I need some help with choosing a good shotgun... - Page 2

Big Tom · January 3, 2010, 07:27 PM

Because of the prices and the purpose of the guns we are buying my father and I have agreed to go with two 20 gauge h&r toppers. Since we are only using them for pheasant and quail we believe this gun to be more than sufficent and practical for my low income....thanks everyone for your help, it was much appreciated!

hogdogs · January 3, 2010, 08:30 PM

Yep those work great and also induce a bit of skill with the knowledge that you only have one choice...
Brent

johnwilliamson062 · January 3, 2010, 11:50 PM

OMG a thread on this exact subject complete with polls.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=390178

Looks like 80% of people think you should get a 12 ga and 70% think it should be a pump

qwman68 · January 4, 2010, 01:05 AM

of the three you mentioned i would get the topper becouse you are'nt gonna kill very much with the coach gun out hunting..

oneounceload · January 4, 2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

of the three you mentioned i would get the topper becouse you are'nt gonna kill very much with the coach gun out hunting..

Now THAT would depend on how the gun fits, how much practice is involved, and just how much natural talent they were born with......

TheVillageIdiot · January 5, 2010, 02:44 PM

I'm fairly new to shotgun sports, so this entire discussion is something I just went through in the past couple of years.

First law of shotgunning: The gun is the cheapest part of the sport. Don't obsess over the cost of the gun. Buy what you can afford and buy a gun that fits you correctly.

Second law of shotgunning: Buy a gun that fits its intended purpose. If you want a shotgun for a little hunting and home defense, economical shotguns work just fine. Look for sales at big box sporting goods stores. Here in California, Big 5 Sports often runs sales on entry level shotguns that often offer two barrels: 20 inch and 28 inch. Perfect for your home defense fantasies and hunting/sporting clay adventures. Mossberg, Remington 870 and any Browning will fit your needs and meet your budget.

Start with a pump. They tend to be the most gun for the money. Mossberg is a fine gun. I personally think you get more value with a Benelli, but that is my opinion. If you buy a used shotgun, ask about the warranty. Most reputable gun stores will offer a 90 day return policy or fix it for free. The semi automatic Remington 1100's are plentiful, easy to fix and parts are easy to obtain.

Third law of shotgunning: If the shotgun is knocking the snot out of you, you are holding it incorrectly or the gun doesn't fit you. Work on perfecting your form. Take some lessons. Figure out how to hold a shotgun and determine if you are right eye or left eye dominate. Go to a gun club or shooting facility that has a pattern board. Step off 20 or so paces and fire at the pattern board to see if what you aim at is what you hit.

Don't buy a shotgun that doesn't fit. Twisting the gun or excessive leaning to make you fit the gun will only lead to unhappiness. Here is a quick way to determine if a shotgun fits you: Assume your stance. Close your eyes. Bring the gun up to your shooting position. Open your eyes. If the barrel has two beads, you should see a clear figure 8. If it has only one bead, you should see the entire rib or the top of the barrel and the bead. If not, the gun really doesn't fit you. Put it down and move on to the next gun.

Fourth law of shotgunning: If you get into clay target sports, price of the shotgun does matter. Putting 5,000 or more rounds through your gun in a year takes it toll. Shotguns that cost less than $1,500 will start breaking down. Repair parts and their availability do matter when buying guns in this price range.

Fifth law of shotgunning: You haven't felt recoil until you start firing a Browning A5 in 12, 16 or 20. So if that shotgun is bucking or pounding you in the cheek, you are doing it wrong.

I shoot over 10,000 rounds a year using 12, 20, 16 gauge shotguns. I use factory loads and reload my own ammunition. I use steel and I use lead. I have hot loads and I have soft loads. And what have I learned? Gun fit is everything and the only thing. Experiment with slip on recoil pads. Not so much to absorb recoil, but to get the best LOP and fit you can.

I can shoot as well as anyone at my gun club with a 20 gauge pump Benelli as the guy with the $28,000 Perazzi. And sometimes I can catch the empty shell in the air before I take the second shot.

One last thing. No matter what you buy, get yourself a cleaning kit and a Bore Snake. Clean the gun once in a while and lub it as directed.

Nevmavrick · January 7, 2010, 04:23 PM

Your price range says "used," sooo, keep looking at the used gun rack, until you find something that you really like. You'll know. It's like your "life partner," you'll go through a few you thought were right, but "you'll know." If you get it right the first time....GR8!
EVERYBODY knows the sound of a pump-gun from the other side of the door...It's great for home defense because of that. The length of the barrel has little to do with it.
Inexpensive, not CHEAP, is a good thing, especially now. You'll have more money later. I thought I'd NEVER get my first...Now, I have a couple. I started reloading when I was 12, I'm now over 60, and most of my time is spent trying to figure what I want to shoot next. Either THAT, or my other "hobby."
Oh, yeah....save the shells. They come in handy later.
Have fun,
Gene

The "other hobby" is drag racing-NOT street racing!!!

pinetree · January 7, 2010, 05:22 PM

20g is a great for what you need. I have a 12g Beretta semi that is mostly relegated to goose and duck trips to Canada. I picked up a cheap Russian 20g OU on my way out to town going to a quail hunt (20g was the largest gauge allowed). I was hooked.

I can safely say after shooting at dove all day with a 12g and then moving to the 20g, it was much easier on the shoulder. I want to shoot a round of trap to see how I do. At the last charity shoot I did, a local girls HS team was smoking the clays with their 20's.

If you need more pop, go with 3" shells.

AZwarts · January 9, 2010, 12:22 AM

870 express in 12 ga. 3'' is $269 right now at Dick's sporting goods and then you get a $50 mail in rebate on top of that.

