by Chuck Papp, Contributing Writer
If you could only have one firearm what would it be? Keep in mind it must protect your home, provide food from hunting, and one to practice with to gain marksmanship to use when needed. Ammunition must be readily available and affordable. There really is only one choice, the 12-gauge shotgun. Its versatility is unmatched. Yes, you can’t use it for concealed purposes, but that’s a different topic.
The good ‘ole 12 can fire an array of shells, from birdshot to buckshot for deer and hog hunting, heavier payloads of shot for turkey and waterfowl, and slugs for big game hunting. For self-defense, there is no better choice. The 12-gauge was the firearm most settlers had when they went west to discover and settle new lands. They were the most affordable.
One great feature is you can change barrels in seconds. Going from a 28-inch vent rib bird barrel, to an 18-inch bead sighted barrel for home defense, to a fully rifled barrel is easy. You have 3 guns in one with those options.
Since you don’t have to own just one, this is about being versatile, and the 12 gauge fits that bill. Not everyone is a gun person, or they can’t own a safe full of firearms, or don’t want to either. But they still want at least one to complete the tasks mentioned. Do some research, and if you’re that one-gun person this may be your best option. There is a tale in the firearms world, “be very mindful of the person who owns one gun, they generally know how it use it, and use it well.”
Chuck Papp
Delray Shooting Center.