[soundguy]

If you could only have 1 firearm, period, and it had to satisfy sport and HOME defense.. I'd get a shotgun. if money is tight.. get a mossberg 12g pump it's one of the cheapest.. a 500a model.. and it's also time proven.

at home, the very racking of a shotgun slide SHOULD send a common burgler running. the weapon is rugged and sturdy and not picky about ammo in it's correct chambering. the action is a hair loose meaining virtually no chance of hung ejections, failed ejections, or failures to feed / load. it is a 'long gun' and as thus has 'hand weapon' capability in the dire event you run out of ammo and the thug still has some bit /fight left in him, thus you can fight defensively with it, or butstroke / use it like a (expensive) staff if in extreme need.

in the sport realm, a 12g gives you many options for hunting foul or other animals like deer and hog, close range, as well as smaller varmint game with fine shot ( squirrel.. etc.. ). lastly, while not a snice as a double or auto, a pump CAN be used to shoot clay targets. my first shotgun was a pump and i got pretty good shooting clay discs out of the air with it.

soundguy