Shotgun

[DavidR]

I've decided to buy a shotgun. Why? Two main reasons:
1. Joe Biden said it was okay
2. I've been watching a lot of Adam 12 and I just love when Reed pumps a round into the chamber

Seriously, I have no plans to hunt and I live in suburbia so I guess it will be for home defense. I'm not a big guy and I ain't gettin' any younger so I'm thinking 20 gauge, probably a pump action with an 18 1/2 inch barrel. I fondled a Mossberg 500 with those specs at my LGS and it kind of felt like a toy, although I really liked the tang safety. My LGS doesn't rent guns so I can't try before I buy.

Please share your knowledge and give me your advice.

[Bawanna]

I like the Mossberg myself. I prefer the tang safety over the cross bolt safety on the Remingtons.

The 20 ga is a fine idea or you can always just shoot 4's or 6's in a 12. 12 ga is usually cheaper to buy than 20, at least the stuff I've looked at.

More options too if you decide to shoot clays or something later on.

I don't recommend those silly ones with just a pistol grip. A pistol grip AND a buttstock is really good, pistol grip alone don't do a thing for me.

Just my personal opinion of course.

[CJB]

I've got.... a Red Label in 12g, two 870 Police 12g, a KSG, and a Serbu/870-based (which technically isn't a shotgun).

Used to be Dove and Quail loads were the same price in 12 or 20, dunno now as I have too many cases here to buy more. Popular 12g is cheaper - only due to the popularity and production numbers they're churnin' out. Its also a bit of an attaction in many instnaces (not really loss leader with todays pricing).

A 20g Mossy is a good choice - or - find a nice used Ithaca 20 - now THATS the ticket.

[TheTman]

I came across a used youth model Remington 870 at a gun show at a great price. The barrel is 20" and the stock is pretty short, making it very maneuverable around the house. I keep it loaded with a couple 2 3/4 #4 shells, followed by 2 #2 3" magnums. I feel this is adequate for any distance inside my house. I think the Mossberg would be just as good of a choice. I did buy the youth model for my kids to shoot, but now they are gone, I keep it handy by the bed to deal with intruders. I think for the distances involved inside my house, it's just as good as a 12 gauge, and easier to handle recoil wise.

[greg_r]

I use a 20 as my HD, knock around gun. Had a 26" barrel, lopped it to 19 1/4" and threaded it for choke tubes. Why? That was the 1st legal length above 18" that a vent rib stanchion was at.

I like #4 buck for social work. #5 for turkey and squirrel, and 7 1/2 for everything else. Going to try some slugs one day just to see what they do.

Used to use a 12 for everything until I seriously hurt my shoulder. The 20 is much lighter in recoil. Just don't buy a super light!

Mine is a H&R Pardner Pump Synthetic. I really like it, even though it is a Norinco. I seriously considered the Mossberg 500 with an 18" barrel. Think I would have been happy with it too. I bought the H&R PP because it was a much tighter gun than the Mossy and about 1/2 the price.

[GLOCKROCKER]

Picked this little puppy up back first of the year. I bought it at a gun show as a pistol grip model 500 Persuader. Bought the recoil reducing adjustable Blackhawk stock on Ebay, then added the Streamlight TLR-1s. It resides in the corner by my bed. I sold my old 500 a couple years back and got to missing it. You won't go wrong with a mossberg, but CJB's right about the Ithaca (it's on my list!)

[AJBert]

You can never go wrong with the Moss 500 or Rem 870, though if your choice is the Rem look for something at least 15 years old. I've got both and love them both. The difference in the safeties has never meant much to me, though. My go to hunting shotgun hands down is an 870 Express Magnum with the Parkerized finish. HD duty falls to an 870 Police Magnum with, apologies to the Col., the pistol grip only loaded with #4 buck shot. I' ve patterned it with the 18.5" barrel at 5 yards and had about a 2.5 to 3 foot spread.

The Mossy is my wife's hunting gun, the only 20 ga in the house. I've got a few other shotguns and about the only other one that gets out of the safe is an old Stevens side by side that I love to hunt with. It's just that over time those two barrels have gotten heavier for some reason and my 870 carries so much nicer.

[marcinstl]

I'm pretty sure Biden is a Purdy kind of guy. http://www.purdey.com/guns-rifles/side-by-side-guns/
this place has a nice selection about 3 times bigger than what's listed here. http://www.trailcreekguns.com/sporting-shotguns.html
if you have the money to play the game, a shotgun is a shootable investment, art that goes bang.

[Bawanna]

Oh yeah, if you can find a decent Ithaca go for it.

Or an old Winchester 97. I love those too.

[mr surveyor]

I went on the hunt for a short stock 20 ga 4-5 years ago to assist with limited motion in my right shoulder. I still can't understand why rifles that are intended to be shot from a stable position, usually at a still target, are stocked in the 12-1/2" to 13-1/2" LOP ..... and shotguns that are intended more for moving targets, requiring much more user mobility, are generally stocked 14" to 14-1/2" (and up) LOP. Anyhow, before one of my good buddies closed his shop, I bought a Mossberg 500 Bantam 20 ga with 22" vent rib barrel, 12-1/2" LOP and typical mystery wood stocks. With the longer barrel, shorter receiver, and shorter stock, it was just about the same overall length as my 12 ga Mossy shorty. Not only has that somewhat inexpensive Bantam model replaced the full sized stock 12 ga shorty, it has replaced most of my previous bird guns. During Dove season (only three months away ), the only time the Beretta sees daylight is when I may be running low on 20 ga shells, or for nostalgia. That little gun is mobile, quick, and the 22" barrel with the modified choke really doesn't give up anything to my 28" guns. If the Bantam model came in 12 ga, I would have bought that just to have the increased shot capacity, but the 20 does fine.


jd

Oh, I sold the standard 12 ga shorty within a year of getting the Bantam.

[muggsy]

I think that any brand of shotgun is purdey.

[b4uqzme]

I've settled in on semi-autos. Many of the gas operated ones kick much lighter than pumps or break guns. They cycle fast for social work and it's easy to extend the magazine capacities. Whatever you decide, research to see if you can get different barrels for different applications: 18.5 inch for home and 28-32 inch for sporting. Clay games are a blast and a great way to mate up with your shotgun. Find a trap or skeet range and you will find a new hobby. Have fun.

P.S shotguns snobs will tell you that you must spend mucho $$$ for a semi. Don't believe them.

Here's a couple Turkish guns that we got for less than $500 each: 20ga CZ 720 and a 12ga Weatherby SA-08

[mr surveyor]

CZ does make some nice looking guns. The last SxS I had was the CZ Ringneck and although I had to ship it in for repair of the trigger/sear engagement, was a nice looking gun and good shooter. All my running buddies could shoot it much better than I could. I think I paid about $750 for it, had it three years and sold it for $650.

When it comes to shot guns, it all depends on what you want them to do. If you ever take up bird hunting and/or sporting clays (five stand, trap, skeet), shotguns will quickly become the Lays Potatoe (yes, I put the "e" on it) Chips of the firearm collection. You find you can't have just one!

jd

[berettabone]

I would be looking for a Rem 870 or 1100.................................older Browning would be nice also.........................................12 ga.

[b4uqzme]

The only issue with those older Remingtons is that a lot of them come with fixed barrels. But they are great shooters for the money. There are plenty of 12ga barrels available too so you can solve the "no chokes" issue by simply getting different barrels for different applications.