Buying a shotgun. What do I need to know?

[exsparky]

ou need something simple, with an 18.5" barrel. Pump or semi auto. Keep it under $500. Order of choice, Benelli Nova, Remington 870, Mossberg 500.

Semi Auto's are a little more pricey. Again, order of preference, Benelli, Remington Mossberg. Probably in the $1,000 range, give or take.

Great order but the Beretta 1301 is a better option for a rookie semi. Fast, soft, shooting, reliable. Better than a Benelli in every way but some plastic parts where the Benelli uses metal. I have an M2 Benelli though, which is still an amazing shotgun.



I really want to try one of these though.... $2400
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/859320233



The FN SLP is great until you try to clean that motherf--ing son of a diseased cow. That thing sucked to reassemble. i sold mine at least 5 years ago and still hate that thing.


The local gun store sold 14k rounds last week. The last 25 guns came with a box of ammo, otherwise they were out. They only reupped this week with cheap pump 12's and cheap aero ar15's. I saw 350 pmags get delivered. Prices were still the same as last month. i heard a mountain of ammo was coming but haven't seen it.

[altacoup]

A basic pump shotgun is a very simple firearm. Keep it clean and lubed (yes, I know), train with it, and it will be reliable.

Exactly. My Stevens works great and I hardly spent anything on it. IMO spending a ton on a pump action for self defense seems foolish. If you’re an avid bird hunter then spending more makes sense. Truth is my dogs barking are probably going to do a better job than my shotgun. They’re huge babies but have ferocious barks.


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[gravitylover]

Aahh problem solved. Headed to a small town shop I knew of and loaded up. Got all the different sizes we need from 9mm to 30-30 and 30 carbine and a couple of boxes of shotgun stuff. It feels fucked up to say that I feel better now.

[warthog]

I have 2 of these. One Mossberg Tri Rail


and one standard short barrel 500.


I use them for hogs. The longer shotguns are a pain to walk around with through the palmettos.
The 500 is short and easy to throw on a sling, plus it has all sorts of accessories you can throw on the rail.
It also holds 9 shells total, which can be useful in home and hog defense.

I have a laser sight that paints a red dot at 25 yards, and has an internal green dot that is sighted in at 100 yards.
With slugs, I can hit a hog at 50-75 yards no problem. Lots of guys using this gun here in FL for deer as well.

I use 00 and slugs every other when hog hunting. 00 for protection while stalking and slugs to take them down.
These go for about $400

[MakersTeleMark]

Where is the best place for me to learn a bit about the shotguns we have? Ammo size, operation and cleaning, etc. I think I need to do this before things get fully locked down and I can't go get ammo.

Who the fuck owns a firearm and doesn't know anything about how to use and care for it? This blows (bad pun) my mind.

Ammo size? Multiple (shotguns we have)? Are fucking kidding me?

[gravitylover]

Who the fuck owns a firearm and doesn't know anything about how to use and care for it? This blows (bad pun) my mind.

Ammo size? Multiple (shotguns we have)? Are fucking kidding me?

Easy now. My BIL, who I never met because he was killed in a car accident, was a serious collector. I never had any need to know shit about them so the safe has only been open a few times in the last 24 years. Now that I need to know more about them I'm asking. It's not like I don't know enough to be dangerous, I do, so I'm trying to learn enough to not be as dangerous.

[MakersTeleMark]

Easy now. My BIL, who I never met because he was killed in a car accident, was a serious collector. I never had any need to know shit about them so the safe has only been open a few times in the last 24 years. Now that I need to know more about them I'm asking. It's not like I don't know enough to be dangerous, I do, so I'm trying to learn enough to not be as dangerous.

Thank you for being responsible and honest. First off, take a basic class, offered as hunter safety anywhere. Even youtube it, and your gun.

Treat yourself like you just handed that amaze gun to a 10 year old.

Get basic protocols down, look up basic cleaning and gun safety.

Then, think about it for a long time and keep them safe.

Repeat. They are tools. Not to be fucked with. You can shoot yourself with a nail gun, not a shotgun.

And then enjoy what they are good for and post in the field thread.

