beginner shotgun - 12? 20? .410?

BP7

BP7

CGN frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
hey all,

ok, so i was talking to a coworker of mine who has been shooting since he was old enough to walk, and he pointed out that shotgun shooting is a great way to develop speed, reaction time, and ability to track a moving target.

since in handguns everyone-n-their-fish recommends starting with .22LR to develop the core skills, what's the recommendation in the world of shotguns? this would be only to learn those skills, which eventually would be used in handguns and possibly in home defense (NOT in canada, cuz i DO plan on moving eventually so the skills will come with me while the laws will stay behind)

so, am i OK to start with a 12? or is the .410 the cheap-n-easy way to do it? or will something like a 20 or 16 cover all the bases?
 
hey Tony - yeah, i've seen the Rem 870 get recommended a lot, so my only question is now on the gauge (though to be honest i haven't checked if the 870 is offered in anything other than 12). none of my family is into firearms, though, so i'm basically buying everything from scratch...
 
if you can manage it, shotguns begin and end at 12 guage- it's just a matter of sophisication as to whether you go pump, sxs, or o/u- cooey kind of summed it all up years ago with their 22 bolt repeater and 37( and all it's various numbers) 12 guage single shot- and that's the round you'll find most of the ammo in as well- you can begin at a 20 if you're smaller or lighter statured, but the others tend to be specialty bores - ie you end up in the 12 camp sooner or later-nd those specialty bores can be expensive for lesser range- ie you run into "cheap " shotshells at your local walmart- they'll be 12 guage- the 870 will come in anything you care to name, 12, 20, 28, and 410, with either left or right hand action- there may still be a16 available- finding shells for it is a different matter
 
yeah, stature isn't much of an issue (6'2" and around 200lbs depending on what i eat). i'm likely going to view the shotgun as a piece of training equipment rather than something to hunt with or brag about now that someone pointed out the skills that can be learned.
 
I would say start with a 12, and use light trap loads. With a decent recoil pad, and as long as the shotgun has been fitted to you properly, and assuming your stance is proper, it's not that much of a kick. I was firing 12 guages when i was 14, and i only ever noticed the recoil the next day :D
Shotguns 'push' more than they 'kick' as a rule.

There's a big difference in shotgun loads and recoil - a light trap load won't push you around too much. on the other hand - a 3 inch heavy slug can sure wake you up in a hurry and test the quality of your dentist's handiwork. :) So - start exclusively with lighter loads, focus initially on good fit and proper stance, and enjoy! (shooting shotguns is a helluva lot of fun. )
 
410 ammo can be pricey compared to 12 .a 12 guage can do it all depending on the ammo you use . buddy up with someone who can teach you the ins and outs of shooting as it is a learning curve . i would get a gun with screw in chokes as this makes the gun more versatile . have fun and welcome to the world of shotgunning .
 
Begin with a 12.
Lots of options for loads......more so than any other....... reduced recoil loads are just that... reduced recoil, trap loads are good to start with as well and are readibly available in 12g.
A good used pump or auto loader is easy to pick up and will last a lifetime.
Patience goes a long way to learning how to do it right

For what its worth
LSB
 
thanks, all! i'm actually surprised that the 12 is the best for beginner - I was expecting that the tiny .410 or 28 would be the starter versions (akin to .22LR in the handgun world).
 
BP7 said:
thanks, all! i'm actually surprised that the 12 is the best for beginner - I was expecting that the tiny .410 or 28 would be the starter versions (akin to .22LR in the handgun world).
Click to expand...

just think it;s EXACTLY OPPOSITE TO A RIFLE- you want a spread of projectiles, rather than one precise shot- that's why the 410 is a precision short range gun-
 
Thinking about it, the way I would approach learning wingshooting is with a soft-recoiling gun, as open a choke as you can find, as many tiny pellets as you can shoot comfortably, and taking lessons in Skeet.

A 12 ga. gas gun will have very little recoil, meaning you can shoot longer and NOT develop a flinch or other bad habits; just concentrate on form. A 12 ga. 1-1/8 oz load of #7.5 or #8 shot will give you maximum pellet advantage with an Open Cyl choke for a big, dense easy-to-hit-with pattern. It may not smoke them, but you'll know when you've hit them. You can tighten up the choke as you get more confident and wish to bring up your accuracy level. And taking lessons is probably the smartest, most efficient way to learn.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom