Recommendations on 1st shotgun

[Brandon T]

I am seeking recommendations on a quality entry level shotgun, but have become overwhelmed with the vastness of options on the market. I am considering pumps or an O/U. I plan to be using the gun for upland birds and maybe some waterfowling. Budget is a consideration, no $1000+ guns for this beginner. A friend has suggested the tried and true 870 or a Benelli Nova for pumps. However I do like the O/U's, my thinking being if you can't it with 2 shells, a third would make no difference...3 shells loaded is the legal limit while hunting in Washington State. Any input you fine gentlemen may have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[au01st]

Remington 870 or Mossberg 500

You can get them with synthetic furniture for like $300 new, or wood furniture for a bit more.

 

[scythefwd]

I hear stoeger makes a nice side by side relatively inexpensively. I'd love to get my hands on a good sxs or OU gun. Then again, I think like you do... it's better to hit in one shot than to miss in two or three.

 

[stanger04]

If you really want an o/u look at Stoger or maybe Baikel (sure I spelled it wrong) it's a Russian import for Rem. I prefer the 870 or a Moss. 500. Then you can buy an extra barrel and have a short gun for home and a long gun for the field.

 

[Tomcat47]

Fausti O/U .... Beeeeeaaaauuuutttiiifffffullllll.....!

I would say you can not go wrong with a Mossy 500!

However if you want an O/U go to Walmart and take a look at the Fausti imports through Traditions. They have nothing but grand reviews. They are around $500 and beautiful and just shoulder one.

 

[Naybor]

Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 is excellent.

It's spelled "Baikal", stranger04. They are built like a tank and pretty in their own way. I've got a 12 ga SxS Coach w/20" barrels and love it. Just refinished the stock and it now has some really nice grain showing.

Check out www.eaacorp.com to see their O/U models. Really nice ~ reasonable too. I've been wanting one.

 

[rajb123]

My first shotgun was a mossberg pump because it was all I could afford, but it was junk.

Buy a used quality double w/removable choke tubes and never look back. Ruger, Beretta, Weatherby, Browning are excellent examples.

 

[Brandon T]

Thanks for the input, keep it coming! What other considerations should be taken in making a decision. What barrel length should I consider, along with harvesting some birds I'm sure I'd be busting clay to hone skills. Kinda like the looks of the Fausti(Traditions), and the Baikal from the catalogue description sounded like a proven well made gun. However I have little knowledge base to go on. Looked at a couple used 870 express super-mags, new Benelli Nova and a Moss. 535 Waterfowl/turkey combo today. The 870's were a bit beat up with light rust and chips out of synthetic stock and at $299 & $325 seemed pricey! Think I'd perfer a Wingmaster in Walnut over synthetic if I went with a pump. The more info and recommendations I can get from you guys will help me greatly. Thanks again!

 

[kayak-man]

Welcome to THR!

Find a trap and skeet range, and see if they have any loner shotguns you can try. Call any of your hunting buddies, and see if they have a shotgun you could try. You really have to try them out to getthe feel for them.

Personaly, I'd recomend the 870. When I was looking at my first shotgun, I checked out pretty much all of them, Winchesters, Brownings, Benelli's, Mossbergs, Baikals, and Charles Dailys. I can't remember what my exact reasoning was behind the 870, but I'm really, REALLY glad that was what I eventually got. I think any of the entry level pumps (Rem 870, Moss 500, Benelli Nova, Winchester... I can't remember the model, I think it was called the Ranger) will serve pretty well, but I really like the 870. It shoots pretty well, and is not that hard to clean.

I'd recomend a pump gun over an O/U. The O/U is lighter, so it will carry easier in the field, and it will probably handle a little easier, but I don't find the pump guns to be too heavy or unwieldly, and I like the added weight to help with recoil control. If you're only ever going to use it for bird hunting, a O/U would definately work, but if you want to do anything else, the pump guns are - In My Opinion - more versatile. I haven't had a chance to test it yet, but I've heard that single barrel shotguns are better with slugs, which would be a good thing if you ever decide to use it as a deer gun.
Another great thing about the pump guns is that its not that hard to find barrels and swap them out - I'll admit, I haven't been looking for O/U barrels, and I've never dissasembled an O/U, but the 870 is pretty easy to take the barrel off - so if you ever decide you want to try one of the action shooting sports, or you want a home defence gun, you can just throw a shorter barrel on the gun.