Thanks. Nothing to be scared about. It's like dropping a car on your femer if you don't know how to change a tire, but you may hurt someone else as well.

Know before you go.

[ncskier]

Easy now. My BIL, who I never met because he was killed in a car accident, was a serious collector. I never had any need to know shit about them so the safe has only been open a few times in the last 24 years. Now that I need to know more about them I'm asking. It's not like I don't know enough to be dangerous, I do, so I'm trying to learn enough to not be as dangerous.

Very responsible post. I hate people who give inexperienced gun owners shit. We have all been in your position.
One thing which is purely conjecture, but I would stick to lead shot. Many older guns which it sounds like you have, have fixed choke barrels and shoot lead shot better.
I’m guessing when you mention serious collector, dead 24 years, yiu maybe talking about much older guns. PM with any questions or concerns.

[Cono Este]

FYI. A shotgun is no fun to shoot. It will leave your teeth chattering. Do not use 3” loads!!! get some 23/4 federal buck, or low recoil federal LE buck.

Personally. I’d tell you all to go buy a Glock 19.


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[mooseknuckle]

Personally. I’d tell you all to go buy a Glock 19.


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....and plenty of happy sticks

[scrambledbacon]

Thank you for being responsible and honest. First off, take a basic class, offered as hunter safety anywhere. Even youtube it, and your gun.

Treat yourself like you just handed that amaze gun to a 10 year old.

Get basic protocols down, look up basic cleaning and gun safety.

Then, think about it for a long time and keep them safe.

Repeat. They are tools. Not to be fucked with. You can shoot yourself with a nail gun, not a shotgun.

And then enjoy what they are good for and post in the field thread.

Thanks. Nothing to be scared about. It's like dropping a car on your femer if you don't know how to change a tire, but you may hurt someone else as well.

Know before you go.

+pi

Get proficient with it. The same way you are proficient with starting and driving your vehicle.
I hesitate to say "get comfortable" with it, as that would imply a lackadaisical attitude but that's what you're aiming(pun) for. But loading, cycling the action, aiming and unloading should become second nature. And always know the condition of the gun but treat it like it's always loaded.
In the end, it's a tool. But a tool meant to destroy(kill)shit.

[gravitylover]

Very responsible post. I hate people who give inexperienced gun owners shit. We have all been in your position.
One thing which is purely conjecture, but I would stick to lead shot. Many older guns which it sounds like you have, have fixed choke barrels and shoot lead shot better.
I’m guessing when you mention serious collector, dead 24 years, yiu maybe talking about much older guns. PM with any questions or concerns.

Thanks. Yeah he's been gone a month shy of 30 years so the newest is from 1989 and there's stuff going back to pre WW1. It's a pretty incredible collection and I'm taking a crash course to learn about the ones I'm not familiar with. I'm finding that it's not easy to find multi shot magazines for some of these and it seems that they're useless without one. That kinda sux.

[MakersTeleMark]

I'm finding that it's not easy to find multi shot magazines for some of these and it seems that they're useless without one. That kinda sux.

Useless? What are you planning here?

[gravitylover]

Very responsible post. I hate people who give inexperienced gun owners shit. We have all been in your position.
One thing which is purely conjecture, but I would stick to lead shot. Many older guns which it sounds like you have, have fixed choke barrels and shoot lead shot better.
I’m guessing when you mention serious collector, dead 24 years, yiu maybe talking about much older guns. PM with any questions or concerns.

I haven't had time to get too far into figuring those out yet but it doesn't look like you can load one round at a time so without that cartridge you can't do much. Working on it...

[Bite Me]

If you're searching for ammo "when you need it", then the stupid is strong with you! Buy mass quantities when it's on sale and practice, AND stow hundreds (or thousands) of rounds around, loading up mags for your AK, AR handguns by the dozen for your safe. When you need it, it'll be there, and you can laugh at the half-wits who decided "duh - I better buy some ammo".

The Mossberg and Remington are loaded already, the Kal Tec KSG has shells on one said and slugs on the other, and the Kalashnikov has three 10 round mags all loaded and waiting to play.

Also look at a Taurus Judge or Public Defender - hand held with 410 shells or 45 Colt rounds - could really fuck up a bad guys day.

