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Shotgun suggestion

GaryO

GaryO

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My son j got his FID card a few months ago and took the State hunting class and wants a decent pump shotgun that he can use for bird and deer. I haven't hunted in years so if anyone has any suggestions for a good scattergun I would appreciate it.
 
If I was forced to go 870 or 500 it would be the 870, all day long. Tell him to save a few more bucks and go 1187.
 
Whatever he gets should have removeable choke tubes. Buying spare barrels with fixed chokes is going to be a pain at this time. Having tubes installed is also pricey and can effect a shotgun's handling. Unless he finds a shotgun with a fixed Skeet or IC factory barrel - slugs benefit from as open of a choke as possible and most upland shooting in New England happens within 35-40 yards, where IC does fine.

I've owned a Remington 870 Wingmaster and Benelli Super Nova and currently own a Winchester Model 12. I wouldn't buy any of them again in hindsight. I bought them all because they served a purpose I needed filled at the time.
 
Any of the suggestions so far are solid and will serve him well, and generally not break the bank, Rem 870, Mossy 500, Benelli Nova.
12ga with a 28" barrel, 3" chamber and screw in chokes will cover a lot of situations and it's a pretty common config to find.
26" barrel is nice too, a little quicker on upland birds, but that's personal preference.
Other barrels can be found easily, OEM and other manufacturers like Hastings, etc...
 
GaryO said:
My son j got his FID card a few months ago and took the State hunting class and wants a decent pump shotgun that he can use for bird and deer. I haven't hunted in years so if anyone has any suggestions for a good scattergun I would appreciate it.
Click to expand...
We have 3, all 12 gauge Remington 870s. One is the 870 tactical, with 18" barrel, full-length 6 round magazine tube and ghost-ring sights. We replaced the factory breacher choke with a screw-in modified choke. Excellent home defense gun. We also own a pair of 870 Express combo models with rifle sighted slug barrels and vent rib trap/skeet barrels and extra modified and full chokes. Congratulate your son on his FID and get him a Remington 870 combo with a few extra chokes. He will be able to handle anything from home defense and hunting to skeet, trap and sporting clays.
 
500 all day, every day. It's a superior design over the 870 (safety and slide unlock locations are a lot more convenient) and Mossberg doesn't have the same quality control issues that have plagued Remington for years.
 
The Mossberg ‘rattle’ can be annoying though when you are trying to be quiet

kalash said:
500 all day, every day. It's a superior design over the 870 (safety and slide unlock locations are a lot more convenient) and Mossberg doesn't have the same quality control issues that have plagued Remington for years.
Click to expand...
 
My Browning BPS has a scoped Buck Special barrel that has dropped a few deer over the years. I’ve always enjoyed the gun from the day I bought it used at Riley’s back in 92ish.
Thought about getting another barrel with screw in chokes for birds but use my other choices cause there’s nothing like more guns in the safe. 😝
 
500 or 870. However I'd be a little cautious of the new 870s buy an old one if you like the 870
 
Have him try on a few. Better if he can try them.

No fit, not hit.

The fit of the shotgun is more important than the brand or model.

If you belong to a Club, go there, to the Trap or Skeet field, and ask for advice. You'll get too many opinions, but shouldering and shooting a few things will help.

You don't give his age, but if he's <18, he'll likely grow, so plan to get a gun that can have the measurements tweaked.

Oh, yeah.....no fit, no hit. [wink]

Any of the above suggestions is fine - but don't discount an auto, or break-action that feels "right" if the $ is doable.
 
MisterHappy said:
Have him try on a few. Better if he can try them.

No fit, not hit.

The fit of the shotgun is more important than the brand or model.

If you belong to a Club, go there, to the Trap or Skeet field, and ask for advice. You'll get too many opinions, but shouldering and shooting a few things will help.

You don't give his age, but if he's <18, he'll likely grow, so plan to get a gun that can have the measurements tweaked.

Oh, yeah.....no fit, no hit. [wink]

Any of the above suggestions is fine - but don't discount an auto, or break-action that feels "right" if the $ is doable.
Click to expand...
He turns 18 in October and is 6'2" he might have an inch or two left in the grow machine.
 
whacko said:
500 or 870. However I'd be a little cautious of the new 870s buy an old one if you like the 870
Click to expand...
We have the newer 870s, but we spent some time racking the actions and smoothing things out. I have done the same with bolt action rifles and lockblade folding knives. Never had a problem after working them in a bit
 
Ran across a remington 877 nitro at a LGS today.

It looked pretty darn good and at a decent price , then did some research on my phone, and glad I did that ... and i walked away.

We have a remington 870 tactical, Stevens 320, Mossberg 930, and Remington Tac14.
All have worked flawlessly.

But that's just my 2 cents.
 
Ithaca 37 Featherweight is one of the best pumps around. All steel, no bullshit. Run smooth and slick. Get one off the used gun rack and hunt with a piece of history. I have several and its my go to bird gun, light and easy to carry, fast as heck to run. I have one in every gauge.

Benelli Nova was my kids first pump gun and he still has it. Its been flawless and is glock simple, lots of plastic, but solid. I let the kids use it at pheasant training and have a ton of flawless
rounds thru it. Chrome lined barrel, easy clean.

Browning BPS - I have 20 gauge english stock short barrel model, its a more top of the line pump, Ithaca 37 action with dual action bars makes it a bit tighter to run, and great fit and finish. They make them pretty plain now, but they still cost 600 new.

Winchester Model 12 - I have one in 16 gauge from 1950's, they are easy to break down into 2 pieces, and good guns as well, they will cost a bit more for a decent used and be hard to find.

Only if I was going to change from bird to deer barrel and stay in a budget, would I look at a mossy 500 or an 870. As those you are much more likely to find deer barrels you can just pop on, for reasonable cost in stock. But I don't like the actions as much as the above guns. Especially the 500. But they do run.
 
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