Good shotgun on the cheap?

[swampcrawler]

Ok guys, iv never been a shotgun guy at all, it's always been rifle and handgun for this guy. However some friends and I went to a near by clay range for some playing around today and I actually had a blast. We had an 870 express, browning bps 20 (sweet little gun) and my grandpa's Winchester 1400. Nothing spectacular but it worked. Anyway I'm looking for recommendations for a nice 20 gauge for clays and dove for 500 or less. I prefer blued/wood. Synthetic never did anything for me. Not knowing much about shotguns all I can come up with is a used Wingmaster or BPS. Pump or simi, o/u or sxs I have no preference just something with a nice appearance and feel to it. Looking forward to your suggestions gentlemen!!

 

[bushmaster1313]

Ithaca Model 37

 

[JSH1]

This is the gun I have been thinking about buying: Yildez 20 gauge O/U $429

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s..._126519_-1__?N=329211139+4294958154+933739035

I haven't read a bad review on them and I was impressed when I handled one in the store last Friday. I need to save my pennies.

 

[Dlowe167]

Mossberg 500 or Maverick 88 usually under $300,or for grins Chiappa 3X3

 

[Field Tester]

Are you going to be using it for just clays or other things? I got a Benelli Supernova w/camo for a all purpose and fell in love. My first shotgun. Came with 3 chokes. Use it for Sporting Clays every month. I blow the over under guys away with how awesome it is. It's a bit more than you're looking for, you can find one used or go with the regular Nova and you'd be in your price range.

I can use it for clays, fowl and deer. It's a well built gun that I have no doubt I'll pass along to my children. Chokes are very handy. I plan on buying a rifled choke for deer too.

If you're just going to be busting clays, get an over under.

 

[guyfromohio]

Why a 20 vs. 12?

My preference would be the used 870, but Ithaca, Winchester, and Mossburg wouldn't disappoint. I like the older ones, myself.

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // I like the used 870 idea.

So many options in the series, finding the right one for you should not be too hard.
Parts are available.
Extra barrels make versatility with one receiver outstanding.

My Grandmother can field strip/clean one.

Enjoy the search

 

[Eb1]

Everything my Maverick 88 gets pointed at falls to the ground when I pull the trigger. Be it clays, doves, ducks, rabbits, squirrels or deer.
It is a 12 gauge, but it cost me $146 brand new. Is exactly like a Mossberg 500, but the safety is on the trigger not the tang, and it has a plastic trigger guard. It breaks down the same way, and even uses Mossberg 500 barrels.
You can get them in 20 gauge also.

For $146 from Academy, which was a few years back of course, it has had at least 2000 shells through it, and has never failed me. NEVER.

If you want a nicer gun in 20 gauge such as an over and under. The Yildiz is a great shotgun.

 

[Virginian]

Is this backyard clays, or regular Sporting Clays, or Skeet, or Trap? For any regulation clay shooting event I would look for a good used gas semi auto. You can get a GOOD semi auto for less than any decent two barreled gun. I have others but I almost always use a 20 gauge these days. If I was shooting for money in the upper ends of the brackets I would use a 12 for the extra maybe 1% of targets, but I shoot for enjoyment these days.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

Tough to beat a used 870, but I recently started a thread that gave A LOT of good info. Check out this video. It proves that $100-200 is all you need to spend to be happy and safe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NSLxxDWpOI

 

[oneounceload]

Is this backyard clays, or regular Sporting Clays, or Skeet, or Trap? For any regulation clay shooting event I would look for a good used gas semi auto. You can get a GOOD semi auto for less than any decent two barreled gun. I have others but I almost always use a 20 gauge these days. If I was shooting for money in the upper ends of the brackets I would use a 12 for the extra maybe 1% of targets, but I shoot for enjoyment these days.

Good advice right there.

Personally, if this is a clays gun, get the 12 - find a used Remington 1100 and call it good. You'll be able to shoot light loads to heavy ones for targets

 

[Eb1]

I have out shot a many retired patrons with my $146 plastic 12 gauge with a modified and improved cylinder. While they just looked at their $1000+ over and under shotguns wondering "How could it be?"

This is on a single trap course.

 

[bannockburn]

I would also be looking for a used Ithaca 37, Remington 870, Mossberg 500, or a Winchester 1300. All of these are proven pump action shotguns available with decent wooden stocks.

 

[oneounceload]

Sorry, but pumps suck for clay shooting on any regular schedule or format - they transmit too much recoil to the shooter resulting in the development of a flinch, and they really hamper you when shooting pairs. A nicely used gas gun can be had for the price of a new pump and will do a lot better for the shooter in both areas I mentioned

 

[Eb1]

How does a pump offer more recoil than an over/under? Which seems to be the preferred gun of choice for clays and upland bird hunting.
If you can't handle clay loads from a 20 or 12 gauge then you shouldn't be shooting a shotgun.
I think your logic is not very sound. When shooting doubles a pump can be activated as fast as a gas gun, and the most fast would be an over/under.
A pump shotgun is probably the safest action to use on the range 2nd only to the over/under or single barrel shotgun.

