Hi Jim, I am searching for a rifle for hunting big game and a shotgun for turkey and ducks. I’d like to know what is in your expert opinion the most reliable ammo for each that I could reload. I am preparing for when and if there is no ammo available. I am looking into the Remington 700 and 870 but I’m still unsure about the ammo aspect. Thank you so much for your great content. God bless!
Well after you pick a caliber, I’d pick a bullet next. Then you can do some load development to know what components to stockpile.
What kind of budget? What will you use the rifle for?
There are so many good rifle choices out there that I am not sure I would settle on a Remington 700. I know they are/have released a new version, but not seeing many reviews on it. Jim has several articles on his site about best rifles in a given price range. If you are set on a 700 footprint, I would look at the Bergaras. For a modestly priced rifle in anything smaller than 30-06, I would look at the Tikka T3x.
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As for the shotgun, depending on how much you want to spend, Benelli makes a great product. My dad has had his Benelli Nova since 2001 has well over 10,000 rounds through it (there was about a 7 year period we lived in places where it was hard to find places to shoot) of all kinds of ammo from target loads to 1/2 inch turkey loads. He has not been nice to it either. Its been through every weather condition you can think of from the deserts of Idaho to the frozen wet wastelands of New Hampshire. He has never had a parts breakage, and the only reliability issues he has had with it came from him not assembling it correctly.
He switched over to the Benelli super black eagle 3 in 2017 and that has so far proven to be an equally reliable semi auto shotgun if that’s what your looking for.
I got my Benelli Nova in 2016 and have shot at least 5,000 rounds through it (covid made it impossible to find shells). I have had a similar experience no parts breakage, no reliability issues. And it’s incredibly simple to break down and clean.
Thank you Jim and everyone for the input. I will be using the rifle for hunting big game. Deer, Elk, Bear, Moose. What I am trying to find is an efficient hunting ammunition that I can reload if/when there is nowhere to buy ammo. I am currently set up with 45 colt. I can cast bullets and reload. Have revolvers and carbine where I can use the same ammo. Now I’m trying to find a hunting solution for when and if there is no ammo available and need to make my own for hunting proposes. For Rifle and Shotgun budget up to 2k. Caliber I am open for advice. Is 45 colt a good hunting caliber for big game? From what I’ve seen it seems it is not. Anyway, that’s why I am here trying to get the experts advice for a prepper trying to be set up for when and if the s**t hits the fan. Thank you again!
45 long colt is a little lite for big game. Not saying it won’t kill it but you might not find it. If you buy a strong revolver I know of guys that push the 45 long colt to the 44 mag levels. I think the Ruger RedHawks will do it if I’m not mistaken. If you’re looking for a lever gun pistol combo I would go with the 44 mag. Same loads for both guns and only have to reload one round. 357 mag is good also but a little lite in my opinion. They are also making lever guns for the 454 casull and that combo will kill anything on Gods green earth. With any of them you only have to load one round for rifle and pistol. You would have to keep your shots at 200 or under but depending on where you live that is not a big deal at all. Personally I would go with the 454 casull. Looking to get one my self. I already have the pistol. Hope this helps
Shotgun I would go with Benelli. Any of them!
When it come to prepping my suggestion would be to go with 308 only because it has been highly used, cheap, high availability. 308 will have longer availability than newer rounds that would run out first. 308 will have vast supplies and even military surplus. It is cheaper to stockpile brass, and bullets.
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As far as rifle goes 308 won’t burn out barrels, you could do an m1a from Springfield which could also be self defense gun, or even anar 10, for that I would suggest Daniel defense cold hammer forged barrels. Pricier but you get what you pay for. Also can be self defense as well as hunting. 308 or 7.62mm will be availble long after all other rifle ammo is gone with exception of 5.56. Because of the millions of rounds in military stockpiles. A 6.5 creedmore would worthless a year after shtf. But 308 will have availability for far longer and has takedown for large game. If a bolt gun is what you want I reccomend 2020 waypoint by Springfield it is light very accurate and has shot nearly every ammo I fed it well
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Good point! I like it.
If you go to local gun store and look at bullets and brass you will see lots of 30 cal or 308 brass. There is just way more supply prior to when supply stops getting made. I have 308 waypoint and an ar15 but Im gong to get a semi auto ar prolly Daniel defense ar 10. Those I will never sell
Don’t know why I didn’t think of that.
Thank you so much everyone for the great input. I’ve been researching the information and I’m very impressed with the M1A.
Happy Easter everyone.