Hunting Shotguns
Images are sometimes not shown due to bandwidth/network limitations. Refreshing the page usually helps.
You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
/k/, I need to buy a shotgun for hunting. In particular, upland game such as grouse and woodcock. I have a $450 max budget to spend on baby's first shotgun and here are two that I have considered to be the best in my price range:
1) Remington 870 Express, 12 gauge, 26/28 inch.
2) Weatherby PA-08, 12 guage, 26/28, Upland.
I was considering 12 gauge since you can get lighter loads. 20 gauge is also something I highly considered.
Any advice would help, thanks.
>>28328556
Either one, but I hear the 870 isn't what it used to be.
Go 28 in, with choke tubes. Shortbbls are whippy, not conducive to smooth shooting. Point and pull doesnt kill birds. See, mount, swing and shoot kills birds.
I shoot cylinder(0.000") or skeet chokes ALWAYS, and I'm the only guy I know who's shot 4 grouse in 1 day.
Shot one today, out of a 30" bbl. 1.25 oz#6, skeet choke. Going again tomorrow.
Grouse and woodcock die easy. I've killed them with 1 pellet of 7.5. These aren't pheasant or mallards.
Practice. Thats what works. Practice.
I shoot a SxS w. 28" and. 391 w. 30", also used an 835 before.
Open chokes.
Practice. Shoot skeet from low gun. Mount, swing, shoot.
Something against mossberg? 500 or 590 are great pump guns.
I use a S&W Governor
Benelli Nova or Supernova
Weatherby's are good for upland as well. The Nova and Supernova have chrome-lined barrels and tend to do better in all weather. Personally, I hunt waterfowl, but I have used it for hunting pheasants.
>>28330301
thanks! Any recommendations on gauge?
>>28328556
A used 870, pre-2007 is fine. The Weatherby PA-08 shoot well, but I have trouble recommending it at a price above $350. The quality isn't there, with weak vent ribs and generally poor fitting. The wood, like many Turkish guns is good.
For the price, I would buy a Mossberg 500 and a case of shells. The Nova/SuperNova was recommended above and is also great, but I have been around SuperNovas that have issues unlocking with very light loads.
Sorry to kinda hijack this thread, but what do you actually look for in a shotgun? Isn't a 12 gauge with insertable chokes for your pattern enough? Then just 2.5" for bird and 3-3.5" for durr? I really am not a hunter...
>>28331742
It depends on use. For shooting games, I am pretty particular. Trap and doubles trap I would want no less than 26" barrel, preferably 30-34" and would use modified extended on the 16 and full extended for handicap. I shoot less skeet, but use an autoloader at 26" or 28" with a cylinder or skeet choke.
Hunting, I only use modified or extra full chokes, usually from a pump, preferably Mossberg. I also have a late '80s 870 Wingmaster and a 105 CTi II.
>>28331742
well if you are smart you look for stock fit
removable chokes is a nice bonus but all you really need to do is understand how your gun patterns and compensate for that when you shoot
for 12 gauge 2.5 is for old shotguns that existed before shells had a standardized size think pre ww2
2 3/4 is well normal and can actually be used for anything, 3 is for that extra oomph. 3.5 is for people who want to replicate 10 gauge in a 12guage and really isnt used
youd think 3.5 would be the omfg overkill shit but finding slugs or buckshot in 3.5 is really rare the majority of it is just bird
>>28331742
I went with the Supernova because of how it felt, how it swung, and just general features you don't find in other base pump shotguns.
For shooting clays, birds, and (hopefully not) robbers, it does the job exceptionally.
Also, I went turkey hunting with it for the first time and it was pretty great. Those sweet 3.5 inch magnum loads were amazing.
The one I bought has a 28" barrel for general field use, but I bought an 18.5" barrel for home defense.
>>28331789
3.5" is also great for gimping tube capacity and making shells cost $1.25 a pop or more.
We have geese hunters where I live, and they love the damn things. Shoot some tungsten, shred the bore, live the dream.
>>28331674
12
Twelve
XII
No good reason not to.
1 to 1.25 oz of 6 or 7.5 shot. 1200 fps. Flying grouse shots are tough, and we miss more than we hit. Dont leave yourself wondering if you put up enough lead.
>10 gauge!?!?
Don't even. Walking 5 miles through brush thicker tan a plate of spaghetti carrying a 9 lb shotgun? 7 lbs is heavy at the end of the day.
Woodcock, when you are in a flight, can be more predictable, flush closer, fly slower, a smaller gauge is acceptable. Move to a 20 when you want to, make a conscious decision to go to a purpose built, speciaized platform, and you still have the 12 to deer, goose, and protect.
>>28333176
>me again
After 35 years of hunting grouse, I'm still using 12 ga. I went to 20 for awhile, fucked around w. 28, will carry my 12 this afternoon.
Heres a trick.
Be in LGS, handling shotguns. Hold "at arms" ready. Focus eyes hard on an exit sign, mounted bass, light fixture about 50 feet away. Swing around, pivot feet, as if that was a bird.
Bring gun to shoulder quickly, cheek to stock, both eyes open keep looking hard at "target". Freeze when mounted, and
Close your off-eye and sight down the rib.
How close are you "aimed" at target?
The closer, the more pointable the shotgun. The better it fits you.
>>28333250
>>28333176
Thanks man!!
