shot guns?

[TheKi]

i want to get a shot gun when i get my fac,i want to start off with a 20ga. single shot. then work my way up to the better one's. Is this right or should i get a pump action 20ga. and can i hunt small game with buck shot?

[eastcoast]

Originally Posted by little archer_99

i want to get a shot gun when i get my fac,i want to start off with a 20ga. single shot. then work my way up to the better one's. Is this right or should i get a pump action 20ga. and can i hunt small game with buck shot?

In my opinion everybody should start with a single shot,it forces you to be a good shot and when you master it you can move up to a pump or whatever.

20 gauge is a good size for just about everything you would find,not so sure I would want to hunt geese with it but for rabbits'partridge;grouse;ducks a 20 gauge should be more than enough.

I would guess hunting small game with a buckshot it legal,not sure how smart it is,I have always used #6 for rabbit and between #2 and #4 for ducks,don't have to get into buckshot til geese really,and even then bb or bbb is usually good enough,you don't have to get into buckshot til you get to turkeys.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by little archer_99

i want to get a shot gun when i get my fac,i want to start off with a 20ga. single shot. then work my way up to the better one's. Is this right or should i get a pump action 20ga. and can i hunt small game with buck shot?

My advice would be to try as many different guns in as many different gauges as you can before you decide.
That way you will have an idea of what each type and gauge will do.
As far as small game goes, what do you consider "small game"?

For rabbits we use standard velocity loads of number 4's, but in a pinch when grouse hunting, a rabbit will not get away from a 3/4oz load of number 71/2 shot out of the 28 gauge, but we usually shoot them pretty close.
For ducks and geese I use a 20 gauge , but most hunters use either a 16 or a 12, mostly 12.
Like I said , try a bunch then decide!
Cat

[mudbug]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

My advice would be to try as many different guns in as many different gauges as you can before you decide.
That way you will have an idea of what each type and gauge will do.
As far as small game goes, what do you consider "small game"?

For rabbits we use standard velocity loads of number 4's, but in a pinch when grouse hunting, a rabbit will not get away from a 3/4oz load of number 71/2 shot out of the 28 gauge, but we usually shoot them pretty close.
For ducks and geese I use a 20 gauge , but most hunters use either a 16 or a 12, mostly 12.
Like I said , try a bunch then decide!
Cat

X2 Try a number of them if you can and then decide.

Plus welcome to the forum

Plus feel free to ask as many questions as you need to, remember their is no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to firearm safety and there are lots of people here that can help you with anything you want to find out so just ask away.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by mudbug

X2 Try a number of them if you can and then decide.

Plus welcome to the forum

Plus feel free to ask as many questions as you need to, remember their is no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to firearm safety and there are lots of people here that can help you with anything you want to find out so just ask away.

CRAP, I didn't even notice!!
Yeah, WELCOME!!
This is a pretty good site , you just have to figure out the good info from the bad stuff!

Just don't get tricked into buying a 28 gauge SXS right away, there are some on this forum who think anything bigger is a waste of time for pheasants and partridge - oh waitaminit!! never mind....( grin)
Cat

[elkhunter11]

When you get your PAL,there is no longer an FAC, you need to decide what you are going to use the shotgun for.If you only intend to shoot a grouse now and then,a 20 gauge single will be fine to start with.However,it likely won't be long before you decide that you want to shoot waterfowl,or get more into upland birds,so repeater might be a better choice.Like most people,I used a 12 gauge for most of my bird hunting,but recently,I have switched to a 20 gauge,and a 28gauge,both o/u guns.For upland birds,and ducks a 20 gauge will do fine,it will even work well,within reasonable range for geese,if you choose your loads wisely.

[TheKi]

Thanks for the help

[Lonnie]

by a 12ga. pump. 20ga. are nicer by far over a 12ga.but ammo is harder to find and usualy cost as much as premuim 12ga. as you usualy can find them on sale cheap compared to other gauges. shotguns can be a lot of fun so you will want to shoot alot. I love my 20gauges but I never got a good deal on shells for it yet and had 20gauges for the last 35 yr.

[TheKi]

i want tos spend $40-$60 on amo do u think that will be good,i'll only be shooting every 2 monts or so

[ecellitti]

Little archer 99,

My first shotgun was a single shot 20 ga, my sons was the same thing, but as he as gotten bigger and stronger I got him a mossberg 500 in 20 ga. You will find more 12 gauge around, as the 20 isnt as popular these days but in most cases it will do just about anything a 12 ga will and is easier on the shoulder. To be honest with you, I take my single shot 20 that my grandpa got me when I was a kid out more than my 12 guage when hunting squirrel. My son who is 14 now gives the squirrels and doves where we hunt pure *ell with it. I dont think you would be dissapointed. If you get a chance shoot a couple of different kinds of shot guns in different gauges if possible like some of the others have said, but at the end of the day, if you go with a 20 ga you will be just fine. Welcome to the fourm!

[greylynx]

Get to know someone who knows shotguns.

Shotgun shooting is an art, just like other shooting types.

My best advice is that you join a gun club, and find some shotgun guys to talk about your shooting objectives.

I will not say what has been said in the most excellent above postings.


Best wishes

[Lonnie]

you shuold go price out the cost of shells,befor you by a gun 20ga. is a nice size nice to shoot but costly, if you can handle recoil of a 12 get it as it is your 1st shotgun you will waste alot of shells just having fun.the cheap 12ga.shells usualy are not to bad for recoil. I love my 20gauges but it burns me when I can by 2 boxes of 12ga. or more fore the price of one boxs 20ga.and quite often have to settle for differnt shot size because thier sold out of #4s but this is just my take on this

[elkhunter11]

you shuold go price out the cost of shells,befor you by a gun 20ga. is a nice size nice to shoot but costly, if you can handle recoil of a 12 get it as it is your 1st shotgun you will waste alot of shells just having fun.the cheap 12ga.shells usualy are not to bad for recoil. I love my 20gauges but it burns me when I can by 2 boxes of 12ga. or more fore the price of one boxs 20ga.and quite often have to settle for differnt shot size because thier sold out of #4s but this is just my take on this

Our local Walmart always has 20gauge shells in stock,at decent prices.I have purchased a few 100 packs of target loads there myself.

[TheKi]

how much a box?

[elkhunter11]

I believe that the 100 packs work out to about $7.50 per box of 25.

[TheKi]

kk