[Antihero]

My mom is throwing around the idea of a HD shotgun. She's a very small framed woman,5 foot tall, and doesnt like recoil at all. My thought is to get a cheaper double in 12 gauge, load it with Aquila mini shells and cutdown the stock for a comfortable length of pull. My thought is most doubles are shorter and lighter than the average auto or pump and the recoil of the mini shells is basically nothing. Also if its in 12 gauge if she ends up being able to handle more recoil comfortably there is a wide range of ammo available for her.

Or should i go for something like a semi auto 20 gauge or even a 410? I want to stay away from pumps because im worried that she doesnt have the uper body strength/reach to not short stroke a pump.

So what do you guys recommend?

[Friendly, Don't Fire!]

Go to a 20 Gauge (with low brass shells).

[Antihero]

^^^^^
True, but she isnt comfortable at all with my dads Maverick 12 gauge and i have nothing but 12 gauge pumps, so i cant lend her anything to try. Its going to have to be a new gun.

[rcmodel]

With all those restrictions on size, weight & recoil?

I would guess she would only go practice once, with a lot of kicking & screaming involved.

She might be better served & safer with an industrial size can of Bear Pepper Spray then a gun she doesn't know how to use well & instinctively under pressure!!

rc

[Fred Fuller]

I'd suggest trying a pistol caliber carbine instead. At age 80 my mom decided the little 20 gauge SxS was too much for her. So we experimented with the various semiauto carbines till we found one she could manage (a Beretta CX-4 Storm in 9mm in her case).

[Youngster]

+1 on the pistol caliber carbine.

Not only will it have less recoil but the gun itself will probably be more physically manageable, which is not something to be overlooked where smaller and less physically strong people are concerned.

[Antihero]

I agree with the pistol caliber carbine idea, in fact i have an older Hi-Point Carbine that i told her she could use , but she likes the idea of a shotgun more. She doesnt like guns much at all so when she decides she wants one i try to encourage it.

She has a KelTec PMR30 that she really likes and is good with, but she's thinking of getting something in a shotgun now.

[bejay]

would just go with your original idea doesnt sound like whatever you get is going to get used much a shotgun with a simple break open action and a good recoil pad.

[Mike1234567]

20ga low brass in a S-A and tune it to make it function reliably. I like Saiga. :)

[oneounceload]

either a 28 gauge semi or a 38/.357 lever action would be your best bet in these circumstances

[451 Detonics]

Stoeger makes a SXS 28 gauge...might be just the ticket. Buck would have to be custom loaded but that shouldn't be a problem

[Fred Fuller]

Brenneke is loading 28 gauge slugs now... http://www.brennekeusa.com/cms/fileadmin/BrennekeUSA/Hunting/user_upload/Dokumente/GOA_Artikel.pdf

[RaceM]

I put together just such a weapon for my wife who is only 5' 2". It's an 870 Remington in 20 gauge with a youth stock (wood) and LimbSaver recoil pad. Took her out to the farm yesterday with it and once she got her stance dialed in she put lead on target repeatedly at 40 feet. Loads were Estate target (7/8 oz), and Remington game loads (7/8 or 1 oz).

[NG VI]

I actually think the mini-shells in a double is a great idea, if you do, you basically have to go with slugs though, not enough buck and bird is obviously out.

[Antihero]

I actually think the mini-shells in a double is a great idea, if you do, you basically have to go with slugs though, not enough buck and bird is obviously out.


According to the shell im holding it has 7 #4 buck and 4 #1 buck in a shell, not great but better than i thought it would.

[Rail Driver]

If it were me, I'd go with a shorter (18.5" - 20" barrel) Remington 870 20ga with a shorter wood stock. It'll be a bit heavier, but in the 20ga it will soak up a lot of the recoil. Make sure the stock fits her well, and has a good thick pad. Teach her to properly mount and shoot the shotgun. Shotgun shooting fundamentals are much more important than load when it comes to handling recoil.

[Antihero]

^^^

I agree but i kinda want to stay away from pumps.

[Rail Driver]

^^^

I agree but i kinda want to stay away from pumps.
The training/shooting fundamentals/proper fit issues also extend to semi-auto and single/double shotguns as well, and much more so with single and double shotguns due to the reloading process.

[azgun]

Circuit judge. Lite recoil. Secondly u can use 45 colt.

[MCgunner]

Gas gun, 12 or 20, actually.

[Antihero]

The training/shooting fundamentals/proper fit issues also extend to semi-auto and single/double shotguns as well, and much more so with single and double shotguns due to the reloading process.


I agree but she isnt very comfortable with pumps. With an auto or double there isnt much you need to do for a follow up shot, except for maybe the double gun having 2 triggers.

Getting her a pump would be much easier as there are many youth 410/20 gauge out there but ti couldnt use the minishells.

[NG VI]

The slugs in the minis are 7/8th of an ounce, so only an eighth lighter than a typical 12 gauge slug, they're candy on the shoulder and much closer to a normal payload than the shot loads are.

I just think a lighter-than-normal slug is probably a better bet than a smaller load of shot.