Shot Gun For a Young First Timer

F

fshfindr

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I am not a hunter, so let's get that out of the way. I know pistols and a little about rifles and I have never hunted. We live in NJ and my 19 year old grandson wants to buy a used shot gun for hunting here. I asked him if he will buy a slug gun and he said no because he may want to use it as a shot gun at some time. For those who do not know, NJ is strictly shot guns and bows for hunting. So, can a slug gun be used for a shotgun (personally I don't see why not)? How should I advise him, he wants to get a deer.
 
So far as the gun is concerned, any shotgun can fire any type of shotshell, shot or slug. Many folks won't shoot slugs in a full choke shotgun, but there is no harm in doing so. Shot gun slugs are "rifled" not for stability but to compress enough to pass through a full choke.

I'd suggest a good pump or auto. Doubles don't work too well for slugs unless the very expensive kind. A bolt action shotgun is fine for deer hunting, but pretty well useless for birds.

Bob Wright
 
There are three that get recommended a lot,,,

You will probably get better answers in the shotgun forum,,,
But here's my stab at an answer.

I've seen this question many times before,,,
Here is what the answer often is.

Mossberg 500
Remington 870
Winchester 1100

These three seem to be the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks of the shotgun world.

Aarond

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So, can a slug gun be used for a shotgun (personally I don't see why not)? How should I advise him, he wants to get a deer.
Click to expand...

There may be some exception, but a slug gun is a shotgun with barrel that has been specifically for slugs. The ones of which I am aware have rifled barrels and cantilevers that allow a scope to be mounted directly to the barrel. This permits the scope to be sighted in to the barrel with which it stays should another, perhaps a smooth bore vent rib, be mounted.

There are two primary types of slugs. Rifled slugs are meant to shoot through smooth (non-rifled) bore shotgun barrels and the other, Sabots, through rifled barrels. The Sabots are more accurate but more expensive.

Now the simple answer to your question is, "Yes." Both are shotguns and both shoot slugs. I should add that shot patterns very poorly through rifled barrels, which is why you probably think of smooth barrels whey you think of shotguns.
 
A good all around shotgun...especially these days...will have changeable screw in chokes...to make it versatile ( so you can shoot lead shot for clays - and slugs for deer, etc ).

For many years the most common all around shotguns....were pump guns or semi-autos with 28" barrels.../ on a budget Remington and Mossberg make serviceable pump guns - but most will agree that a better option is a Browning BPS pump / on a budget Beretta makes a lot of semi-autos these days..or maybe look at the Browning silver series both good gas operated semi autos / in older technology - there are a lot of good used semi-autos out there from Remington...but get something with changeable screw in chokes ( that were first around in many guns in the early 1980's ) and stay away from fixed choke guns.

Extra barrels are expensive ...many mfg's will want over $ 250 for a 2nd barrel...
 
I've seen this question many times before,,,
Here is what the answer often is.

Mossberg 500
Remington 870
Winchester 1100

These three seem to be the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks of the shotgun world.

Aarond
Click to expand...
Make that Remington 1100 and it makes a lot more sense. :)
 
Has anyone ever played with a smooth bore that was equipped with a rifled (interchangeable) choke?
 
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Buy him a Pump or Auto . Remington 870 or 1100 is great and barrels are cheap on e-bay . You can buy the Remington at Wal-Mart at a good price . Also buy a 12 Ga. and if you find a used gun a fixed choke is just fine . Choke tubes can be a pain as you always have the wrong tube in the gun . With a fixed choke you never have the wrong choke .
 
One of my favorite shotguns was an old J.C. Higgins slide action (pump) 12 ga. with adjustable choke and vent rib. These were actually made by Hi Standard, the Field King, as I remember. Choke could be varied from extra full to open choke simply by turning the outer sleeve of the choke.

I tried this choke once shooting down into the Mississippi River. At extra full and at a distance of about sixty feet, (down) the splash seemed to be about six inches in diameter! Opened up it was maybe three feet in diameter.

I paid $75 for the deluxe model.

Bob Wright
 
Hello Virginian-in LA,,,

I've seen this question many times before,,,
Here is what the answer often is.

Mossberg 500
Remington 870
Winchester 1100

These three seem to be the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks of the shotgun world.

Aarond
Click to expand...

Make that Remington 1100 and it makes a lot more sense.
Click to expand...

Yep, you're correct,,,
Mea Culpa. :o

I meant to type Winchester 1200.

Aarond

.
 
Foster slugs use a smoothbore barrel while Sabot-slugs require a rifled barrel. Rifled shotgun barrels are only good for those type of slugs, while the smoothbore can also be used with shot

There are many good brands in pumps and semis:
Ithaca 37, Mossberg 500, Remington 870, Browning BPS, Benelli Nova, Winchester 1200 are all decent pumps.
Those same makers, along with Beretta, also make great semi guns.

Slugs can thump; personally, I would opt for the gas gun.
 
For my 13 year old I picked up a NEF Pardner 20ga single shot and sent the barrel off to be bored and tapped for changeable chokes. He can use this little gun for anything its needed for. I paid $75 for the gun at a pawn shop, $55 for the barrel work. The chokes are the expensive part at $30 each but I have two shotguns that use the same chokes. I bought one of each.
 
Has anyone ever played with a smooth bore that was equipped with a rifled (interchangeable) choke?
Click to expand...

Completely useless marketing gymic. You'll do just as well shooting foster slugs through the smooth bore.
 
The use of a shotgun slug for deer hunting in New Jersey requires that the barrel have some type of rifle sights. Field shotguns (no rifle sights) are required to use buckshot during the deer season.
 
I agree with a rifled barrel/field barrel pump or auto combo being the best for him.

I just bought my first gun myself, but have been around/ shot firearms throughout growing up. I bought a Weatherby PA-08 slug gun combo and put a Bushnell 1-4x32 on the slug barrel's cantilever scope mount.

Unfortunately my guns going back to weatherby for repair/ replacement. but that's possible now a days as nothings made worth a crap, even with a more expensive gun, that's why they have warranty. I will post my experience with their customer service.

I've already used both barrels, the versatility of a combo makes it a great first gun. the area where I live is bow,shotgun and muzzleloader only for deer so the rifled barrel with scope and hornady SST's is a great deer gun for here IMO but I can use the smoothbore for trap shooting, and to try my hand at other things. without having to buy a new gun or barrel.
 
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