Remington guide to shotguns and shells - good general info Pt1

[Rob62]

This is some pretty good information for anyone starting out with shotguns.

Rob
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THE REMINGTON GUIDE TO Shotguns and Shot shell Ammunition

INTRODUCTION
As you might imagine, we get a lot of questions about shot gunning here at Remington. ?Hunters want to know if they can shoot 2-3/4" shells in their 3"-chambered gun; what choke works best on late season pheasants; how steel shot compares to lead shot; or what the heck "dram equivalent" means? The list goes on and on. So, in response, we thought we'd take some of the most often-asked questions and create a concise, easy-to-understand reference that you can use whenever you need it.

And here it is: The Remington Guide to Shotgun Use. If you're just getting started with a shotgun, it will provide a wealth of information and probably answer just about every question you can dream up. If you're an experienced shot gunner, you just might find a few bits of information that can make you even more knowledgeable.

CHAPTER 1: S h o t g u n s

TYPES AND ACTIONS
For as long as hunters have taken a field, there has been discussion about which type of shotgun is "the best." This, of course, is largely a matter of opinion. So, without delving into the many debatable benefits, here are the three main types of shotguns and some of the advantages each has to offer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1:
Shotguns
TYPES AND ACTIONS
GAUGES
CHAMBER LENGTHS
BARREL LENGTHS
CHOKES
SIGHTS
CHAPTER 2:
Shotgun Shells
A ANATOMY OF A SHOT SHELL
GAUGES
SHELL LENGTHS
GUN POW D E R
S H OT
CHAPTER 3: Hunting and Shooting with a Shotgun
HUNTING: MATCHING GAUGES
AND AMMUNITION TO GA M E
TA RGET SHOOTING
WHERE TO HUNT AND SHOOT
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PUMP ACTION SHOTGUNS: With pump action shotguns (like the Remington Model 870) shells are fed from the magazine into the chamber and then ejected by the back-and-forth pumping of the fore-end assembly. The "pump gun" is very versatile and often preferred for its simple, reliable design. It's for these exact reasons that the Remington 870 is one of the most popular
shotguns of all time.

AUTOLOADING SHOTGUNS: With auto loading action shotguns (like the Remington ?Model 11-87) the first shell is manually inserted into the chamber and depressing the carrier release closes the action. After firing, the automatic mechanism then extracts and ejects the fired shell and continues to feed successive shells into the chamber, and fire them, with successive
pulls of the trigger. Autoloaders are sometimes inappropriately called "automatics." The more appropriate term is "semi-automatics" due to the fact that the trigger must be released between shots. Due to the speed of the auto loading feature, autoloaders are extremely popular among hunters and generally deliver less "felt" recoil.

NOTE: Remington pump action and auto loading shotguns are supplied with a "plug" that, when placed in the shotgun's magazine, allows only three shells to be loaded in the gun at one time (one in the chamber; two in the magazine). This plug may be removed to accommodate more shells; however, federal regulations prohibit the use of more than three shells in the gun at one time for all waterfowl and dove hunting - and many states have the same regulations for upland bird hunting. As always, check your regulations carefully.

Pump Action: sliding the fore end assembly back and forth manually ejects and chambers shells.
Auto loading Action: shells automatically eject and chamber.
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BREAK ACTION SHOTGUNS: With break action shotguns, shells are inserted by hand into the chamber and are extracted and ejected either manually or automatically as the action is opened. Break action shotguns can be further divided into three separate types: single shot, over-and-under and side-by-side. Each name is rather self-explanatory. Single shots have only one barrel and hold only one shell at a time. Over-and-unders have two
barrels, one stacked on top of the other. Side-by-sides have two barrels which sit next to each other on a horizontal plane. Those who shoot competitive trap and skeet or enjoy the compact feel and unique handling characteristics associated with their design often favor break action shotguns.

GAUGES
Shotgun barrels are classified by "gauge" - a term used to indicate the inside diameter of the barrel. Gauge is determined by taking lead balls thesame diameter as the gun's bore, then counting the total number of those lead balls it takes to equal one pound. For example: a 12-gauge = 12 lead balls to the pound; a 20-gauge = 20 lead balls to the pound. The most common types of shotgun gauges are 10, 12, 16, 20 and 28, with 12 being the most popular. The .410 bore shotgun is really not a "gauge" per se, but an actual measurement of the bore in inches. Most importantly, remember: the smaller the gauge number, the larger the actual bore size.

CHAMBER LENGTHS
The chamber is the opening at the rear of the barrel where the shell is placed for firing. A "standard" length chamber is for 2-3/4" shells. A "magnum" length chamber is for 3" shells. In many cases, shotguns with 3" or 3-1/2" chambers also function with shorter shells (like the Remington ? Model 870? Express Super Magnum). Shotguns with 2-3/4"chambers and barrels are
designed for use with 2-3/4" shells ONLY. Always match your ammunition with your barrel and receiver capacity.
(Also see "Shell Length" in Chapter 2.)

BARREL LENGTHS
Contrary to some opinions, longer barrels do not shoot "harder" or "further" than shorter barrels. Barrel length is really a matter of personal preference and often depends on terrain and the type of game you are hunting. Generally, longer barrels aid in pointing and are often preferred for pass shooting waterfowl and shooting targets such as skeet, trap and sporting clays. Shorter, more compact barrels can provide faster handling and are often chosen for hunting upland birds, turkeys, deer with slugs and
buckshot. Common barrel lengths include 20", 21", 23", 26", 28" and 30".