go to" differs per time of year. Dove, early in the waterfowl season I shoot a Stevens o/u in 20ga. Later season duck and goose I'll use my Beretta 390 and deer season an 870 slug gun with a scope.
 
My duckgun for some 25 years now.... Browning A5 Magnum. Had just had my first repair since I bought it used. Simple fix, $20 part from Brownells, arrived in 3 days. I keep an eye open for another, though this one will likely outlast me. Now that I disassembled it to repair it, the mystic of taking her apart, I will maintain her better! In the past 25 years, I have had it cleaned by gunsmiths only, an even at that maybe 3 times! Just wipe it down as far as I could reach with my finger in a rag....

Upland, a nice straight stock, SxS, 24in barrels, light, fast, easy pointer.
 
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