Shotgun??

[Moonpie]

Does it really matter if is a pump action or a semi-automatic?? What do you guys prefer?

Does it matter? No. Its just personal preference.

Each has its advantage.
Pumps are super reliable. Usually less expensive. The big advantage with them is you can shoot any correct length shell in them and they will function.

Semi's - faster shooting(although an experienced pump shooter can make you go ). Some models require adjusting or changing something on the gun before you can fire a light 2 3/4 in dove love and then a 3in magnum shell.

You also need to realize shotguns are just like fishing poles.
You need the proper one for the job.
A heavy boat rod will sort of do the job when a popping works so much better.
What is the primary use this new shotgun will be used for?
Hunting? Target shooting? Self-defense? Each use has a design that will work "better"
For example: you probably wouldn't want to use a tactical hi-capacity shotgun to go dove hunting with. Yeah it could be used but it ain't the best choice.
If you're going to be duck hunting out in the salt marsh a beautiful engraved high polished blue over/under wouldn't be a good choice either.
Look at as many different types of shotguns as you can before you purchase.
You might even find you like a side by side over anything else.
Buy what YOU like.

[Muddskipper]

you will pay 2-4 times more for a half way decent auto ....

The Benelli SBE 2 is a bad to the bone gun, and I want one ....

But your just starting off, that is why the 870 express is a good entry level gun ....

If you wanted a half way decent auto Remington make a 11-87 auto that should fit your needs

[corndog]

Hey guys,

Need a little help here. Don't really hunt that much, but would like too. But I don't really know anything about shotguns. What shotguns do you recommend? For someone that is just wanting to get started. Want to hunt for some dove and maybe some ducks or do you need two different kind of shotguns to do both?

870 Express for a pump


Berreta 390 for an auto good mid entry level.

Ive have thousands of rounds out of the 390.

Be aware if you buy from Walmart or academy you can not take your gun back to the store if you have a problem. Carter Country you can

[buoy37]

I may have missed where it was mentioned before, but make sure you decided on a shotgun with screw-in chokes. A fixed choke shotgun really limits what you can use it for.

If you go the Carter's Country, ask to see a Weatherby PA-08 pump shotgun and compare it to the other guns mentioned. I have been shooting one for the past 2.5 years and could not be more pleased. When I acquired the gun, I shot 3-4 for rounds of skeet every weekend at PSC for a year trying to improve my shotgun handling skills and understand target leads. My Weatherby has had thousands of rounds fired through it without a single jam.

I prefer the mechanics behind using a pump vs. simply pulling a trigger a few times with a semi-auto. Another added feature to owning a pump shotgun, the sound of chambering a round is known and understood by most bad guys that things are about to get really ugly for them if they stick around where they don't belong.

bouy

[Tum Tum]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I learned alot more about shotguns with all of the replies. I will probably go to bass pro and carter's country this weekend to check out some guns. So once again thanks, I have learned alot from you guys.

[Tum Tum]

OK one more question.

Now that they brought up chokes. What does a screw in choke do or what is the purpose of them?? Thanks for all help guys.

[WestEndAngler]

OK one more question.

Now that they brought up chokes. What does a screw in choke do or what is the purpose of them?? Thanks for all help guys.

It tighten up your pattern... Here's a post I through up from another thread...


What are the best steel pellet sizes, load and chokes for ducks?

That's a pretty broad question and you'll likely get a lot of opinions about this or that pellet, load and choke. It really comes down to how far do you want to shoot your ducks and what kind of ducks you are shooting. Obviously, shooting teal at 30 yards is a different proposition than say shooting mallards at 50 yards.

If you get ducks inside of 40 yards they just aren't that hard to kill, just tough to put the pattern on their front end sometimes. At normal decoying ranges (20-40 yards), steel #4s, #3s or #2s (provided they are choked properly) will take care of most any duck business you have. Obviously, it is better to use small pellets on small ducks to increase pattern density and larger pellets for larger ducks to maintain pellet energy, but generally any of these would be a good starting point for ducks over decoys.

It doesn't take a 3 1/2" or even a 3" shell to effectively kill ducks. A 2 3/4" 1 1/8 oz. load @ 1,375 fps will kill ducks at any reasonable range if it is choked properly for the distance you are shooting.

For chokes, take an IC, LM and Mod. with your shell/load of choice and head to the pattern board to see which one works best in your gun. Out to about 35 the IC will probably do best, 35-45 the LM may do best, and from about 40-50 the Mod. may be the best choice. The ONLY way to find out is to pattern them!

When you start getting outside of normal decoying range (>40 yards) and shooting larger ducks you'll need to go with larger pellets (#3s or #2s) and tighter chokes to maintain adequate pellet energy and pattern density. Beware, when you get beyond 40 yards it not only becomes more difficult to hit the duck, but it also becomes more difficult to find a load/choke that will maintain adequate killing pattern density with larger pellets. Not that you can't find a combo that will work, but you will need to do some pattern work to make sure you are shooting a lethal combo.

Normally, I am shooting steel #4s and IC for close decoying and/or small ducks and later in the season when I'm shooting mostly mallards I shoot steel #2s with a Mod. choke. Steel #3s are a great compromise, but many times I can't find them so I go with some combination of #4s and #2s like having a #4 for the first close shot and follow it with a couple of #2s.

As far as velocity, get loads in the 1,300 to 1,500 fps range and neither you nor the duck will ever know the difference. Many of the hyper velocity bunch don't agree with me on this but to each his own. Put the pattern on the duck and he's dead!!!

For me the best reference concerning duck load lethality and minimum pattern requirements is Tom Roster's CONSEP Lethality table. Try and get a copy of it and study it for your load/pellet/choke selections.

Remember, if you can't put the pattern on the front end of the duck little else matters!!!

Good luck.

[Robalo]

Perfect answer!!

Me, I use improved on quail, modified on ducks and dove. I heard not to use full with steel shot on most older guns due to the way the barrel was made years ago before steel shot was required for waterfowl.

[Tum Tum]

Thanks for all of the replies. You guys have helped me out alot.

[dbarham]

about to go bust my 870 rite now

[txhurricane]

I know its a little late but I agree the 870 is the way to go! My buddy was using a fancy Beretta semi-auto duck hunting last season. It got extremely cold and he fell on the way out to the pond. His gun got wet and froze (literally). It would not work at all. I had my 870 all in the mud and it never missed a lick, I had to give him my 870 so he could take some shots!!! Also, last year I added one of those $6 slip-on fiber optic sites (from academy) and I love it, slips on the the ribbed barrel and slides against the front site.