Anyone Have a Particular Favorite 20-12 Gauge Shotgun to recommend to an 18 year old?

Gunnut17 · January 20, 2017, 02:17 AM

I am American (My location as listed here making that obvious to the degree of being incredibly hard to not know aside.) and turned 18, the age for purchase in my State and the entire U.S. for rifles and shotguns (Despite I-594 and general lack of gun rights support in Western WA these days, believe it or not.) that, for the purposes of easily getting ammo before 21, aren't pistol caliber carbines or revolver rifles in .410 and .45 Colt a la the Taurus Judge.

In essence, I know enough about shotguns to prefer Mossberg 500/590 manuel safeties over Remington 870/887 crossbolt style ones, and to think the Remington name more overall reliable for the sake of trustworthiness than Mossberg given their mutual records as gun manufacturers in various forays, the Mossberg Scout Rifle concept that takes STANAG mags comes to mind as something that, while interesting, isn't nearly as renowned as, say, the Remington 700 Series, especially those, and other firearms, used by US Armed Forces as the M24 and other designations from one or both brand name's with inherently case-by-case basis for certain opinions of mine on Remington and Mossberg as companies from five years as a gun enthusiast, and about the same amount of time since the last time I've had the opportunity to go shooting with adult friends and/or family. (9mm, .45 ACP pistols and the GSG-5 and Ruger 10/22 at the time my only calibers fired, though with self defense powder loads in some 9mm, and some aluminum cased .45 that I fired then, it that makes any difference to more seasoned gun owners than me on the kick I've experienced after learning to avoid limp-wristing an otherwise perfectly reliable HK P30L at the time.

Any shotguns you all like more than other shotguns for any reason, and I'll happily read your input here and now.

Cheers.

Blindstitch · January 20, 2017, 05:09 AM

Well I'll ask the question. What do you want to do with it?

Favorite shotgun Mossberg 500 12 gauge for ducks and geese.
Favorite shotgun Mossberg 500 20 gauge for dispatching small nuisance animals.
Favorite shotgun Savage Fox BSE-C 12 gauge and Browning Citori 12 gauge for upland game.
Favorite shotgun for sporting clays... All of them.

Yeah one gun can fit all spots but I don't want to accidently drowned a $1,000-2000 gun duck hunting. Yet the Mossberg 500's durability caused me not to waste money so I could afford the last two.

redrick · January 20, 2017, 06:22 AM

For a $300 dollar budget , Remington or Mossberg you decide , there's no bad choice with either .

Semi Auto , $500 dollar budget , Weatherby SA-08 .

Just handle the ones that you like and pick the one that fits you the best and has the most features you like .

I like Remington pumps better than Mossberg because the Remington feels sleeker and moves better for me . I like the cross bolt safety . I started with that style and most of my guns have that style safety . There is much more aftermarket support for the 870 . I have bought 3 in the last year and all have been good . I think their quality has gotten better in the last 2 years from what I am seeing . Some complain about rust , I hunted with one of mine all day Monday , in the rain and not a speck of rust . I oil them and clean them the same as any of my guns , don't wait till the next day if it has gotten wet .

I do like some features of the 500 better than the 870 . I like that the ejector is easy to replace on the 500 , it is held in with a screw . The 870 is riveted and is much harder the change , but that is not something you have to change often , if ever in your lifetime but I have seen them break . I think the 500 is easier to load than the 870 , but the 870 is not hard to load , I just like the loading gate / shell lifter better on the 500 .

If you go with a semi auto unless you spend almost twice the price I don't think you will find a better shotgun than the SA-08 . It is very light and handles good for me . I have the 20ga. deluxe model that I use for rabbit hunting . It is hard to find a bad review on one . The only things that I don't like about it is , it's made in Turkey and the length of pull is long for me , 14 1/4" they say list it as 14" , but it's not and there is not much or any aftermarket support for it .

Good luck with your shopping .

shootbrownelk · January 20, 2017, 10:23 AM

Look for a used Remington wingmaster, from the 60's 70's. Much better workmanship and reliability than what they offer these days. Gun Manufacturers have cut corners and cheapened every place they could to maximize profits.

Gunnut17 · January 20, 2017, 01:06 PM

Well, given my understanding on the Remington vs Mossberg debate for 12GA in particular, with the 500 and 590 being what they are, and the Remington 870's special aftermarket do-ups such as the Wilson combat border Patrol specs tune-up that can be purchased for an existing or factory 870, there's little I can do without firing one at a range or what have you. (Anything else as per I-594 is bureaucratically and practically slow to do without having to get a third party FFL involved in, say, an adult friend and gun owner inviting me to a range with them, hypothetically.)

Semi-auto wise, the Weatherby brand has been on my radar for some time, though a semi-auto shotgun from them was not something I knew existed, actually.

The Benelli M4, being what it is, is perhaps my favorite firearm, aesthetically and practically, that is a semi-auto 12GA, to date, might be on my radar budget permitting such a prestigious purchase sooner rather than later.

Thanks for input given so far, gentlemen.

redrick · January 20, 2017, 03:41 PM

I take it that you are only going to be using it for home defense and you do not hunt or shoot clays .

