The Beginners Gun Collection: 5 Firearm Types Every Man Should Own

1. A Classic 20 or 12 Gauge Shotgun - The two most popular and versatile shotguns for all varieties of bird hunting - Dove, Duck, Quail, and so on.  A shotgun is what many people learn to shoot with.  As a boy it was a shotgun that taught me the “kick” of firing a gun, how to shoulder a gun properly, lining up for a shot, and proper gun safety.  For a recommendation, I point anyone and everyone to the gun I grew up with - a Remington Model 1100 20- Gauge.  You can read more about my favorite shotgun at this article here: https://americanduke.com/blogs/the-great-outdoors/the-remington-model-1100-a-classic.  For a higher end option, it’s hard to go wrong with the Beretta Silver Pigeon 1 - a beautiful over-under shotgun that is popular for both sporting and hunting.
2. A Trusty Hunting Rifle - I’m fortunate enough to come from a close family.  How does that relate to guns?  My Great-Grandfather passed several on to my Dad - An old Winchester 30.06, a great .243, a 30-30, and a 270.  They are beautiful guns - made in the 60s and 70s when gun craftsmanship was arguably at some of it’s best.  Luckily, guns is an industry where every craftsman is chasing better and better quality, I’m just partial to the heavy weight of a wood body, and that’s what I recommend here.  Check out your local gun store, and find something with some age and experience that’s ready to help you get that first deer, hog, or exotic animal.
3. A 9mm Every Day Pistol - The World is changing, and I feel more comfortable when I keep my concealed carry gun with me.  It’s become a habit for no bad reason, but for all the careful ones, and that’s everything from being able to protect myself and family in a bad situation, as well as show a Rattlesnake a lesson if he’s waiting by a ranch gate.  The gun I like to keep on me and recommend for every day carry?  The Glock 39-19.  A single stack, six round magazine pistol with good sights and comfortable size and weight, I have put thousands of practice rounds through this gun (always get plenty and regular practice with your concealed carry gun of choice)  and it handles them like a champ
4. A Hobby Gun -  I’m gonna cheat here because there’s two guns I really like, so call it a bonus:  Firstly, I just recently bought a Ruger Vaquero .45 Long Colt.  It’s a beautiful “cowboy gun”.  A single action revolver and I love the heck out of shooting this thing.  Great weight, great handling, and just fits beautifully in the hand - Revolvers can be fun as heck to target shoot with, and it’ll take down wild pigs or any other predator if you ever need it to when you’re out on the ranch.  My Second Recommendation would be some form of a 22LR Rimfire Rifle - 22 ammo is cheap, 22’s are fun to shoot, and they’ll still handle smaller varmit if you ever need it to.  It’s also a great instructional firearm for a novice learning to shoot and get comfortable with a gun, as there’s essentially no recoil on a .22 rifle.
5. A Modern Sporting Rifle - I am an AR-15 proponent.  I won’t get into any other politics on this article other than saying we have a firm belief in the Second Amendment and every American’s right to defend themselves.  The AR-15 is perhaps the most versatile and modern gun to do just that if ever needed.  But on a less serious note, AR-15s are great for target and sport shooting, ammo is (relatively) affordable for such a popular firearm, and if you’re in the farming and ranching world, there is no better option to handle the herds of wild pigs that can come tearing through ranch fences and crop fields.

Here at American Duke we stand behind gun safety and responsibility.  Always point your gun in a safe direction, look beyond your target and be mindful of your surroundings before firing, and remember a gun is ALWAYS LOADED.  Clean your gun regularly, store it unloaded, and store it in a safe place.