FFGColorado
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Good choice, my son and I both have them and they are fun, accurate, easy to shoot, ammo inexpensive...
Best shotgun for newbie
- Thread starter cdahl383
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Buzznrose
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Buzznrose
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I think this is a great way to start shooting. Good luck and stay safe!
and be sure to stock up on a few of the Ruger OEM 25 round mags...they are the best high cap mags for this gun.
Buzznrose
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Your friend did you a great service. This is almost an identical experience that the film maker had it the movie “Keep and Bear” that I linked you to earlier.
Still strongly recommend you watch it...with your wife. She will enjoy it too I think, since her shooting experience. The similarities between your situation and the one in the documentary are very close
Still need to watch that documentary. I’ll check out that gun safety video as well.
I saw a few videos where the 25 mags jammed up, but I think they were a different brand. I bought 3 extra 10 round magazines. Maybe I’ll try a couple 25 round ruger magazines too then.
I saw a few videos where the 25 mags jammed up, but I think they were a different brand. I bought 3 extra 10 round magazines. Maybe I’ll try a couple 25 round ruger magazines too then.
Buzznrose
Member
I have had lots of issues with 10-22 extended magazines over the years...until Ruger started making the BX-25’s. I have three that have been flawless after many thousands of rounds.
They are the only mags I use in my 10-22
Awesome! Good to know! Thanks!
Always get common gauges so you're using the same ammunition and always get the lighter of the two if there's a need based on all the users. In your case it would be 20ga. If you want "his and hers" match then so regardless of what you grab it is the same as what you've practiced with.
For inexperienced shotgun shooters I advise a semiauto gas gun because recoil is more manageable and because the manual of arms is more like other long guns (no pump). I keep a 2oga youth model extended tube 18.5" 1100 in the bedroom if my wife grabs it instead of her 300 AR pistol or her .38 Super CZ clone. At house distances you're at no disadvantage with a 20 properly loaded compared to a 12.
People will complain a semiauto gas gun can fail to cycle and a pump is superior for reliability, but a well built semi gas gun that's maintained is hardly likely to fail you. That's been my experience with this little 20ga Remington.
That's my opinion based on your original question and sticking to shotguns here in the shotgun forum, BUT testing has shown that a 5.56 carbine will be as effective at stopping an attacker, is lighter, easier to aim, easier to maneuver, shorter with more capacity while the round has less over penetration than a shotgun. Is a shotgun a bad choice for home defense, NO. Is a light short carbine a better choice, probably.
Well just get either a 12 or 20 gauge. More than likely a 20 as my wife could shoot that one whereas she didn’t even want to try the 12 gauge.
Who knows when they’ll be available though. I’ve looked everywhere, no home defense shotguns anywhere. Was wanting to pick up a Mossberg but none available anywhere.
Who knows when they’ll be available though. I’ve looked everywhere, no home defense shotguns anywhere. Was wanting to pick up a Mossberg but none available anywhere.
Plenty at academy. If you go for an 1187 youth model with an 18" barrel you're there. Calling anything a "defense ..." is going to drive you nuts, just look for the characteristics.
Rex in OTZ
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Ive been through this choice myself and eventhough I now have the choice to grab a pistol, rifle or shotgun it just depends on the use.
For a first HD gun I would definatly choose the 20ga shotgun. Can find a cheap qaulity weapon for between $150 and $300. Mossberg 500/590, Remington 870, Maverick 88, any will do just pick the one that feels the best.
12ga is alot if gun with HD rounds and 410 is expensive and while effective not nearly as effective as a 20ga. I own both 12ga and 20ga and if I want to shoot HD loads like buckshot I will use the 20ga everytime and Im a 6ft 240# man. The 12ga with buckshot or slugs is just brutal to practice with and will make your wife (and possibly you too) hate the gun and not want to shoot it.
The 20ga heavy loads will be much more tolerable for both of you and they dont lose that much to the 12 but do lose alot of the recoil. You can also practice with bird loads to get used to the gun without the excessive recoil. This helps alot for someone new to guns and unaccustomed to recoil.
Your wife will have alot easier time handling the weight of the 20 over the 12 too. It wont tire her out as fast as a heavy 12ga will. Thats the reason I no longer bird hunt with the 12. My 20 is alot lighter for all day carry.
You can always buy other guns later but as a first gun a shotgun really works for home defense. You dont have to train nearly as much to hit a target with a shotgun as you do with a pistol and under stress the shotgun will be much easier to bring to bear effectively for a person who hasnt been shooting alot.
Whatever you choose take a class and learn your weapon and how to handle it safely and practice as often as you can and eventually it will feel natural to you and you wont have to think about how to operate it, it will be second nature. Gl with your search.
For a first HD gun I would definatly choose the 20ga shotgun. Can find a cheap qaulity weapon for between $150 and $300. Mossberg 500/590, Remington 870, Maverick 88, any will do just pick the one that feels the best.
