Rifle Vs. Shotgun for Multi-Purpose Hunting
 

I am currently trying to decide whether I want to get a Mossberg 500 12g shotgun or a rifle (was previously considering a 30-06) for hunting. My brother and I want to mainly do hog hunting by stalking them in the woods in Alabama. I can only afford one (until I have gone out a few times and my fiancee realizes that I will actually use it) for now. I would still like the option of being able to deer hunt and duck hunt, but I am not sure whether or not duck hunting is something I will actually do. Anyone have advice or a pros and cons list of shotgun vs. rifle? Thanks in advance!

You can deer hunt with a shotgun but you can't duck hunt with a 30.06. Start with the a combination barrel shotgun and if you really like hunting, you can add on a 30.06 later.

I agree with Lucky.

As a first "gun" to hunt with, I would recommend a 12 gauge shotgun.

If you can buy one with both a smooth bore & a rifled barrel, then you would be able to use it for everything !

Shot gun is the only choice for a one gun "only" for deer and ducks, rabbits, dove, etc. Look into Mossberg 500 Field/Deer combo. You get a smooth bore shot barrel and rifled barrel. For deer and hogs, a rifled barrel and quality sabot ammo should be good out of this pump action out to 125-150 yards or so. Expect groups of aobut 3" at 100 yards.

If you stay with a smooth bore barrel only, it'll be less expensive. And rifled slugs are available. But in general these neither group as well, nor are they effective nearly as far out as the sabot slugs out of a rifled barrel. (Probably to the tune of 50 yards less). Sabot slugs in a smooth bore don't get it. The slug comes out not spinning and will never stabilize. It'll be a guess where it will hit.

Thanks guys... I found a Mossberg 500 at a pawn shop today and I paid $100 for it. It does not have a scope and the barrel with it is smooth, so I will have to upgrade it. Hopefully I can find a rifled barrel/scope for a low price.

I think I saw a Mossburg rifled slug barrel with scope mount on the Wal-Mart web site not long ago that was pretty inexpensive.

shotgun as your 1st

should be able to pick up a rifled barrel with either sights or a scope mount fairly cheap.. I think I'd go sights myself for shotgun ranges..

Good choice on the mossberg. You can pick up a slug barrel at a gun show for about the same money you paid for the gun.

Moot point...
 

Obviously the decision has been made, but I would have leaned the other way on this one.

Personally, I would much rather have a rifle than a shotgun, and by the way it sounds, that would have suited your needs better as well.

So to me, it sounds like you were in need of a deer and hog rifle, but would potentially be interested in a duck gun someday.

Maybe I'm just too much of a rifleman, but I could "live without" a shotgun. I prefer turkey hunting with a bow anyway, and I don't do THAT much upland hunting (I WOULD miss having a shotty back up while calling coyotes though). I go on half a dozen upland hunts a year, and shoot clays recreationally, but the vast majority of my hunting is done with one projectile, whether it's hogs, coyotes, p-dogs, antelope, or deer. Flipping the script, I'd rather have a rifle and either borrow a shotty or NOT go upland hunting than have a range limited weapon for all of my RIFLE hunts that I'm serious about just so I'd have the option of going duck hunting "someday if I wanted to".

So in your shoes, I'd have bought a .30-06 over a 12ga, but obviously your mileage varies... And frankly, in your shoes, buying a $100 shotgun, heck, go find a $300 rifle and you won't be out a dime if you decide to sell them later (dang good deal on that mossy).