Heya /k/ommandos,
I'm seeking a shotgun I can use for both home defense and hunting birds/deer. The thing is I don't know much about shotguns so I figured I'd come ask you guys. Ideally I'd like it to be a double-barrel ( either over/under or side/side ) but I'm open to everything priced at $1500.00 and under although I'd ideally like to spend no more than 1k.
Pic related: The 687 Silver Pigeon III from Beretta which is out of my price range and the Stoeger Double Defense which is currently is the shotty I'll buy if I can't find anything with your help.
>>29357871
Just get Mossberg 500-something. Any model pretty much will do.
Pros:
-costs mere 200$ at lowest. Generally less than 500 anyway.
-sexy pump.
-5+1 or higher capacity.
-easy to pimp with aftermarket furniture.
Cons:
-none?
I got a 500A very much like in the pic related; 24" barrel, muzzle-brake vents on top, sweet OD polymer furniture. Pops clay and birds alike, and never has failed on me.
>>29357871
O/U's are the best shotgun for wing shooting, but there are better options for home defense. So if you think youre going to be shooting skeet and going dove hunting as much as possible, then an O/U is great. If it is just going to sit around for home defense and you only fire it a few times a season, then it's probably not worth it and should get a Benelli autoloader since you're already looking to spend that money. Mossberg 500 are fine for the cheaper price, though. It's kinda like saying you're willing to spend $60,000 on a car and someone tells you to just buy a Civic and mod it.
>>29358375
I see myself using the o/u once or twice a month at my local gun club in addition to using it for home defense and fowl/buck hunting. I'd simply like a well-rounded o/u if there is one out there. The problem with me is I have NO clue about Shotguns at all. I don't know how to tell what gauges/shots are meant for what animal, etc.
Can we use pic related ( http://www.weatherby.com/products/shotguns/over-under/orion-over-under.html ) as an example? I actually found these new for well under the MSRP in my area and they seem to have good reviews but I have no clue to tell what types of things I could hunt with this. On the other hand it is nice-enough looking for me to hang on a wall in my home in a place where I can access it easily if I should ever need it to defend family/friends/myself. Their website says it is good for upland birds/clays but how did they come to that conclusion?
>>29358375
Well, why would I buy an Acura over a fully loaded Honda when the only difference in the badge and the price tag?
>>29357871
>>29358476
How about a semi-auto instead? It'll work well for all your options. 12 gauge gas operated will fire pretty much any shell, but not be too hard recoil-wise. It'll do the job from deer to birds to HD.
For options, Benelli and Beretta make some really nice semi autos in your price range. $1500 or under is a bit tight for an over/under.
>>29358550
I'm open to any recommendations you care to share. Just post a link or picture to or of the specific gun. I was on either Benelli or Beretta's website earlier and failed to find any shotgun for under 2k but I'm going to guess I missed something.
Kinda in the same boat as op except don't need one for hunting. Was going to get a mossberg 500 Special Purpose but the store I was going to buy it from ran out.
Went to another small gun store and they have a used winchester model 97 that looks pretty good for $250.
Is that a good price and decent gun for home defense?
>>29358016
For hunting purposes, a Mossberg 500 isn't the best. Pumping when shooting doves/clays on the wing makes follow up shots objectively harder than an autoloader or O/U. Also it can't take 3 1/2" shells without modification which you would want for duck or turkey (one of the things that put Benelli on the map in 90s).
>>29358476
>I don't know how to tell what gauges/shots are meant for what animal, etc.
Gauge really just determines how much of the shot can be loaded into the round. A 12ga, 20ga, 28ga, and .410 bore all can fire buckshot, slugs, and birdshot. But you can fit more pellets and load the cartridges hotter in the larger the gauge is. So you might want to use a .410 bore light load when hunting a rabbit because you don't want to ruin a lot of meat. You might use a 12ga when hunting turkey because you want to get a reach out a more than 35+ yards with a dense pattern of shot. Avid wingshooters like 28ga because its just enough dense pattern to hit targets, but the recoil is light enough for fast follow up shoots.
>but I have no clue to tell what types of things I could hunt with this
Depends on the game in your area and the regulations. Check the DNR.
>Their website says it is good for upland birds/clays but how did they come to that conclusion?
The under barrel of an O/U has a low bore axis which helps for the follow up shot from the over barrel. Allows for a better follow up shot. This is why you pretty much see any serious skeet shooter use an O/U.
