New Shotgun Choice?

[SmokeyVol]

I spend all my time working and the kids are finally grown and gone. My wife wants me to scale back my workaholic ways and spend some time on myself. She told me I needed to get a hobby and she would back me on anything I wanted to do. I used to hunt and shoot a lot years ago as a kid, but stopped when college and then famliy life came along. I went to a CWP class last fall and got my CWP permit and have joined an indoor range and an outdoor gun club along with a friend from the office.

My current shotgun is a Winchester Model 12, 12 Ga. teflon coated with ventilated rib and a polychoicke. I halped make the wanut stock and forearm yeqars ago and inherited it from my dad. I love my Model 12, but it is getting a bit long in the tooth and needs some work. I want to get one or possibly two more shotguns for skeet and dove hunting. I was thinking of maybe a Remmington 870 or Remmington 1100. I want to stick with 12 Ga. and pump or auto. I was never much into double barrel models. I have been out of hunting/shooting so long I do not know what is good these days, but all my dad's friends always swore by Winchester and Remington. Any suggestions from anyone?

[kozak6]

Probably the most popular suggestions are going to be the Mossberg 500 or the Remington 870.

I personally recommend the Ithaca Model 37. It's a wonderful pump gun. I prefer it to the 870. It's lighter, smoother, and I really like the bottom eject. Also, the slide release is on the right side of the trigger guard where I can actually reach it.

[Scattergun Bob]

First let me say "welcome" to the forum, it has been a great place for me to hang out, hope you find it the same.

Model 12 shotguns are very special, there are still lots of parts floating around, maybe a REBUILD.

Your dads friends gave good advise and who could go wrong.

I have had the good fortune of a 45 year romance with scatterguns. As a boy I grew to manhood with model 37 Ithaca and model 12 Winchester pumps. Between the Military and 20 years of LE career I have a fair understanding of the Remington shotgun group. during that 45 years I have owned many different scatterguns. Almost all have been "arm pumpers" or self loaders and have I found few that did not treat me well!

I continue to "lust" after scatterguns, today I just brought home a Remington 870 SPECIAL FIELD. It's real cute, and it told me it likes to Quail hunt!!!!!!

I do not know your hunting or range preference, if you ask me I'd by a 870, Ithaca 37, or 500 Mossy that fit my shoulder and body the best and start your own romance.

Autos are a little different, they require a discussion of action function. The vanilla of scattergun self loaders is the Remington 1100 / 11-87. For me it is the Benelli M-1 or Winchester Super-X.

Good Luck & Be Safe

[BigJimP]

Remington is still making very good guns - and there is nothing wrong with the 870 pumps or the 1100's.

But for the sake of discussion - I like the Browning BPS as a pump gun as well. I have some kids and grandkids that are lefties - and the BPS ejecting out of the bottom was helpful when I was instructing them. The stock on the Browning tends to me a little more neutral vs favoring a right of left handed shooter / so I like that as well. The BPS in a 28" barrel is a very good long term gun / but 870 Wingmaster, etc are good as well.

For semi-autos these days its a discussion of whether you want a gas operated gun or an inertia operated gun. Remington, Browning and Beretta are probably the primary gas operated guns ( Winchester is now owned by Browning ). They all have pros and cons but they all operate about the same. On the inertia operated side - Benelli is the new player since you were buying guns last. Personally, I think Benelli makes a heck of a good gun. They shoot a lot cleaner than any of the gas guns and I think they're faster to cycle on the 2nd and 3rd shells. Benelli makes some of their synthetic stocks with a system called "comfort tech" and I think it makes for a very soft shooting gun. My preference in the Benelli semi-auto lineup is the super sport with the comfort tech in a 30" barrel - its a heck of a gun and retailing in my area for about $ 1,750 but I'd buy it again ( and they make it in a 20ga as well - but only a 28" barrel ).

Benelli is also making some good pump guns / Nova, Super Nova, etc ..

There are a few new things out there on shotguns / extended screw in chokes now, the inertia system semi-autos, back bored barrels and extended forcing cones, a lot more adjustability in the combs .... lots of good things. Have some fun on your selection / try to find a few guys at your local club and see if they'll let you fire their guns before you buy / get a lot more opinions ......and welcome to our pastime - I shoot skeet and trap weekly, sporting clays on most weekends, do a little hunting ...and its all good ( and leave a few days open to take the handguns out too ).

[oneounceload]

Remingtons, Browning, Berettas, Benellis - all are good brands, well made, offer various models and will do what you want - If it was me, I would go to a gun club and either rent or borrow as many as I could and see which ones fit well and feel "right"...

good luck and welcome back to shooting....

[f8lranger4x4]

+1 to the mossy