 

[oneounceload]

You are free to think what you like, even if it is incorrect. Pumps are lighter than most over unders - making recoil more harsh. Recoil sensitivity is nothing to sneeze at - you sound like you have not been doing it a long time. Ask the old time clay shooters with hundreds of thousands of rounds about recoil. flinches, etc. - especially the older trap shooters who shot those fast heavy trap loads. You cannot work a pump faster than I can shoot an over under, nor will you be able to keep it on the same target flight line as easily while pumping. If what you say is true, EVERYONE would be shooting a pump and saving those thousands of dollars they spent on their O/Us...........NO one at the top of the trap, skeet or sporting game uses a pump - not one. No one uses a pump in the Olympics either. If these guns were "just as good", folks would use them.

If you can't handle clay loads from a 20 or 12 gauge then you shouldn't be shooting a shotgun.

Sorry, this is one of the most ignorant comments I have seen on here in a long time

 

[Eb1]

about as ignorant as

You cannot work a pump faster than I can shoot an over under

I never said that. So you are putting words into my mouth.

I'll gladly meet you at Remington Range in Lonoke, AR and shoot a round with you. Then you can tell me how bad I am, and how I don't know what I am talking about. Also, that pumps are no good for trap shooting? I'll bring my Maverick 88 plastic 12 gauge, and you bring whatever you like. Sounds like the easiest way to settle this.

 

[swampcrawler]

Well that escalated quickly.

Anyway thanks for all the replies guys. Between reading your coments and doing a little research of my own, I definitly want an auto. Mostly because of reduced recoil. (I'm 20 years old, 6ft 6, 320 pounds. I still don't like recoil)

I planned to go 20 gauge again due to less recoil and maybe a slightly more trim gun but I have no problem going 12.

Anyway iv been able to find a few 1100s and 3 browning a5s used, local and in my price range. (the a5s are pushing it a bit but I would think it worth it)

Thoughts or preferences on these two?

 

[Pilot]

I have a Winchester 1300 pump 12 gauge that I use for just about everything, and I shoot clays with it pretty well. If I were to shoot more clays, I probably move to a Beretta semi-auto though.

 

[mio]

I've never shot either one, in fact I never shot an auto before this weekend and have to say that it was about the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on.

For me the most important thing would be how much you will be using this gun. If you are mostly going to use it for busting clays and plan on doing it on a regular basis buy 12ga because the ammo is cheaper and that hobby can get expensive quick. If you are going to bust a few clays and chase some grouse get the 20ga its a lot lighter in the woods and even for waterfowl hunting it handles a lot better in the kayak. Or if you like something different go for 16ga.

 

[HamiltonSD]

Mounting your shotgun properly while holding it firmly against your shoulder the difference between 20 and 12 gauge shouldn't be an issue. If a typical 12 gauge seems harsh, you can look at low recoil loads. The cost of shells and the choices available might be.

You'll probably love an 1100 which in earlier times was a very popular skeet gun. In defense of pump guns, I've shot a Wingmaster 12 gauge through hundreds of rounds of skeet and probably thousands of boxes of shells. It's what I grew up with and what I use for upland hunting. I've tried some really great O/U and semis but just haven't felt that I would shoot better with a different gun.

The skeet ranges I've been to all offer different makes and models for rent. Your best option might be to have a pro show you about a good mount/fit and rent the ones that seem best for you.

 

[oneounceload]

For me the most important thing would be how much you will be using this gun. If you are mostly going to use it for busting clays and plan on doing it on a regular basis buy 12ga because the ammo is cheaper and that hobby can get expensive quick.

Even the most expensive target guns are cheap when you calculate ammo and target costs over the long haul. I have almost 300,000 through one of my guns over 19 years. Even if I average the costs to be .75 per target with ammo, you can see how that dwarfs even the price of Perazzi or Kreighoff.............so buy the best gun you can quality-wise from the get go; not the flashiest, the one that is the best made.

 

[swampcrawler]

Mio: I'm not a huge shotgunner and don't plan to be. Im into rifles, Contenders, and defensive handguns, and will soon be back into old school muzzleloading and traditional archery, so honestly it will probably be a friendly clay shoot with the guys a few time a year, a few dove hunts, and if I get lucky a duck or rabbit hunt. So nothing heavy or competitive.

Hamilton, being unfamiliar with the shotgun world, I 100% agree with the need to find myself a competent person to show me the techniques and a few different guns. Il see if I can dig up an opportunity to do so.

 

[OldBrownDog]

For what it's worth, I see nice, used 12 gauge Browning Auto-5's and good, used 12 gauge Winchester Model 12's (what the 1300 is based off of) for sale between $400-$500 all over the place, especially Cabela's. Plus, they're both classic guns. I have an Auto-5 and I flat out love it. The hump may look funny, but it gives a really nice sight plane. I like the A5 better than my Winchester 1300, but it is heavy. Recoil is no problem with clay/dove loads through the A5.

 

[swampcrawler]

Old brown dog; I'm now leaning heavily toward the A5. A local shop has 3 of them, though they are beat up and over priced. I love the unique look and mechanics of them. Just a classic, and they shoulder very nicely for me.