Hello, everyone. Noob here

G

gaseousclay

New member
hello, everyone. just thought i'd drop in and make my presence known.

I'm new to the world of firearms and am in need of shotgun advice. I'm currently researching shotguns as i've developed an interest in hunting, particularly, deer and pheasant. I've narrowed my choice down to the Remington 870 Wingmaster as my first gun purchase, however, I don't know the specifics of this gun to make an informed purchase. I've read that 'fit' is extremely important in determining which gun to buy - i've gone to several sporting goods stores and have held various shotguns in my hands. Should I go with a 26" barrel? 30"? what can I expect to pay for a used Wingmaster? I plan on taking some hunter safety/firearm safety courses before I actually buy a shotgun, but any advice would be appreciated.

btw, i'm based in SW Minneapolis so any gun store recommendations would be great. I've decided to avoid Gander Mtn and Dick's Sporting Goods since there appears to be absolutely no customer service with these stores. Should I go to Cabela's? are there any smaller mom & pop gun shops worth checking out in thw Twin Cities or in the 'burbs?

Thanks!
 
Greetings gasousclay, I join DiscoRacing in welcoming you aboard

The R-870 Wingmaster is a great choice for a first gun. Unfortunately, the majority of Remington pump buyers prefer the cheaper 870 Express model. This has resulted in Remington offering the Express in many variations and the Wingmaster in only two versions (standard and classic trap).

I have a question about you future deer hunting: Will you be using sabots, conventional slugs or buckshot? Deer and pheasant shooting are two different hunting environments and have different requirements. You may be well served by getting the standard Wingmaster (26 or 28" barrel [how tall are you]) for working birds and an extra 20" deer barrel. Remington has several Wingmaster barrels specifically tailored for deer: rifled barrels for sabots set up with rifle sights or a scope mount. Or, a smooth bore buckshot/slug barrel with rifle sights. Most folks prefer rifles for deer, but use shotguns because of local hunting regulations. You'll have to determine if you'll be using buckshot or slugs in your area.

Time after time, the importance of proper gun fit is discussed at this forum. This doesn't mean don't buy a specific gun if it doesn't fit perfectly; but, be prepared to make some slight alterations to meet your requirements. Remington has spacers and shims that will allow you to customize their stocks for a better fit.

It's been my experience the employees at the big box sporting stores aren't as knowledgeable as the folks you'll find at your local mom-n-pop gun shop. I'd be more inclined to trust some good old boy at the mom-n-pop shop to evaluate my stock fit than some youngster who's been selling rubber boats at the big box. Sorry, I'm not up to speed on current Wingmaster prices. As Remington raises their prices the used gun prices follow.
 
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Welcome aboard ...

Lots of pros and cons ...stuff to go over on fit / type of action you want ...etc ...

I would say to start go to a good shop and look at the Rem Wingmaster and a Browning BPS Hunter model / both with 28" barrels and screw in chokes. You might find that one feels better than the other / they are a little different on stock dimensions, weight, etc. I don't know what the Wingmasters are selling for now / the BPS is around $ 525 so I know its a good buy - but I think the Wingmaster is a little more.

No matter what - a good pump gun (either of these guns / will last you a lifetime and are not a waste of money / and easily sold if you don't like them down the road).

If you look at a link below on O/U prices ---- I tried to go into some detail on "Fit" ...and my comments will apply to pumps as well because they almost all have angled combs. My personal choice in a pump gun is the BPS / and I've still got the BPS's I bought in the 70's and they're still very solid guns.
 
zippy13 - I plan on using slugs for deer hunting and buckshot for pheasant hunting. locally, hunters can only use slugs for deer hunting - if I wanted to use a bolt-action rifle for deer hunting i'd have to travel further north, so I'll definitely want a shotgun with a multi-barrel option. i'm also 5'11" so i'm not sure how barrel length figures into this. your advice is helpful though, epspecially since I have no idea what to look for in a gun.
 
