What is a good first time shotgun to purchase?

I guess my shotgun interests have morphed over the years. I have little desire for migratory bird hunting any more, but I hope others don't follow my own example.

That leaves me with shotguns predominantly for upland game hunting and secondary use for slug shooting.
North Americans in general are pretty happy with an 870, perhaps even in the super magnum configuration.

Not the best upland game gun for all day carry IMO.
Prefer here lighter pump action shotguns. Our European brothers seem to have it right with their own superbly balanced and better handling double guns.
I really rue the day that steel shot stole our otherwise fine shooting sport. But that's another subject on it's own.

Cheers!
 
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I LOVE my Winchester SXP. It's an extremely nice shotgun for the money. I paid $319. I have the 18" Defender model. Leaps and bounds better than the old 870s I've used in the past (and the Stevens 350 I had before this gun).

sxp_defender.jpg


http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/category.asp?family=021C
 
SIG FAN said:
I LOVE my Winchester SXP. It's an extremely nice shotgun for the money. I paid $319. I have the 18" Defender model. Leaps and bounds better than the old 870s I've used in the past (and the Stevens 350 I had before this gun).
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I agree with the Winchester SXP being a very nice shotgun. My first shotgun was the camp and field combo and I liked it a lot but there wasn't a lot of after market products available for it. I just sold my Remington 870 as I didn't like the weight and feel of the shotgun. I now have two Maverick 88's. I really like the Mossberg 500 pattern. Fits me well and for $250 I don't think the value can be beat.
 
I love my Weatherby Pa08 Upland. For just about the same money as a Rem870, you get a nice blued finish, not bead blasting. You get chromed internals. You get absolutely gorgeous wood, not laminate.

FF
 
Weatherby SA-08 semi-auto 12ga.
I don't know about their pump actions, but this gun runs like a top.
No malfunctions 1000+rds through it already. (Mostly target load, 50rds of 00 buck)
It's light as a feather, comes with 3 chokes, heavy/light load gas tubes and stock spacers to adjust length of pull.
Check it out on youtube
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I love my Weatherby Pa08 Upland. For just about the same money as a Rem870, you get a nice blued finish, not bead blasting. You get chromed internals. You get absolutely gorgeous wood, not laminate.
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IMO these are you two best choices I put my SA up against semis at twice the price and most often come out on top it is my first semi and after a LOT of research and reviews this was the shot I chose and I only problem I have had so far is I need to spend a lot on ammo because its so fun to shoot. over 1000 rnds have not cleaned it yet. My friend has the pa and I find it a nicer shot gun to shoot then the 870 shoulders nicer and pumps a little smoother just MO but I suggest you read a few reviews on these two and compare them to any other shotgun pump or semi in any price range. let us know what you choose
 
Absolutely the best inexpensive shotgun is the Winchester SXP. All these people suggesting the Remington or Mossberg are doing so without extolling any functional advantage - why? Because they have none.

The Winchester SXP:
* chrome lined barrel
* exterior is a black chrome finish (very expensive process) - all the other guns in this thread are painted black (bleh).
* world's fastest reloading pump

The other brands do have an advantage for accessories, but there are enough accessories out there for the SXP.
 
Winchester SXP or mossberg 500(or 88). Stay away from Remingtons(unless you can get an older used one)
 
superlative said:
Absolutely the best inexpensive shotgun is the Winchester SXP...: chrome lined barrel...exterior is a black chrome finish (very expensive process) - all the other guns in this thread are painted black (bleh).
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Is any of this correct? If the barrels are all chrome-lined, that's a nice feature. I won't say that you're definitely wrong about the exterior chrome-plating...I hate absolutes :)...but it's difficult to believe that all SXP's are chromed. And although there are perhaps some "painted" guns among the competition, many or most of the guns mentioned in this thread are matte blued.

I don't know much about the newer Turkish-made guns (although my Tombstone has impressed me so far), but there's little to choose from between Rems, Mossbergs, Brownings and Winchesters as entry-level pumps...they're all decent guns. It's a Ford vs. Chevy thing for the most part.

And for the record, the old Ithaca 37 is "absolutely the best inexpensive shotgun". :)
 
jjohnwm said:
Is any of this correct? If the barrels are all chrome-lined, that's a nice feature. I won't say that you're definitely wrong about the exterior chrome-plating...I hate absolutes :)...but it's difficult to believe that all SXP's are chromed. And although there are perhaps some "painted" guns among the competition, many or most of the guns mentioned in this thread are matte blued.

I don't know much about the newer Turkish-made guns (although my Tombstone has impressed me so far), but there's little to choose from between Rems, Mossbergs and Winchester entry-level pumps...they're all decent guns. It's a Ford vs. Chevy thing for the most part.

And for the record, the old Ithaca 37 is "absolutely the best inexpensive shotgun". :)
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Agreed! I myself have nine of them. Future plans for at least two more of them too.

My only other shotguns are either muzzle loaders or hinge action shotguns.
 
I started with a weatherby pa-08... Like new, honestly don't think it had been fired....nice action, great wood, deep blueing...all for 300$ ...would recommend it to anyone..
 
ThrowBack said:
The 870 is a great shotgun. I've never owned one but I've shot enough of them. Take care of the 870 and you'll probably get all your money back if you decide to sell it. I had a Mossberg 590 and have nothing but good things to say about it. It was a great shotgun for the price I paid for it. Maverick 88's are a good budget option.
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The 870 is certainly an excellent shotgun. At work we used Mossberg 500's...and they function well too, plus they are (or used to be) cheaper. I have both....my preference is the 870, but I certainly wouldn't feel cheated if I was limited to just the 500 either.
 
For a pump you should first consider a new or used Wingmaster. As was stated earlier for less felt recoil you may then consider a good semi, but the cost will approx. double for quality as you will be looking at 'B' guns.
 
As the zombie fad fades, there's bound to be good deals on the mossberg 500 zombie edition. I bought mine because I like the anodized finish. 3cm of electrical tape took care of the green logo. The 500 is a great shotgun IMO.
 
I planed to go bird hunting so I picked up a stoeger p350 with some sort of mossy under growth covering. The covering is kinda fugly but bass pro was selling it for cheep.
 
jjohnwm said:
Is any of this correct? If the barrels are all chrome-lined, that's a nice feature. I won't say that you're definitely wrong about the exterior chrome-plating...I hate absolutes :)...but it's difficult to believe that all SXP's are chromed. And although there are perhaps some "painted" guns among the competition, many or most of the guns mentioned in this thread are matte blued.
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read it for yourself:
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=021C&mid=512273

notice it makes the distinction between the bore (hard chrome) vs the rest of the body (black chrome). It compares the SXP's black chrome with the useless blueing that every other company uses. If you google black chrome, you'll find it's an expensive process:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-black-chrome-plating.htm
 
Remington 870 Wingmaster. Not the Express. There is a substantial difference in fit and finish. I own both.

It can very reliably be your 1st, and last, shotgun purchase.

A semi auto isnt the end game for shotgunnners. Ive no need for one, and very little interest it. My 870 Wingmaster with a 3" chamber and interchangeable barrels and chokes can serve every single hunting need I have.
 
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