Single Shot 12 ga

[spartand003]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a single shot, break open 12 gauge shotgun. I'm wanting to get a shotgun for as cheap as possible without it exploding in my face. Smaller is better for me so I was looking at a youth model. Does anyone have any experience with the Rossi? And does anyone have some other shotguns that are around $100-$150? Thanks in advance.

 

[spartand003]

I was also looking at this:
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/55001-55.html

 

[USAF_Vet]

I've heard a lot of good things about the H&R Pardner shotguns. I personally don't have one, but I'm picking up a Rossi youth single shot .22 /.410 in a couple weeks for my step son. Having handled both a new and a used of that model, I have to say I like the Rossi also.

I'm sure you'll get asked questions by others, so I might as well ask them myself.

What are your plans for this gun?

Why the 12 gauge and not another?

I have a single shot 20 gauge that is probably older than I am. It's accurate (proven yesterday evening against the darn ground hogs tearing up my yard), relaible, easy to break down, etc. Lots of good can be said for the old single shots. Spent $79.95 for mine.

My LGS has a lot of single shot shotguns on the used rack. Most of which are in the Sub $150 range.

As far as anything blowing up in your face, the odds are astronomically low that any gun will do that.


Also, considering your price range, I'm sure you could pick up a used pump. Something like a Mossberg Maverick 88, or a Remington 870 Express, or even the H&R Pardner pump.

 

[spartand003]

What are your plans for this gun?
I want it to start getting into shotguns and learn to shoot skeet. I might use for some kind of hunting, but probably for just fun.

Why the 12 gauge and not another?
I like the availability of the ammo, and the variety of 12 gauge is awesome.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

get the H&R.

I'd consider picking up a handi-rifle and then getting a 12 gauge barrel.

 

[Sav .250]

Guns shows are a good place to look for stuff. That is if you have any at your location.

 

[dovedescending]

Check out your local gun store. I picked up a used NEF/H&R 12 gauge a few months ago for $70, including the sales tax. Only problem I had with it was the fore-end bolt lug sheared of when I put some slugs through it I am not concerned, I'll fix it eventually.

I would go with an NEF/H&R over a Rossi simply because I own a Rossi revolver and it ain't all that.

 

[LibShooter]

I'm picking up a Rossi youth single shot .22 /.410 in a couple weeks for my step son.

I have one of these and it works great in both configurations.

However, if the 12 Gauge is as light as the .410 it will be fun to tote but may be unpleasant to shoot. The plastic stock is hollow, weighs nearly nothing, and won't absorb much recoil. You will want a pad.

 

[Toml]

A single shot 12 gauge kicks like a mule. Try before you buy.

"Skeet" requires the rapid firing of two rounds at separate targets.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Lib,
How is the recoil on the Rossi? I know .410 doesn't have much recoil, but it's for an 8 year old. I'll have the .22 on it most days, but I know he'd like to shoot ground hogs in the yard with me too. I assume the hollow stock could filled with some sort of filler to absorb recoil.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I own both handi-rifles and pardner shotguns. I bought the 3" chamber with a traditional but synthetic stock and screw in choke in 12 gauge. I did this as I was doing an experiment, to see how versatile one could get in a single gun with only one barrel. Because of the screw in chokes, I can do everything from shooting clay birds on the skeet range (ok no "doubles" but I use skeet for bird hunting practice), to dove, upland birds, waterfowl, turkey, and deer.

The gun you linked is fine, but it's a set choke in "modified" which will work with steel shot for geese, but will be tough to hit birds on the skeet range (skeet guns are normally "skeet" choked or improved-cylinder). So what I think you really should look for is that gun, but with screw in choke tubes. You don't really need the 3½" chamber, so a 3" chamber would work.

This might be what you are looking for:
Screw in Choke Pardner

LD

 

[LibShooter]

How is the recoil on the Rossi?

I have two single shot .410s. The Rossi and a traditional wooden stocked one with a 24" or so barrel. The perceived recoil with the Rossi is stouter, but not uncomfortable. But I AM bigger than an 8 year old.

Using the .22 barrel is a joy. I shoot a lot of Super Colibris and it's as quiet and pleasant as an air rifle. My 8 year old nephew loved it.

I assume the hollow stock could filled with some sort of filler to absorb recoil.

That's a great idea! Maybe coarse sandblasting media would be a good shock absorber. I don't have the gun in front of me, but I believe the butt plate comes off with two screws. I seem to remember a plastic spacer that could act as a gasket to keep the stuff in.

