Cheap female friendly 12 gauge?

gobigorgohome

gobigorgohome

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What is on the market for cheap 12 gauge shotguns that can easily fit a woman? My girlfriend was shooting a 930 but ended up giving it to her little brother because e really enjoyed it. 2 3/4 or 3" shells is all she'll ever shoot. The 930 for her well, but after a long day in the upland field it tired out her arms. Preferably semi auto, but pumps work too. The only things it really needs is to be light and not be so big and heavy that it fits a woman well. Any suggestions? I know the bps lady hunter or bebelli ethos would work great, but I'm lookin at 500$ or less, not 5000$ or less.
 
Mossberg 500 Bantam? Shorter LOP and reach, 24" barrel. Weight shouldn't be an issue, look into a good sling. The lighter the shotgun, the more that 12G recoil will probably get her. Around $450 or so, probably find one cheaper on sale or used.
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Mossberg probably is the best bang for the buck, although I'd consider an older 870. I'd find a suitable aftermarket barrel, or have the existing barrel cut down to a manageable length for her, (26"?) then threaded for adjustable chokes, and have the LOP trimmed to fit her with the addition of a high quality recoil pad. A gun that fits, and a good shooting technique are the best ways to manage 12 ga recoil.
 
If you are looking at cheap semi auto try a used Remington 1100. If weight is the issue you may want to consider the 20 gauge but you said you wanted a 12
 
Have a look at the Winchester SXP Field Compact (pump - wood stocked). Very nice fit/finish, goes together easily - decent balance and the compact version is well under 7 lbs (with either 26 or 28" barrel) and has a 13" length of pull. With tax you would have enough left over from your 500 bucks for a few boxes of shells.

My second pick would be, if you are also looking for a shorter barrel, would be the Weatherby PA-08 synthetic compact (pump) - again, would have change left from your 500 bucks - 12 1/2" length of pull and 22" barrel brings the weight in under 6 lbs. It's fit/finish is somewhat superior to other shotguns costing a couple hundred bucks more.
 
gobigorgohome said:
What is on the market for cheap 12 gauge shotguns that can easily fit a woman? My girlfriend was shooting a 930 but ended up giving it to her little brother because e really enjoyed it. 2 3/4 or 3" shells is all she'll ever shoot. The 930 for her well, but after a long day in the upland field it tired out her arms. Preferably semi auto, but pumps work too. The only things it really needs is to be light and not be so big and heavy that it fits a woman well. Any suggestions? I know the bps lady hunter or bebelli ethos would work great, but I'm lookin at 500$ or less, not 5000$ or less.
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Kinda tall order. A light 12ga, even a semi-auto, will produce a level of felt recoil that may or may not be appreciated by the user. In view of budget indicated, you may wish to consider the synthetic stocked Weatherby SA-08 shotgun. The SA-08 models receive positive reviews.
 
Just my two cents worth.
Do not go for a "compact" or "youth" model with too short a barrel. Buying a 22 inch barrel 12 gauge for sporting use makes no sense to me.
26 inch makes good sense with a short stocked shotgun, to keep proportion, but not less.

I think a Weatherby SA might have some advantages for a female shooter, or the ever reliable Remington 1100 - with stock fitted for smaller stature.

Too light a gun just leads you to excessive recoil. And don't ever think that a 20 gauge cannot have excessive recoil with that itty bitty cartridge.
You can certainly achieve modest recoil in a 12 with light loads, as in a 20 gauge shotgun, though I must admit a well proportioned 20 can be a sweet shooting gun for women or youth.
 
Maybe look at different ammo? There are plenty of light target loads and Ranger low recoil slugs are very manageable.
Put these in a youth stock pump with a limb saver recoil pad?
 
You've hit the wall with your request. Light, 12 ga, cheap, small frame, low recoil/semi auto. Take 'cheap' or '12 ga.' out of the criteria and you'll have an easy search.

I would say the most important quality in an upland gun is light weight. You carry it more than you shoot it. And a 20 gauge will kill upland birds very well, you really don't need it or the weight that it usually requires. I've got a Youth model 11-87 in 20 gauge which kills even ducks quite well. It fits my daughters perfectly. And the 21" barrel causes no problems whatsoever, in fact it needs to be that short to balance out the shorter stock. Otherwise you have a very muzzle-heavy gun which feels even heavier to carry. If you look, you could find a used gun like this around $500, maybe a bit more.
 
Semi auto 26", fit a decent recoil pad and adjust LOP to fit. Put some lead weight in the butt stock, even half a pound makes a noticeable difference. Do not get a youth or lightweight model, that's the worst thing you can do to a new shooter.
 
i was in the same boat a few months ago, i needed a shot gun for my wife that was semi. i did some digging and found a Weatherby Upland SA-20, used but in great shape and at a decent price. its no 12g i know, but for the way we hunt its not necessary for a 12. Its a great gun and they do make one in 12, but maybe look at a 20, it could be what you might like instead for almost the same bang.
FTN
 
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