what is the cheapest pump 18-20 inch 12 gauge you can buy?
- Thread starter Doug.38PR
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Dunhams, a sporting goods store here in Michigan, had those Chinese Shotguns for $109....bought mine for $99 a couple of years back, and does 2" groups at 50 yards with wolf ammo.....The first ones were very crude, but they seem to be geting better.
If you want a better shotgun, Remington's 870 is the best.
If you want a better shotgun, Remington's 870 is the best.
thefivespeeder
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I thought about buying a older shotgun for around $100 and sawing it down and giving it to my girlfriend, for a security purpose only, loaded with something like 00 buck.
oletymer
Member
I don't think that buying the cheapest gun you can find is the best idea for defense weapons.
cloudcroft
Member
True.
And if they're ChiCom Chinese shotguns -- i.e., not from Taiwan -- then why buy Communist products (like Norinco, the PRC Army people) and help support that sorry government?
So save up a few bucks more and get a new Maverick/Mossberg or a nice used one for even less.
-- John D.
And if they're ChiCom Chinese shotguns -- i.e., not from Taiwan -- then why buy Communist products (like Norinco, the PRC Army people) and help support that sorry government?
So save up a few bucks more and get a new Maverick/Mossberg or a nice used one for even less.
-- John D.
rustymaggot
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mossberg 500 at big 5 sporting goods for 199 and comes with 2 barrels. then sell off the exra barrel for 40-80 bucks on ebay. keep the long barrel and chop it, the original 18 and a half barrel is worth more.
as others have said, dont mess around with cheapest, get the cheapest of the proven reliable ones. mossberg is it. definately a good shotgun, and cheap.
as others have said, dont mess around with cheapest, get the cheapest of the proven reliable ones. mossberg is it. definately a good shotgun, and cheap.
SAG0282
Member
Just bought a Mossberg Maverick 12 gauge w/ 28inch barrel at Walmart yesterday for $150 + tax.
The Deer Hunter
Member
I would have to say either a remington 870 or a Mossberg.
Used if you can, although, make sure they function properly
Used if you can, although, make sure they function properly
AStone
Member
"Cheap" new 12 ga?
Probably a Remington Express at Bimart.
"Cheap" used 12 ga?
$100 or less for a beater.
Your life, for which you need a shotgun
that's not "cheap" and reliability is everything?
Around $440, but priceless.
Eightball
Member
Cheapest are the "pardner" series from NEF/H&R, about $150. 18", 6 shells. Personally, I wouldn't trust my life on one.
About the only shotgun I'd trust my life with that's a pump would either be a Benelli Nova (though, those are kinda expensive), or a Remington 870. Built like a tank, and working in a gun store, the one that I'd most like to have. About $360, IIRC. But, if your life is on the line, the price is well worth it.
About the only shotgun I'd trust my life with that's a pump would either be a Benelli Nova (though, those are kinda expensive), or a Remington 870. Built like a tank, and working in a gun store, the one that I'd most like to have. About $360, IIRC. But, if your life is on the line, the price is well worth it.
SASS#23149
Member
hard to beat a mossy or rem.,forget chinese
my opinion is skip the imported ones and go mossy or remington.My 100 dollar mossy has been running for years now.Never fails me.
thefivespeeder , unless your g.friend is used to heavy recoil I"d rething the double ought for a cut down gun.whooee,they can kick a bit.!!
A load of no. 6 at defense range is very effective and a lot less recoill to learn to manage.
ymmv,imho,etc.
my opinion is skip the imported ones and go mossy or remington.My 100 dollar mossy has been running for years now.Never fails me.
thefivespeeder , unless your g.friend is used to heavy recoil I"d rething the double ought for a cut down gun.whooee,they can kick a bit.!!
A load of no. 6 at defense range is very effective and a lot less recoill to learn to manage.
ymmv,imho,etc.
lotsa good info. So tell me a little about pump shotguns (I have only fired single and double barrel and semi auto not pump), how do you unload them if you need to besides continuously pumping the gun (isn't that dangerous?) What about the different kinds of loads. 12 gauge is the most powerful of all I understand, and magnum 12 gauge has more pellets in it right? Anything else to know like pellet weight or what?
how is 12, 20, 10 gauge measured, what does that mean?
how is 12, 20, 10 gauge measured, what does that mean?
Slugo
member
I like the Mossberg 500 12ga...
inexpensive and very reliable. The armed forces love them!
inexpensive and very reliable. The armed forces love them!
Shweboner
Member
What better way to say "I Love You"
I'd look for a nice used Mossberg. I just picked up a Mossy 500 at BiMart, the one that comes with two bbls. It was only $199.
I got the same deal from them about 3 years ago and let me tell you, the new one today felt very cheap. the stocks feel like toys very thin, hollow plastic. If you pick up one of these, you WILL want to get a new stock... not lying here man those things felt like it would buckle from the recoil.
