Author Topic: Shotgun for Wife??? (Read 1415 times)

elkstalkr · « **on:** November 02, 2006, 02:12:18 AM »

Looking at getting my wife a new shotgun. I would like to get her a 12 ga. pump, but I am concerned about the recoil.

Anybody know a good youth model 12 ga, that doesn't kick like a mule?

I have thought about an autoloader, but would prefer to stay away from that, as I get sick of cleaning them to keep them cycling.

dukkillr · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2006, 05:32:23 AM »

my wife...

Shoots this:

Benelli SBE II. Low recoil, low weight. It will shoot anything from 2 3/4 - 3 1/2" shells although she's never used the big loads. FOR AN AUTO it's very reliable. 24" barrel with a shorter and adjustable stock makes it a good fit for someone who's 5'5".

azshooter · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2006, 03:46:43 PM »

I understand the softest recoiling will be the Beretta. If you want the Benelli inertia action but can't afford the cost, you can get a Franchi for half the cost of the Benelli - same company now like Browning and Winchester.

Bullseye · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2006, 05:01:19 PM »

My wife had a Browning Gold for a few years and I understand about the cleaning as I also seemed to be doing that to keep if from jamming.

Finally sold it and bought a Benelli Montefelfto. Light gun for a semi that handles great and most importantly, it is as clean as a pump gun so I do not need to always be cleaning and it just keeps on cycling them shells

elkstalkr · « **Reply #4 on:** November 03, 2006, 02:25:51 AM »

Thanks for the info. I personally own a browning gold and NEVER cleaned the action for 5 years, before it started jamming!!! So I am sold on those, now as long as I keep it clean it cycles just fine on ALL shells. Furthermore, it doesn't mattter what autoloader you buy, they will ALL jam once they get dirty. Bennellis included. I have buddies who with SBE's and have seen thier gun jam and watch them break it apart in the field to clean it. Anyway, I don't want to get into a browning/bennelli debate, thats not what I need help with. In short, pumps rarely jam and cleaning "the action" on a pump is never an issue, thus the reason I am after a pump.

Currently, I am looking at the Bennelli Supernova with a 24" barrel and thin gel pad so the lenght of pull will only be 13.5". Has anyone fired one of these shotguns? How does the comfortech system work on those pumps? Ok? Sucks? Does it really help with recoil that much?

dukkillr · « **Reply #5 on:** November 03, 2006, 05:37:30 AM »

I too only shoot pumps. If you read these boards you'll hear, "I own Auto XXXX and I shot 47,390 boxes of shells though it and it never misfired." While I wasn't there to declare them lying, I suspect their memory is failing. The reason my wife shoots an auto is because 1) she can't shoot a pump particularly fast and 2) less recoil.

If you're going to get a pump, get a BPS. The Nova is just like the 870 (which is what my turkey gun is). They're fine, but they're not as nice as the bps. The mossberg is cheap and unless it's all you can afford I would avoid it like the plague.

One thing you didn't say is what she will do with it. For turkey guns you want short barrels, for upland guns you want light weight, for waterfowl guns you want something indestructable WITHOUT a short barrel.

Bullseye · « **Reply #6 on:** November 03, 2006, 06:53:15 AM »

Well now, I did not really expect you to jump down my throat for saying gas guns need a lot of cleaning when you yourself said in you first post that you get sick of cleaning them to keep them working. Make up your mind.

Anyway for a pump the 870's are hard to beat in my opinon. I have two that I have hunted with for 20 years. I really like the BPS but my wife thought it was to heavy, I think it is even heavier than the 870. Never looked at the Nova's but they have a good reputation. In mu opion those are the main pump gun players that I would consider.