12ga is alot if gun with HD rounds and 410 is expensive and while effective not nearly as effective as a 20ga. I own both 12ga and 20ga and if I want to shoot HD loads like buckshot I will use the 20ga everytime and Im a 6ft 240# man. The 12ga with buckshot or slugs is just brutal to practice with and will make your wife (and possibly you too) hate the gun and not want to shoot it.
The 20ga heavy loads will be much more tolerable for both of you and they dont lose that much to the 12 but do lose alot of the recoil. You can also practice with bird loads to get used to the gun without the excessive recoil. This helps alot for someone new to guns and unaccustomed to recoil.
Your wife will have alot easier time handling the weight of the 20 over the 12 too. It wont tire her out as fast as a heavy 12ga will. Thats the reason I no longer bird hunt with the 12. My 20 is alot lighter for all day carry.
You can always buy other guns later but as a first gun a shotgun really works for home defense. You dont have to train nearly as much to hit a target with a shotgun as you do with a pistol and under stress the shotgun will be much easier to bring to bear effectively for a person who hasnt been shooting alot.
Whatever you choose take a class and learn your weapon and how to handle it safely and practice as often as you can and eventually it will feel natural to you and you wont have to think about how to operate it, it will be second nature. Gl with your search.
As I fully expected your question brings out the full range of different opinions which ends up as a confusing array of options that leave you with simply a whole lot more questions. I think the truth is that there are a multitude of options that would work just fine for you and your wife. Your plans of visiting your neighbor is a good start. The more firearms you and your wife can handle and shoot the easier it will be to narrow down a good choice that fits each of you. I recommend you read and re-read postings here but take all with a some degree of skepticism. All are personal opinions and based on what works for them or what the poster thinks is best best for you. Now YOU have to run the gauntlet of ideas and discover what is best for you. with that said I will give my 2 cents worth. Talking about shotguns for HD , I recommend for both of you a quality 20 gauge semi auto youth model shotgun. If that puts it above what you want to spend the same gun in a pump can be had much cheaper.
My tall sister in law prefers a youth model. The shorter stock allows her to shoulder the gun without a kink in her spine. My powerlifting daughter shoots a heavy 12 gauge for trap with proper form. It gets back to fit. If your wife can’t shoot a shotgun with fairly good posture, she won’t enjoy it.
nothing wrong with a 20 gauge, but 20’s are often lighter than 12’s, so the felt recoil is the same.
nothing wrong with a 20 gauge, but 20’s are often lighter than 12’s, so the felt recoil is the same.
Just a quick update. Picked up a few guns over the past couple months. Quickly found that I really enjoy shooting as does my wife!
Ended up getting a Ruger 10/22, Ruger PC Carbine (9mm), and a Stoeger 12 gauge coach gun. All of them are fun to shoot.
Went to my buddy’s place again yesterday and spent about 4 hours shooting at different targets. I got a cheap red dot scope for the 10-22 and sighted it in, works great! The PC carbine iron sights work great, but still might consider a red dot for that one. The shotgun is badass! It’s a side by side double barrel shotgun with 20” barrels. Kicks like a mule with 00 buckshot but birdshot isn’t too bad. I got some low recoil rounds do my wife could get used to shooting it too without destroying her shoulder. That one is a lot of fun to shoot.
Would like to get a Mossberg pump action shotgun one day but can’t find one anywhere. Been searching for months just nowhere to be found. One day I’ll grab one though when they’re available.
Very fun though, really enjoying everything so far, like a whole new world opening up at 38 years old haha!
Ended up getting a Ruger 10/22, Ruger PC Carbine (9mm), and a Stoeger 12 gauge coach gun. All of them are fun to shoot.
Went to my buddy’s place again yesterday and spent about 4 hours shooting at different targets. I got a cheap red dot scope for the 10-22 and sighted it in, works great! The PC carbine iron sights work great, but still might consider a red dot for that one. The shotgun is badass! It’s a side by side double barrel shotgun with 20” barrels. Kicks like a mule with 00 buckshot but birdshot isn’t too bad. I got some low recoil rounds do my wife could get used to shooting it too without destroying her shoulder. That one is a lot of fun to shoot.
Would like to get a Mossberg pump action shotgun one day but can’t find one anywhere. Been searching for months just nowhere to be found. One day I’ll grab one though when they’re available.
Very fun though, really enjoying everything so far, like a whole new world opening up at 38 years old haha!
cdb1
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Cool beans.
George P
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I just got my SIG Romeo 5 for my Ruger PCC; haven't had a chance to shoot the gun with it yet. Where's the best spot on the rail for it?
I just put it closer to the stock so it’d be closer to my eyes. I didn’t use a riser either, just direct to the gun.
Haha that might be next one day. I like shooting long guns better though. Shot my buddy’s handguns and they’re cool, but I like the rifles and shotgun more.
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