Shotgun for Wife

Mencius said:

I have been thinking for a while I need to get a shotgun for the wife....

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Sounds like it might be a good trade!

Are you looking for an auto, pump, or double? If looking for a pump, I would recommend looking at the Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 as both are good pump guns. I have no experience with the Tri Star or with any auto loader shotguns. Try taking her somewhere that she can try/shoot different brands/types to she what she likes and fits her the best.

If you want the least kicking gun possible, forget the pumps or doubles. Get a Beretta with a ported 26" barrel and a slightly shortened stock. I have a Urika 2 made this way and it is the softest shooting gun there is. You can go 12 or 20 ga, it really wouldn't make much of a difference. Mine is a 12 ga and there has not been a woman nor child over 12 years of age that has complained about the recoil; most don't notice it at all.

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The Tristar's really are pretty nice shotguns for the occasional shooter. The 28ga version is really light and low recoiling, I would definitely consider it for a new shooter. Otherwise any gas auto in 20ga would be a good choice.

You really need t take her to a trap/skeet club and see if folks will let her shoot some of their guns - especially on the skeet field where the odds are greater of getting to try, 20, 28, and 410

Want the least kick? Remington 1100 gas gun in 410
Want the most? Any gun that doesn't fit her that is light and firing stupid loads

The extra $600 to $800 for a Browning might not be worth it if she puts it down after going out a few times.

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Wrong, because you'll be able to get that money back on a Browning - something you won't on the cheap Tristar

Semi-Auto 20ga, I love the 1100

I second the 20 gauge 1100. Youth stocks are also easily available, assuming your wife isn't 5'-11-1/2" tall like mine was..

I bought my wife a Rem 1100 20 ga with a youth stock. the first time she shot it she said "No Recoil at all". She is 5'3" 115 lbs, a petite lady. I am also building her a couple Ithaca 16ga pumps, with appropriately sized stocks and barrels.

You have to keep in mind upper body strength. They may be able to shoot a gun one or two times, but if it becomes tiresome to hold up after that, that gun will go into the safe and never come out again. And if she would go hunting with you (my wife does) you especially don't want it too heavy, or you will be carrying it back to the vehicle for the first and last time.

We also bought my daughter an 870 20ga. This one has a 12" LOP instead of the std 13" youth/ladies as she is 17 and not 5' tall and will never be.

You also don't want to fall into the .410 is lighter trap. If a gun is too hard to hit anything with, it gets boring and a .410 is really for a more experienced shooter.

Unfortunately, just like with most everything else, prices have crept up.

This one just showed up:

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Remington-1100-Youth-20-ga.cfm?gun_id=100332813

Cabelas has synthetic stocks and foreends for a reasonable price

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=741074

No experience with Tristar. Mossberg youth bantam 500's are available at WalMart for less than $300.00. Great guns.

I only have input on the Tristar shotgun. I know two people that have owned them, one an auto and the other a pump. With the auto, he's fairly happy with it but you have to run heavy loads or it won't cycle right. Somewhat common on a semi until it gets a few hundred rounds through it. With the pump it dropped a loaded round every time it was pumped.

I wouldn't expect a high round count from either of these.

David E said:

Sounds like it might be a good trade!

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Depends. Can the OP post a picture of his wife?

You can't go wrong with a 20 ga. Model 1100 - a used one with with imp. cyl. or mod. choke won't set you back much, and will serve your needs quite well.

Watch Craigslist - they pop up on there occasionally. I got a very nice LT-20 Skeet 1100 there a couple of years ago for $150.

Where are you located in Tampa? I shoot at FishHawk Sporting Clays a lot and just bought my wife a Winchester Super X3 in 20 gauge. It's what she picked out. I liked it so much I bought myself one in 12 gauge. If you are ever down towards Lithia I'd be happy to help another THR member and let your wife give it a try.

I guess y'all have about convinced me to go ahead and get a decent one rather than scouring the bottom of the barrel.

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If you get one with screw in choke tubes, it will be cheaper in the long run than discovering that the fixed choke barrel won't do what you need it to and you either have to have it threaded or buy a new barrel

Another vote for the 20 Gauge 1100 Youth Model with a stock LOP to fit the shooter. Loaded with #3 Buckshot it would be a most excellent HD shotgun.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Walking and chewing bubblegum

Another difference between pumps and autos is that pumps take a little more physical skills to cycle properly and autos take a little extra mechanical skill to maintain and lube properly. You figure where your wife fits in here.

If all all possible, find somebody to loan a gun for a few shots. I went down to 20 guage pump because my 12 gauge was annoying due to some health problems. I have no problem with the 20 pump with buckshot. It kicks like an SKS or other heavy fifle with a small rifle bullet. My 20 guage auto does not kick at all. The pump is cheaper and I didn`t cry when I cut down the barrel for HD. i still have not psyched myself up to cut down the $200+ barrel on the auto

I also recommend vent rib for HD shotguns.

mencius, I have had good experience with a shotgun for my wife. Several years ago I bought her a Remington 870 lightweight 20 guage that shoots only 2 3/4 inch loads. It has been perfect for her. The receiver is slim and well perportioned for a 20. She doesn't have good mechanical skills so a lot of things to do didn't work. I leave the shotgun with the magazine loaded, the hammer down and the safety off. When she wants to shoot all she does is work the slide and pull the trigger. I had the stock shortened and a recoil pad installed and it is even more fun to shoot than my 12 guage. It's the best little gun I have ever had my hands on.

Id go with a Pump .410 with a recoil pad if you want to ease her into it, the kick isnt too much but for a first time shotgun shooter it will leave you a lil soar afterwords. I recently bought a Maverick 88 Field and was surprised how the kick was just a hair bit more than the .410.

please notice that the one I posted for you to look at (no not mine) has the words "Rem Chokes" in the description. Notice the 's'. If it actually has more than one choke with the gun, that would offset the price differential a little.

you also might try a little negotiation with the guy.

also, take a good look at the condition of the gun. it looks in pretty good shape

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Remington-1100-Youth-20-ga.cfm?gun_id=100332813

the absolutely worst thing you can do is try to do it on the cheap. if you get her a gun that hurts (12ga) one she can't hit anything with (.410), one that doesn't fit her (male sized LOP) you will have ruined the chance to develop a shooting partner who also is your wife.

my wife came from a non-gun, non-hunting, non- family from the city. I took the time to use appropriately sized firearms (even had her a custom BPCR rifle built to her size), took the time to take her shooting and made sure I bought enough quality that she knew what we were getting for her was the equal of what I got for me.

the first couple times we went hunting, we did the Barney Fife trick, you know 1 bullet. we chambered up 1 in the 1100 (of course safety on) so that if a rabbit/bird/squirrel presented the opportunity, she didn't have to worry about doubling on the trigger, she only had to concentrate on getting her mind wrapped around what she had to do.

I have done the same with her 9mm, bought her one that is sized for her hands and is pink, since her name is Mary Kay. I also used the 1 bullet trick in the 9mm. or no bullet. that we were able to detect and work on eliminating a flinch.

we have done the same for my daughter. appropriately sized firearms that fit and are easy to shoot.

If you haven't read www.thecorneredcat, you AND your wife should. Written by a female instructor for males and females, it covers a lot of this stuff. Too many guys "think" they know what to get for the wife - whether handgun, rifle or shotgun. Reading that site might give you some good information and insight

oneounceload,

your quote

"The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory.”

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is exactly why I said:

the absolutely worst thing you can do is try to do it on the cheap

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