I bought a springer spaniel. In an effort to cater to his every whim, I'm gonna get off my butt and take him rabbit hunting. I like rabbit, and he'll love beating around the bush.
While there are considerable bragging rights to be had from learning to take a flushed rabbit on the run with a Henry .22, I've decided a shotgun is probably going to bring more success as I initially learn to hunt rabbit. My wife has a circa 1970 Remington 1100, with an extremely long barrel on it. The thing weighs about eight or nine pounds, and loads too many shells for local game laws.
So I'm trying to find a really, really cheap, simple, light, 20ga shotgun. I'm talking like $200 cheap. It doesn't need to last for tens of thousands of competition clays, protect my home, or effectively take Canada goose from a mile. I do need to be able to comfortably carry it for several miles as I tag along after my enthusiastic pup. I also need to be able to snap shoot on a flushed rabbit. I want the Red Ryder of shotguns.
Local pawn shops had a couple of youth shotguns. But the stocks are comically small. All other 20ga shotguns were long barreled.
I looked at a couple new Stoeger coach guns, and a single-shot break-action by H&R. The Stoegers were okay, but the triggers required Hulk-like strength to squeeze--like, I thought the safety was still on. They were also at the very highest price I would even possibly consider paying here. The single-shot pointed very nicely, was very light, and mad cheap. But, it was in 12ga, I know nothing of the company, and the barrel was unchoked.
So, please hit me with some suggestions. I'd frankly prefer suggestions on guns to look for used, as it doesn't look like anything new will be in my pricerange (except the single-shot). Also, tell me what you think of the Stoegers and the H&Rs.
While there are considerable bragging rights to be had from learning to take a flushed rabbit on the run with a Henry .22, I've decided a shotgun is probably going to bring more success as I initially learn to hunt rabbit. My wife has a circa 1970 Remington 1100, with an extremely long barrel on it. The thing weighs about eight or nine pounds, and loads too many shells for local game laws.
So I'm trying to find a really, really cheap, simple, light, 20ga shotgun. I'm talking like $200 cheap. It doesn't need to last for tens of thousands of competition clays, protect my home, or effectively take Canada goose from a mile. I do need to be able to comfortably carry it for several miles as I tag along after my enthusiastic pup. I also need to be able to snap shoot on a flushed rabbit. I want the Red Ryder of shotguns.
Local pawn shops had a couple of youth shotguns. But the stocks are comically small. All other 20ga shotguns were long barreled.
I looked at a couple new Stoeger coach guns, and a single-shot break-action by H&R. The Stoegers were okay, but the triggers required Hulk-like strength to squeeze--like, I thought the safety was still on. They were also at the very highest price I would even possibly consider paying here. The single-shot pointed very nicely, was very light, and mad cheap. But, it was in 12ga, I know nothing of the company, and the barrel was unchoked.
So, please hit me with some suggestions. I'd frankly prefer suggestions on guns to look for used, as it doesn't look like anything new will be in my pricerange (except the single-shot). Also, tell me what you think of the Stoegers and the H&Rs.