[Dee Hubbs]

I have 2 of these. One Mossberg Tri Rail
and one standard short barrel 500.

I use them for hogs. The longer shotguns are a pain to walk around with through the palmettos.
The 500 is short and easy to throw on a sling, plus it has all sorts of accessories you can throw on the rail.
It also holds 9 shells total, which can be useful in home and hog defense.
I have a laser sight that paints a red dot at 25 yards, and has an internal green dot that is sighted in at 100 yards.
With slugs, I can hit a hog at 50-75 yards no problem. Lots of guys using this gun here in FL for deer as well.
I use 00 and slugs every other when hog hunting. 00 for protection while stalking and slugs to take them down.
These go for about $400

I have Savage model 67 12g cut down to 22" for dear hunting in the heavy bush in Ontario. We use dogs to hunt with, to flush the dear out towards the other guys in the group who are waiting at posts where the deer will typically run to.
When you're dogging you often flush a deer that has waited to move until you're 20ft from them. The 22" Savage is easy to carry, and quick to swing from a sling to get a shot off in a hurry. Loaded with a slug followed by 2 shells of 00Buck.

[Cono Este]

My gun shop has only been selling to regulars. He won’t let anyone he does not know in, and he still sold everything.




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[BobMc]

Cabela’s ammo selection is pretty thin unless you have some arcane caliber.

[Diamond Joe]

The Mossberg and Remington are loaded already, the Kal Tec KSG has shells on one said and slugs on the other, and the Kalashnikov has three 10 round mags all loaded and waiting to play.

Same here, Mossberg 930 loaded up with Remington 2&3/4 LE 00 Buck and M1A and MAK90 both have multiple mags loaded up with Hornady Black SST. 7.62 X39 will mess up your day and X51 will REALLY mess up your day. Have an entire ammo cabinet full of the calibers I own, no need to run out and panic buy ammo like an idiot. slowly stocking up over the years to get to the point I'm at now...

Off-topic (since we're way off topic anyhow now) question I've wondered for some time now. Is metal fatigue - specifically mag spring fatigue - something I *should* be (slightly) worried about, or not really? Seems like keeping X amount of rounds jammed into a mag - and the spring thus completely compressed and never extending - for months (years) on end would not be great for the mag spring. No? Yes? Anybody?

[MakersTeleMark]

I think the better question to ask is whether you should own and keep loaded firearms that you haven't shot for "months (years) on end".

The only way you are going to find out is by shooting it. When do you want to take the risk?

[Diamond Joe]

Who said anything about not shooting?? You just put words in my mouth that I didn't say. I'm just asking about keeping mags loaded all the time, instead of keeping them unloaded.

[MakersTeleMark]

Who said anything about not shooting?? You just put words in my mouth that I didn't say. I'm just asking about keeping mags loaded all the time, instead of keeping them unloaded.

I just used your words. Do you cycle your mags?

[Diamond Joe]

Yes I cycle mags usually but thats what I'm asking - should I be? Is it overkill?

Also, this might be hard to understand if you live in a "free" state - but the mags you bring out to the range might not be the same mags you keep at your house. Comprende?

How bout this; let's say a person only owned 2 mags for his gun (not me), should that person be keeping those mags loaded all the time like he would want, or is there a risk the mag springs will fatigue because the mags are (almost) always full?

[MakersTeleMark]

Yes I cycle mags usually but thats what I'm asking - should I be? Is it overkill?

Also, this might be hard to understand if you live in a "free" state - but the mags you bring out to the range might not be the same mags you keep at your house. Comprende?

How bout this; let's say a person only owned 2 mags for his gun (not me), should that person be keeping those mags loaded all the time like he would want, or is there a risk the mag springs will fatigue because the mags are (almost) always full?

It never occurred to me that I couldn't take my mags anywhere. My question to you then becomes would you rather have your mags loaded and have a question about the spring, or have some expensive empty plastic bits lying around the house like light paperweights? Bottom line is keep your mags loaded and cycle them regularly. That's all. For example, with a certain camera I own, it is advised that when stored, the shutter should be cocked.

[shroom]

is this the big leagues?