Really, it all boils down to personal preferance. I like pump shotguns. They are less expensive and more versatile then the O/Us and SXSs. The Benelli's are really good guns too, so I have a feeling whatever you choose should work pretty well.

My one word of caution: Not to nock the Baikal and Kahn shotguns, but I've heard that since they come over from Russia and Turkey, if they have a problem, getting parts might be a pain. On the flipside, I'm pretty sure most gunsmiths would be able to work on an 870.

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[Brandon T]

Thanks Chris, I value such honest input as to your experience in chosing a gun. I'm leaning more toward O/U's initially from the stand point that I think I would have a better chance at a successful 2nd shot w/o having to pump the action. As far as a deer gun, when, not if, I begin deer/elk hunting I would most like likely be using a scoped rifle, as the country here in Central Wa. is pretty open sage/scrub steppe, so I can't imagine a rifled barrel and slugs would be all that sucessful at longer yardages. I may be completely wrong, this all fairly new to me. Not say I haven't shot a gun before, but making a purchase for myself is, and don't want to buy "too much" or "too little" gun. That is to say, I don't need a competion shooter and I don't want to buy crap. Thanks for the input.

 

[jae011]

stoeger make great quality double barrells. you wont be dissapointed

 

[oneounceload]

Find a trap and skeet range, and see if they have any loner shotguns you can try. Call any of your hunting buddies, and see if they have a shotgun you could try. You really have to try them out to getthe feel for them.

THIS

Cheap O/U's are just that. You're better off with a better made semi or pump than a cheap O/U, especially if you are throwing waterfowl into the mix - working that O/U in a duck blind can be tricky at times

 

[LibShooter]

If clay shooting is in your future, I suggest some kind of double. As a beginner, I found that getting the second shot off on time and on target is VERY hard with a pump.

Maybe a semi-auto would work, but I have no experience. I imagine cheaper doubles work better than cheaper semis, but don't know for sure.

 

[kayak-man]

It can take some getting used to the second shot on a pump, but if you put in the practice, it doesn't seem that slow.

If I wind up in your part of the state, I'll shoot you an email and bring my 870 if you want to give it a try. I've heard good things about the Stoeger guns. In all honesty, (if you havent guessed already ) I'm a pump gun guy, so I tend to push the 870s and 500s a bit, but I don't think you would go wrong with a Remington 1100 or Stoeger.

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[Brandon T]

Yeah, it hasn't been hard to fiqure out the the pump gum guys from the rest of the crowd. In all honesty I may end up with more than one pee shooter in time, I just don't know where to focus my energy to start.:banghead: My inclinations are that I'll be doing more upland birds, especially since the only clay range around is on an upland bird preserve. I just want to make a good decision and purchase a quality gun without spending a fortune.

 

[J-Bar]

Look at the Ruger Red Label over and under. Built like a tank, interchangeable choke tubes make it versatile. It will not have the lively feel of an English best gun, but you can find them for under $1000 (used). I see Stoegers and Baikals a lot at cowboy action shoots...I'm sure you can kill a bird with them, but they usually take some extra gunsmithing (expense) to make them pleasant to use. The Red Label will hold its value, the cowboy doubles won't.

 

[shawnbeachside]

mossy 500

In my opinion the mossberg 500 in 12 gauge is the best choice for the beginner. You can buy one brand new for less than $300 (I saw one yesterday on the shelf for $249) with a standard 26 inch barrel and three choke tubes. Extra barrels including a rifled slug barrel run about $150 each. 12 gauge is the most popular and usually least expensive shotgun ammo out there (less working-more shooting!!), and has the widest range of loads, from light field loads up to magnums. I have several shotguns and this one is considered the "ol' standby". Start with this and as you get more familiar with shotgunning (and save more money) you will find interest in more specialized guns.
Later on you can get a C-Z in 28 gauge.

 

[Irish Bird Dog]

If you are going to be duck hunting get a shotgun with a "plastic" camo stock & metal work....cuz water is hell on walnut & blued metal & where I hunt ducks water is abundant..you are either standing IN it, riding ON it or it is FALLING on you...That said....the Mossburg 500 (2 3/4" & 3") or 535 (2 3/4" to 3 1/2") are great. You really don't need 3 1/2" shells for any hunting.

