I'm standing at my reloading table today loading up some dove shells for the afternoon hunt, when all of a sudden my girlfriend tells me that she wants a shotgun! It took me a minute to compute what she had said, because it was exactly opposite of everything my brain has been taught for the past 5 years. I flashed back to the day that I found out the rifleman was gay, and I'm sure my reaction was the same.
So anyway, this leaves me with some very important decisions to make. What brand? Semi or pump? Synthetic or wood?
I would really like to hear your opinions on the above questions.
What I do know is that she needs a 20 gauge. I am leaning towards a semi-auto because I want her to enjoy shooting it without it bruising her shoulder. If it breaks a nail or bruises her shoulder, then she will never shoot it again.
I am very familiar with the 1100 and 1187, but I just don't have $700.00 to spend on a shotgun. Are there any other manufacturers who make a reliable 20 gauge semi auto besides Remington that cost less?
I would like to keep the price between $200 - $400. I would love to find a nice used Remington in that price range, but I don't know if that is possible.
If I can match her to a shotgun and take her dove hunting with me just one time, then I think she would be hooked. It is a far stretch, but my goal is to someday have her ask me to take her duck hunting. (not me having to ask her)
Hi blueseal112. As for new, mossberg i think is the cheeper semi autos(in cost).As for used you can get one for the price you want(I do not have any used semi autos in stock or i would hook you up)They sell quick!. You can try *** ******* they have a few for sale.But befor you start see if you can use a friends 20 let her shoot it and watch her face if she smiles after shooting you have a shooting partner and if she looks like god just struck her down it could be her last shot.I went thru this with both my daughter and my wife my daughter can out shoot me any day, and my wife says her shoulder still hurts and is still mad i let her try it.So i gess what i am saying is let her try it out and find out she can handle it befor you buy one for her.If you want to buy a new one pm me i will tell you what they cost me so you will have a better idea when you go out looking what they really cost.Remember semi autos are the most expensive.then comes doubbles and pumps.Then you have single shots that are the cheepest...GOOFY
Unless your girl is really small (my brother's wife, for example, is about 5 foot and about 80 pounds) I don't see why you'd need a 20. My daughter - 5 sixish, hundred and twentish - shoots a 12 with no problems.
12s do have more recoil than 20s, but they are also heavier, so they don't actually kick as much. Adding a pad helps, as does lead in the butt. Replacing the plastic magazine plug with a piece of bar stock (available at home depot) will also help. Assuming that she has the strength to carry the heavier gun.
Since you load, load up some Winchester Featherlite equivalents, and let her shoot your gun. You might be surprised. And if you're only going to have one gun, whatever a 20 will do, a 12 will do better.
I`d see if I could find a good used Remington 1100. 20ga 1100s are harder to find than 12ga, but they are out there.
The 1100 in 12ga really doesn`t have that much recoil. Especially if you use target loads. I`ve never even bothered to put a recoil pad on mine.
Good used 1100s can be had for reasonable prices.
The older used Remington 1100's should go for around $300. My brother bought one this past spring for that price, and there were several to choose from at the Gun Show we were at. A 12ga shouldn't kick to hard with the light loads. Shooting a 20ga is a lot like shooting a .410, IMHO, in that the shot will go just as far, but the shot will be in a much tighter group down range, makeing it harder to hit targets at distance. It shoots more like a rifle to me. And be sure to tell her we said Hello!
My 2 ¢: 12 ga pump. Yes--a gas operated auto will recoil less, but there is
method to my madness.
Sounds like you already are set up to reload 12 ga. With a manually operated gun,
you can load that sucker W-A-Y down. The Brits did it by going to shorter shells,
you can do it with the right wad combo. Get as light a gun as you can find. They
are easy to make heavier---difficult to lighten up.
Thanks for the reply guys. Y'all have made a very good point about sticking to a twelve gauge. I didn't even think about reducing the loads to manage the recoil. I am using "Universal", so I could reduce the powder gn from 25 gn to 21 gn and still get 1200 fps. I'm glad I ran this by you guys, because you got back on the right path.
I am going to stick with what I am familiar with and look for a nice used 1100 or 1187.
Carver, Mindy said to tell you "hello" too.
Shep, that is a nice looking 1100. Would you like to help support introducing a new female to the sport of shooting, and gain a female gun rights advocate by selling your shotgun to me?
Hey charles. Next time I come down ill bring becks 870 ladies model 20 ga. and leave it with you. you can take her out back and let her run it for a bit. Beck loves it, Id bet mindy would too.
They are as good as married KA, mindy and charles are 2 peas in a pod.. beatn the hell outta one another one day and lovin the hell outta each other the next. Those 2 are great!
They are as good as married KA, mindy and charles are 2 peas in a pod.. beatn the hell outta one another one day and lovin the hell outta each other the next.
Shep, that is a nice looking 1100. Would you like to help support introducing a new female to the sport of shooting, and gain a female gun rights advocate by selling your shotgun to me?
If you are looking into used, look into a Winchester 1200 or 1300. I can change the barrel from the stock 28" to a 26" or 18" barrel. It's a pump and comes in 12ga and 20ga, mine is a 20ga.
Unless she is tiny, get her a 12 gauge and use trap or field loads for her. There isn't any APPPARENT difference in recoil with the 20 gauge. Don't handicap her with fewer pellets per shell. A good semi-auto will spread the recoil over a longer time period. Over the years I've competed with many women shooting trap. Remember, shootinng is one sport that requires skill and concentration, not muscle and many women are great competitors.
I am partial to o/u. Mossberg imports them along with Savage.I also own a Stoeger o/u in .410. A 20 guage o/u is nice and the kick is marginal. By the way,you can't beat them for safety. Do take a look and bring the GF along to make sure what ever you buy fits her! You will like the prices.
Especially if you're already setup to reload, you can't go wrong with an 1100, in either 12 or 20 (I still love my 1100 20 gauge, only gun I'll use for pheasant). The biggest thing is getting the right size fit, my wife has a hard time handling my BPS, but the 1100 has a bit smaller frame, and fits her alright, if slightly long (although she doesn't like the weight that much...can't win em all i guess)
I got a 20 gauge for my wife a few years ago. She's a shorty so I finally found a used youth pump action. Its a Winchester Ranger 120. It is short and fits her well. She likes to squirrel hunt with me sometimes so it has worked out really well.
the rifleman was gay?!?! but he had a son??? Oh, you mean off the set...
But he was as handsome as Rock Hudson......
ohhhh......
Back to the gun. I just bought a Mossberg youth model 20 ga pump, for $239 and it is predrilled for a scope, comes with three chokes, works great and I like it for home defense as it is so nice to swing in the hallway. Plus you get a coupon for a discount on a full size stock. Then after you get married and have kids, and she gets a full time job,you can pass the gun down and buy her a nice Benelli. Don't buy her a Franchi 20ga. They are light, but they kick like a mule and you can't shoot light loads.
Whatever she ends up with make sure the stock is not to long. If she cant shoulder it properly it will kick the hexx out of her and she will be frustrated. May have to get a youth model-870 20 ga used to make em.
That would be an excellent gun for a small person-perhaps she dont need that but make sure any gun fits with the clothing she will be wearing while shooting it.
A rifle will come along soon if the shotgun goes good.
If you don't reload, start her off with Winchester's AA low recoil, low noise loads. They were designed to get people interested in shooting who are of slender build. Won't kick near as much as regular shells.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
The Firearms Forum
2.2M posts
71K members
Since 2003
A forum community dedicated to all firearm owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!