My old one, very sturdy, solid plastic stock. But $200 is tough to beat and having handled both the Rem 870 and the Mossy... I say go for the 500... its cheaper, and every bit as good.... even better that the others IMO.
I wouldn't buy a Chinese-made shotgun either. The cheapest I would buy is a Maverick (which owned by Mossberg). Next step up would be a Mossberg 500. I like the location of the safety on the Mossberg 500.
10 ga is .777 caliber
12 ga is .729 caliber
16 ga is .663 caliber
20 ga is .617 caliber
28 ga is .549 caliber
In theory, a 10 gauge is the diameter of a lead sphere weighing 1/10 of a pound, a 12 gauge is the diameter of a lead sphere weighing 1/12 of a pound, etc.
10 ga is .777 caliber
12 ga is .729 caliber
16 ga is .663 caliber
20 ga is .617 caliber
28 ga is .549 caliber
In theory, a 10 gauge is the diameter of a lead sphere weighing 1/10 of a pound, a 12 gauge is the diameter of a lead sphere weighing 1/12 of a pound, etc.
LooterLefty
Member
I'm going the "buy an old pump gun and modify it for your purposes" route. Got a very good deal on a friend's old JC Higgins Mod. 20 (this is a High-Standard Mod. 200 branded with a Sears trademark.)
Scatterguns are pretty stimple, as far as firearms go. Not easy to screw up. No rifling to worry about.
I'm having the TG on mine re-furbed by a qualified gunsmith because the old one had been damaged (due to my friends abuse and neglect of the weapon). But, aside from that, I'm going to have the BBL bobbed down to 18.5-19" by another friend who has access to a machine shop. He says he has a 'cross-cut bandsaw' that will make quick work of this, and that sounds much better than my original plan of just going at it with a hacksaw. Then I'm going to true-up the muzzle with a flat file, using the adjuatable platform on a drill press as a plane to keep my stokes level.
There's an 8" plug in the magazine that also has to come out, and that will increase capacity to 5+1.
And in the end, I'll have the satisfaction of taking 50+ year-old weapon and restoring it, and breathing new life into it as a home-defense weapon. Instead of just going out and buying a new, Mossy or Remchester from chinamart.
Scatterguns are pretty stimple, as far as firearms go. Not easy to screw up. No rifling to worry about.
I'm having the TG on mine re-furbed by a qualified gunsmith because the old one had been damaged (due to my friends abuse and neglect of the weapon). But, aside from that, I'm going to have the BBL bobbed down to 18.5-19" by another friend who has access to a machine shop. He says he has a 'cross-cut bandsaw' that will make quick work of this, and that sounds much better than my original plan of just going at it with a hacksaw. Then I'm going to true-up the muzzle with a flat file, using the adjuatable platform on a drill press as a plane to keep my stokes level.
There's an 8" plug in the magazine that also has to come out, and that will increase capacity to 5+1.
And in the end, I'll have the satisfaction of taking 50+ year-old weapon and restoring it, and breathing new life into it as a home-defense weapon. Instead of just going out and buying a new, Mossy or Remchester from chinamart.
AStone
Member
Eightball
Member
No theory:fact. The thing is that a ball the diameter of the barrel will weight that fraction of a pound--it's an old english system; not that the barrel is the diameter of a ball of that size. Mainly a "definition" difference, but it's always nice to be correct.
On my Maverick 88, I can unload the magazine by reaching into the load port, and pressing the cartridge (stop or interupter, I forget which one it is). The little bar on the left side, and the shells will pop out of the mag one at a time.
Still have to operate the slide to clear the chamber.
Rem 870's can be unloaded in a similar manner, IIRC. Not sure about the Winchesters and Ithacas.
As to the Cheapest Shotgun question, I would not spend less than the amount for a Maverick (Maverick Arms is owned & operated by Mossberg). I looked at a couple of the ChiCom imports, the knockoffs fo the Rem & Ithacas, and I was well....underwhelmed. Sometimes, the Mossberg/Maverick 'combo' guns are under $200 on sale...2 barrels, the shorter barrel for slugs, and a 28" or so 'field-n-woods-n-waterfowling' barrel.
I haven't seen the NEF "Pardner" pump series, but I understand that those also also ChiCom imports.
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deacon
Member
Doug,
I would take a look at the pawn shops for a sub $200.00 quality shotgun.
Just picked up a very slightly used Remington 870 Express w/a magnum receiver and 20 inch rifle sight smoothbore barrel for $179.00 otd. There were 4 to choose from, all priced under $200.00 and I just picked the nicest one. They are out there, you just have to look....and looking is part of the fun.
I would take a look at the pawn shops for a sub $200.00 quality shotgun.
Just picked up a very slightly used Remington 870 Express w/a magnum receiver and 20 inch rifle sight smoothbore barrel for $179.00 otd. There were 4 to choose from, all priced under $200.00 and I just picked the nicest one. They are out there, you just have to look....and looking is part of the fun.
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