thanks for the recommendations, BigJimP. I was considering Remington, Winchester or Browning for my first pump shotgun. I chose Remington as my first choice because it seems to be the one shotgun that every hunter has and the one that gets constant praise. I've never heard bad things about Browning or Winchester so I may still consider these as options. I will say this, I do like that the Browning BPS Hunter has the safety on the top of the gun, unlike the 870 which is by the trigger. I guess either location technically shouldn't matter but as far as ease goes, the Browning gets points for this feature.
 
gaseousclay said:
i'm also 5'11" so i'm not sure how barrel length figures into this.
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The bigger the shooter, the more comfortable he is with a longer barrel. The longer the barrel, the heavier the gun -- the heavier the gun, the smoother is swings and it absorbs more recoil energy. But, there's a point of diminishing returns, you don't want a gun that's so heavy it's hard to start it swinging. And, you don't want a gun so heavy that it busts your butt humping it all day. For for example, for a given environment, typically BigJimP prefers a barrel one size longer than I do. I'm 6-2, 220, and shooting along side Jim makes me feel small.

Unfortunately, it's hard for a new shooter to evaluate the optimum barrel length because he just doesn't have the experience. It's sort of like being Goldilocks: this barrel feels too short, this barrel fells too long, what's right?

Given that you're going to be shooting deer with slugs, you need to decide if you're going to use the more expensive sabot slugs in a rifled barrel or conventional slugs in a smooth bore. There are pros and cons for each. You selection should based on your anticipated shooting environment (cover, size of deer, distance to target). This is another case where I'd trust the advice from a good old boy in a LGS where you plan on hunting. Another good source of info for a new shooter is a local hunting club. One of the most successful hunters I know said one of his secrets was to always check with the locals -- seek and heed their recommendations.

I'm a little curious about your plans to use buckshot on pheasants. Perhaps yours are huge and taken at great distances. ;) Typical pheasant loads are from #3 to #6 bird shot.
 
I'm a little curious about your plans to use buckshot on pheasants. Perhaps yours are huge and taken at great distances. Typical pheasant loads are from #3 to #6 bird shot.
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haha. yeah, I guess I meant to say 'bird shot', not buck shot. this is what I mean when I say I don't have a clue as to what i'm talking about. I'm trying to learn more about gun safety, gun anatomy, etc., but you're right, I think the best way to learn is to talk to experienced hunters. luckily, there are individuals on my wife's side of the family that are experienced hunters who can teach me a thing or two:D
 
I've narrowed my choice down to the Remington 870 Wingmaster as my first gun purchase, however, I don't know the specifics of this gun to make an informed purchase.
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I guess this gives me reason to pause - if you don't know anything about this, how did you narrow your choice to the 870? (Not saying it's a bad gun, but there are a LOT of choices)

You might want to go to your local gun club, explain your newness and see if they have guns for rent, or of some of the members will let you borrow theirs for some shots. Try as many types and brands as you can and see what seems to fit the best and works well for you..........
 
I guess this gives me reason to pause - if you don't know anything about this, how did you narrow your choice to the 870? (Not saying it's a bad gun, but there are a LOT of choices)
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for me it was name recognition/history, price and reputation were all factors in deciding what to buy. The 870 fit this bill perfectly. also, my father in-law and his son both use 870's, so I trust his opinion. I also don't want to buy something that's too cheap -- you get what you pay for, right? you're right, there are a lot of choices but right now I can't be bothered with researching every gun company in existence, hence the reason why i've narrowed it down to Remington, Winchester & Browning. a friend is taking me trap shooting and he uses a Winchester, Browning & Weatherby, so who knows? I may end up going with something other than a Remington
 
Everyone needs an 870, but there are other choices, some good.

Get a WM, have some crusty ol' shotgunner at the local club help you get it fitted to you,pattern, and burn some ammo up. Things will fall into place.
 
