Hand Gun or Shotgun or Rifle?

[Rookinde]

Ok background on what I have so far;

I have a break barrel 20. gauge shotgun, .22 LR Ruger, and a .22 revolver Ruger. I didn't know which is the best way to go with this.

Thanks,
Rook

[11 Bravo]

For what use ?

[Bonnieblue2A]

You have a good start. I wouldn't get rid of any of them.   

I'm not really certain what question you have.  If you are planning on using what you have to introduce a beginner to shooting. I'd start with a rifle in .22lr.  Sight alignment is easier to teach with a long sight radius and you won't start them off building up a flinch as they may develop shooting the shotgun first.  Muzzle control and discipline is easier to teach and reinforce with a long gun than with a handgun for the beginning shooter, IMO.

[Rookinde]

I so do go deer hunting with my shotgun. So for use I would have to say for hunting larger game, and in DE that would be White Tail. At the same time DE is trying to make it very hard for people to get hand guns. So I was thinking of something for open carry. I can only get one for now till I save up again. No debt in this household.

Rook

[bdhutier]

Since HGs may be harder to obtain in the future, I might go that route. Keeping the deer hunting angle, mixed with open carry, I might look at a larger caliber HG that you can get in a rifle later.  Something like .357, 44-40, or .45LC.  I'm partial to a cowboy setup myself (revolver and lever action rifle), but this can be had in other pistol cartridges too. 

[Skunkeye]

I don't know when your hunting seasons are in DE, but I would imagine they're coming to a close soon, aren't they?  If you're not going to get a chance to use it for hunting any time soon, coupled with the potential for new handgun laws in your state, I'd go for a handgun.  In your situation, I'd probably go for a full-size semiauto first, just because it seems like the higher-capacity semis are the first guns they target when they pass stupid laws.

bdhutier's idea of a revolver + lever gun pair is a great one, though.  Very reliable combo, and you never have to worry about buying magazines for them.

[joeandmich]

Unless you are a great shot I would upgrade to a larger bolt action rifle for hunting. They're cheaper and very accurate with a scope. I purchased a Winchester 30-06 bolt action with a scope and soft bag for just $399. Shoots very accurately at 200 yards. Much better than my M&P 15 semi automatic using .223 rounds.

Joe

[Mortblanc]

You need to buy the handgun due to the legal issues.

Buy now what you will not be allowed to buy latter.

it would not be my first choice on practical measures, but the legal situation in your area demands this move.

You can get the shotgun next due to the lack of threat to it now and down the road.

And when you pick the handgun choose something that will not be banned by your state, or the magazines it uses banned.

The present legal situation favors 6 shot revolvers being the handguns least feared and threatened by TPTB.

Only revolvers and ss pistols are allowed for hunting in your state, and the barrel must be 6".

Delaware is a shotgun only deer hunting state so considering a center fire rifle is not an option if you want something you can actually use and not just look at.

[nelson96]

My .02. . . .  Buy according to specific use and need, even if it means you need a dozen firearms.  You'll enjoy each and every one of them that much more. 

[bcksknr]

     I live and hunt in Wisconsin, where we have a very strong deer hunting tradition. Originally, deer hunting zones were designated as shotgun only (usually near urban areas) and rifle and shotgun zones. Not to many years ago, pistols were also approved for deer hunting. I also hunt with a blackpowder muzzleloader (we have a special season for those). Now, rifles, pistols and muzzleloaders are allowed anywhere. I originally started out with a Remington 870 pump 12 gauge, with a smoothbore "slug barrel. Shooting 1 oz. lead "pumpkins" (slugs) was pretty ineffective over open ground; better in brush. I bought a rifled slug barrel and that made a great difference with sabot slugs. About that time the rules changed and I haven't used the shotgun on deer since.
     I switched to a Remington 700 bolt action in 30-06. and had great success for years. I picked the caliber because it is common and easy to reload. It will drop anything found in our State. I put a high end scope on it. A .270 caliber will shoot flatter, but I have my 700 sighted in and I'm comfortable with it. I have a number of pistols, both revolver and semi-auto. I was lucky and most of my purchases were made off the record from private individuals. For small game you can't beat the Ruger 10/22.
     If handgun restrictions coming your way are an issue, by all means purchase one first, hopefully from a reputable individual. Think carefully about what you will use that handgun for and buy appropriately. Just as in buying "a" boat, there is no one firearm that will do it all. Prioritize your purchases based on use and anticipated future restrictions. 

[Smurf Hunter]

You need to buy the handgun due to the legal issues.

Buy now what you will not be allowed to buy latter.

it would not be my first choice on practical measures, but the legal situation in your area demands this move.

