best shotgun for beginners

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fast427ci
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best shotgun for beginners

Post by fast427ci » Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:04 am

why wife is looking to try to shot trap or skeet. Does anyone have a suggestion of what kind of shotgun to get her that won't break the bank in case she does not like it.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by magpulsam » Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:07 am

20ga 870
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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by Yaakattack3 » Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:43 am

Remington 870, or a Mossberg 835 if you want a pump gun, though they are not excellent for shooting skeet, some people can manage.

I picked up a Mossberg Silver Reserve O/U 12ga years ago to start into the trap and skeet game with. I now compete in the PNW and Montana. After shooting my pump almost exclusively for the past year with waterfowling, I decided to take out the old Silver Reserve to bust some clays. I shot a 49/50. Not bad for it being the first time shooting it in such a long time.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by thumpar » Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:04 am

magpulsam wrote:20ga 870
That or a 20ga 500 mossy.
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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by fast427ci » Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:17 am

thanks for the input!

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by Yaakattack3 » Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:32 am

No problem. If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot me a PM!

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by RayC.Roberts » Tue Aug 13, 2013 2:14 pm

A lot of the people the Gun Club at WSU helps teach to shoot trap start with pumps. They are reasonably priced, work well and are very versatile. I got my girlfriend an 870 youth 20 gauge because the length fit her well, but it's hard to find stuff for it; if I had to do it again I would get a full size and and then another stock for her to use.
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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by Wigeon » Tue Aug 13, 2013 5:58 pm

870 express 20 gauge, get the youth size if need be, or just the standard size. If she isn't into it worst case you have a good upland gun :)
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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by Yaakattack3 » Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:29 pm

Keep in mind your wife will not have a good time shooting skeet at all with a pump gun. I think that everyone here is overlooking that you may also want to shoot skeet with it.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by Buzz » Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:50 pm

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Last edited by Buzz on Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by hatchdog » Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:55 am

Yaakattack3 wrote:Keep in mind your wife will not have a good time shooting skeet at all with a pump gun. I think that everyone here is overlooking that you may also want to shoot skeet with it.
You might consider a semi-auto, less recoil and more versitile for trap, skeet and maybe sporting clays (?). I am researching shotguns now for my wife, she is only 5" tall so needs a very short stock. Weatherby makes a semi-auto 20 ga with a 12.5" LOP which is the shortest semi I have found to date. The Browning Silver Hunter Micro Midas is a 13" LOP and is very expensive. The Weatherby has a MSRP of around $500. but I am hoping to find one discounted somewhere. Cabela's has a Mossberg 500 Bantam pump advertised for $290.00, I am going to research it to see if "Bantam" means youth.

Edit: Bantam does mean youth, 13" LOP.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by hatchdog » Sat Aug 17, 2013 7:28 am

hatchdog wrote:
Yaakattack3 wrote:Keep in mind your wife will not have a good time shooting skeet at all with a pump gun. I think that everyone here is overlooking that you may also want to shoot skeet with it.
You might consider a semi-auto, less recoil and more versitile for trap, skeet and maybe sporting clays (?). I am researching shotguns now for my wife, she is only 5" tall so needs a very short stock. Weatherby makes a semi-auto 20 ga with a 12.5" LOP which is the shortest semi I have found to date. The Browning Silver Hunter Micro Midas is a 13" LOP and is very expensive. The Weatherby has a MSRP of around $500. but I am hoping to find one discounted somewhere. Cabela's has a Mossberg 500 Bantam pump advertised for $290.00, I am going to research it to see if "Bantam" means youth.

Edit: Bantam does mean youth, 13" LOP.

Mrs. hatchdog bought herself the Weatherby SA-08 semi auto 20 ga youth last night. The 12.5" LOP seems to fit her OK, but I think a 12" would be better. We found it at Cabela's and they also have the Weatherby PA-08 youth pump on hand. Black Sheep in CDA has a real nice Franchi 20 ga youth semi on hand but it is pushing $900.00.

I think the 24" barrel on the Weatherby youth (22" on the pump) might make hitting targets on the trap range difficult but might be OK for skeet (? never shot skeet but I think the shots are shorter than trap?) My wife plans to use this shotgun mostly for hunting grouse and I think it will be perfect for that.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by PaneledZero » Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:34 pm

I received a Mossberg 835 Ultra Mag for Christmas long ago from my dad. While in high school (graduated in 2003) I was on the FFA trap shooting team. I used the 835 for the 2 3/4 shells and it worked flawlessly for me.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by Bob R » Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:39 pm

Back in another liftime when I shot skeet nearly everyday, I used Remington 1100s. They were very good guns for skeet. I am pretty sure you can get them in 20g. I had a set of three left handed action 1100s, 12, 28 and 410. Somebody made me an offer I couldn't refuse on them a long time ago. I really miss the 28 gauge, not only was it a sweet shooter, it is worth a bundle now.

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Re: best shotgun for beginners

Post by George » Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:37 pm

The Spokane Gun Club will rent you an 870 in 12 or 20 (20 ga is reduced stock length for kids, smaller adults, etc). Easy way to try one out.

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