+1 to everyone's comments ....and I'm laughing at Dave's defense of the 870's ...he has a borderline obsession that it a little frightening ;)....but then I admitted I'm a Browning guy too ...

The position of the safety on the Browning is a big plus in my opinion / particularly if you're wearing heavy gloves - and I think its just more natural for me to find it there - particularly if a bird flushes quickly. Most pump guns are "cast neutral" so they have a comb that is directly behind the centerline - but some are a "little right" cast. The BPS has traditionally been cast neutral / and since it ejects out of the bottom / its equally suited to a leftie or a right handed shooter.

Sure, you can buy other length of barrels for a BPS and swap them out easily - and Zippy's right about barrrel length / but a 28" has been sort of the "standard" for wing shooting for a long time. I don't know anything about hunting deer with a shotgun / I've always used high caliber rifles ...but I don't see where a 28" barrel would be a big negative either. Height or weight of the shooter has some bearing on barrel length ...but for most adults it isn't a factor / its more a question of balance. If its too long it won't feel balanced in your hands - it'll feel nose heavy.

Weight is your friend on reducing recoil / an exta lb in weight will reduce recoil about 20% - so going real light can be an issue / but if its too heavy to carry in the woods all day that's a negative as well. I like my guns on the heavy side / so I will even add weight to my field guns to get them up around 8 1/2 lbs ....but I'm more of a "gentleman hunter" these days ...walking the edge of a meadow or a plantation / not busting brush so much anymore ...

Have fun with the search / and exploring all kinds of shotguns ....and welcome to our addiction .... There is just something amazing about hitting a moving target - whether its clay or with feathers ...that is just plain fun !
 
Jim, my friend…
Contrary to popular belief, Dave's not exclusively an 870s guy. Just this week he got a SKB O/U. We'll probably get a field review next week.
"There is just something amazing about hitting a moving target - whether its clay or with feathers ...that is just plain fun !"​
Amen.
 
that's right, I forgot Zippy ....

( I'm not just a one trick pony either ...well mostly maybe :rolleyes: ....but out of 20 or so shotguns ...I have two Benelli semi-auto's ...and one old Westernfield bolt action 16ga ....and as you know, the rest are Brownings...) so I should lighten up on Dave ...;)
 
Have fun with the search / and exploring all kinds of shotguns ....and welcome to our addiction .... There is just something amazing about hitting a moving target - whether its clay or with feathers ...that is just plain fun !
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thanks, BigJimP! I look forward to getting my feet wet and I appreciate the helpful advice all of you have been giving me.

okay, so now i've got these two shotguns on my 'to checkout' list:

Remington 870 Wingmaster

Browning BPS Hunter

any others I should look out for? Does Winchester have something similar to the above two shotguns?

I only wish I could persuade my wife to let me keep a shotgun in the house. I have to keep all firearms at her mom's house at the farm :(, which makes it inconvenient if I want to go hunting or target shooting spur of the moment.
 
Browning and Winchester are all part of the same corporation these days ...so I would say No on the Winchester pump guns.

Another pump gun that might appeal to you is the Benelli Nova or Super Nova - they're solid guns as well / although personally in the Benelli lineup I prefer their semi-autos like the Super Sport for an all around gun / but that's putting you into another price point / and for a first gun, I don't know that I'd say go to a semi-auto over the pump guns.

Keeping the guns at home is an issue in some households ...my best solution is for you to put them in a good "gun safe". Its the best way to keep kids, grandkids ....and bad guys out of your guns. I think every gun-owner needs a good solid gunsafe. You don't need anything huge for a few guns / and you'll find a lot of choices for a few long guns and a few handguns for $ 500 - $1,000 and a lot of retailers have sales this time of year / and maybe no sales tax on them, depending on where you live. Check out your local retailers ...

(you don't need a safe big enough to park a full sized truck in like Zippy, Dave and OneOunce all have ...) ...
 
Speaking of the Remington site…
Am I the only one who finds the revised Remington site less informative, and more cumbersome to navigate than the previous version?
 
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