Picking up my 870 tomorrow

[MJRW]

Looking to do some shotgunning in the northern virginia area probably this weekend. May go to NRA range to shoot some slugs at some paper. May head to Bull Run (if my 870 is totally inappropriate, I will rent) and see how that works. Want to immerse myself in the world of shotgunning for a bit. Anyone have any suggestions or any interest in joining me?

[Dave McC]

Use good form, and have fun! Let me know how this works out, please.

[MJRW]

Have fun? Not a problem.

Good form? Umm...what is it? If I recall its weight on the front leg. Legs about shoulder width apart? Where are the feet pointing? Upper body similar to rifling?

[bamf]

If you're punching paper with slugs then it's rather similar to rifling, just no rifles in your barrel :)

But if you're shooting moving targets then thats a different story, it's nothing like riflery, in fact if you treat it as such you won't have much success. Pick up a book, get a lesson or have some experienced clays shooter to take you around a course.

Have a good time. :D

[Dave McC]

MJRW, there's an old thread on Proper Mounting Techniques that should help you a lot.

[Chris W]

MJRW,

Welcome to shotgunning from a fellow novice! I got an 870 last week and shot it yesterday for the first time with no experience or advice other than what I'd read on TFL. DO read the thread Dave mentions above on Proper Mounting Techniques; and while you're at it, or when you have time, do a search for threads Dave has started--there are dozens, on a variety of topics of interest to shotgunners--and read them all. You'll enjoy yourself and learn a good bit.

I don't know what your shooting experience is like, but I don't have a lot of big-bore long-gun background, and some of the discussion of recoil from the mighty 12 gauge had me a bit nervous before shooting yesterday--but there's good news. If you position yourself and gun close to correctly, that 'shove' from light loads or even from a reasonable load of buck is a blast. You'll surely know you've shot something, and after 50 shells I could feel new and strange feelings in my shoulder this morninng; but I'm persuaded that folks who make a mountain out of recoil must be doin' something wrong.

So--read up, go shoot, and have fun!

Chris

[Dave McC]

Gee, Chris, all this will turn my head(G)!

Seriously, it's nice to know I'm helping people.

Re recoil.....

Unless you've fallen victim to the Magnumistas, a shotgun with proper fit and form is a real blast to shoot,(pun intended). Nothing like instant gratification when that clay explodes, the bird crashes, or the wily tin can is slain.

When well done, shotgunning qualifies as the most fun we can have fully dressed.

FYI, I'm pulling out posts about various stuff here and am trying to put it in some kind of continuum. Working title, Shotgun Satori.

[David Park]

Your 870 is perfectly appropriate for Bull Run, though members of the Perazzi crowd may not think so. ;) I'm not sure if they have any barrel length requirement, though. I've used my Mossy 500 before with a 28" barrel (now out of commission), but not with the current 18" barrel. Bull Run has really nice autos and O/Us for rent.

I like Light and Xtra-Light target loads. I can shoot those all day, but after a handful of Fiocchi slugs, I'm ready to pack up the gun and go home. :)

If you want to meet up on Sunday, I'm free.

[Mike Irwin]

I MAY be free on Sunday.

Let me know.

E-mail me at kframe_19@yahoo.com

[MJRW]

Sunday is looking good for me. Mike and/or Dave, Sunday at Bull Run?

E-mail me at home @ wheelerjamier@comcast.net or leave me a PM message. If I find there's something wrong with my 870, a.k.a. I'm horrible at shooting it, I'm still interested in grabbing a rental gun and knocking some clay out of the sky. Or in my case, waiting until it hits the ground as is sitting still.

[Dave McC]

Next day off work is Xmas, and I've plans for then(G). But, take a rain check, I may try to get together with folks on some kind of clay shoot in the Spring, when things slack off. Current work weeks run about 50-55 hours, and I've yet to hunt this Fall.

THAT'S incredible for me, I usually have a couple deer in the freezer and some new fond memories by this time.

But,once Wonderful Wife gets back to work, things should improve markedly. Maybe a few rounds together at PGC?