Single Shot for Backpacking

Dave, NEF offers a 10ga. Turkey with a 24" barrel, but it weighs in at 9 lbs. instead of the 6 lbs. of the 12ga. Turkey model.

If I had an NEF Turkey gun in 12 ga., I think I'd shoot very few rounds of those
3 1/2" lead loads! I bought ten rounds of 3" turkey loads years back when I bought my first NEF Pardner (28" barrel no recoil pad). I still have 9 rounds of that stuff and those rounds will be reserved for turkey when I've applied plenty of Dentucreme to my permanent teeth!

Most of my shooting would be conducted with 2 3/4" stuff throwing 1 1/8oz. of shot or less. If I wanted to bust, 75-100 clays or so, I'd probably be using 1 oz. or 7/8 oz. handloads.

I'm going to have one of my Handi-Rifles fitted with the 3 1/2" Turkey 24" choke tube barrel. I'll let you know how it works out!

Regards! DaMan
 
Just depends on what you'll have to (or expect to) deal with while backpacking ... it really does come down to threat analysis/weight-to-yippe factor ....

I currently carry (always) a S&W (yes, I know but bought before the stupidity) M317 = an 8-shot .22 LR DA pistol (unloaded & you can figure in the extra 50 if you want, but I carry an MTM ? 30 rnd "extras pack" as standard = it's too lightweight not to).

IF, you care to have some extra firepower along, why not the Taurus Tracker series in the 5-shot .41 mag at 22 oz? Total weight (unloaded) is 22 oz (just over 2lbs total & add the weight of 5X .41s & ~50+ .22s & you're stll under 3 lbs)

Tracker at strong-side for immediate threats & the 317 for game-baggin' = weak/cross-draw (whatever for your backpacking set-up) .... unless not handy with handguns, I can't think of a better all-'round package ....

... just a thought (I am sick & tired of carrying extra weight while backpackin' .... + never yet had to use any firearm while "out there" in 30+ yrs of doing it - although I was glad to have a hi-cap 9mm once when "talking" with some "I thought that Deliverance was a love story movie-type of fellows ... = yikes ... almost)

One thing the shotgun will give you is the "birds on the wing" capability ... but, how many times do you really need that & can't good hunting/stalking skills overcome that?
 
Lots of choices folks, and more than one good one. I kinda like the idea of a SS 20 ga, and a good 22LR pistol like the High Standard Supermatic series. Took a lot of squirrels with the ones I had.

DaMan, buddy has a slug gun from NEF, a 12 ga on a 10 ga bbl blank,and fully rifled. Shoots pretty well with sabots.
 
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