January 3, 2010, 07:27 PM	#26
Big Tom Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2009 Location: Northeast, Maryland Posts: 441	We've Decided Because of the prices and the purpose of the guns we are buying my father and I have agreed to go with two 20 gauge h&r toppers. Since we are only using them for pheasant and quail we believe this gun to be more than sufficent and practical for my low income....thanks everyone for your help, it was much appreciated! __________________ ANTI-GUN is ANTI-AMERICAN!

January 5, 2010, 02:44 PM	#31
TheVillageIdiot Junior Member Join Date: January 4, 2010 Posts: 5	Good Shotgun Is A Realitive Term I'm fairly new to shotgun sports, so this entire discussion is something I just went through in the past couple of years. First law of shotgunning: The gun is the cheapest part of the sport. Don't obsess over the cost of the gun. Buy what you can afford and buy a gun that fits you correctly. Second law of shotgunning: Buy a gun that fits its intended purpose. If you want a shotgun for a little hunting and home defense, economical shotguns work just fine. Look for sales at big box sporting goods stores. Here in California, Big 5 Sports often runs sales on entry level shotguns that often offer two barrels: 20 inch and 28 inch. Perfect for your home defense fantasies and hunting/sporting clay adventures. Mossberg, Remington 870 and any Browning will fit your needs and meet your budget. Start with a pump. They tend to be the most gun for the money. Mossberg is a fine gun. I personally think you get more value with a Benelli, but that is my opinion. If you buy a used shotgun, ask about the warranty. Most reputable gun stores will offer a 90 day return policy or fix it for free. The semi automatic Remington 1100's are plentiful, easy to fix and parts are easy to obtain. Third law of shotgunning: If the shotgun is knocking the snot out of you, you are holding it incorrectly or the gun doesn't fit you. Work on perfecting your form. Take some lessons. Figure out how to hold a shotgun and determine if you are right eye or left eye dominate. Go to a gun club or shooting facility that has a pattern board. Step off 20 or so paces and fire at the pattern board to see if what you aim at is what you hit. Don't buy a shotgun that doesn't fit. Twisting the gun or excessive leaning to make you fit the gun will only lead to unhappiness. Here is a quick way to determine if a shotgun fits you: Assume your stance. Close your eyes. Bring the gun up to your shooting position. Open your eyes. If the barrel has two beads, you should see a clear figure 8. If it has only one bead, you should see the entire rib or the top of the barrel and the bead. If not, the gun really doesn't fit you. Put it down and move on to the next gun. Fourth law of shotgunning: If you get into clay target sports, price of the shotgun does matter. Putting 5,000 or more rounds through your gun in a year takes it toll. Shotguns that cost less than $1,500 will start breaking down. Repair parts and their availability do matter when buying guns in this price range. Fifth law of shotgunning: You haven't felt recoil until you start firing a Browning A5 in 12, 16 or 20. So if that shotgun is bucking or pounding you in the cheek, you are doing it wrong. I shoot over 10,000 rounds a year using 12, 20, 16 gauge shotguns. I use factory loads and reload my own ammunition. I use steel and I use lead. I have hot loads and I have soft loads. And what have I learned? Gun fit is everything and the only thing. Experiment with slip on recoil pads. Not so much to absorb recoil, but to get the best LOP and fit you can. I can shoot as well as anyone at my gun club with a 20 gauge pump Benelli as the guy with the $28,000 Perazzi. And sometimes I can catch the empty shell in the air before I take the second shot. One last thing. No matter what you buy, get yourself a cleaning kit and a Bore Snake. Clean the gun once in a while and lub it as directed.

January 3, 2010, 08:30 PM	#27
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Yep those work great and also induce a bit of skill with the knowledge that you only have one choice... Brent

January 3, 2010, 11:50 PM	#28
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	OMG a thread on this exact subject complete with polls. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=390178 Looks like 80% of people think you should get a 12 ga and 70% think it should be a pump

January 4, 2010, 01:05 AM	#29
qwman68 Junior member Join Date: May 10, 2009 Location: Crimson Tide Country Posts: 359	of the three you mentioned i would get the topper becouse you are'nt gonna kill very much with the coach gun out hunting..

January 7, 2010, 04:23 PM	#32
Nevmavrick Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2010 Location: Sparks, Nevada, near Reno Posts: 183	Your price range says "used," sooo, keep looking at the used gun rack, until you find something that you really like. You'll know. It's like your "life partner," you'll go through a few you thought were right, but "you'll know." If you get it right the first time....GR8! EVERYBODY knows the sound of a pump-gun from the other side of the door...It's great for home defense because of that. The length of the barrel has little to do with it. Inexpensive, not CHEAP, is a good thing, especially now. You'll have more money later. I thought I'd NEVER get my first...Now, I have a couple. I started reloading when I was 12, I'm now over 60, and most of my time is spent trying to figure what I want to shoot next. Either THAT, or my other "hobby." Oh, yeah....save the shells. They come in handy later. Have fun, Gene The "other hobby" is drag racing-NOT street racing!!!

January 7, 2010, 05:22 PM	#33
pinetree Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2001 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 626	20g is a great for what you need. I have a 12g Beretta semi that is mostly relegated to goose and duck trips to Canada. I picked up a cheap Russian 20g OU on my way out to town going to a quail hunt (20g was the largest gauge allowed). I was hooked. I can safely say after shooting at dove all day with a 12g and then moving to the 20g, it was much easier on the shoulder. I want to shoot a round of trap to see how I do. At the last charity shoot I did, a local girls HS team was smoking the clays with their 20's. If you need more pop, go with 3" shells.

January 9, 2010, 12:22 AM	#34
AZwarts Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2009 Posts: 112	870 express in 12 ga. 3'' is $269 right now at Dick's sporting goods and then you get a $50 mail in rebate on top of that.