[dlanc]

I'm curious to see everyone's response when asked what is the best all purpose camp gun in their arsenals.

[Cole125]

For me the best camp gun is a .22 lr pistol, either my MKIII or S&W 617. Cheap to shoot, lots of fun.



It does depend on where you are camping, if you are in big game country, you will want a magnum revolver and a 12g shotgun.

[BigNic]

Regardless of the many firearms I tote up to our camp per visit, the one constant I always bring is my Mossy 500 12ga. My personal pick for all around camp gun. Fun and formidable.

[Cole125]

Originally Posted by BigNic

Regardless of the many firearms I tote up to our camp per visit, the one constant I always bring is my Mossy 500 12ga. My personal pick for all around camp gun. Fun and formidable.

Mossberg 500 is another good one. If you have two barrels, even better. A 18.5 for SD, and a 24 or 28 inch for clays, hunting, plinking.

[hogship]

We're talking about just plinking and generally having fun, right? (Not defense from big scary critters)

These two are my current favorites:

Ruger MKII Target:

Rossi 62SA:


Around these parts, I always have something that will take care of the threats, too.
This one is one of several I have for that purpose:
Smith 629-2

[mixflip]

I like my camp gun to be effective at close and long range. Versatility is always nice.

That being said, at 6.75 lbs empty, old school traditional "hunter" looks, the 580 series having new thicker barrels for much better accuracy, more powerful than pretty much most handguns, and capable of effectively engaging threats out to 100 yards which most handguns cant - I feel comfortable with this for dealing with human predators all the way up to mountain lions to maybe even smaller sized bears?

Oh yeah and its a fun gun too for plinking but a 22 handgun is a far better (cheaper) option for that.

My Ruger mini 14 - 16" barrel model.

[SGT HATRED]

When I think camp gun I think .22 so for me it's my ruger 10/22.

[powder86]

12 ga 870. shoot some clays. and anti bear and anti cougar if i need it. id never go camping out here in these mountains with out some protection for black bear, moose, and cougar. seen all 3 out here before.

[OctoberRust]

All around camp gun? Glock 19 for sure. Tame/cheap enough to plink with and still has enough oomph to give anything you're shooting at a run for its money.

[PrecisionRifleman]

Glock 20SF is my woods/camping/hiking/hunting sidearm. I've even taken a deer with mine with no problem.

[M&P15T]

WTH is a "camp" gun?

[Fed Five Oh]

Originally Posted by M&P15T

WTH is a "camp" gun?

One of those .22 rifles they let you shoot when you went to summer camp.

I vote Remington 541T.

[arclight610]

Originally Posted by M&P15T

WTH is a "camp" gun?

A camp gun is something you use to hide in dark corners, under stairwells, and by respawn points to get easy kills.

[Wyoming]

Originally Posted by M&P15T

WTH is a "camp" gun?

Well a lot depends on where you are camping and how you got there. That is why there are so many good choices that are already listed.

A short barrel shotgun if you are in a motor home, trailer or camper is a good choice. I had a Mossberg 500 18" barrel with rifle sights threaded for screw in chocks. You can handled anything from bunnies to big ass bears and two legged varmints. The down size you need to be able to carry it and all the stuff that goes with it. A back packer may opted out with a shotgun option.

I have several "camp" guns but if I were to have only one it would be a 4" revolver in 44 Magnum. For where most people camp in this country a 357 would be fine.

However I have a S&W Model 60 in 3" that I leave in my kit. A "kit" gun is not the same as a camp gun but close.

The main thing is if you are going camping and will be a long response time for a 911 call - take a gun.

BTW, I have a Marlin Model 9 in 9mm that is often referred to as "Marlin Camp Gun" that I have never taken it camping.

[Bruce M]

Maybe someday the best camp gun for me will be some double rifle from Holland and Holland that I will have to remember to lug along to the latrine tent at night regardless of how fast the Askari appears...

[CBennett]

I guess id say a Shotgun OR a lever action 30/30 of some sort with the shotgun you have ability to take anything from bears to squirrels and everything in between. The 30/30 gives you a bit more range but I dont know if your taking a squirrel and EATING it with a 30/30 lol... for me its a Shotgun with my .357 magnum revolver at my side as a backup....I dont know exactly what you mean by "camp gun" but thats what im thinking.

[Fed Five Oh]

How about an AR-10 with an underslung 870?

[pat701]

Originally Posted by Fed Five Oh

How about an AR-10 with an underslung 870?

Camping isn't that dangerious

[PlasticGuy]

Browning Buckmark with AAC Element suppressor

Vang Comp Mossberg 590a1

I generally take both when I go camping.

[HAMMERHEAD]

Handgun? CZ Kadet/75 .22/9mm.
Long gun? CZ Scout .22

[glock2740]

When I'm hunting, my sidearm is a G20. Before I got the G20, my woods gun was my 4" SS GP100. When camping, it's usually whatever gun I'm CC'ing.

[ChuteTheMall]

I agree that a CCW is not to be ignored when camping, but to me the category of "camp gun" refers to some gun that I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't camping.

So that's usually a fun plinker, preferably something versatile and accurate such as Ruger Single Six which shoots .22 short, long & long rifle in addition to .22 magnum.
It doesn't get carried enough in the city.

Or if ultralight backpacking, a tiny mousegun such as Keltec P32 if I merely don't want to be caught without a gun.

To some people, a camp gun is to defend the safari during cocktail hour from pesky critter attacks, so a 12g SxS (or Moss 500) might be kept within reach.

I prefer having my AK along when out in the woods, plus a Glock on my belt, because these are my most useful two guns for serious social situations in my opinion, but I don't think of them as camp guns. And if I tote 4 or more guns along, it's no longer just camping, it's a shooting event instead.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[RJ's Guns]

Originally Posted by ChuteTheMall

I agree that a CCW is not to be ignored when camping, but to me the category of "camp gun" refers to some gun that I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't camping.


I prefer having my AK along when out in the woods...

In the lower 48, I also like an AK for a rifle that is always close-by when I am camping. I do not have a lot of money invested in an AK. Aks are usually reliable and can take a fair amount of neglect and abuse. I can put a fair amount of lead into a reasonably small area at relatively close range and if need be, I can repeatedly hit something smaller than the broad side of a barn at several hundred yards. As far as a handgun goes, I prefer to carry a Ruger Alaskan 454 Casull in a holster and a Seecamp 380 in my pocket, just in case.

In Alaska I like to have a few 12 ga shotguns placed strategically around camp that supplement the hunting rifles. I also carry my Ruger Alaskan 454 Casull in a holster and a Seecamp 380 in my pocket. But I have been considering replacing the Ruger with a S&W 500 mag, either a 4”or a 5”, but I have not made up my mind yet on the barrel length.

RJ

[Haldor]

Savage 24C. Over/Under 22 LR/20 gauge, C stands for Camper version which this one certainly is. Weighs a little over 5lb and fits in a daypack. Stores 2 shotgun shells and 10 rounds of .22 LR in the butt stock as well. I keep one shrink-wrapped in my car emergency kit.





Its a "break glass in case of emergency" sort of thing. Got both urban and wilderness survival situations covered.

My latest actually camp gun is a Beretta 21A I picked up a couple of months ago. It is a really nice pocket .22 LR. Now I just need to get a threaded barrel and a micro suppressor for it. I have been looking at this one, the Thompson Machine Wasp.

[JDSTG58]

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