So general consensus is to get a nova/super nova or Mossberg 500?
>>28333409
Get the gun that fits best, that matches your body shape and finger length, that you like, that points well for you.
Nobody here said "buy x" except SUPERNOVA SUPERNOVA who posts in every shotgun thread. A supernova is way outside the op pricerange.
Mossberg makes shotguns, they work. I own one, rattle can camo painted it and use it for duck hunting because if it falls in the water, no lost sleep. If it fits you, buy it.
>>28328556
J.C. Higgins Model 20
>>28328556
>woodcock
Lel
>>28330394
>>28331713
I have the chance to buy a 500A, 28 inch, excellent condition for $225. Should I take it?
>>28328556
You chose two shitty options.
>>28334490
Thanks for your contribution
>>28334472
500A usually has an 18.5" barrel on it, unless it is an older one. Mossberg uses a couple different barrels depending on the tube length, with standard capacity tubes have a barrel with fixed screw and extended tubes having a collared barrel.
I only mention this because altering a gun like a Mossberg after the fact usually costs more than just buying what you want. If the gun is good by you as is, that isn't a bad deal for something in pretty good shape. 2.75" or 3" chamber?
>>28334690
The seller bought it around 2003/2004 if that means anything
>>28335343
>>28335357
It has a standard length tube, which makes getting other barrels easier. Check the bore for pitting or scratches. If it's good, then I would probably buy it.
A good deal new would be $350 with two barrels in a store or a little less online. Accu Chokes are pretty easy to come by and are the same as Invectors.
>>28335357
Also, does it come with chokes? Mossberg will sometimes send them to you if you ask, but I prefer Carlson or Briley over Mossberg factory. Decent chokes are $40 or so for non-specialty. Something like turkey/coyote chokes or breachers are more.
>>28336060
Comes with a modified choke. So for $225 shouldni jumo on it? Or lowball him for it being 10 years old and offer $200 so I can afford another barrel too
>>28336082
For hunting, that barrel is fine. If you bought something else, you might pick up an 18.5" for home defense or something for shooting sabot slugs, if that's your thing. I generally use a modified for most things anyway, but that depends on what you end up using it for.
$225 is pretty fair, but if you can get it for less that is good too. A new barrel will start around $100, unless you can find something used. $200 would be what a Maverick 88 costs, and the 500 is a much better gun than the Maverick.
>>28336125
Awesome. This would be used pretty much exclusive for roughed grouse hunting. I'm more of a rifle guy so shotguns are a bit out of my knowledge base. So I appreciate the advice. I'll go ahead and shoot him an offer for that gun, thanks!
Ithaca Model 37
>>28336857
I had one, a Featherweight. It was very smooth and well finished, but loading was even more awkward than a BPS due to the narrow receiver. It also had a fixed full choke on a 30" or so barrel and a two round magazine. I could have cut and tapped it for chokes, but the barrel was already pretty thin and a friend from Illinois really liked it.
>>28335357
Do it, man. With wingshooting shotguns, its like this... If they work without breaking or giving you a black eye, they're all right. Shooting flying is a motor skill. A good wingshot can hit with a pipe taped to a 2x4. Sure, a 682 would be better, but its not like rifle marksmanship.
No offense rifleanons, but after a point, benchrest shooting is about equipment. Wingshooting is about eye hand coordination and reflexes.
I shot skeet league with a guy who would bring a 18" pistol gripped, ext'd mag, laser sighted 500 to the line on practice days. He could run 18/25 from the hip.
I never shared this next story, because it'd make me sound boastful and petty, but anonimity allows it.
I was on 5 stand sporting with a dude who had more money than time. He had a matched pair of Holland&Holland SxS 12s, the scroll engraving alone on them cost more than my new F150. I dont remember his score, but it was considerably lower than my 23 or 24/25. Afterwards i oogled his wife, range rover and shotguns and it was all good, but his 80k worth of hardware couldnt make up for my 10,000 rounds and 1000 hours per year with the gun my dad gave me because he wanted to upgrade to an 1100.
Just get a decent shotgun (28" 500 is) an open choke, and shoot it. Often. Study it. Books, video, skeet, trap, sporting. Eye exersices, practice pointing your finger and leading tweety birds, passing cars. Swing, mount, dry fire. Learn where to find birds. It's all a learned skill.
kudos to all of you. this is a great thread.
A little out of your price range but I strongly suggest a Browning bps. I have one and love it.
>>28338511
If he ends up shooting a lot of clays, I don't know if I could make the same recommendation.
I am the guy who had the 37R Featherweight and who has a DP-12 and 105CTi II. Bottom feed, bottom eject is great in a blind, but it gets tedious if you are loading shells one or two at a time on a line.
Pic related, it's a 105 CTi II (not mine, which is in storage), which autofeeds the first shell in tube when loading. It also is sort of tedious to load smoothly for 500 times in a day.
I have a Browning BPS. Would recommend.
Also what are some opinions on this gun? I don't see it ever on /k/
OP here. I agree with >>28338337.. Great advice/thread all around.
I was able to get the guy to settle on $235 and I'll be picking it up tomorrow. Have a friend giving me a sling for it too (though idk how useful they are when hunting).
>>28338303
Practice really is everything. Nice story
>>28338831
Idk, but that looks sexy bruh
