Well, Rastoff, I hit all of your marks. I owned a Glock 19 for many years, and another Glock in .45ACP, but sold them both off. I added an S&W 3913 to make up for the loss and am quite satisfied with that. Something about plastic guns just doesn't do it for me....

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'Merica!

Although I'd dearly love some of those fine guns (vintage colts, Lugers, double rifles, double bbl shotguns) I doubt I'm the only one without the disposable income to spend more $ on a gun Than a new car/truck. This coming from a guy WAY better armed than his income SHOULD dictate.

.22 rifle - your choice of type but should be accurate. I prefer a bolt action.

22 pistol -Again your choice but should be accurate. 4 inch 22 revolver a good choice in my mind.

Shotgun for home defense and hunting - 12 or 20 gauge both work

Centerfire rifle preferably chambered for a cartridge that you can hunt with. In a limited battery I'd consider either an AR in 308 or a Ruger Scout Rifle. Both are versatile. I would prefer having both good iron sights and an optic. I enjoy hunting too much to use an AR for a hunting rifle because it is not pleasing to my tastes but it will certainly work and do double duty for hunting and protection. Ruger Scout does the same and is my preference bc I like bolt guns even though not as good if you had to fight with it. An argument can be made for a 223 but it isn't optimal for a hunting rifle. If I had to hunt to eat I don't want to potentially lose dinner because I couldn't find the animal I had shot. 223 makes tracking a whole lot harder if animal doesn't drop at the shot.

Good quality medium size DA revolver or semi auto handgun. .357 is a good choice bc it will do double duty for hunting / field gun, home defense and carry. Nothing wrong w a 44 or 45 caliber revolver other than harder to conceal. No flies on any good quality semi in a good chambering. 45 makes a better field gun than 9mm. I've carried concealed N frame 4 inch revolvers and they are better field guns than a 357 or a semi. Since I handload I can make low recoil target loads, medium defense loads as well as heavier field loads. If I had to scrounge ammo I'd go w a 9mm though. I like 1911s and BHPs but I won't quivel if you want a Glock or a DA semi S&W. Handgun must be 100 reliable bc it is your last ditch firearm that should always be carried or if sleeping bathing etc be w in reach.

That seems like a sensible minimum to me. If I had to I could go w less but I'd prefer more. Cut me down to 2 and I'd pick a 44 or 45 caliber lever gun and DA revolver. A 22 rifle and handgun would be lighter to carry but a 22 isn't a self defense stopper even though the lighter weight of firearms and ammo is a big plus. A shotgun and pistol would work but I'm not that good w a shotgun and prefer longer range ability of a good rifle.

There was a Remington damascus 12 dbl in our family that was being hunted with that started to flake and unravel at the muzzle. It was sawed off and put back into use. Started again and was regulated to a closet prop.

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S&W Accumulator

Add a good Smith 44 special. I guess shooting specials in a
44 mag might suffice. Not a fan of any plastic guns, AR's or
otherwise.

Ya gotta have a lever in there. Whether it’s a 30 30 or a caliber matching a revolver you have, gotta have a some lever.

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Oui Chef!

I love this kind of discussion. It's fun to see how people classify things. Several have posted lists that are strictly based on caliber. Others have lists based on action. Still others are thinking more toward the classics.

For me, this isn't about history. It's about basics. So, I think toward simple and common. Calibers that were popular back at 1900 are hard to find these days so, I leave them out. But that doesn't mean they don't have value.

Indeed, the list is missing a lever gun and an AR.

Sadly this is true. A while back many schools taught gun handling/safety. Alas, not any more. Now they teach to just not touch it. Very sad. If they did teach guns in school, the number of those that shouldn't own them would drop dramatically.


Indeed a classic and I have one. It just doesn't fit my list of must have. Neither does the Luger.

Also, I don't agree that a double gun is something that everyone should own. They're in a class all their own. I've owned my share of good double guns. From Browning to Perazzi and many in between. I had an Ithaca from 1920 and I've had the good fortune to shoot guns like Parker and the Winchester 21.

Moreover, while a good double gun is pure joy, a bad one is absolute garbage. There are cheap double guns on the market that aren't worth their weight in news paper. The Stoeger and Mossberg Silver Reserve come to mind. Both of those should be left in the store because they will just put you $500-$700 further from a gun you really want.

No, a decent double gun will cost at least $1,800 new. A good double gun will run at least $2,500 and up. A really nice double gun will be $5K if you find a deal, but $12K is common. Most don't have that kind of money and if they buy the cheap ones, they'll only be disappointed.

So, yes, I'd love for everyone to own a good O/U or SxS, but it's just out of reach for many of us.

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Freedom isn't free.

ar/ak and a j frame

Not so. A lot of those old damascus guns may have been proofed with "cannon" loads a 100 years ago. But rust and degration of the folded steel in those old wrapped barrels cannot be seen with the eye. I personally don't want one anywhere near my face & fingers when it goes off.......It only has to blow once.......They should be relegated to wall hangers for safety reasons.

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S&W Accumulator

I’ll always speak up for the Browning Citori (1). It’s difficult, if not impossible, to get a better shotgun for the money. If I could only have one shotgun, no question, it would be a Citori of some sort.