>>29358512
Bad example because Acura and Honda are the same company while Benelli and Mossberg are different.
>>29358617
>larger the gauge is.
I meant to say smaller the gauge the larger it is
>>29357871
An O/U is great for birds but that's about it. It could work for HD too, I guess, but it's pretty limited.
I wouldn't take a twin barrelled firearm deer hunting. The barrels will likely fire slugs to different points of aim. The gun will also lack any kind of effective sights. Personally, I'm not into shooting at big game unless I know exactly where my round is going.
Ima put in another vote for a Mossberg 500. Get a field & slug combo.
>>29358648
>I wouldn't take a twin barrelled firearm deer hunting.
It would be fine with buckshot, but then again it depends where you live. If you're in Arizona shooting mule deer at like 100 yards, then yes you want slugs. But if you're in Tennessee in the thick woods where you encounter them at like 50 yards, then buckshot is great.
>>29358648
Looks like the Mossberg 500 is really one to rent at the gun range. Can you post the specific model you mean just to help me out? I'm not very good with web searches and computer stuffs.
>>29358648
>Personally, I'm not into shooting at big game unless I know exactly where my round is going.
Also when hunting you should always be shooting at a back drop when using rifled slugs or rifle rounds. Bird shot is fine on the horizon since it loses its effectiveness in like 200 yards (of course you should always know what is in that 200 yards and why you don't bird hunt in your neighborhood). That is hunting 101 and part of the hunting test.
>>29358476
Shotguns are very versatile tools, no matter what type you pick up.
If it's 12 gauge, congraz! You got arguably the most effective, common and cheap weapon for hunting, HD and fun. The most common shell lengths (in mm) are 12/70 (standard), 12/76 (Magnum) and 12/89 (Super Magnum). The gun itself can be designed to fire one of these shell sizes, and the larger ones can fire the smaller ammo types without issues. Vise-versa this does not work, obviously.
All of them have many different loads for different purposes, ranging from tiny pellet clouds meant for trap/skeet, to hunting and HD fitting buckshot, and the one naked bullet firing slugs that technically turn the gun into a shorter range rifle.
When it comes to hunting, there's usually certain recommended minimum loads described for different game. 3 - 3.75mm birdshot is obviously good for birds, 4mm and up better for smaller carnivores and rabbits, and buckshots - as the name implies, are the good for durr and a bit bigger game. Police, military and even civvies tend to use the 00-buckshot for the other purposes. Slug obviously is effective against huge animals.
>>29358617
>For hunting purposes, a Mossberg 500 isn't the best
True, but it's not too bad either. 12/76 gets the job done just fine, especially if you're mostly hunting birds.
Also there are variants, such as the Mossberg mod 835, which takes Super Magnum shells.
>>29358701
Not him, but just about any Mossberg 5xx would do fine. They're simple and reliable guns.
The most common models I see posted around would be: 500, 500A, 590, 590A1, and the Maverick 88.
That's not to say Mossberg would be the only option. The good ol' Remington 870 is the classic competitor, though I've heard some people say the modern variants being worse quality than older ones. There's also many clones manufactured by different makers these days.
Winchester 1200 / 1300 are pretty good too.
>>29358701
Check out the Benelli Supernova while you're at it if you want a pump. Most people on /k/ just don't know anything besides Mossberg since they only want to spend $200 on a shotgun so they recommend everyone get a Mossberg.
The H&R Pardner pump-actions are quite underrated little pump guns. They're surprisingly cheap 870 clones, but built like a fucking tank.
>>29358617
The fuck you talking about?
Pump action is fine for doves and clays, considering 25% of the 3 gun community, when forced to use tube feed shotguns as opposed to mag fed, use pump action instead of semi auto because its FASTER to pump.
I'm not kidding.
I'm not lying.
Ask anybody who does 3 gun and they can confirm. Its quite easy to get fast with a pump and all it needs is trainning.
>>29359458
There is no way pumping a shotgun is faster than an Inertia Driven shotgun, and that is probably why they only make up 25%. I don't think I've heard of someone winning double trap in ATA with a pump shotgun or any NSSA. Not to say people don't compete and put up a good showing with pump in those tournies. But when the best shooters in the world get sponsored and can decide what shotgun to have for trap, skeet, or sporting clays they always go with an O/U.
>>29358698
If you want to get that close to take a shot, you're honestly better off with a compound or cross bow. Bonus points for expanded seasons and increased access to private land and some city limits. And you're not putting random holes in the tastiest parts of the animal.