You can get the shotgun next due to the lack of threat to it now and down the road.

And when you pick the handgun choose something that will not be banned by your state, or the magazines it uses banned.

The present legal situation favors 6 shot revolvers being the handguns least feared and threatened by TPTB.

Only revolvers and ss pistols are allowed for hunting in your state, and the barrel must be 6".

Delaware is a shotgun only deer hunting state so considering a center fire rifle is not an option if you want something you can actually use and not just look at.

You seem to counterdict yourself. 

You start by saying to buy something that's at risk of future ban.  Then you say to get a handgun that's not likely to be banned.

If you think future sales of semi-autos and/or 10+ round magazines are at risk, go buy a Glock 17 or similar duty sized gun.
If you tihnk there will be no grandfathering of the above, and there'll be door by door confiscation, then you can a lower profile handgun (revolver) at your own convenience.

Personally, from a prepping perspective you should always be buying for capability.  Ask "does this new gun I'm looking at offer me additional shooting capability?"

It kind of seems like home/self defense should be high on the OP list of capabilities needed to be filled.

[CharlesH]

My .02. . . .  Buy according to specific use and need, even if it means you need a dozen firearms.  You'll enjoy each and every one of them that much more.

 
Very true, but it brings up an interesting question I'd love anyone's thoughts on as a corollary to this topic: when to sell a rifle, handgun or shotgun.  Specifically, as the only "gun guy" in my generation of the family, I get weapons from the older generation every time there is a death.  I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and I have ended up with some very nice older weapons and even a few real gems.  But I also have a lot of stuff I will never shoot and some stuff that has moved beyond it's shooting life because of age, lack of production ammo, or unserviceability.
 
Do others have a rule of thumb under these circumstances for selling?  Most of my friends are of the "never ever ever ever ever sell a gun" mentality, but Nelson96 made me think about why am I keeping around stuff i don't enjoy.  Sentimental value is important, but is that always enough?

[Mortblanc]

You seem to counterdict yourself. 

You start by saying to buy something that's at risk of future ban.  Then you say to get a handgun that's not likely to be banned.

If you think future sales of semi-autos and/or 10+ round magazines are at risk, go buy a Glock 17 or similar duty sized gun.
If you tihnk there will be no grandfathering of the above, and there'll be door by door confiscation, then you can a lower profile handgun (revolver) at your own convenience.

Personally, from a prepping perspective you should always be buying for capability.  Ask "does this new gun I'm looking at offer me additional shooting capability?"

It kind of seems like home/self defense should be high on the OP list of capabilities needed to be filled.

Everything you speak of is based on a single view/definition of prepping and/or self defense and the expectation that the government will grandfather in what you already own.

If this man wants a firearm he can use for sport and hunting it will be a revolver with a 6 inch barrel.  He is not allowed to hunt with a rifle.  He is not allowed to hunt with a simiauto pistol having a barrel less than 5.5 inches.

That is the way the laws in his state read.

Judging from the way he is wording his query I expect he wants all the use he can get for his money and does not want to have his investment confiscated when Delaware goes the way of New York.

[nelson96]

 
Very true, but it brings up an interesting question I'd love anyone's thoughts on as a corollary to this topic: when to sell a rifle, handgun or shotgun.  Specifically, as the only "gun guy" in my generation of the family, I get weapons from the older generation every time there is a death.  I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and I have ended up with some very nice older weapons and even a few real gems.  But I also have a lot of stuff I will never shoot and some stuff that has moved beyond it's shooting life because of age, lack of production ammo, or unserviceability.
 
Do others have a rule of thumb under these circumstances for selling?  Most of my friends are of the "never ever ever ever ever sell a gun" mentality, but Nelson96 made me think about why am I keeping around stuff i don't enjoy.  Sentimental value is important, but is that always enough?

Having only received guns passed down to me that fit a need I didn't already have, I can't very well speak toward selling a gun with sentimental value.  That said, I do sell other guns to make room for others.  It makes no sense to me to keep a gun that doesn't have a purpose or fit the intended user (especially if I don't even plink with it) when if I sold it I could purchase a gun that did serve a purpose and/or person.  Even so, that happens very little in my collection since I do have a family to outfit (wife, daughters, and future grandchildren).

More importanlty, I concentrate most of my efforts on supportive gear (top notch optics, accurate and reliable ammunition, etc.).  Without that, all my guns are useless IMO.  And I don't mind selling a gun to buy these items to make another gun I own more functional.

.