January 20, 2017, 02:17 AM	#1
Gunnut17 Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2012 Location: Kitsap County, WA, USA Posts: 445	Anyone Have a Particular Favorite 20-12 Gauge Shotgun to recommend to an 18 year old? I am American (My location as listed here making that obvious to the degree of being incredibly hard to not know aside.) and turned 18, the age for purchase in my State and the entire U.S. for rifles and shotguns (Despite I-594 and general lack of gun rights support in Western WA these days, believe it or not.) that, for the purposes of easily getting ammo before 21, aren't pistol caliber carbines or revolver rifles in .410 and .45 Colt a la the Taurus Judge. In essence, I know enough about shotguns to prefer Mossberg 500/590 manuel safeties over Remington 870/887 crossbolt style ones, and to think the Remington name more overall reliable for the sake of trustworthiness than Mossberg given their mutual records as gun manufacturers in various forays, the Mossberg Scout Rifle concept that takes STANAG mags comes to mind as something that, while interesting, isn't nearly as renowned as, say, the Remington 700 Series, especially those, and other firearms, used by US Armed Forces as the M24 and other designations from one or both brand name's with inherently case-by-case basis for certain opinions of mine on Remington and Mossberg as companies from five years as a gun enthusiast, and about the same amount of time since the last time I've had the opportunity to go shooting with adult friends and/or family. (9mm, .45 ACP pistols and the GSG-5 and Ruger 10/22 at the time my only calibers fired, though with self defense powder loads in some 9mm, and some aluminum cased .45 that I fired then, it that makes any difference to more seasoned gun owners than me on the kick I've experienced after learning to avoid limp-wristing an otherwise perfectly reliable HK P30L at the time. Any shotguns you all like more than other shotguns for any reason, and I'll happily read your input here and now. Cheers.

January 20, 2017, 05:09 AM	#2
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,693	Well I'll ask the question. What do you want to do with it? Favorite shotgun Mossberg 500 12 gauge for ducks and geese. Favorite shotgun Mossberg 500 20 gauge for dispatching small nuisance animals. Favorite shotgun Savage Fox BSE-C 12 gauge and Browning Citori 12 gauge for upland game. Favorite shotgun for sporting clays... All of them. Yeah one gun can fit all spots but I don't want to accidently drowned a $1,000-2000 gun duck hunting. Yet the Mossberg 500's durability caused me not to waste money so I could afford the last two.

January 20, 2017, 06:22 AM	#3
redrick Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,041	For a $300 dollar budget , Remington or Mossberg you decide , there's no bad choice with either . Semi Auto , $500 dollar budget , Weatherby SA-08 . Just handle the ones that you like and pick the one that fits you the best and has the most features you like . I like Remington pumps better than Mossberg because the Remington feels sleeker and moves better for me . I like the cross bolt safety . I started with that style and most of my guns have that style safety . There is much more aftermarket support for the 870 . I have bought 3 in the last year and all have been good . I think their quality has gotten better in the last 2 years from what I am seeing . Some complain about rust , I hunted with one of mine all day Monday , in the rain and not a speck of rust . I oil them and clean them the same as any of my guns , don't wait till the next day if it has gotten wet . I do like some features of the 500 better than the 870 . I like that the ejector is easy to replace on the 500 , it is held in with a screw . The 870 is riveted and is much harder the change , but that is not something you have to change often , if ever in your lifetime but I have seen them break . I think the 500 is easier to load than the 870 , but the 870 is not hard to load , I just like the loading gate / shell lifter better on the 500 . If you go with a semi auto unless you spend almost twice the price I don't think you will find a better shotgun than the SA-08 . It is very light and handles good for me . I have the 20ga. deluxe model that I use for rabbit hunting . It is hard to find a bad review on one . The only things that I don't like about it is , it's made in Turkey and the length of pull is long for me , 14 1/4" they say list it as 14" , but it's not and there is not much or any aftermarket support for it . Good luck with your shopping .

January 20, 2017, 10:23 AM	#4
shootbrownelk Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2013 Location: Wyoming Posts: 329	Look for a used Remington wingmaster, from the 60's 70's. Much better workmanship and reliability than what they offer these days. Gun Manufacturers have cut corners and cheapened every place they could to maximize profits.

January 20, 2017, 01:06 PM	#5
Gunnut17 Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2012 Location: Kitsap County, WA, USA Posts: 445	Well, given my understanding on the Remington vs Mossberg debate for 12GA in particular, with the 500 and 590 being what they are, and the Remington 870's special aftermarket do-ups such as the Wilson combat border Patrol specs tune-up that can be purchased for an existing or factory 870, there's little I can do without firing one at a range or what have you. (Anything else as per I-594 is bureaucratically and practically slow to do without having to get a third party FFL involved in, say, an adult friend and gun owner inviting me to a range with them, hypothetically.) Semi-auto wise, the Weatherby brand has been on my radar for some time, though a semi-auto shotgun from them was not something I knew existed, actually. The Benelli M4, being what it is, is perhaps my favorite firearm, aesthetically and practically, that is a semi-auto 12GA, to date, might be on my radar budget permitting such a prestigious purchase sooner rather than later. Thanks for input given so far, gentlemen.

January 20, 2017, 03:41 PM	#6
redrick Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,041	I take it that you are only going to be using it for home defense and you do not hunt or shoot clays .