First shotgun, how to get better and which sights to use.

[Butcherbill]

Here’s a brand new 26” 870 barrel that’s threaded for chokes for a good price.

https://dlaskarms.com/product/remington-870-18-5-12-gauge-shotgun-barrel-copy/

Or a 18” bead sight barrel that has been threaded.

https://www.sjhardware.com/product/remington-870-bbl-12-ga-18-inch-with-rem-choke/

If it were me I’d choose the 18” over the 26”, personally I’m not a fan of a vent rib barrel. I don’t hunt waterfowl and I rarely shoot clays, for general 12g shooting and hunting upland game I gravitate to a 14” or a 20” barrel with either a bead or rifle sights with screw in chokes. I have a 28” vent rib barrel but it’s a paperweight for the most part, the only reason I haven’t sold it yet is I might give waterfowl hunting a go at some point.

I find anything over 20” to long for the bush and getting in and out of a truck or on and off a quad, 18-20” is about the perfect all around length for me if I’m not grabbing a short barrel like a 12.5” or a 14” but to each their own. I’ve bought from both Dlask and S&J and they are great to deal with.

 

[cosmic]

Slugs and buckshot are fun, but the true joy of owning a shotgun comes from shooting at moving targets. Sooner or later you'll come to appreciate that, so I would suggest you plan ahead and get a 26-28 in vent rib Rem-choked barrel. They can be had used for ~175$, here on the EE. BTW,you can shoot slugs out of a choked barrel - chances are it will outshoot your 18 inch barrel, moreso if you get a clamp on (to the rib) peep sight.

 

[Longstud]

Slugs and buckshot are fun, but the true joy of owning a shotgun comes from shooting at moving targets. Sooner or later you'll come to appreciate that, so I would suggest you plan ahead and get a 26-28 in vent rib Rem-choked barrel. They can be had used for ~175$, here on the EE. BTW,you can shoot slugs out of a choked barrel - chances are it will outshoot your 18 inch barrel, moreso if you get a clamp on (to the rib) peep sight.

Great advice.

 

[pacobillie]

Rifle sights on a shotgun are only advantageous when shooting stationary game...usually big game and turkey. Hunting moving targets like flying birds and running rabbits, a sight is pretty much useless. With stationary targets, a shotgun is aimed. With moving targets such as clay sports and flying birds, a shotgun is not aimed but rather pointed. Important to clarify what type of hunting you are doing.

This! Shotguns are primarily for short range moving targets ( i.e. Birds an rabbits) and rifles are for long range stationary targets. If you plan on hunting the latter, get a rifle!

 

[dilly]

I would add, short barrelled shotguns are meant for tactical applications where you need it compact for moving through rooms, breaching doors, or engaging targets at very close range. They are a very poor choice for hunting or clays games. “Upland hunting” does not include shooting grouse on the ground either IMO. For ground swatting road chickens, anything will work, including a slingshot.

 

[old303]

If it were me I’d choose the 18” over the 26” ...

But 870 barrels are so easy to swap, buy them both! Just undo the mag tube cap, pull out the one, slide in the other, and screw the cap back on. Run with the 18 or even a 14 for short-range blasting and use a ribbed 26 or 28 for clay sports or hunting. Reconfiguring an 870 is almost like Lego for grownups.

 

[Butcherbill]

But 870 barrels are so easy to swap, buy them both! Just undo the mag tube cap, pull out the one, slide in the other, and screw the cap back on. Run with the 18 or even a 14 for short-range blasting and use a ribbed 26 or 28 for clay sports or hunting. Reconfiguring an 870 is almost like Lego for grownups.

Yeah, I know. I just have no use for a 28” shotgun barrel, as I said it sucks for just about everything I use a 12g for. I don’t hunt waterfowl and I rarely shoot clays. It’s a glorified paperweight, it’s great at collecting dust bunnies. I find long shotgun barrels useless for the most part, I have more use for a 12.5” barrel while hunting. Barrel length is irrelevant with regards to shot patterns provided you have screw in chokes, mv may suffer a bit.

 

[Butcherbill]

“Upland hunting” does not include shooting grouse on the ground either IMO. For ground swatting road chickens, anything will work, including a slingshot.

You’d hate upland hunting in BC lol, it’s all ground swatting for the most part. I can count on one hand the amount out of wing shooting opportunities I’ve had in the last 3-4 years, they taste the same weather you shoot them on the ground or in flight. Just less pellets in the meat when you head shoot one on the ground.

 

[pacobillie]

To address the first part of the OP's question: "How to get better?"

Shoot some clay targets, lots of clay targets. Preferably, get instruction from a competent shooter. Learn how to judge lead and follow flying targets. Practice gun mount and instinctive shooting.

 

[dilly]

You’d hate upland hunting in BC lol, it’s all ground swatting for the most part. I can count on one hand the amount out of wing shooting opportunities I’ve had in the last 3-4 years, they taste the same weather you shoot them on the ground or in flight. Just less pellets in the meat when you head shoot one on the ground.

Never said I hated it. I've dusted my share of road hens for the pot.

