I try to approach this discussion as realistically as possible, when it comes up. I also like to assume that I won’t be able to go shopping in the middle of a life and death scenario. 🤣
Looking at what’s in my gun cabinet, I have a quality, bolt-action Czechoslovakian .22 with old, mediocre optics, and a poorly adapted five round magazine from a later model (I couldn’t find any original mags here, Canada). It shoots straight, good for targets, but if I lost that mag I would be screwed.
I have two 30-30s, one is essentially a show gun that my late-grandfather won at a charity auction, and it’s covered in shiny brass bits. The other lever is also pristine, but sports a heavy barrel, beefier stock, iron sights and has exactly zero shiny parts. I keep that last one at the front of the gun safe, because it’s light enough, has okay stopping power, and isn’t so long as to be unwieldy, and a box of my best 30-30 rounds on the shelf above.
I also buy cheaper 22lr rounds, and mid-high or better quality for all my centrefire stuff, so that to me is a no brainer. For me it’s 30-30 all the way.
Also, I gotta throw in with the shotgun guys, any time I do any shooting, my pump action 12 gauge is coming with me. I am more practised with it than any other gun I have owned, and it is simple, consistent, and reliable.