Shot gun recommendations

[GH1]

 A friend of mine was invited to do some pheasant hunting with a few of his cousins. He's interested in a shotgun that will work for pheasant and probably trap or skeet and asked my opinion.
 Not being a shotgunner I really didn't have much advice for him. He's never hunted, rarely shot, and I suspect his budget is probably in the $500.00 range, give or take.
 Please give me a few makes & models, along with why you like it so much.
Thanks.
GH1

[huntswithdogs]

A pump gun would probably fit his needs just right. Something like a Mossberg 500 or 535, a Benelli Nova or one of the Remington Express 870s. Any of these chambered in 12ga would do all  of it.

HWD

[milespb]

A pump gun is a good place to start. If you look around you can find them very reasonable.I would go with a Rem 870 WINGMASTER, I don't like the expresses. Find one w/Remchokes (interchangable) and about a 28" brl. These guns are built to last. They never got to be as collectible as the Win. mdl.12 mainly because they never went out of production and they have made over 10 million of them.

[Bugflipper]

If I can see the targets from a ways off I use a pump. For example hunting dove or ducks. They usually fly in a group so if you shoot or shoot at one the other is going to pretty well be on the same path in most cases. So a quick cycle of the action and you are quick to be back on the same plain for the next shot because you could make out point A to point B by seeing there path.


If it goes from ground to air I use an auto or double. They tend to bust up in any or every direction, then amend their path to end up wherever the danger is not. In a lot of cases they can make a fellow look pretty foolish until he gets used to it. For me a quick second shot helps when something springs up and I really can't tell what their path is. Just a quick instinctual shot then another hurried shot to the others that are all springing away in the method that keeps the most surviving.


 As for what type of shotgun. I think if I were just getting into it I would recommend myself a remington 1100. They are readily available, dependable and easy to hit with for quite a few different body types.

[GH1]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I'm taking him to his first gun show tomorrow to let him handle a few and possibly find one that feels good to him.
It sure is fun introducing new people to firearms.
GH1

[chefjeff]

A main point.......Find one that fits his frame...LOP,drop,cast....he will shoot better with a single shot that fits vs. a mondo mag custom repeater that doesn't.