Fellow Hunters

All of you are going off in one direction, there is no right answer to a question like that so I try to give it a different direction.

When Hunting in forest / Muntain areas it may be worth considering a combination gun, having the option to shoot birds, hare or alike together with the larger game gives you a real versatile gun for the lone Hunter. I personally prefer a 7x65R 16/70 OU combination. I remember maybe 25 years ago in Norway before I started to use combination guns, I was hunting for Red deer and had a number of insidents where Black Grouse were practically sitting on my hat, but no shotgun. The next day I carried BOTH my rifle AND my shot gun 2 1/2 Hours up mountain, but of course no Black grouse.

I am aware that it is a "European" thing to use combination guns but they are available in america and also second hand European Gebr. Merkel's are available within your budget. Combination guns are real hunting companions, not intended for extreem long range shooting or a day at the shooting Range blasting off.

The combination gun also has the option to use a brenneke type slug together with the rifled barrel as a backup when going for a wounded animal.

Best regards,