And I still think the Montefeltro is a good fun for a lady. It is lighter than the pumps mentioned and is not way heavy in the forend like most pumps or gas autos.

rocky_taco · « **Reply #7 on:** November 04, 2006, 02:41:14 AM »

I've had both auto and pump shotguns... Still have my first shotgun a H&R. Anyway, the only Auto that I liked was the Benelli. But, I wanted a couple different barrels for it and they are more than most guns. So I recently dumped it and picked up an 870 express. I have 3 barrels for it and it will do all a shotgun can do.. small game, deer, turkey, ducks, HD. I've got less into it than I had into my Benelli. What more can you want. As for recoil, simms type pad, and mercury recoil reducer. I'd start her on some light loads too. 7/8oz - 1oz shot, Fiocchi makes an ultra low recoil training load (I'm sure there's others out there too)

elkstalkr · « **Reply #8 on:** November 04, 2006, 12:45:32 PM »

Bullseye,

Sorry for the confusion, wasn't really referring to your post when i posted. wasn't jumping down your throat.

i agree all auto loaders must be cleaned to cycle properly

nabob · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2006, 10:51:42 AM »

Quote

If you're going to get a pump, get a BPS. The Nova is just like the 870 (which is what my turkey gun is). They're fine, but they're not as nice as the bps. The mossberg is cheap and unless it's all you can afford I would avoid it like the plague.

Good advice. The BPS is a very slick action, no burrs or bumps or anything. You don't have to cycle it a zillion times before it smooths out. It works really nicely straight out of the box. One thing to consider with pumps, though, is that often, the forearm is a stretch sometimes for women.

Shameless plug time: If you want the best and easiest pump to shoot, though, that would be a Winchester Model 12, in my opinion. I have Model 12's in all the gauges and the little 20 ga. is just about the right size for my wife. No one ever complained about a Model 12 being too heavy. Really nice guns.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #10 on:** November 06, 2006, 03:34:34 PM »

If I had to pick a shotgun for my wife i'd get a semi auto. She's pretty quick!

Now don't jump down my throat it's just a joke.

Graybeard · « **Reply #11 on:** November 06, 2006, 04:14:31 PM »

No one has really asked the one question that they need an answer to before making suggestions. What the heck is she gonna do with it? I am amazed at the way folks just ignore the intended use and start making suggestions about what THEY like without even having a clue what use the gun will be put to. ONLY when I hear what it will be used for will I make any suggestions as to what to get. Yes it DOES matter.

dukkillr · « **Reply #12 on:** November 06, 2006, 04:20:35 PM »

Quote from: dukkillr on November 03, 2006, 05:37:30 AM

One thing you didn't say is what she will do with it. For turkey guns you want short barrels, for upland guns you want light weight, for waterfowl guns you want something indestructable WITHOUT a short barrel.

Oh come now.

1) the BPS is the best NEW shotgun you can shoot, regardless
2) I did ask

nabob · « **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2006, 11:41:09 PM »

That's the nice thing about most shotguns, in my opinion. It really doesn't matter what the intended use is. I've used a M12 on deer (slugs and buckshot), ducks, pheasants, rabbits, squirrels, turkey - they all died the same way: quickly. A shotgun is just a tube on a frame. What counts is how it fits more than anything else, in my opinion. It is only relatively recently that we've gotten into specialty shotguns, or shotguns that are designed for a particular use. Don't get me wrong, shotguns like that are great. But a good all-arounder such as a 12 ga. in a modified choke, will do pretty much all you want a shotgun to do. Maybe it won't do it as well as one designed for a particular use, but then again, you won't have to buy several shotguns. Shotguns just aren't that complicated. I've got several, but I could just as easily do what needs doing with one, which is kind of where I've gravitated towards in my later years.

Graybeard · « **Reply #14 on:** November 07, 2006, 04:36:11 AM »

Another of those areas we're just gonna hafta disagree on Nabob.

Sure a pump 12 can do most of it even if not nearly as well. But it also can kick the snot out of you. My shoulder just can't take the punishment a 12 dishes out anymore. Heck I fired four rounds of skeet (100 shells) thru my 20 ga. O/U one day a short while back and my shoulder throbbed like a tooth ache for days afterward. Yeah it's got a GOOD pad on it and I shot regular 7/8 oz skeet loads in it.

So I do most of my skeet shooting with my 28 ga or my .410 both Browning O/Us like the 20 ga. My several 12 ga guns just sit for the most part unused.

