what to get

H

HelterSkelter

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so i am looking for a shotgun. i want to use it for hunting several different animals and well as skeet shooting. i would like a shotgun that could be used to hunt deer, ducks, and smaller animals like squirrels and other varmints. i figured i could buy a remington 870 express and with different types of shot be able to cover all the game types, but i am not very experienced with shotguns. what do you guys recommend?


EDIT

i see a lot of recommendations having to do quite a bit with the skeet shooting aspect. to be honest all i was talking about was shooting a single clay target in the air for fun, not competing or scoring, just blasting targets. i was pretty sure what i was doing was called skeet shooting but now that i see a lot of people mentioning multiple targets in the air i think it may have been something else.
 
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You're going to want more than just a variety of shot shells to accommodate your varied anticipated targets, think about getting a "combo" gun with several barrels. If you're at all serious about wanting to do a lot more that shoot holes in the sky at the Skeet range, then consider an auto-loader or O/U gun.

Before you make any decisions, may I urge you to get some trigger time at a Trap and Skeet club. Many clubs have loaner/rental guns available for newbies.
 
i've shot my uncle's shot guns many times and have gone to the range and shot a few. all of them pumps. why would you suggest an auto or over under?
 
why would you suggest an auto or over under?​
 Both are faster for shooting doubles than a pump gun, and most folks find they will help them shoot higher scores. Personally, I prefer an O/U; but, in your situation, an auto-loader represents a smaller initial investment and it will hold more ammo. Ammo capacity isn't important on the target range; but, it is for hunting and HD.
 
A remington 870 express with screw in choke tubes will make a good general purpose shotgun...... Doubles are not a problem with a pump gun if the shooter is proficient with it.

I have a Winchester 1200, a Mossberg 500 and have used an 870..... The Mossberg hasn't held up well ......

If I could change one thing about my shotguns, it would be to get a camoflage gun: Walnut and blued steel are pretty, and all, but they stick out like a sore thumb when you are camoed up hunting turkeys.
 
jimbob86 said:
Doubles are not a problem with a pump gun if the shooter is proficient with it.
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I don't think the numerous shooters I've witnessed blow a decent score because of a pump gun problem would agree with you. Sure with experience, they'll get smoother; but, a pump is still a handicap shooting clay doubles. If HelterSkelter hadn't specifically mentioned Skeet shooting, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a pump. The specific model would depend a lot on his budget.

As far as a camo finish is concerned, a handsome walnut and blue steel gun can be gillied-up for the turkeys. Shooters fooled turkeys for a lot of years before factory camo finishes became available.
 
I've seen my dad shoot 25s with pumps on more than one occasion.. That said, he is a former competition shooter that shoots that good with anything.. Most people are not very proficient with a pump, and doubles with throw them for a loop.. An auto or o/u is a better option...
 
I think everyone needs a good pump gun ...but Zippy's right / it is a liability on a Skeet field where you have to shoot pairs / not that it can't be done ...but not the best option if you want to be serious about Skeet.

My pesonal choice on a good pump gun - is the Browning BPS Hunter model with a 28" barrel. I think its a good solid gun / and a good long term investment for around $ 500. Personally, I think its a step down in quality to go with the Rem 870's, especially the Express models, - or the Mossberg's , etc ...but they aren't terrible guns either.

If your budget allows you to get up around $1,000 - then a good semi-auto is a more versatile gun. Beretta 391's, Browning Silver series, Winchester SX3's ...maybe some of the Benelli's ....are available in the $ 900 - $ 1,250 price range....and they're all very good guns.
 
I think everyone needs a good pump gun ...but Zippy's right / it is a liability on a Skeet field where you have to shoot pairs / not that it can't be done ...but not the best option if you want to be serious about Skeet.
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If you are going to be "serious" about skeet, get a "serious" dedicated skeet gun ..... I don't hunt deer with a shotgun, but I have heard of exatly 0 people that hunt deer with an over and under..... those I know who do (across the river in IA) use a rifled shotgun ..... easy enough to buy another barrel for an 870.

The OP asked about a general purpose shotgun ...... capable of hunting deer, ducks and small game, as well as shooting skeet. It doesn't get any more GP than a 12 guage pump gun.

As for "ghillie-ing up" a blued gun...... camo-tape is a PITA to clean off, does bad things to blueing if left on, and extra junk hanging off the gun catches on brush in run-and-gun situations.