 

[Dietz]

Slugs and buckshot are fun, but the true joy of owning a shotgun comes from shooting at moving targets. Sooner or later you'll come to appreciate that, so I would suggest you plan ahead and get a 26-28 in vent rib Rem-choked barrel. They can be had used for ~175$, here on the EE. BTW,you can shoot slugs out of a choked barrel - chances are it will outshoot your 18 inch barrel, moreso if you get a clamp on (to the rib) peep sight.

To address the first part of the OP's question: "How to get better?"

Shoot some clay targets, lots of clay targets. Preferably, get instruction from a competent shooter. Learn how to judge lead and follow flying targets. Practice gun mount and instinctive shooting.

This.

But before buying barrels and stuff, get yourself a case of clays, a hand thrower, a shooting buddy and go out on some crown land to shoot some clays. There is nothing wrong with an 18" barrel, it's not going to magically make the shot go 90° when leaving the muzzle and make you miss everything, the pattern won't be as tight as a choked barrel, but it's still going to be a pattern.

There's no point to buying a bunch of barrels only to find out you hate shooting clays.

 

[TSherback]

I'm no expert on shotguns by any means but recently watched this vid about buck shot in home defence scenario(short barrel shotgun). He tests various different brands and types of buckshot loads as well as choked and not choked and according to his findings what makes the biggest difference is the brand/type of load that being a load with controlled spread that uses a cup instead of a standard wad to push the pellets.
Your results may differ but he was getting roughly a 3"-4" spread at 40ft with one of these loads and no choke. His pick is federal flight controlled 12 gauge 8 shot.

 

[dilly]

I have tried the federal TAP in a tactical shotgun at work. It is awesome and patterns very well...and it has nothing to do with hunting or sporting. It’s for shooting people inside a room.

 

[TSherback]

I have tried the federal TAP in a tactical shotgun at work. It is awesome and patterns very well...and it has nothing to do with hunting or sporting. It’s for shooting people inside a room.

I get why it would work well for self defence but not sure why if it patterns well it can't be used for hunting or target? as the op has asked? He has a shorty shotgun and asked specially about buckshot.

 

[dilly]

I get why it would work well for self defence but not sure why if it patterns well it can't be used for hunting or target? as the op has asked? He has a shorty shotgun and asked specially about buckshot.

Because the short sight plane isn’t suited for tracking and shooting at running or flying game. When I use buckshot while hunting, the deer is usually very close and running like hell. I use a 26” barrel with a bead and modified choke and I aim for the side of the head. When you connect, they go down like a ton of bricks. If I am in a stand, I switch to a rifled barrel with a cantilever scope mount.

 

[TSherback]

Because the short sight plane isn’t suited for tracking and shooting at running or flying game. When I use buckshot while hunting, the deer is usually very close and running like hell. I use a 26” barrel with a bead and modified choke and I aim for the side of the head. When you connect, they go down like a ton of bricks. If I am in a stand, I switch to a rifled barrel with a cantilever scope mount.

I get that. Here in BC if your hunting upland birds or deer normally the hunting is in thickly forested land with heavy undergrowth. Most hunting of that type is done on old service roads and not at birds on the wing or deer on the fly so a shorty with no choke and a good load is more than enough.
As I said I'm no expert but the OP did ask about his shorty and buckshot so i think these vids are relevant to his question and also to sporting as these type of tactical shottys are often used in three gun competitions. JMO

 

[Butcherbill]

I get why it would work well for self defence but not sure why if it patterns well it can't be used for hunting or target? as the op has asked? He has a shorty shotgun and asked specially about buckshot.

It sure can be used for hunting, pattern your shotgun at distances and pick your maximum distance based on the pattern thrown by your gun. It makes no difference how long or short your barrel is or if you have chokes or not, your pattern is the determining factor of if you can ethically kill an animal with it.

 

[DeaconGG]

Before I go and get an additional barrel I want to go and fire a few hundreds or rounds from this one. I think that should help me decide.

Having said that, ranges are being shut down for covid-19 and all I am left with is crown land but I have to find the one without bylaws prohibiting firearm discharge which is not that easy. I live in Toronto but I don't mind driving for hours to get to a place where I am legal. So if you guys know of any place where it is not prohibited please message me, As I said, I don't mind driving even 3 or 4 hours to get there.

 

[Ashcroft]

If you are going to be shooting on crown land be sure to pick up all our garbage and take it home with you. This includes empty shotgun shells, broken pieces of clay targets, blasted pop bottles and other random targets. Leave nothing behind but footprints. Failure to clean up after themselves has caused vast areas of crown land to be closed off to shooters from coast to coast.

 

[DeaconGG]

If you are going to be shooting on crown land be sure to pick up all our garbage and take it home with you. This includes empty shotgun shells, broken pieces of clay targets, blasted pop bottles and other random targets. Leave nothing behind but footprints. Failure to clean up after themselves has caused vast areas of crown land to be closed off to shooters from coast to coast.

I have prepared tarp to catch the shells and trash bags. I will be shooting some steel (slugs and 50+ yards) but mostly paper targets so that I can see the patterns. Aside from empty shells, there won't be a lot to clean up.