shotgun 101 please

[jmburton]

i am super new to shooting and i have a few questions about my new 12gauge. i know these are stupid questions but i'll ask em anyway.

1. what are the lightest recoil shells you can get,
2. can you hunt squirl or rabit with a 12 gauge
3. is it really a bad thing like i was told to dry fire a shot gun
4. what happens when you fire a blank basiclly a shell that the beebees have been removed.
5. are heavy dove 1255 velocity shots heavy kicking?
6. is the kick really serious from a 12 gauge or something you quickly get used to?

 

[jmburton]

how does barrel length affect the gun in accuracy and recoil

 

[RNB65]

>what are the lightest recoil shells you can get

7/8oz and 1oz light target loads are the lightest 12ga shells. Some autoloaders may have trouble cycling them because they generate such low gas pressure and require the gas ports to be drilled larger.

>can you hunt squirl or rabit with a 12 gauge

Sure. You just gotto pick a lot of little lead balls out before you eat em.

> is it really a bad thing like i was told to dry fire a shot gun

Not really. Worst you can do is break a firing pin and it takes all of about 5 minutes to replace a broke firing pin. Buy a set of snap caps and you can dry fire all you want.

> what happens when you fire a blank basiclly a shell that the beebees have been removed.

Darned if I know. You'll probably get a little burst of flame out the end of the barrel and that's about it.

> are heavy dove 1255 velocity shots heavy kicking?

They're fairly stout, but nothing compared to slugs or buckshot. Most hunters don't shoot enough in a day for recoil to be a big issue. I wouldn't want to shoot a round of sporting clays (100 shots in short order) with them.

> is the kick really serious from a 12 gauge or something you quickly get used to?

With the right kind of shotgun (autoloaders kick less than pumps), a good stock fit, the right ammo, a quality recoil pad, and a shooting vest with a recoil pad, anyone can shoot a shotgun all day with no problem.

> how does barrel length affect the gun in accuracy and recoil

No real effect on recoil. A longer barrel provides a longer sighting plane which makes long shots a little easier. You don't aim a shotgun, you spray a cloud of lead balls into the air and try to put the cloud close to whatever you're shooting at. A longer barrel makes putting the shot cloud in the right place a little easier on long shots.

 

[zinj]

1. Shells can be had in any bore besides 10 gauge that will not bother you due to recoil, as long as the gun fits and has a decent recoil pad.

2. Yes, you can hunt rabbit and squirrel with a 12 gauge. A 1 1/8 oz load or less of #7.5-#4 shot will take them without undue meat damage.

3. Depends on the gun. I wouldn't reccomend it with doubles (especially older guns) without snap caps, but most modern pumps and autos should be fine. For example, Remington has stated that it is perfectly fine to dry-fire an 870 without snap caps.

4. Never done it, but there will be significantly less recoil as the force the gun exerts on you is dpendant upon the mass of the load being pushed out the barrel.

5. No, I am assuming that is a 1 1/8 oz load. As long as the gun you have fits and has a decent pad they shouldn't kick too hard.

6. Let me put it this way. There are people who shoot over a thousand rounds of 12 gauge a day shooting in the clay sports. Like I keep saying, as long as the gun fits and has a decent pad the 12 gauge isn't bad at all. If you are really concerned about recoil get an autoloader, as the cycling of the action absorbs some of the recoil energy.

7. Barrel length does not significantly effect the gun's power, level of recoil, or mechanical accuracy. What barrel length does effect is the amount of muzzle blast (shorter barrels have more). It also has an effect on the handling characteristics (shorter barrels are quicker to get on target, something appreciated in slug and turkey guns), while longer barrels swing smoother which allows you to track moving targets easier (which is why the are popular in bird hunting and clay shooting).

 

[mgdavis]

As a preface, I'm not that into shotguns, at least not nearly as much as someone like Dave McC.
Your answers:
1) 2 3/4" #8 target loads.
2) I think so. Don't know any reason not to.
3) Probably not. I could be wrong here.
4) It goes "BANG". The four rules still apply, don't point it at anybody.
5) My guess would be it's somewhere about halfway between light loads and magnum slugs.
6) It has never bothered me much, however I've never fired anything heavier than 3" duck loads.
7) More barrel = more weight = less recoil. I think choke affects pattern more than barrel length does.

 

[ForeverArmed]

i am super new to shooting and i have a few questions about my new 12gauge. i know these are stupid questions but i'll ask em anyway.

I'm not terribly knowledgable about shotguns, but I'll try to help. Someone else can correct me if I goof.

what are the lightest recoil shells you can get,

Assuming you're only using 2.75 inch shells, I'd guess the larger the shot, the heavier the recoil. Slugs have the most recoil. For self-defense loads (which are often 00 Buck), there are "reduced recoil" loads available.

can you hunt squirl or rabit with a 12 gauge

Definitely. A load with #8 shot should be appropriate.

is it really a bad thing like i was told to dry fire a shot gun

It's better to avoid dry firing any firearm a lot, since that can do some damage to the firing pin. (Glock handguns are an exception.) If you want to dry fire the gun, it's best to buy a 12 gauge snap cap and put it in the chamber.

what happens when you fire a blank basiclly a shell that the beebees have been removed.

If there's still a primer and powder in the shell, then a huge amount of gas will shoot out of the bore. If the shotgun is a semi-auto, then it might not cycle properly. Be careful not to point the shotgun at anyone even if it only contains a blank round (or even no round -- just to be safe).

are heavy dove 1255 velocity shots heavy kicking?