So use matters. If skeet shooting is the main use of the gun a 12 ga is a foolish investment in my mind. The 28 will work just as effectively to break them and has less recoil to boot. For most women and a lot of men that matters. If it doesn't to you yet you've just not yet shot enough, eventually it will if you shoot enough. The body can take only so much punishment before it lets you know that was quite enough.

Now if waterfowl is the main use a .410 or 28 would be just as foolish. But if doves/quail or such is the main use then a 20 or 28 makes excellent sense and is all that's generally needed again with less recoil.

The main use is or should be the primary determinor of what gauge and action type to get.

elkstalkr · « **Reply #15 on:** November 07, 2006, 05:23:13 AM »

Graybeard,

I totally agree!! Thats why I personally own 4 different shotguns. LOL

Let me clear this up. It will mostly be used for waterfowl and spring turkey. Thus the reason I would like a 12 gauge. Cheap non-toxic loads for a 20 are very limited, and often we do some Canada Goose hunting and shooting 20 gauge steel loads at those things is just plain terrible.

She currently has a 20 gauge and we will keep that gun for dove and upland hunting.

dukkillr · « **Reply #16 on:** November 07, 2006, 05:27:19 AM »

26" 3" BPS, with camo. Get the stock cut down or replaced if needed. A shorter barrel will be a problem in a duck blind, and the shorter stocks come on the turkey guns with shorter barrels.

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** November 07, 2006, 05:53:21 AM »

Quote from: elkstalkr on November 07, 2006, 05:23:13 AM

Graybeard,

I totally agree!! Thats why I personally own 4 different shotguns. LOL

Let me clear this up. It will mostly be used for waterfowl and spring turkey. Thus the reason I would like a 12 gauge. Cheap non-toxic loads for a 20 are very limited, and often we do some Canada Goose hunting and shooting 20 gauge steel loads at those things is just plain terrible.

She currently has a 20 gauge and we will keep that gun for dove and upland hunting.

Given that I'd get her a Remington 1100 or 11-87 and cut the stock as necessary to fit her. Since she's gonna need a shorter stock a short barrel seems best to match it to me at least. They make the turkey guns with 23" barrels which I think would be ideal but I'd not go longer than 26" with it at the most.

The Remington semiautos are gas operated and in spite of the claims of others they are as light on recoil as any plus they are super easy to clean and work on as needed. The folks at the skeet range with the Berettas and Benellis and such seem to need a degree to even remove the plug or put it in. They don't even think about taking them down and it always requires a huddle and a half dozen of them to figure out how to do anything with them.

Pumps just kick too danged much for the use you wish to make of this one for her. Personally I'd not even consider one. If the weight doesn't bother her a mercury recoil reducer in the mag tube in lieu of a shell can sure help cut the recoil but it might be too heavy for her, only you and her can decide that.

nabob · « **Reply #18 on:** November 07, 2006, 06:48:38 AM »

No problem, GB. Agreeing to disagree is fine with me. I learn a lot from everyone's opinions even if I don't share them.

Bullseye · « **Reply #19 on:** November 07, 2006, 07:07:08 AM »

Graybeard, I hope your example of people not being smart enough to take the plug out of any Benelli was not meant to be serious. It is the easiest I have ever seen, take the forend cap off and turn the gun barrel down and the plug just falls out.

Graybeard · « **Reply #20 on:** November 07, 2006, 11:23:05 AM »

Quote from: Bullseye on November 07, 2006, 07:07:08 AM

Graybeard, I hope your example of people not being smart enough to take the plug out of any Benelli was not meant to be serious. It is the easiest I have ever seen, take the forend cap off and turn the gun barrel down and the plug just falls out.

Well the ones I recall most clearly are the Beretta's. The disassembly includes the Benelli tho. I've never owned one and likely never will so have no personal experience with either. If I buy a pump or semiauto shotgun the Remington is the ONLY one I even consider. If I buy an O/U it's usually a Browning. Now SxSs I've had a much wider selection of and am still not sure just which I honestly prefer. I'm much less brand specific on the SxS. And yup got mutiples of all.