My favorite “do-anything” rifle is a Marlin 1894 lever action chambered in .44 Magnum.
Its under 7 pounds loaded, holds 10 rds in the tubular magazine, and will stop everything with two legs and just about everything with four in North America.
I added XS ghost-ring sites to mine. If I can see it, I can hit it - within 150yds. Recoil is negligible and it is a hoot to shoot.
Of course, since obamao was elected I have sold all of my guns but I still have fond memories of that Marlin...
I lost all mine in an unfortunate canoeing accident.
The Marlin 1894 lever action chambered in .44 Magnum is an excellent white tail gun in most areas of the US.
If you get a carbine model it will do for home defense. I prefer a Colt 1911 for home defense because a rifle will penetrate interior walls (and in newer homes exterior as well) possible injuring unintended persons.
However if you must have a do it all weapon the 44 Magnum Marlin 1894 lever action carbine will do the job. I recommend that for home defense that you keep it loaded with frangible safety slug ammo.
The comment about anything on two legs might not apply to Grizzly however ;)
Goodness, I wish I had had the forethought to sell all mine,'cause if I had, I would know who had them and could go and kindly request the return of them, since I miss them so much...hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink..but all of mine, ever last one, except for that old rusty single shot twenty gauge, got blowed up in the air from a tornado this past summer.
I alerted every police department I could about it, just in case some of them fell back to earth, somewhere, but I haven't heard anything and it's been over six months.
But, just in case one of them turns up, I'm continuing to buy ammunition for them.
Just in case, you know?
>>Of course, since obamao was elected I have sold all of my guns but I still have fond memories of that Marlin...<<
It’s good that you at least got to sell them. I lost all mine in a tragic boating accident. Ammo and all. So sad.