It depends on how big you are and how heavy the gun is, but that sounds like a relatively tame load.

Recoil really isn't anything to be afraid of -- just hold the gun firmly to your shoulder. Shooting a lot of high-recoil rounds from any gun can be tiring and could bruise your shoulder, but it shouldn't damage you. Just rest if your shoulder starts to ache. You can also buy a recoil pad for the stock if you really dislike the recoil.

is the kick really serious from a 12 gauge or something you quickly get used to?

It's pretty stout, but again, it depends on the load, the gun's weight, and your size. It can be unpleasant if you're not a big person, but you can certainly get used to it. Many smallish females have no trouble shooting a 12 gauge and compete regularly in skeet shooting, etc.

By the way, there's more information here:

http://www.alpharubicon.com/leo/shotgunpace.htm

 

[jmburton]

wow thank you guys. your answers help me prepare for tomorrow. i'm nervous and excited about tomorrow i have a limbsaver at the end of it now and after reading countless posts about them i'm confident it will take the edge off. i want to enjoy my shooting and not fear it. thanks guys i'm going get my shells tomorrow

 

[RNB65]

p.s. If you keep asking these types of questions, a strange fellow name "sm" will soon be telling you about the virtues of the 28ga shotgun. DON'T BELIEVE A WORD HE SAYS! He's demented, I tell you.

And eventually an even stranger fellow named McCracken will be inviting you to Maryland for "shotgun lessons". Remember, NEVER TRUST ANYONE YOU MEET ON THE INTERNET. They're all a bunch of psycho-socio-pedo-erecto-autistic-gun toten' FREAKS!!!

 

[MNgoldenbear]

I'd take exception to a couple of statements made earlier.

1) The shot size has relatively little to do with the recoil generated. Mainly overall payload weight and velocity. Also affected by many other factors (gun fit/weight, load pressure curve, wad, etc.) Yes, the reduced recoil (often marked "law enforcement") buckshot and slug loads are basically buckshot or slug payloads at trap load velocities: about 1200 fps.

2) I'd bump the shot size up a bit, depending on range expected. 8s will probably do the critters in, but I use 6s or 4s for bunnies & squirrels -- fewer pellets to dig out. Also, those darn little squirrels can be pretty tough. I hit one with a heavy fast load of 6s and many pellets were still lodged under the skin on the off side.

3) (Q5 response) Uh, no. I would NOT rate dove loads halfway between slug and light loads. Depending on which of the appropriate loads you get, they're usually a little faster than heavy trap loads, but often only have 1 oz payloads vs. 1-1/8. Magnum slugs recoil significantly more than these. However, I've noticed that the recoil from slugs only seems to bother me at the range when sighting in. No problems in the field.

Biggest thing to shooting shotgun comfortably is probably fit and form. Try to find one that fits you well. When shooting, try to get a nice firm (not "death grip" tight) hold, and place the butt firmly in the "pocket" of your shoulder. DO NOT let the butt leave your shoulder as you swing. A recoiling firearm is sort of like someone punching you: do you want them to have to start with their fist resting on your body, or do you want to give them some distance to get up to speed before they hit you?

Good luck. Stay safe.

 

[ForeverArmed]

I'd take exception to a couple of statements made earlier. (Sorry ForeverArmed)

No apology needed; I'm glad someone corrected my errors.

1) The shot size has relatively little to do with the recoil generated. Mainly overall payload weight and velocity. Also affected by many other factors (gun fit/weight, load pressure curve, wad, etc.) Yes, the reduced recoil (often marked "law enforcement") buckshot and slug loads are basically buckshot or slug payloads at trap load velocities: about 1200 fps.

That makes sense, since recoil should simply be due to momentum conservation. For some reason I thought that loads with smaller shot were also loaded lighter, but I guess that was a faulty assumption.

2) I'd bump the shot size up a bit, depending on range expected. 8s will probably do the critters in, but I use 6s or 4s for bunnies & squirrels -- fewer pellets to dig out. Also, those darn little squirrels can be pretty tough. I hit one with a heavy fast load of 6s and many pellets were still lodged under the skin on the off side.

Biggest thing to shooting shotgun comfortably is probably fit and form. Try to find one that fits you well. When shooting, try to get a nice firm (not "death grip" tight) hold, and place the butt firmly in the "pocket" of your shoulder. DO NOT let the butt leave your shoulder as you swing. A recoiling firearm is sort of like someone punching you: do you want them to have to start with their fist resting on your body, or do you want to give them some distance to get up to speed before they hit you?

You sound like someone with a lot of experience, so I hope he listens to you rather than to me.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Welcome aboard. The archives here have a series of threads that comprise Shotgun 101, a guide to shotguns for the new shooter.

Click on Search, then Advanced Search. Type in 101 for subject, my name as author.

Enjoy.

Once my work week gets back below 48 hours, I'll be doiing the live version again. How close are you to central MD?

 

[jmburton]

A recoiling firearm is sort of like someone punching you: do you want them to have to start with their fist resting on your body, or do you want to give them some distance to get up to speed before they hit you?

is it like chuck liddell giving you one or more along the lines of george bush giving you one?

 

[RNB65]

How close are you to central MD?

See I told ya. Run, man! Save yourself!!

And for the love of John Moses Browning, DON'T EVER ASK WHAT "BA/UU/R..." MEANS! It's a trick, I tell you. A trap. Like offering candy to a baby.