New gun owner looking for 1st shot gun

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RB360

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Hey every one,
I just got my gun licence and just got my first hunting rifle, a 30-06 savage 110. I am now looking to get a shot gun also for hunting. I am hoping to hunt Pheasants, Grouse and rabbit. Looking for some suggestions on what I should buy! thanks guys!
 
Welcome to the forum, My suggestion would be a Remington 870 Express. Cheap and lots of parts available. They had a bit of a slump in QC but I think the latest ones are pretty good.
 
I second the 870. Reasonably priced, parts availability is good, and if you have an issue with one, plenty of folks have experience fixing just about any malfunction you can think of. If you get one, I suggest replacing the MIM extractor right away and a s&j magazine follower isn't a bad idea either
 
An 870 would indeed be the logical choice. For the upland hunting you want to do, I would suggest a 26 or 28 inch or at the most a 30 inch barrel. The Express models are fine but Wingmaster versions are what to look for if you have the $$$. Whatever you get, variable chokes are nice. And don't get stuck on a full choke, more people are handicapped by those than are helped. Way more. Another problem that arises from trying to operate a shotgun like a rifle, but I won't get myself started.
 
X4 on the 870, lots of different 870 choices to fit almost any personal interest, plus if youd like a back up big game firearm, switch out the barrel to a slug barrel and you got a excellent big game hunter in thick bush,
 
Careful guys, he needs to know there are two types of 870's.
The original 870 Wingmaster and the 870 Express.
The later being an economical version of the original 870.
A little polishing of the chamber on the Express models and one can forget the blown out issues of rounds stuck in the chamber.
$340 compared to $999 carried a lot of value once things are put into perspective.
Rob
 
Join a gun club. Most clubs are welcoming new people trying to decide what type of shotgun to buy. Shooters will usually let you try their guns on the Trap range. Bring your own quality ammo or buy from the club.
You can make a whole lot more educated choice once you have handled a variety of shotguns.
Besides the new gun market, there are endless choices in the used market that could serve perfectly well.
The club is where you can develop some skill with a shotgun, to actually make use of your new hunting tool.
 
saskbooknut said:
Join a gun club. Most clubs are welcoming new people trying to decide what type of shotgun to buy. Shooters will usually let you try their guns on the Trap range. Bring your own quality ammo or buy from the club.
You can make a whole lot more educated choice once you have handled a variety of shotguns.
Besides the new gun market, there are endless choices in the used market that could serve perfectly well.
The club is where you can develop some skill with a shotgun, to actually make use of your new hunting tool.
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OK, but one should be aware that trap and skeet guns tend to be specialized for those sports and may not be what you want for general hunting purposes. Casual observation of the big skeet ranges where I live also suggests that everyone that shoots there has expensive and very long barreled O/Us for instance.

OP, I would be recommending a double barrel shotgun as your first, but it's nearly impossible to find a good one in a regular gun store anymore, and they are not cheap. Even what I would call crummy ones are scarce. But if by some miracle you should find something like a Browning Superposed or BSS being sold used for an affordable price, jump on it, the double barrel design is unsurpassed for sporting purposes.
 
There are any number of modestly priced used guns that would do everything that you want to do. No need to spend more to buy new.
You mention upland game, so a 2 3/4" lead shot gun would be fine.
I would suggest a brand name pump gun - Winchester, Remington, Ithaca, Savage/Stevens. Doubt that you would have to spend more than $250.
 
Young fella turned up at our club last week with a Lakefield Mossberg 400 which a neighbour kindly sold him for $50. He was breaking 50% at Trap by the end of the evening.
Not the most beautiful gun, but fully serviceable.
 
RB360 said:
Hey every one,
I just got my gun licence and just got my first hunting rifle, a 30-06 savage 110. I am now looking to get a shot gun also for hunting. I am hoping to hunt Pheasants, Grouse and rabbit. Looking for some suggestions on what I should buy! thanks guys!
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Side by side or over & under 12GA, I don't see the need for pump shotgun or semi-auto(they are heavier)
Doesn't need to be brand knew. Find a good one used.
 
It's like asking us to pick out a shirt for you. Without giving us a budget. Or your size. Or what colour you like. Or style. Or fabric.

I'm coming to the realization that for brand-new shotgun shooters such as yourself, you don't know what we're talking about and you don't know what you don't know until you actually have one in your hands and start shooting.

So go buy any brand of utilitarian pump gun, 12 gauge with choke tubes. Makes no difference. The only important thing is to also buy a case of target shells - 250 - and shoot them. Hopefully you're shooting with buddies or a clays club and you can try out other people's guns too.

When your ammo is all gone, come back and ask that question.
 
Grouse Man said:
It's like asking us to pick out a shirt for you. Without giving us a budget. Or your size. Or what colour you like. Or style. Or fabric.

I'm coming to the realization that for brand-new shotgun shooters such as yourself, you don't know what we're talking about and you don't know what you don't know until you actually have one in your hands and start shooting.

So go buy any brand of utilitarian pump gun, 12 gauge with choke tubes. Makes no difference. The only important thing is to also buy a case of target shells - 250 - and shoot them. Hopefully you're shooting with buddies or a clays club and you can try out other people's guns too.

When your ammo is all gone, come back and ask that question.
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Not sure what information a novice could provide in this case except to say what he wanted the gun to do, which he did. The fact that he owns a Savage suggested to me a price range. And I would have thought that making the specific recommendation for starting with an 870 was perfectly valid, based in the fact that they're common, of general fit and of reasonable quality, and can readily be refitted with a huge range of barrels and so on.
 
Big Bad said:
And I would have thought that making the specific recommendation for starting with an 870 was perfectly valid, based in the fact that they're common, of general fit and of reasonable quality, and can readily be refitted with a huge range of barrels and so on.
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also the 870 will be easy to sell if he decides he doesn't like it
 
remington 870 or mossberg 500 or Maverick 88 on a budget all have the barrel options for different needs and lots of dress up accessories all valid for what you are looking for Mav88 a bit less on the tacticool options but still great solid firearm for everything else and the cheapest
 
Pick a price range and go handle a few at you local gun store, they will be able to help you with fit. That being said I think an 870 or a mossberg 500 or 590, maverick 88 would fit the bill for a first shotgun. Make sure it has chokes, check out the barrel combos as well. They usually come with a 28” and a shorter 18”-20” barrel, nice to have the option of changing barrels depending on what or where you’re hunting. The last thing I want while hunting rabbits is a 28” barrel, hiking through the bush with a shorter barrel is less of a pita. It will catch on every tree branch and your not wing shooting rabbits so the longer barrel isn’t a benefit anyway.
 
^^^The QC on the new 870’s has jumped a lot, I bought one new last year and haven’t had a single malfunction. Fit and finish is very nice and not a spec of rust bloom has showed up, it has been thoroughly soaked a couple of times last fall. I’d buy another in a heartbeat, aftermarket support is huge as well all know.
 
all depends on price range, pick a proven platform in your price range and go form there. remington 870, benelli nova and browning bps are all good pump choices. semis im not as fimiliar with and would be good to shoot many different brands as there is quite a bit of difference in an inertia or gas cycling system.
 
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