I've gotten turkeys with the blued guns, but they have been mostly "dumb as bricks" sex crazed gobblers in the early spring or "never been smart as a brick" jakes and jennies in the fall. Reasonably wary birds (Tom's with girlfriends or Boss hens in the fall) usually bust me if I have to move the gun much.
 
If your a first time buyer and want to do it all with one gun just forget all semis or over unders or single shots. A T/C would be great except you want to do some skeet shooting. Id also stay away from the 870s, good gun but cheap. Id look at the Mossberg 500s. They are super fast to switch barrels on and many of them come with the extra barrel. They have a cantilever style rifled barrel then come with a smooth bore ribbed barrel. With this gun it will take 2 3/4" or 3" mags for turkey and deer hunting but the 2 3/4" are nice for small game as well as on the range. Mossberg gets my vote
 
Also just get a blued gun, turkeys dont care and either do the ducks that you hunt. Dont worry about camo tape either. Also its up to you on 12 or 20 gauge. 20 ga slug guns are usually more accurate but 12 is nice for everything else
 
Id also stay away from the 870s, good gun but cheap.
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Cheap as in inexpensive, or cheap as in chintzy? If it's chintzy, it is not a "good gun" ...... so you must have meant inexpensive...... a feature, not a bug, IMO.

I bought a Mossberg 500 over an 870 when I bought my first shotgun, based in part because the Mossberg was a little cheaper, and not as front-heavy- I like the way it pointed for me, mostly. It did not hold up well over time. I have been told that it was the heavy turkey loads that did it, and if I wanted a turkey gun i should have gone with their 835 model......

Id look at the Mossberg 500s.
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Having a Mossberg 500 that does not work all the time anymore.... and an 870 that does...... I vote the other way.
 
Cheap as inexpensive cheap, both guns have their chintzy features being they are cheaper pump guns. I have only ever had 1 870 and just didnt like it. The 2 500s I have both are used mostly for slugs and are both great. The only thing I hate about them is the plastic trigger guard.
 
My most versatile shotgun is a Mossberg 500A. It can be set up as what photographers call a "system" (change the parts for various functions):
CIMG0498.jpg
 
so i am looking for a shotgun. i want to use it for hunting several different animals and well as skeet shooting. i would like a shotgun that could be used to hunt deer, ducks, and smaller animals like squirrels and other varmints. i figured i could buy a remington 870 express and with different types of shot be able to cover all the game types, but i am not very experienced with shotguns. what do you guys recommend?
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As in skeet, do you mean some easy backyard pasture clays, or the actual game called "Skeet"?

Any basic pump with a few barrels and chokes can do basically what you want to do; however, if the regulation game of skeet is involved, then Zippy's advice is correct as most folks can't shoot doubles worth a tinker's dam with a pump.....while several may CLAIM to be able to do so, I have yet to see one in the winner's circle.

Waterfowl will require steel or other no-tox shot, deer will need buck or slug, turkey large pellet loads, upland small to large pellet loads, and skeet will need small pellet loads.

Chokes will range from IC to F for your applications
 
maierar, thanks for the pic. The photographers might call it a "system" gun; but, I think most folks here would call it a three barrel combo. If you wanted to update it a little, you could get a barrel with screw-in chokes or an adjustable stock.
 
The long barrel in the front of the pic has a factory installed "C-Lect" choke which works like a polychoke. It does screw out. The Limbsaver added about 1/2 inch to the LOP and the vinyl pad on the comb adds 1/16 inch and is velcroed on so I can add a pad or two under it for another 1/16 inch each. That gets me pretty close to an adjustable stock for very little money. Anyway, its working well for me.
As I understand it, multi-barrel sets are usually used to change gauge (one barrel in 12, another in 20), whereas this stays 12 gauge, but serves 3 (or more) functions: 28 inch choked field or sporting, 18 1/2 inch small game or hd, and a rifled scoped barrel for sabot slugs.
 
As I understand it, multi-barrel sets are usually used to change gauge (one barrel in 12, another in 20), whereas this stays 12 gauge, but serves 3 (or more) functions: 28 inch choked field or sporting, 18 1/2 inch small game or hd, and a rifled scoped barrel for sabot slugs.​
Nagatory, tube sets change gauges. Most multi barrel combos, are just like yours: several barrels of the same gauge but for different purposes. Yes, there are target over/under guns that have barrel sets in several gauges -- typically 4-sets for 12, 20, 28-gauge and .410-bore Skeet competition.
 
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