A fellow member from our pointing dog club contacted me , to see if I would help is friend to choose an all around shotgun. The gentleman has been involved with AHEA , which is the Alberta organization involved with teaching new hunters basic skills, to help them get started in the sport. He had recently taken a beginners shotgun coaching course, but he is relatively new to shotgun hunting, and his only shotgun, is an old fixed full choke Ithaca pump. I told him not to buy anything yet, but to join us at skeet yesterday. I brought along an SX-3 for him to try, which worked out well, and another member let him use his Citori for part of a round. It was very windy yesterday, which made skeet a challenge, but the fellow shot better than two of our members that have been shooting for a couple of years. He started out at about 40%, but by the third round, he shot around 70%. He shot the SX-3 best, but he liked the feel of the Citori. At this point, he is thinking that he should purchase an SX-4, or a used SX-3, and then shop for an O/U, when his budget allows. This fellow is one of a half dozen that I have had out to skeet to try various shotguns before buying, rather than have them buy something that doesn't fit, that they won't be happy with.
Choosing a Do It All Shotgun
- Thread starter stubblejumper
- Start date
We only have one A400 at our club, the most common semi auto is the Winchester SX-3/4, and the most common shotgun is one of various Citori models. Budget plays a large role with the one gun shooters, and the Winchesters are half the price of the A400s.
Finding a “do all” shotgun is a challenge. However, I think your advice, Stubblejumper, is sound.
Stick with a 12ga with removable chokes options and a medium length barrel 26-28”. This should cover the vast majority of applications.
Out of all the clay sports, I find skeet and sporting clays to be most similar to my hunting style in Alberta (pass style duck hunting, grouse and rabbit). So in my opinion, a shotgun that does well at skeet should do pretty well in most hunting applications. That said, I find pheasant hunting and field goose hunting are typically longer shots and are most similar to trap shooting.
Another importantly considerations for a do-all shotgun is barrel length and choke options. Clearly, removable chokes are desirable in a do-all gun. In my opinion a 24-28” barrel length is probably good for skeet and close range hunting, while 28-32” is more appropriate for longer range trap and goose hunting.
All action types have their place but I would recommend a repeater. Pump actions, semi’s or O/U will get the job done.
Stick with a 12ga with removable chokes options and a medium length barrel 26-28”. This should cover the vast majority of applications.
Out of all the clay sports, I find skeet and sporting clays to be most similar to my hunting style in Alberta (pass style duck hunting, grouse and rabbit). So in my opinion, a shotgun that does well at skeet should do pretty well in most hunting applications. That said, I find pheasant hunting and field goose hunting are typically longer shots and are most similar to trap shooting.
Another importantly considerations for a do-all shotgun is barrel length and choke options. Clearly, removable chokes are desirable in a do-all gun. In my opinion a 24-28” barrel length is probably good for skeet and close range hunting, while 28-32” is more appropriate for longer range trap and goose hunting.
All action types have their place but I would recommend a repeater. Pump actions, semi’s or O/U will get the job done.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
A break action o/u with 3 inch chambers and 28 to 30 inch barrels with changeable choke tubes that can handle steel. That will cover him for every clay game plus hunting upland to waterfowl to turkey.
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Really depends of their idea of do-all... And how much of it they intend to do.
As.in, I love chasing grouse... And enjoy the odd round of clays, so a +/- SxS is my favorite... But should I spend most of my time shooting clays, I'd probably consider something else.
As.in, I love chasing grouse... And enjoy the odd round of clays, so a +/- SxS is my favorite... But should I spend most of my time shooting clays, I'd probably consider something else.
- Location
- South Southern Ontario
Personally I go with a new semi they (well most I've seen) come with shims to get the stock fit right, parts are available if need be. And interchangeable choke tubes are standard.
In my mind, a Ithaca Model 37 is the textbook definition of a “do it all shotgun.” If someone wants to add something different, like an over/under, fair enough, we all enjoy variety.
Do 590a1's come with longer barrels? I thought they were all short tactical barrels? There use a different attachment method than regular 500s and the barrels are not interchangeable as far as I'm aware?
My do it all shotgun is a Mossy 500 with two barrels, a 28" vent rib for birds and a 18" security barrel for bear defense. I have a Turkish semi but mostly only use it for waterfowl.
I grew up with a ithaca 37 with a fixed mod choke. I've taken everything ontario has to offer from deer down.
I agree they are one of the best pumps made
I have a large number of 12ga guns that I use for various things but if I could choose only 1 scattergun to do everything it would be my beretta 1301 comp 21"
Take away pass shooting canada geese with steel shot and 00buck shot for predators and hatefuls a sxs 20ga dual trigger straight stock would be my choice
Take away pass shooting canada geese with steel shot and 00buck shot for predators and hatefuls a sxs 20ga dual trigger straight stock would be my choice
This one has a fixed full choke, so no steel shot, and a poor choice for flushing bids in cover.
3.5" chambers are totally unnecessary, our group has killed thousands of geese over the years, and have never found 3.5" loads necessary. The 3.5" loads just cost more, and produce more recoil. As for an O/U, while I like them for clays and upland birds, they aren't nearly as convenient to load in a blind
