[OMH]

Hi All,
Just joined NJH and am looking for some insight on picking a shotgun. here's my info:
looking to hunt duck, pheasant, possibly grouse
price range up to or around $1000.00
this will be my first gun, and am hoping to have it for a long time
Please include gauge, as this is still confusing to me.
Any info/suggestions are appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[DeerMaster]

Benelli Supernova. There was one on this site for sale. Check it out.

 

[topneck]

Get a 12 gauge Remington 870 for a few hundred.

 

[jkotys]

Remington 1187 12g Automatic and will still be way under your $1K budget.

I went the cheaper route and got a 870, (more recoil)

 

[coot09]

I would for sure stick with a 12 ga .... most common gun with lots of different ammo available, from really light loads to the heaviest of loads ... for any kind of critter you want to bag. Better results than 3" 20 ga loads, in my testing.

The pump gun will be the cheapest .... pretty fool proof and tough. Still, you can get some pretty ones.

Autoloaders are some more money .... some much more. These guns automatically load shells from the magazine to the chamber and make the gun ready to fire again, after you fire a round. These guns help you with the recoil .... if you will be shooting it a lot.

Top of the line is the double guns .... two barrels on one gun. Beautiful guns .... look like a racing horse .... many love the feel of the gun, some people don't. All the snobs have doubles. [hihi][hihi] These are expensive guns, as they are more than assembly line weapons. Some cheaper ones are coming in from eastern Europe ... but thats another topic.

As a new guy, a cheaper, but quality pump gun .... and use the rest of the $1000 at the skeet field may be the best choice. Even a used gun. Lots of beautiful used Wingmaster's around (Remingtons's high-end pump gun).

Good luck, and welcome to the sport.

 

[Iron Duke]

Personally, I'd stick to the auto-loaders with interchangeable screw in choke tubes. If you start getting into heavy slugs for deer and/or shotshell loads for coyote, turkey, geese or big ducks down the road, a pump can be punishing. There is significant recoil reduction in a gas operated automatic. You said you want to make one purchase and have it last for many years, so don't disregard the recoil factor.

As to double barrels, they're a sight to behold and a joy to carry & shoot ... but you don't see them in the mud & blood of salt marshes or launching slugs at deer.

I'm not sure what's available new in your price range, I'd guess the tried and proven Remingtons can be had for somewhere around that number. An excellent, versatile firearm with a host of after market add ons available. (rifled barrels to deer hunt with for example)

 

[bloodtrails]

Stoeger M2000. Great all around gun. For $1000 you can buy 2.

 

[old knife buddy]

12ga 870

 

[HuntersDad]

12ga 870 is your best bet i have a slug barrel and a smooth bore with a bunch of chokes for well under you $1000 price...that would be your best bet

 

[seanmac72]

Just started out 3 years ago. Bought a Remington 870 supermag and love it!! Used it for skeet, pheasant, deer, and is excellent for turkey. A good all-around gun youll have for life. And you cant beat the price $350.[up]

 

[MTH]

Get a 12 gauge Remington 870 for a few hundred.

For the types of hunting you are doing the Remington 12 Guage 870 is a versatile all purpose shotgun. For duck hunting, I woould suggest getting the 870 supermag special purpose-this comes with a 3 1/2" chamber for magnum loads. It has a synthetic stock and forend for less problems with water, and it comes completely camo. Price tag $450.00. The other nice thing about this is that it will double for an excellent turkey gun for th gobbler season, and it makes a great deer shotgun for buckshot loads.(not for slugs)

As for upland bird hunting, I would recomend the ever stylish Remington 11-87 semi-auto. again in a 12 guage. This is a very fast and ligtweight autoloader that will perform magnificently in many conditions. Price tag $400.00.

both the 870 super mag and the 11-87 come with a full range of factory and aftermarket screw in choke tubes for the full range of shot load patterns.

You can buy both guns for under $900.00.

 

[seanmac72]

12 gauge

 

[Setters4Life]

Because you stated your intended targets as "duck, pheasant, possibly grouse", then I would choose at least a 12 ga. to cover the gamut. Pick what feels best in your hands and comes to your shoulder. With a range up to $1,000, you should be able to find a good semi-auto. Pumps are cheaper in cost, and probably more utilitarian. As your game-seeking expands to other critters like deer, turkey and goose, a semi-auto or pump are both good platforms to cover these when you want to shoot non-toxic shot or add a barrel for slugs.

Doubles are a bit more refined and my preferance for upland game like grouse because they are lighter and livelier between your hands when coming to your shoulder. However, you may be limiting yourself with one if you want to hunt other species of game.

Everyone has provided good possible selections for you as choices. Good luck in your search!

 

[BROWNING 10 GA]

as others have suggested,12 ga Rem 870 [up]

 

[OMH]

quite a bit of info here to digest, and research.
thanks for all of your responses!

i will look at the remingtons 11-87, wingmaster, and 870

not to be a snob, but i think i'm really interested in a double. i'm open to purchasing a used gun & i can honestly say i am 99.9% sure i will never hunt deer. the person i will be hunting with/learning the ropes is strictly a pheasant hunter.

thanks again!

 

[BestNJBirdDogs]

if you want a double look into a Ruger Red Label [up] You can probably find one for under $1,000 new

 

[OneShot1kill]

12 gauge Remington Express, Awesome all around gun ive killed deer,turkey,any and all small game and a few coyotes. You cannot beat this shotgun for an all around gun. I've had mine for about 8 years its the black synthetic model because the wooden stock my fathe has tends to swell. Save your money buy a rem 870 and buy some good camo and boots with the leftover[up]

 

[coot09]

not to be a snob, but i think i'm really interested in a double. i'm open to purchasing a used gun & i can honestly say i am 99.9% sure i will never hunt deer. the person i will be hunting with/learning the ropes is strictly a pheasant hunter.

Though I joked about snobs, my very first shotgun purchase was a double. I liked the looks and feel of it. And, I also, was very interested in pheasant hunting .... I hunted deer, but with a bow only. I've had the same Browning Citori for about 25 years.

Yes, you can find some great used guns. Many people maintain their guns meticulously, and then have a need/want to sell them.

The weight of the gun will be a compromise. Carrying a "featherweight" gun while chasing roosters will make the day a bit easier, but hours at the trap/clays range you may start to feel it. And, while gearing up and going after the birds is what may be driving you, its the time at the clays range that is most important now. Being able to shoulder and swing that gun to hit a target, any target, is what its all about. And, you'll be proud when you achieve that skill.

Barrel length ... I prefer shorter, than longer. Even though the action (receiver) of a double is shorter than that of a magazine gun to begin with, for hunting little critters I like a short gun ... its quicker for me.

Good luck.

 

[OneShot1kill]

i have a 32in. barrel on my rem 870...love it,, have to be able to reach out and touch em

 

[Setters4Life]

If you want a double; Beretta, Browning or Ruger would be good O/U choices if you want a quality piece that will last for years. There are certainly some nice used ones floating around in that price range if you look hard.

There is nothing "snobbish" about a double. They were the "go-to" shotgun (SxS's anyway) a hundred years ago. Pumps were the market and duck hunter's dream with their five and six-shot capacities before Federal regs.

The quality of those same doubles hold an allure today that makes them so sought after. Price a Lefever, L.C. Smith, Parker, a Philadelphia-made A.H. Fox and you'll see what I mean. They have their limitations though in some respects. However, for the uplands, they are still the quintessential shotgun.