 

[bcp280z]

I briefly had a Rossi combo gun, 12ga and 22wmr, got it owned but not used for $135, was a solid gun, the 22 was decently acc, but the 12ga had no choke, open bore, so not the best for skeet I assume, I too just had it as a cheap first 12ga, now I want a Mossberg 500

 

[oneounceload]

What are your plans for this gun?
I want it to start getting into shotguns and learn to shoot skeet. I might use for some kind of hunting, but probably for just fun.

Besides the ill-fitting and brutal recoil of the H&R, SKEET requires shooting at doubles, something a single shot will present some difficulty doing

 

[LibShooter]

I want it to start getting into shotguns and learn to shoot skeet.

Spartan, do you mean informal buddies throwing clays for one another kind of stuff? If so, a single can be a fun way to start. I usually just load one round at a time in my pump when shooting like that.

However, like some folks have said, if you want to participate in organized skeet or sporting clays you need to fire two rounds in a row.

 

[Dave McCracken]

H&R is to single shots as Colt is to 1911s.

 

[Smokey in PHX]

Dave said it right. I am fond of single shots and use them a lot even though I have all the other types of shotgun actions. H&R makes good guns, their customer service is good, and you should be able to buy a new one for what you have budgeted.

 

[spartand003]

LibShooter, that's what I meant. Nothing serious, sorry for the confusion everyone

I hope to eventually move up to competition with a nice over-under, but not now.

 

[Philippe]

I pick up an old H&R topper jr 20 ga. a few years ago for 50 bucks at a show, had the barrel re blued and i refinished the stock myself and it looks brand new and shoots like a dream. Its been a killer squirrel and rabbit gun, heck i even took a few doves with it too!

 

[whalerman]

Back to the original poster. If what your looking for is a small, convenient, inexpensive piece, consider the same single shot arrangement in a 20ga. Less kick, and most of the same advantages. Very capable little arm. I like mine.

 

[spartand003]

What is the price difference between 12 gauge and 20 gauge? And how similar is 20 gauge to .410? Thanks guys.

 

[Bud Tugly]

H&R makes excellent single shot guns, and you should be able to find a good used one for $100 or less. If you get a 12 gauge do yourself a huge favor and start out with 1 oz or lighter loads. I started out with one of them but thought it would be macho and more productive to shoot heavy loads.

I was rewarded with a wicked flinch that it took switching to a lighter gauge to work out before I became a decent wing shooter. Unless you plan on hunting geese or long range ducks a 20 gauge is adequate for pretty much everything you might want to do with a shotgun.

After 45 years of upland hunting for grouse, rabbits, and woodcock I'm finding myself favoring a .410. I bought a Rossi .410/.22 combo about 10 years ago and it's been perfectly reliable but is very plain. It's very light and has a noticeable bark with 3" shells but should be tolerable even for a youngster.

 

[MickMack]

any body know prices for a used 12 guage 28" modified or screw in choke barrel? for the NEF SB2 Handi rifle.

 

[BCRider]

The typical single shot shotgun is a break open style. But there's no lack of oddball singles that are fun to shoot.

I've got a Mossberg bolt action gun that actually holds two rounds in a short box magazine but it loads single rounds nicely from a "drop in" with the bolt drawn back. It also came stock with a big lumpy looking "Varichoke" on the end of the barrel. Now that it's cleaned and oiled it's pretty easy to select my choke of choice. Future plans are to try to adapt a 5 round magazine to it that I can get from a local supplier.

I just picked up an old Greener single shot Martini action 12Ga which I've only put a half box through to test it. The improved choke barrel is shooting dead on to POA at 12'ish yards and produces about a 5 inch pattern at that distance. The parts are soaking in solvent since the guts would appear to have been paved with asphalt... Once re-assembled I foresee a LOT of smiles from this oddball shotgun. And despite having a bakelite hard plastic buttplate it's not at all punishing to shoot. Same with the Mossberg mentioned above. It's got a diamond cell recoil pad but it long ago hardened to the consistency of tool steel. Yet it's not harsh to shoot at all with trap loads.

Both of these were picked up for well under $200. So don't feel that an old break open is your only choice. Look around and see what's available.

I would not pass on a nice old used SxS either. For trap just load one side. Even crusty looking old SxS's have class oozing out every little rusty patch on their old barrels... There's just something about a SxS double....

 

[whetrock]

It's hard to beat the H&R Topper/NEF Pardner they are very inexpensive new or used and will provide many years of service also there is the Stevens 94 and 94c which are for some reason in my part of the world are very common and show up a lot at pawn shops and on used gun racks my dad has one in 20 and it has been a fine gun by all means.