AS was already pointed out they have multiple choke tubes and you can buy custom ones after if you feel the need. Minimum bbl for ducks would be 28", needed for pass shooting. Works for upland game too & turkeys. 12ga is best for all around first shotgun. You can add extra bbls too if so desired....riflled bbl for slug hunting, short bbl for turkey hunting etc. Now the Rem 870 & many other pump guns will do all this too but they costs a bit more. The U. S. Army chose the Mossburg 500 series of shotguns for their soldiers & they have been doing yeoman service in the middle east recently.

O/U's are really nice, SxS's are even nicer but work your way up to them. The advice above about low end O/U's is pretty true... most are mechanically ok but they in IMHO are usually "clunky".

 

[waidmann]

The EAA, Baikal, Remington Spartan in either O/U or SxSin 12 ga. is not a bad entry level double. You can acquire one with choke tubes, selective trigger, selective ejectors and 3" chambers for a fairly reasonable price. You may later desire a third shot but pumping an action can be distracting. In waterfowling non-toxic shot is required and 3" is the norm (3 1/2" is available). For upland birds and clay targets 2 3/4" and lead shot are the usual.

If you progress beyond the casual level in your shotgunning you will acquire guns that will reflect your pursuits and the peers you shoot with. Regardless having a back-up on the trip is also desireable and a gun meeting the above description will serve well.

There are two Baikals in our stable. My wife has not "out grown" her 12 ga.SxS and I later bought a 20 ga. SxS for HD. The names of Benneli, Rottweil, Browning and others are found in the safe and go to the range and field, but the Russian guns are okay. They pattern well, the chokes function etc.

A Jack-of-all trades is usually a master of none but he can get the job done. Best wishes in joining this fine madness.

 

[chas08]

O/U's and SxS's can be a pain to manipulate in the confines of a duck blind or boat. Toss in a retriever, and a hunting partner, and you can see where I'm going with this.

I nowadays prefer a semi-auto in the duck blind, before that, it was pumps. I've never found the act of pumping the gun distracting in any way.

The third shot does come in quite handy more than you would think. Not so much as for wingshooting a second or third bird, although this does happen. But for quickly dispatching a crippled bird that fell long and hit the water swimming. While you're fumbling to reload a double he's gaining distance and five yards can make a huge difference.

Any of the pumps mentioned above would do well. I've always prefered Remington and even with the bad press they've gotten lately, I still do. A good used 870 Wingmaster or 870 Special Purpose would last you a lifetime.

If your heart is set on an O/U don't overlook Lanber. I've owned one of these for several years and ran a few thousand rounds through it with absolutely no issues. I've even hunted ducks with it a few times, that's how I know they can be a PITA in the blind. A smoother $500-600 O/U you will be hard pressed to find.

 

[frankenstein406]

870 magnum, nova, mossy 835

 

[roperninja]

Mine was a mossberg 500. Im proud to say it.

 

[InkEd]

Get an 870 and be done with it.

 

[Brandon T]

Thanks all for the advice! So far I have been able to physically look at a number of different guns and am no closer to a decision, and research online only seems to cloud the issue. Of the gun shops I've checked, they both recommended the Stoeger Condors as a good entry level O/U, one dealer had a used Baikal and said they were junk, and both had nothing positive to say about Mossberg Silver Reserves. Makes me wonder how honest an opinion I'll get from any dealer who carry specific product lines and have inventory to move. In addition to the O/E's, I've shouldered a couple 870's-both used express super mags, a Moss 535, and a Nova. Personally I like the look of natural wood and blued steel over the matte black stuff. I have yet to find an 870 Wingmaster, the Express seems to have captured the market around here. What are the functional differences between the 2? Are there any other resources you guys trust for honest, accurate evaluations of firearms? Seems to me that alot of reviews out there may be influenced in one form or another. Again thanks for your input.

 

[Irish Bird Dog]

Buy a Ruger Red Label and don't look back IF you want a O/U but if you want a duck gun to also serve as an upland gun and turkey gun and trap gun and etc go back and look at the Mossburg 500 or any 870, with synthetic stocks ie camo for your hunting. Wood and blued steel are really neat, the shiny ones but not as great in the duck blind, boat or swamp.