The following 3 links are for the Gun List, some folks have read it, others read about it.... Krause also has a few other publications worth purusing once inawhile, the 3rd link is The Gun List classifieds, sometimes hard to get it to bring you up your particular lising but if it aint in the list that week, try again every other week as it is updated just like the print version twice a month.
http://www.krause.com/static/firearms.htm
http://www.collect.com/interest/periodical.asp?Pub=GL&cookie_test=1
http://www.collect.com/buysell/classifieds/default.asp
That said, as any prudent person would know, a 12 gauge shotgun can be and is accurate with slugs over 100 yards, depending upon what shell lenngth you are using and weight of slug and wheter it is saboted or not and if you have a rifled barrel..... several variables.....
Mauser rifles military surplus are by far better rifles than written about by the gun writers of recent history....[we won WWII, why say the rifles the Germans used were any good?] the Model 98 largering Mauser action is the basis for many rifles, the ruger model 77, for one. The 98 action can be used without modification on many calibres based off the 30-06 springfeild round, which the 8mm is as well just necked up is all. The 3 locks on the bolts allow chamber pressures to exceed most book recomendations for modern rifles as well as most modern arms us a 2 lock lug on the bolt.
On any surplus rifle check the headspace between bolt and case.... if greater than 12 thousandths be very careful in firing any thing through it.... a human hair is generally 3 thousandths an matchbook cover is 17 thousandths..... if not sure place rifle in a vise [or tie it to a post] use a string to pull the trigger [do not stand directly behind the rifle either] check for damage and case swelling [use a micrometer]. Reloading manuals are easy to find, and have starting points to go below and work over the top of depending on each firearm. Dies are inexpensive and so are hand presses.... get a chronograph to check speeds and calulate foot-pounds of energy..... use a rifle range to check your loads for drop at 100, 200, 500, 1000 yards or any distance you believe you are gonna shoot, remembering the benchrest is a perfect condition and almost never duplicated in the field..... write all data down if you reload including temperature and humidity, which effects trajectory as much as wind.
Ive hunted with a 30-30 in Idaho for 30 seasons.... even killed more deer than ive had tags for thanks to a 2 deer in one shot one day.... farthest shot has only been 150 yards.... even in open feilds, but with the old octagon barrel [26 inch] my granddad shot a deer at 600 yards, which is a bit far for a 30 calibre spincast but it can be done.
A 22-250 is an awesome round for a varmit and deer at distances of 400 yards or less and it can be loaded down to a 22 hornet round for grouse, and up slightly for medium ranges as a person wants to have fun experimenting with loads and different size projectiles.
Contrary to popular opinion there is no "one Firearm fits all" homestead categories, there are starting points and there has never been a stopping point for some people, I personally have 3 30-30's currently 2 lever and one bolt action, a pump 12 gauge, a break single shot 12, a pump 22 rifle, an auto loading 22 rifle, an auto loading 22 pistol, a 357 revolver [for sale] an LAR Grizzly 45 Winchester Magnum auto loading pistol [one deer for saying i could do it] and 3 model 96 mauser in 6.5 x 55 Swede [I bought 11 and kept the 3 best head spaces], My dad-in-law has the 8mm Mauser and the 22-250 he built on the 98 frame we go play with from time to time, and he also built a couple of 7x57 on the 98 actions which he shot an elk at 416 yards in the rump and found the projectile in the front shoulder.... traveling completely through meat to its stopping point, so not a calibre that should be used in short range conditions.
The 9x63 is camparable to the 375 H&H and is the smallest calibre allowed in Africa for the big game now, it is built on the 8mm case which as stateed above is the 30-06 case, just way more efficient in use of powder than the '06 or 308 round, but still more powerful than most folks will ever use.
sorry i dont have much to input on firearm selection.... as you can see my knowledge is limited slightly.
William [edited for spelling]