12 ga. for a short woman in newer types - Page 2

Kalamity Kate · January 25, 2021, 08:27 PM

Last Fall (before Covid) and before the bears finished gorging for winter, I asked at the ranger station in town about what I should carry. He said definitely bear spray (They must say that. They love their bears and there are already enough people.) He told me to leave my 20 ga. and 9mm at home. Those would just irritate a bear and bring down trouble.

Two friends of mine live on separate ranches not far from town and they turn on the barn spotlight and carry 12 ga. shotguns to go out in the yard at night- just in case. No one did that two years ago, but there have been too many sightings recently.

Some of the shotgun recommendations are good, but too pricey for my depleted budget right now. I can swing the $550 plus tax for the Mossberg. Also, they are common and have a ton of aftermarket stuff to fit.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Kate

wild cat mccane · January 27, 2021, 01:53 PM

I hike every weekend.

Bear spray is the only way to go. Otherwise a person just wants to carry a gun.

jrothWA · January 27, 2021, 02:41 PM

They have a quiet background but suffered from too many shells and no maintenance, due to the need to REPLACE buffers.

Wood stock that can be shorten.

Go to www.shogunworld.com and menu to the Ithace forum, search for Model 51.

A old Browning A5 in 12 or 16ga., be an alternate.

Recommend using BRENNEKE slugs in either.

Hope this helps.

FITASC · January 27, 2021, 04:33 PM

I think you meant to type www.shotgunworld.com.........

Ricklin · February 2, 2021, 01:20 PM

Yes, a 20 can throw the same weight of shot that a 12 can. What the 20 can't do is throw a superior pattern.
The 12 will have the superior pattern, the weight is the same, the length of the shot column is not.
Since the pattern is a three dimensional event, the length of the column of shot is important to the pattern.

Willie Lowman · February 3, 2021, 06:10 PM

We aren't talking about shot columns here. We are shooting bears with hard cast slugs in this thread.

January 25, 2021, 08:27 PM	#26
Kalamity Kate Member Join Date: April 11, 2011 Location: Yellowstone NP area Posts: 37	Last Fall (before Covid) and before the bears finished gorging for winter, I asked at the ranger station in town about what I should carry. He said definitely bear spray (They must say that. They love their bears and there are already enough people.) He told me to leave my 20 ga. and 9mm at home. Those would just irritate a bear and bring down trouble. Two friends of mine live on separate ranches not far from town and they turn on the barn spotlight and carry 12 ga. shotguns to go out in the yard at night- just in case. No one did that two years ago, but there have been too many sightings recently. Some of the shotgun recommendations are good, but too pricey for my depleted budget right now. I can swing the $550 plus tax for the Mossberg. Also, they are common and have a ton of aftermarket stuff to fit. Thank you for your suggestions. Kate __________________ T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L.

January 27, 2021, 01:53 PM	#27
wild cat mccane Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 3,624	I hike every weekend. Bear spray is the only way to go. Otherwise a person just wants to carry a gun. __________________ My wife is a pulmonologist (respiratory Dr) and epidemiologist. If you have any questions on COVID, please reach out to me in PM.

January 27, 2021, 02:41 PM	#28
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	May I suggest an Ithaca Model 51 semi? They have a quiet background but suffered from too many shells and no maintenance, due to the need to REPLACE buffers. Wood stock that can be shorten. Go to www.shogunworld.com and menu to the Ithace forum, search for Model 51. A old Browning A5 in 12 or 16ga., be an alternate. Recommend using BRENNEKE slugs in either. Hope this helps.

January 27, 2021, 04:33 PM	#29
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	I think you meant to type www.shotgunworld.com......... __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

February 2, 2021, 01:20 PM	#30
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,011	Same load Yes, a 20 can throw the same weight of shot that a 12 can. What the 20 can't do is throw a superior pattern. The 12 will have the superior pattern, the weight is the same, the length of the shot column is not. Since the pattern is a three dimensional event, the length of the column of shot is important to the pattern. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

February 3, 2021, 06:10 PM	#31
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	We aren't talking about shot columns here. We are shooting bears with hard cast slugs in this thread. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens