Author Topic: Beginner Shotgun? (Read 1180 times)

alien319 · « **on:** April 05, 2006, 02:44:25 PM »

What is the best shotgun for a beginner shotgun? I've shot shotguns before but never owned one. I am 5'9" 170 lbs and am 21 years old. I will be doing a lot of different things like hunting, clay pigeons and what not so I think I need a good general purpose gun that is affordable. Any Advice is helpful.

od green · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2006, 03:31:21 PM »

i'm 5'9 and 150lbs for a beginner i would recommend a pump with interchangeable chocks, that way you have the versitibility of huntings small game up to deer and also some sporting clays, there are quiet a few affordable pumps on the market but my favorite is mossberg and winchester ,Beware there are other manufactures to choose from , do some shoppin around and pick the one that FIT's you best and has the features that would best suit your style of sport or hunting, there is not really a one gun for everybody with todays market the possibilities and choices are endless.
good luck and good shooting.

Graybeard · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2006, 05:07:18 PM »

How much can you afford to spend on it? What clay target games will you be shooting? What game will you be hunting? I don't feel you've given me enough info to make a realistic recommendation to you.

Certainly a good pump gun is a reasonable first gun, it was my first and my second also and over the years I guess I've owned at least 30 or more of them in .410, 28, 20 and 12 ga. But it's far from ideal if you plan to do a lot of clays shooting especially if it's skeet or sporting clays you plan to shoot. And that's from a fellow who shot his first competition round of skeet with one and used one in competition for several years. For trap I still actually prefer a pump.

But for sporting clays or skeet an O/U is the way to go and it's a fine choice for hunting also.

Give us some more info and I'll try to give you my best recommendation based on close to 50 years of shotguning about all it's legal to shoot one at around my part of the country.

dukkillr · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2006, 06:02:35 PM »

Browing BPS, best workman's gun available today. 12ga, 3" chamber, 26" barrel.

alien319 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 06, 2006, 10:48:01 AM »

Well I will be doing some skeet and Trap. We have a range on the base. Then I will be doing some hunting of ducks and geese as well as some pheasent and quail. I mean I am guessing a 12 Gauge would be the best choice since I will be shooting ducks and geese right? I can spend about $350 max. I just would like an affordable shotgun whether it is O/U, side by side, pump or semi-auto. I hope this helps out.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** April 06, 2006, 12:16:49 PM »

Given the totality of your criteria the pump recommendation is probably as good as you'll come within your budget.

Skeet and trap are grossly different games and while they can be "played" with the same gun if you wish to be serious about either and want your best possible scores they require two completely different set ups. The skeet gun is more at home afield for game than is the trap gun so getting a gun for hunting works well on skeet and OK on trap.

Personally I'd suggest going with a Remington 870 Wingmaster but then I have zero experience with the Browning so can't make an honest comparison. Don't get the Remington Express 870. A 26" or 28" barrel will work fine. If the duck/goose shooting is pass shooting I'd opt for the 28" otherwise the 26" might be the best choice over all. On trap you'll wish it was a 30", on skeet you'll be happy it's a 26".

I cannot recommend an O/U in your price range and yeah a 12 ga. seems appropriate for the variety you plan to use it on.

Me I'd toss more money in the pot and get an O/U but that's clearly not in your budget. Heck being me I'd have at least six different shotguns to do all that with plus some more just to look at. :eek:

tbmaker · « **Reply #6 on:** April 06, 2006, 04:50:20 PM »

The Browning BPS is an excellent shotgun but out of your price range unless you find a real good deal on a used one.

I see nothing wrong with the 870 express. I have 2 friends that beat the tar out them and they haven't missed a stroke.
It fits the budget and probably fits you better. The Remington has a shorter stock than the Browning. I started with an 870 Wingmaster 25 years ago, still have it. It will be one of the boy's when they get bigger.

Another option is the lowly Mossberg, easily in your budget, been around for years, choke tubes, etc. I have 2 20ga's for my sons, they have missed a beat either. Also simular stock design as the Remington. Maybe not as nice looking as a Browning or Remington Wingmaster but a very sevicable shotgun.

I think either the Rem or Moss. will give you a life time of service without breaking the bank.

dukkillr · « **Reply #7 on:** April 06, 2006, 05:20:48 PM »

the browning is worth the money. if it's going to be your one gun don't lowball yourself. Save yourself some money and get a 3" model.

If you're determined to pay less get the 870. It was my first pump and I still have one. Don't get a Mossberg, they aren't much less than the 870 or even the nova and they are significantly lower quality and durability.

mountainview · « **Reply #8 on:** April 07, 2006, 05:23:29 AM »

Rem Express or Mossberg are both good choices and will keep you under the 350 mark with enough change for shells etc if the coin is a bit tight. Pumps are good generalist goods and about the only thing they will limit you on is skeet but that just gives you another excuse to buy a second shotgun later on.

I have both Rems and Moss shotguns and, both are like the old Timex watches that took a licking and keep right on ticking no matter what. Though I like the top mounted safety and blued finish on the Moss, I prefer the Express since it does not have a ported barrel and fits me like a glove. The Wingmaster is a fancier version of the Express, but fancy never broke a clay bird or downed a goose for me and I have never felt compelled to trade in my Express or felt shortchanged when carrying it.

Key thing is find something that fits and feels proper within your budget.

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** April 07, 2006, 07:24:31 AM »

I've spent a lot of time on skeet and sporting clays ranges. I've seen a lot of casual shooters there. Just before dove season each year the once a year shooters come out in droves to "get ready" for dove season by shooting a few boxes of shells to "get the misses out of their system".

Invaribily they have pump guns or semi autos as often as not with plain barrels and no ribs. More often than not they are choked either modified or full and if they use choke tubes they still have MOD or FULL tubes in the barrels.

Those using Winchester 1300s NEVER get thru a round of skeet without malfunctions and failures to feed or eject. Gun or shooter? Dunno. Just don't recall ever seeing one of these guns on a skeet range go thru a round of skeet without the failure to feed or eject.

Those using Mossbergs are not far behind the Winchester 1300 in failures to feed or eject and this one gun has resulted in well over 75% of the total gun break downs I've seen in 30+ years of shooting on various clays ranges. By this I mean the gun DIED and had to be laid aside and the round finished with another.

Remington Express 870s were next in line in failures to feed or eject. I've owned several of them personally and have not had a single one that didn't give me problems with feeding and ejecting. I will never own another.

Remington 870 Wingmasters seem flawless. They just keep on keeping on and feed and eject just fine. It was the first shotgun I ever bought and I'm never without some. I've shot them in competition skeet and in money games where a failure meant I lost money not won it. I trust them expliciitly.

Buy what you will but that's my observations in watching literally thousands of them being shot.

dukkillr · « **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2006, 07:46:06 AM »

I agree with GB. I've guided duck hunters for years. I've seen 1200s and 1300s lock up, I saw the barrel fall off a mossberg. I've seen the hammer on 870s not reset. I've seen every auto ever produced jam, freeze, or not have the bolt lock down. I've owned an 870 that leaked gas and another one that the hammer wouldn't reset regularly.

If you're going to get one gun but a decent one. People will say the same thing about autos that they say about cheap shotguns. You'll hear the, "I've shot 800,000 boxes of shells and it's never once hung up or broken down." They may not be lying, but there is no question what they say doesn't fit with what I've seen.

grousehunter · « **Reply #11 on:** April 07, 2006, 06:01:32 PM »

considering your local ALIEN, I diff. would visit the pawn shops on a reg. basis! you will find what you are looking for and save a few dollars! take all of these guys suggs. to heart! they are well advised and learn't the hard way!!!!!!!!!!!

Don Fischer · « **Reply #12 on:** April 10, 2006, 05:47:20 AM »

When I started shooting shotguns a lot, I was in the service and the only place I had to shoot them was the base Rod & Gun club. I got whatever I could afford and I only shot clays because it was the only game in town. I've shot skeet with a 20 ga sxs with mod/full barrels, there is lot's better choices! I also shot skeet and trap with a Mossberg Mod 500 pump with a full choke, again lots better choices.

Sounds like your not sure what you really are going to do. With this in mind, I'd go with the Mossberg Mod 500 with screw in chokes and a 28" barrel, if you can get one that way. By the time you really figure out what you want to do, you just may find you can get a gun better suited to what you want and you'll still have the Mossberg and not be out much.

It's hard to define the right gun when your not sure what you want to do.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2006, 05:32:34 AM »

dukkillr you said you saw a barrel fall off a Mossberg Mod 500? I gotta hear this! I've had several of them and while I'll admit the 870 Wingmaster is a far better gun, I NEVER had trouble with any Mossberg Mod 500.