$100-$150?

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I am a firm believer in the "first gun" being a single shot whether it is a rifle or shotgun. You learn quickly to make the shot count. It forces you to be sure before you pull the trigger, both of your target and of your shot.
 
What do you want the shotgun for? Self-defense, Sport, or Both?

For that price, you could get the following...

Norinco 982T

Maverick 88 with a 28, 24, or 20" barrel

Charles Daly Field Hunter

and like said above, you could get an H&R single shot

H&R SB1-118

If I were you, I would spend a few extra bones and go ahead and get a

Remington 870 Express

You can order directly from Bud's (if you live in the U.S.) and have any firearm in their inventory sent to a local FFL holder. You would only have to pay a ~$30 transfer fee.
 
You will not be happy with a single shot shotgun. I see no reason to buy one just because it is your first one. You will want something better and you will not be able to sellit for even half what you pay since everyone else thinks like I do.

Without a doubt the best bang for your buck is going to be a used Rem 870 or Moss 500. You can find them anywhere that sells guns and price ranges from $75-200 with many in the $150 range. Try your local pawnshops and gunstores, you don't can't find a nice used Rem 870 or Moss 500 for $150 or so, you aren't looking hard enough.

I would say get a 12 ga because it really doesn't recoil more than a 20 ga and the ammo is a little cheaper.
 
I'll second Albanian on the single shot shotguns not being a great idea.

With rifles, sure a single shot will make you a more cautious shot and therefore a better shot. But this is not so for game birds.

With shotguns, when upland game birds and waterfowl are the targets, having anything less than 2 or 3 shots is going to be an exercise in frustration. Ducks and geese are generally shot in multiples, and multiple flushes of woodcock, pheasant and quail are also very common. Limiting yourself to one shot is going to only result in wishing you had another.
 
I don't care for my pump (870) when bird hunting. I do much better with a single shot or SxS.

I think it is the shorter OAL and better balance of the break action.

I'd suggest you try both before buying if it is possible.

I like my pump far all kinds of reasons, just not bird hunting.
 
I'm with you Fisherman...I almost always go with my Stoeger SxS for upland hunting, for the reasons you mentioned, and my pump Winchester for waterfowl.
 
Here is the thing, if he starts with a pump, he will never need to "upgrade" to anything else. A good pump will do everything a shotgun can do and it will last a lifetime. Suggesting anything other than a quality pump for a first and maybe only shotgun is not doing any newbie any favors. If he starts with a pump, he will become one with it like many before him. The bad news is, it may be the only shotgun he ever buys because that is all he will ever need. I think that is why people don't talk shotguns like they talk handguns and rifles. A basic gun collection needs at least few different rifles and handguns but only one shotgun if it is a pump 12ga.

You need at least a .22 rifle and pistol, a larger cal pistol for self defense and however many rifles you need. I see any situation where a pump 12ga is not good enough if not close to ideal. I prefer my pump to a double because I have gotton so used to it.
 
I support the idea to not buy a single shot. most are hammer guns and I have found them to be very unsafe in use. three AD's in use from people trying to cock the hammer when a bird flushed or came in unseen. none were disasterous because the muzzles were pointed in a safe direction, but one of the young men using the "pipe" as we called it took a long sabatical from hunting because he was really shook.
I think the 870 is one of the truely great arms of the twentieth century somewhere over 5 million have been made and they all seem to be still working all the time.

Most all the time, walmart will have them down to 230 new pretty soon now in the fall. I find them used in stores all the time for about 175 so you should be able to find them too.

As far as not using a pump to hunt birds. Gee. I find that a hard one to swallow, there are millions of hunters who would say otherwise.
 
Pete,

I don't disagree that it is a fine gun for birding, but it does not fit me as well as a flushing bird gun. I'm only suggesting that the buyer try before he buys. For quail a SXS or OU is the ideal swinging gun. They are much more light and nimble. As they are out of my price range; I am quite content to use a single shot and leave the pump at home or as a back up gun. JMHO.
 
All good points.

One comment on the price of SxS's....my everyday upland gun for pheasants and woodcock is a Stoeger Uplander (I've also killed a pile of ducks with it) which runs about 240 new...Just something to keep in mind.
 
That's a fantastic price. I've been somewhat leary of buying an import (of non-Belgian origin.) The Spartian line has caught my eye too. I'm just waiting for some long run reviews to come in.
 
depending on what you want to do with it I'll throw out the response I always throw out . . .check pawn shops and get a used 870. I've picked up several in the $130-170 range, and although they aren't always pretty they always work.
 
My brother has a Stoger and yes you can find them at very good prices when on sale at Dick's. My brother paid $299 but since I have seen them sell for $249. I was leary about the quality but his has held up well. It is a very good looking shotgun, I just can't shoot it as well as my 870, Ithaca or Moss 500. I also had a Winchester 1300 that I sold just because it wasn't a Rem 870 or Mossberg, I feel stupid now because it was a good gun. I think the Winchester was every bit as good as the Mossberg, it just doesn't get the press because they are not as popular. Pretty much any good quality pump is going to be pretty darn good.

When shooting sheet, I couldn't see any advantage of the SxS over the pump. I am just as fast with the pump and it seems to point better for me. Maybe if I had learned on the double bbl, I would be better with that.
 
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