I’d also put in my .02 for...
2) Winchester Model 70 (pre-64 & recent production)
3) One or more of >>> M1 Garand, M1-A, M1 Carbine, AR-15
4) 1911, .45 caliber
5) Any modern double-action S&W revolver
6) Any quality .22 RF rifle

I’d also add a Weatherby Mark V to the list, but if you don’t happen to admire the history of the company, and the engineering/features of the rifle, then the M70 serves the general function of a quality, centerfire, bolt-action hunting rifle. If you fancy the Remington 7xx-series, the same applies.

I currently have everything on your list. What do I win?

Remington 870 - Check
Glock 19 - Well, I went with the 23
.38 Special - Check (don't see need for .357)
1911 .45ACP - Check
Browning Buckmark .22 - Coming
The rest I can pass on, but like some others, I add the Browning HP.

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Stay protected my friends.

I'm going to take a little different angle on my response. I think most people would benefit from owning an heirloom gun. A gun that one of your ancestors owned and used. I'm fortunate to have my grandfather's Iver Johnson break-top. He carried it from Minnesota to Montana when he homesteaded there. It's not worth much monetarily, but it's worth a fortune to me. I have Dad's Model 70, his Model 94, Mom's Huntsman and the cheapo 25 ACP she carried in her purse. None of these are worth a bundle but they speak to my heritage. There's something very personal about my ancestors' firearms that means a great deal to me.

It's true that many people don't have this sort of opportunity. But, if you get hold of a family heirloom hang onto it! They're hand-held history.

Semi-auto rifle


Modern full size semi-auto pistol


.357 Magnum revolver


WWII 1911


Bird/Trap gun
Hunting rifle
Riot gun

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

B.A.R. If only we all had one.

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No gold. Only lead. Bobby

My list is:
1. A traditional black powder rifle or smoothbore (shotgun or fusil). A bit of respect for those who came before and were the basis for this country.
2. A good .45 SA revolver. Same reason as above
3. A .38/.357 K or L frame
4. A .45 1911
5. A CZ75- one of the best 9mms designed
6. An 870 or 1100- your choice. Wonderfully modular and reliable do anything shotguns.
7. A Marlin 336 in .30-30. IMO the best lever action made
8. A Marlin 60 or 995. Both are superb .22s
9. A good bolt action .22. CZ is one of the best currently made
10. A Ruger 77, Model 70, or Savage 110 in a good hunting cartridge like .30-06
11. A 20th century milsurp rifle, 03, Garand, or 98 Mauser action-your choice

Many choices and combinations, but a basic, well rounded armory could include:
A well made bolt or semiauto .22lr
A pump shot gun - 12 or 20 ga
Lever or bolt action rifle - 30 cal
Revolver .38/.357 mag

Well.....If that's the case, most around here have more icing than a weddin cake

This is pretty much it. If you add a semiauto pistol in 9mm or .45, then pretty soon somebody starts to add a semiauto rifle in .30 caliber, and then a milsurp bolt action, then a duck gun, etc., etc., etc. . .

Suffice to say that if you have a limited budget and limited space, you should try to get one of each, starting with the basics. Once you ask for help, somebody somewhere is gonna tell you that everybody needs a CZ or everybody needs a Glock, or everybody needs a derringer . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

While several Ruger .22 autos have passed through my hands I've found S&W .22 revolvers (17,18,34,63) have stayed the course.

Never had a lot of use for a shotgun.... but a pump 12 gauge is a "everyone should have" gun. I like the Mossberg 500 for the ease of having 18-30 inch barrels for defense and hunting.

Another "everyone should have" gun is a 1911..... but I would also add a hi-cap 'Wonder nine" to my list. S&W 59xx series, Beretta 92 or Sig 226 come to mind but it would also be hard not to have a Browning HP or CZ 75 on the list.

A .22 rifle is a must have..... be it a Ruger 10/22 or a good bolt gun. I'd be hard pressed to give up my Ruger 10/22 fullstocks (why I have 3 I have no reasonable rational to offer) or my collection of CZ 452s and a 453 Varmint...the FS/mannlicher being my favorite style. The CZs offer old world charm, great accuracy out of the box at a price that can't be beat.

A .357 magnum revolver is a given......Colt's Pythons look cool but the grip doesn't work for me...... make mine a S&W L frame..... 586s for looks and a 4" 686 for "best in show"!

Centerfire rifles..... for Penn's Woods a .223/5.56 and a .243 (80-110 gr ammo is readily available) are my go to calibers ( I don't look for Bear or Elk.) Again CZ makes a great affordable centerfire rifle..... the Model 527 has a mid-size Mauser action prefect for the .223 ( and the 7.62x39) and can be had in their FS/mannlicher stock
My .243 is a 1980s Ruger 77 International/mannlicher.


While a bit out of step with mainstream thought.... well at least east of the Hudson River and west of the Sierra Nevada's.....

I believe every American child should receive firearms training in school; like a Phys Ed class;IIRC this was the original purpose of the NRA after the Civil War........... and like the Swiss every home should have a modern military style AR (semi-auto is fine) rifle.
I participated in both High School and College Rifle teams .... was a Summer Camp Rifle Instructor. ...... "there is nothing to fear but fear itself!"