[joeandmich]

 
Very true, but it brings up an interesting question I'd love anyone's thoughts on as a corollary to this topic: when to sell a rifle, handgun or shotgun.  Specifically, as the only "gun guy" in my generation of the family, I get weapons from the older generation every time there is a death.  I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and I have ended up with some very nice older weapons and even a few real gems.  But I also have a lot of stuff I will never shoot and some stuff that has moved beyond it's shooting life because of age, lack of production ammo, or unserviceability.
 
Do others have a rule of thumb under these circumstances for selling?  Most of my friends are of the "never ever ever ever ever sell a gun" mentality, but Nelson96 made me think about why am I keeping around stuff i don't enjoy.  Sentimental value is important, but is that always enough?

I'm in the same boat. I have too many firearms that I've inherited from family members.

Joe

[MississippiJarhead]

I have a break barrel 20. gauge shotgun, .22 LR Ruger, and a .22 revolver Ruger. I didn't know which is the best way to go with this.

• Being a .20ga with modern slugs can be quite the deer slayer, a defensive caliber handgun would be my #1 priority.
• If the ".22 LR Ruger" you listed second is not a long gun, I'd make picking up a .22 LR rifle my second priority.
• A Pump action 12GA  shotgun would come after that.
• I'd have to get an EBR (Evil Black Rifle) after that.

[MississippiJarhead]

 
Very true, but it brings up an interesting question I'd love anyone's thoughts on as a corollary to this topic: when to sell a rifle, handgun or shotgun.  Specifically, as the only "gun guy" in my generation of the family, I get weapons from the older generation every time there is a death.  I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and I have ended up with some very nice older weapons and even a few real gems.  But I also have a lot of stuff I will never shoot and some stuff that has moved beyond it's shooting life because of age, lack of production ammo, or unserviceability.
 
Do others have a rule of thumb under these circumstances for selling?  Most of my friends are of the "never ever ever ever ever sell a gun" mentality, but Nelson96 made me think about why am I keeping around stuff i don't enjoy.  Sentimental value is important, but is that always enough?

I'm right there with you. I've got a pretty massive collection of mostly hunting arms.

Not long ago I cam to an epiphany. Stuff, is stuff. I keep the most sentimental pieces. I sell the pieces that were somewhat recently acquired and of no particular importance or usefulness. I have a few I'm saving for a couple of my nephews, just so they can have a weapon of their Papaw's. They weren't special to my step-Dad, their Papaw, but they were his.

Now, weapons that were gifted to me or hand me downs that have true family history (primary or first hunting weapons, etc.) are strictly of limits for any sort of trading or selling. Well, unless times got extraordinarily hard.

[Smurf Hunter]

Everything you speak of is based on a single view/definition of prepping and/or self defense and the expectation that the government will grandfather in what you already own.

If this man wants a firearm he can use for sport and hunting it will be a revolver with a 6 inch barrel.  He is not allowed to hunt with a rifle.  He is not allowed to hunt with a simiauto pistol having a barrel less than 5.5 inches.

That is the way the laws in his state read.

Judging from the way he is wording his query I expect he wants all the use he can get for his money and does not want to have his investment confiscated when Delaware goes the way of New York.

]

My goodness - please re-read your original post in this thread.  I've already spelled out the contradiction. 

[David in MN]

Used police Glock (often not very used if he/she wasn't a shooter) and a Mosin. Poof, you're done for under $500.

I'm only slightly joking. Used guns are great on a budget and most have fewer than 50 rounds through them. There are a lot of police guns that were only used to qualify and have nice sight upgrades that can be had for a bargain. I also look for lightweight revolvers on the used market because idiots buy them, put 2 rounds of .357 through them and promptly sell them back as "unshootable". I haven't played the Makerov/Tokarev game yet but I know a guy who swears by them.

The surplus rifle market also is kind to the budget. Sometimes the ammo is a bargain too, comrade.

It sounds to me like you need to iron out your purpose and go from there. Sounds like a good start with a shotgun and some .22s. Figure out what you want from it and a good firearm isn't that hard to find. Don't feel pressure from us wizbang types that think shotguns need heatshields and light holding foregrips. You don't "need" an AR let alone a thermal imaging sight, 27 position buttstock, and rail mounted coffee grinder. Budget gun shopping, as most honest shooters will tell you, is one of the most fun things you can do. Find a gem and post it up here and brag about it forever.

[Max]

Ok background on what I have so far;

I have a break barrel 20. gauge shotgun, .22 LR Ruger, and a .22 revolver Ruger. I didn't know which is the best way to go with this.

Thanks,
Rook

Jack has plenty of great shows that address this question. I also have a podcast addressing this issue if you care to check it out.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/modernamericanprepper/episode_3.mp3

[Max]

Here's one I did that is more specific. Makes, models, and prices are discussed.