Bolt Action Shotguns?

My buddy has one, I don't know what it is... I'm hoping he can get pictures. As I recall, it is a synthetic stock, stainless action/barrel. 2 round mag, 12ga, smoothbore.
 
Here is my J C Higgins twenty gauge, purchased used last year for about $140. Quality and condition are very good. I believe it was made by Harrington and Richardson. Decent walnut in the stock, well, a little knot there. Action is smooth and positive. It handles better than you would think. I haven't hunted with it, but it does well on clays. A second shot would be too slow on quail or pheasants, maybe not on rabbits or squirrels. I think it would be OK for ducks over decoys. And, if you take the plug out and lay down five magnum loads of buckshot as fast as you can work the bolt, it would be quite discouraging to an attacker. I think these have a place in the shooting scene and I have always liked them, due to my upbringing in a frugal farm household.
 
In terms of "handling" properties, the bolt-action is, imo, the very worst shotgun ever made. And you might get a second shot off if the bird is on crutches. I'd much rather hunt with the simplest single-shot existant. However, the bolt-action shotgun might serve as a very good deer hunting gun, especially if a scope is mounted on it.
 
Last edited:
The very first shotgun I ever took dove hunting (at age 11) was an old 20ga Mossberg bolt action. Follow-up shots were non-existent.
 
Back
Top