First shotgun?
- Thread starter rgc
- Start date
rgc...
Two suggestions:
1. Look for the thread entitled "Ultimate Combat Shotgun". That will give you some good introductory information on choosing a SG.
2. Look for posts by Dave McG. He probably has the best common sense when it comes to shotguns on this forum. You can learn an awful lot by following his advice.
Good luck.
Two suggestions:
1. Look for the thread entitled "Ultimate Combat Shotgun". That will give you some good introductory information on choosing a SG.
2. Look for posts by Dave McG. He probably has the best common sense when it comes to shotguns on this forum. You can learn an awful lot by following his advice.
Good luck.
Thanks for the endorsement, Frosty.
There's a lot of choices here for what you want, RGC. Mine and certainly a good choice for anyone is a 870 Remington. If you can locate a police turnin, that's the way to go. Cruiser guns get carried a lot,rarely shot,and usually are surplussed due to age, not use. They'l be dinged up on the outside and darn near new inside.
If there's no turnins around, try out the Big Four and pick the one that feels best.
And mine the Archives, there's gigs of good input there...
HTH...
There's a lot of choices here for what you want, RGC. Mine and certainly a good choice for anyone is a 870 Remington. If you can locate a police turnin, that's the way to go. Cruiser guns get carried a lot,rarely shot,and usually are surplussed due to age, not use. They'l be dinged up on the outside and darn near new inside.
If there's no turnins around, try out the Big Four and pick the one that feels best.
And mine the Archives, there's gigs of good input there...
HTH...
Almost all depts, HL, rotate their inventory through a local dealer, who advance credit on the tradeins against the cost of new weaponry. Let your fingers do the walking, calling all the dealers around and asking if they have many used 870s. When you find a shop with lots of these, Eureka!
The dinged exteriors will keep lots of folks from buying them, the shop has little invested, and until they get down to just a few left, prices will be great. One still can get a turnin for as little as $155 on occasion, tho $200 is more common.
Unless you pick the agency trainer, chances are it's had less than 100 rounds through it. Dinged finishes can be upgraded with Parkerizing, paint, slick treatments like the Robar stuff, or just lived with.
HTH....
The dinged exteriors will keep lots of folks from buying them, the shop has little invested, and until they get down to just a few left, prices will be great. One still can get a turnin for as little as $155 on occasion, tho $200 is more common.
Unless you pick the agency trainer, chances are it's had less than 100 rounds through it. Dinged finishes can be upgraded with Parkerizing, paint, slick treatments like the Robar stuff, or just lived with.
HTH....
hlmcfa...
"Where do you even start to look for a "police turnin" SG? I would love to find one of these, but wouldn't even know where to start..??"
It probably helps to be in a small town with only one dealer (gun-type). If you can make a contact with the PD, or a local dealer, ask them how and where the PD turns in it's firearms. My local dealer if a former LEO himself and advises our PD on firearms and training.
I got one of our local PD's old shotguns, a Savage Model 69RXL, for only about $150 through him. It had some external wear but was in very good shape. It has only one slide bar vs. the two found on many other SG's, but for the price and the amount of use it will see, I think it will do. It had a nice sling on it and I added a stock-mounted elastic 5-round shell holder which gives me a 10 or 11 round capacity. It may not be pretty or fancy, but I think it meets Dave's basic qualifications.
"Where do you even start to look for a "police turnin" SG? I would love to find one of these, but wouldn't even know where to start..??"
It probably helps to be in a small town with only one dealer (gun-type). If you can make a contact with the PD, or a local dealer, ask them how and where the PD turns in it's firearms. My local dealer if a former LEO himself and advises our PD on firearms and training.
I got one of our local PD's old shotguns, a Savage Model 69RXL, for only about $150 through him. It had some external wear but was in very good shape. It has only one slide bar vs. the two found on many other SG's, but for the price and the amount of use it will see, I think it will do. It had a nice sling on it and I added a stock-mounted elastic 5-round shell holder which gives me a 10 or 11 round capacity. It may not be pretty or fancy, but I think it meets Dave's basic qualifications.
Frosty, it probably does.....
The criteria are simple.
It has to have at least a two shot capacity.
It has to go bang on demand and only then.
YOU and it have to hit what you want to most of the time.
We get hung up in brand loyalty sometimes, and there's some good shotguns out there that are not big name brands.
The criteria are simple.
It has to have at least a two shot capacity.
It has to go bang on demand and only then.
YOU and it have to hit what you want to most of the time.
We get hung up in brand loyalty sometimes, and there's some good shotguns out there that are not big name brands.
Dave...
"It has to have at least a two shot capacity."
Okay, got that covered.
"It has to go bang on demand and only then."
So far, so good. It has (and has not) when proper.
"YOU and it have to hit what you want to most of the time."
Doggoneit Dave! I KNEW you were going to make it hard!
Seriously though, SG is my weakest of the three firearms but I am trying to correct that. Or, at least, bring up my pitiful skill level with some regular and hopefully well thought-out practise sessions. Unfortunately the place I am currently located has a severe lack of people whom I can practise and study with. So I depend upon this forum to give me ideas I can work with.
So far, TFL is helping.
"It has to have at least a two shot capacity."
Okay, got that covered.
"It has to go bang on demand and only then."
So far, so good. It has (and has not) when proper.
"YOU and it have to hit what you want to most of the time."
Doggoneit Dave! I KNEW you were going to make it hard!
Seriously though, SG is my weakest of the three firearms but I am trying to correct that. Or, at least, bring up my pitiful skill level with some regular and hopefully well thought-out practise sessions. Unfortunately the place I am currently located has a severe lack of people whom I can practise and study with. So I depend upon this forum to give me ideas I can work with.
So far, TFL is helping.
Cowdogpete
New member
Let me suggest the 870 Express Combo package.
It has a slug barrell with rifle sights and a longer "bird barrell"
If you think you want to shoot birds or trap you will appreciate the longer barrell and proper choke.
The slug barrell is great for deer and other large game and my personal choice for a defensive gun.
You can't beat the 870 for the price.
my $.02
It has a slug barrell with rifle sights and a longer "bird barrell"
If you think you want to shoot birds or trap you will appreciate the longer barrell and proper choke.
The slug barrell is great for deer and other large game and my personal choice for a defensive gun.
You can't beat the 870 for the price.
my $.02