how to choose a shotgun for newbie

nofai

nofai

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hi
I am new to shotgun. since i saw a lot of labour day sales online. thinking to buy myself a shotgun. I am not a hunter (at least right now). so i am just planning to own one and may be try it once at while at the indoor range. Anyone can tell me what i need to look at when buy a shotgun. I know I want a pump action and 12 Ga . What else i need to look ?
I saw one Mossberg Maverick 88 Security - 12GA, 2-3/4", 3", 18.5" 6 Shot 299$ plus 10% off. can I use this at the range ?

thanks
 
You can order the 2018 Mossberg catalog here: <https://www.mossberg.com/catalog-request/>

You can download the 2018 Mossberg catalog here: <http://www.mossberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2018-MOSSBERG-CATALOG_LowRes.pdf.html>
 
If you like the Mossberg pump gun, get the 500 three barrel combo. It will cover all of your shotgunning needs with the switch of a barrel.
 
You can probably locate a club with an outdoor rifle range that allows shotguns. Ask at a local gun shop and buy local. Prices won’t vary by enough to save you any great amount in the price range you’re looking at and the networking you’ll gain from a local shop to help you find a suitable range may be worth the extra $10 or $20
 
Short barrel shotguns, as you describe, are only useful in dark alleys and combat theme games. Short barrel shotguns for bear defense are much better with rifle sights.
You have had good advice about handling the prospective shotguns you are considering prior to buying.
You are pretty much shopping at the bottom of the heap with a Maverick 88, though I can think of lesser guns, which you should stay far, far away from.
If you are set on Mossberg, you will get more for your money with the 500 series, or alternately you could better consider a Remington 870 for quality and resale value.
Shotguns are primarily for shooting flying objects, animate or inanimate, and good fit is of primary importance.
 
Grouse Man said:
Shotguns are really not for shooting indoors. Seriously. Especially 18” barrels.
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Sure they are, lots of fun shooting shotguns indoors and outdoors. Make sure to double up on ear pro.

saskbooknut said:
Short barrel shotguns, as you describe, are only useful in dark alleys and combat theme games.
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Lol, I really don’t know what to say to this.
 
Have you actually shot a shotgun before?
Before you plunk down cash for one, go borrow a standard buttstock equipped pump action 12ga and start with mild 7.5 target loads, then go to 00 buck or slugs through them. If you’re smiling broadly after, then go buy a Mossberg 500/590 or a Rem 870 ( preferably an older one).

If you’re howling in pain, then you just saved some money.
 
nofai said:
hi
I am new to shotgun. since i saw a lot of labour day sales online. thinking to buy myself a shotgun. I am not a hunter (at least right now). so i am just planning to own one and may be try it once at while at the indoor range. Anyone can tell me what i need to look at when buy a shotgun. I know I want a pump action and 12 Ga . What else i need to look ?
I saw one Mossberg Maverick 88 Security - 12GA, 2-3/4", 3", 18.5" 6 Shot 299$ plus 10% off. can I use this at the range ?

thanks
Click to expand...

Go to the EE. It's chock full of barely used short bbl. 12ga range blasters.

Most of those were purchased and soon after end up for sale as most realize how useless they are after a couple trips to blaster land.
 
nofai said:
hi
I am new to shotgun. since i saw a lot of labour day sales online. thinking to buy myself a shotgun. I am not a hunter (at least right now). so i am just planning to own one and may be try it once at while at the indoor range. Anyone can tell me what i need to look at when buy a shotgun. I know I want a pump action and 12 Ga . What else i need to look ?
I saw one Mossberg Maverick 88 Security - 12GA, 2-3/4", 3", 18.5" 6 Shot 299$ plus 10% off. can I use this at the range ?

thanks
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Shotgun at an indoor range is just silly. The range may or may not let you even shoot it there. The money is better spent on something with a rifled barrel.

If you want to have a shotgun for hunting or clay shooting go with a long barrel. 28" is very popular and normal. Some one suggested the combos, that is good advice. Mossberg and Winchester offer two barrel combos.

If you are getting a shotgun just for the sake of having it that is ok too. The maverick is fairly cheap but still good. Since you will hardly use it in the "just because" reason just buy what ever you think is the cooler gun. I recommend the Winchester SXP for a modern shotgun. Its affordable and simply a great shotgun.
 
SuperCub said:
Go to the EE. It's chock full of barely used short bbl. 12ga range blasters.

Most of those were purchased and soon after end up for sale as most realize how useless they are after a couple trips to blaster land.
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Agreed, there’s tons of fun short barrel shotguns on the EE. Everyone should have at least one blaster to take to blaster land, I always have a big smile on my face when the short barrel 12g comes out to play.

LarryG said:
This. The indoor range may not be an option. Find a place to shoot or say hello to your first safe queen.
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This is very important, it sucks buying something and then having nowhere to shoot it. Not everyone has quick access to crown land or a range to shoot slugs and 00buck to your hearts delight. Safe queens are only so fun.
 
SuperCub said:
Go to the EE. It's chock full of barely used short bbl. 12ga range blasters.

Most of those were purchased and soon after end up for sale as most realize how useless they are after a couple trips to blaster land.
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Blaster land is a fun place to hang around: where the short barrel shotgun is king. If some guys are experts with a 410 (which some say are useless), there is no reason the SBS can't be useful in the right hands as well...plus I've seen it on youtube.
It's just a matter of practice.
 
SuperCub said:
Sure it's fun, but that gets tired fast thus the deluge of like-new, short bbl blasters on the EE.
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It’s fun till you start wanting your guns to have a purpose, I got tired of my 12.5” grizzly just sitting around so I bought a 14” barrel that takes chokes. Now it’s going hunting in a few days when grouse opens up. I never got bored of shooting it, I just want a job for it to do. It’s a great lil blaster, it’s going to make one hell of a ground swatter. ;)
 
saskbooknut said:
Short barrel shotguns, as you describe, are only useful in dark alleys and combat theme games...
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Butcherbill said:
Lol, I really don’t know what to say to this.
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Fudd. You could say Fudd. The type of narrow minded shooter who, if something falls out of his own personal experience, it should be banned. My inclination to be polite to these narrow minded sh!tw!ts is zero. And I'm confident that by saying this, they'll very helpfully identify themselves by attacking this comment.

For the OP:

If you can afford it, upgrade to a proper Mossberg 500, or an 870 Express. I would recommend going with an 870 series gun because they're easiest to swap barrels with. You can pick up an 870 express with an 28" barrel new for under $500, and then pick up a short barrel from any number of places later.

This will give you a versatility that's hard to achieve without paying a fair bit more for two shotguns.

Swapping barrels on an 870 is trivially easy, and takes seconds. Because the gun is so popular, and common, you'll be able to swap out parts, butt-stock, fore-end, etc., to your own tastes and needs as you gain experience and determine what's important to you.

I also wouldn't worry about getting one chambered for 3.5"... One in 3" will cover 99% of your needs, although you don't really lose anything by getting something chambered for 3.5" (it will still chamber 2&3/4" and 3" shells).

A decent 870 is the kind of gun you start with, learn to love, outgrow, then keep going back to later because they just work.
 
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