# First Hunting Gun



## ONEOLDCHIEF (Mar 9, 2011)

Had a friend ask, what kind of gun should he get to go hunting around here in NW FL? My reply, what do you want to hunt? We talked for a while and I kinda explained about hunting around here. He has hunted before in his youth and knows how to use the business of an M-16. He said he once had a 30/30 and liked it, so, finally after talking for a few minutes, I suggested a 12 ga 3in, full choke or one with changable chokes... 
Extremely versatile, can hunt anthing from birds to squirrels to deer... and he could always get that 30/30 later on... 

The question now becomes, do you think I steered him in the right direction? :whistling:


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## JRH (Sep 6, 2013)

Yup. Probably will get a lot of different opinions, but the old 30-30 is still hard to beat unless your are hunting in the mountains or the plains.


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## Mike Moore (Feb 10, 2010)

I believe it is a requirement to use slugs only in a shotgun if hunting from an elevated stand. If he plans on hunting deer, hogs, etc I would recommend the rifle route initially. He could purchase a shotgun later on down the road. It really will come down to his preferred hunting method. And yes a 30 30 is sufficient to kill most all big game animals in our hunting zone. I would prefer a .270 but that's just my opinion.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Chief, I think you steered him right if he'll be limited to just one gun for everything. The more he goes, the more he knows, and he'll be able to choose his next gun based on what he's learned afield.


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## Gator McKlusky (Oct 8, 2013)

You did good. I would have recommended same and recommended the changable chokes...


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## welldoya (Oct 5, 2007)

What will he be hunting mostly ? If deer and hogs, I would go with a rifle. If a little of everything, then the shotgun is most versatile.
What kind of terrain and how will he be hunting ? If stalking in a swamp, the shotgun is fine. If in a house looking over a food plot, then a rifle is best.


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## Brandon_SPC (Nov 2, 2013)

I probably would've said a single shot Rossi. http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=92&category=3&toggle=&breadcrumbseries= Combo is a 243 and 20 ga. We all know the .243 is deadly down here out to a few hundred yards and use the 20 ga for small game hunting. Doesn't break his wallet either plus if he has kids then they can use the the two to hunt. Or this http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=82&category=2&toggle=&breadcrumbseries= 22lr 20 ga and 243.


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## bigbulls (Mar 12, 2008)

Well, you said that you asked him what he wanted to hunt but didnt tell us what the answer was.

If he answered birds with the occasional deer or pig then you did good. If he said deer and pigs with the occasional dove hunt not so much.


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## ONEOLDCHIEF (Mar 9, 2011)

bigbulls said:


> Well, you said that you asked him what he wanted to hunt but didnt tell us what the answer was.
> 
> If he answered birds with the occasional deer or pig then you did good. If he said deer and pigs with the occasional dove hunt not so much.


 \
He wanted to hunt small game and deer...


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Mike Moore said:


> I believe it is a requirement to use slugs only in a shotgun if hunting from an elevated stand. If he plans on hunting deer, hogs, etc I would recommend the rifle route initially. He could purchase a shotgun later on down the road. It really will come down to his preferred hunting method. And yes a 30 30 is sufficient to kill most all big game animals in our hunting zone. I would prefer a .270 but that's just my opinion.


I know most WMA's you can only use slug with shotgun. 
I have always used buck shot if I got a shotgun in a tree stand. 
Never thought about it . Just did it.


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## ONEOLDCHIEF (Mar 9, 2011)

Growing up, slugs were the 4th and 5th shot, except in the old model 12, 20 ga, then the slugs were number 6 and 7... It held a lot of shells. I could wake the dead with that thing... :thumbup:


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## Yellow River Cat (May 3, 2008)

Shotgun is the way to go for both small game and deer and as for slugs Eglin reservation regs says no slugs if I remember correctly while on Blackwater WMA they are allowed. Check on each areas reg's and rules before setting out.


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