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John3754

Shotgun for the wife.

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my wife is interested in learning to shoot a shotgun, she has experience wth handguns but not long guns. I'm thinking that a 20g semiauto would be a good way to go for her, any suggestions on models would be greatly appreciated, or if you think there might be a better way to go I'd appreciate hearing your opinion. Thanks.

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John,

Really depends on what you want the gun for. Her only? Home defense only? Shooting clays? Hunting? All of these?  Makes a big difference in your choice. I have a Remington 1100 20 ga. Magnum that I bought for deer hunting with a Hastings slug barrel and scope. It came with a 26" remchoke barrel. I use it to hunt and shoot sporting clays. Kids love to shoot it, less intimidating. My wife was using it to shoot clays that we would throw on our own and liked it a lot.

Funny thing, we went to shoot sporting clays last week and she preferred using my 12 ga Browning Maxus........ the 20 stayed in the trunk.

You need to be more specific in what you want to do with it. I suggest to get one that can do multiple tasks.

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12 ga with lite shells.  Every adult I ever trained on a shotgun ended up going to a 12 gauge in no time.  Only time the 20 gauge is used anymore is to start a youngin' in the sport, mostly due to the LOP. 

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I love my 12 gauge 590A1 Mariner .

Rather than worrying about gauge and all that , make sure the gun is the correct LOP so that she can shoulder it properly . Shouldering it properly is really what makes a difference. I can shoot buckshot and slugs ( not the reduced recoil ones) out of my 590A1 with zero issue because it has an adjustable stock that goes down to 11" LOP . I have shot it in 4 hour tactical classes with no soreness.

However , my husband's 12 gauge Mossberg semi auto (which should technically be a softer shooter) kicks my butt because the stock is too long and I can't tuck it into my shoulder the way it should be.

You don't "need" to get her a 20 gauge in other words. Nothing wrong with one , but I would rather a 12ga just like the big boys , personally.   

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Sandy is 100% right.  Fit is EVERYTHING.  Small-framed and/or short-armed folks need a "youth model", a custom or adjustable stock w/ spacers, or some other adaptation to hit well.  If your wife has a smaller frame she'll benefit from the shorter LOP for sure.

 

Any gas operated 12 ga. that can shoot 2 3/4 dram low-brass & have 100% reliability will do, even if that means you need to go to a smith to have it "chopped" to shorten the stock.  If you do decide to alter the gun, have someone who has done this before work on it and save the pieces so that they can be refinished and used as "spacers".  These spacers can then be used to accommodate all types of apperal, from T-shirts in the summer to Gortex insulated parkas in the winter, giving her the "custom fit" she needs to have a really fun time.  Buying a "minty" used 12 ga. gas gun and then putting some money into stock work is better money spent IMHO.  Also, If you're willing to spend some nice coin to go for a Benelli or a Beretta (I wouldn't for a "first gun"), make sure the model you buy has the spacers for the stock.

 

Dave

Shotgunner for 30+ years

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12 ga with lite shells.  Every adult I ever trained on a shotgun ended up going to a 12 gauge in no time.  Only time the 20 gauge is used anymore is to start a youngin' in the sport, mostly due to the LOP. 

When I got into shotguns 24 years ago the 12 gauge was a surprise. To this day I wear recoil pads and I still have bruises for a week after shooting 100+ rounds. Not saying to go out and buy a new gun for this purpose, just something to consider. 

 

IMO it's smart to start new shooters on lower calibers. A 20-gauge can do a lot of damage. Not like they're going to win the battle at the OK Corral tomorrow. 

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Only time the 20 gauge is used anymore is to start a youngin' in the sport, mostly due to the LOP.

As well as all manner of birds and small game.

Also clays.

And home defense.

 

About the only thing I wouldn't use a 20 gauge for is big game with buckshot. Though in a rifled barrel shotgun with 3" sabots, the 20 is still plenty gun.

 

See e.g.

 

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob120.html

 

http://www.chuckhawks.com/drive_20_gauge.htm

 

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gun-shots/2013/08/twenty-plenty

 

http://www.thewellarmedwoman.com/shotgun-basics

 

And in case H.E. drops by

 

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As well as all manner of birds and small game.

Also clays.

And home defense.

 

About the only thing I wouldn't use a 20 gauge for is big game with buckshot. Though in a rifled barrel shotgun with 3" sabots, the 20 is still plenty gun.

 

See e.g.

 

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob120.html

 

http://www.chuckhawks.com/drive_20_gauge.htm

 

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gun-shots/2013/08/twenty-plenty

 

http://www.thewellarmedwoman.com/shotgun-basics

 

And in case H.E. drops by

 

I don't know the lingo but YES SIR! This post banishes the caliber fags. Now I gotta get me one. 

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Well , that is more than most men . :fan: Average LOP for guys is 14" or a hair more. Off the shelf LOPs on long guns are about 14.5 inches. A) Is she very tall ? B) Are you sure you measured correctly?

She's 5' 8", I had her bend her right arm and measured from the inside of her elbow to the pad of her index finger.

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youth model in either Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. 20 ga.  barrel is shorter (home defense).  both have different placement of the safety. comes down to personal preference. with todays ammo the 20ga can keep up with the 12 on the clay/skeet field.

 

as for home defense 20ga does have a factory loads for buckshot. #2 and or #3 buckshot. I've used it on deer out to 25 yards no problem. Im fairly certain the bad guys cannot tell the difference between 12ga or a 20ga in the dark or between 12ga buck or 20ga buck. especially inside of 30'. lol.

 

Nick 

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If its not for hunting and just for familiarization (or to repel boarders), what about a .410? 

 

I like my lil Stevens 311 SxS; not much kick but packs a pretty good punch.

 

Mossberg also offers a .410 pump.

 

Thoughts?

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I would recommend a 20 ga., despite it being the less popular and less versatile when compared to the 12 ga.

 

The combination of velocity, powder charge weight, payload weight and shotcup weight all have a bearing on the amount of recoil energy the shooter feels, the combination of which are dissipated by the weight of the gun and any gas system that may mitigate felt recoil. (Just plug in any known values to a recoil calculator and you can determine what kicks less and what kicks more.)

The phenomenon of perceived recoil is what a shooter experiences usually by holding the gun improperly, or when dealing with an ill-fitting or poorly designed buttstock. Anyone who believes that a "one-size fits all" buttstock exists is mistaken.

 

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Gun "Fit" is EVERYTHING and always has been.  Plenty of Ladies use a 20 ga. gas gun to great effect.  And those that don't like a HEAVY double to dissipate any felt recoil.  Female Trap Shooters shoot all day long w/o issues, because the gun FITS and doesn't "slap" up against their cheek bones.  That's what that piece of scrap tire is for......

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Yeah Sandy, it's quite common to see a small square piece of old car tire at each shooting position at a Trap or Skeet Field.  It's used by both sexes to rest the muzzle of the gun on while waiting your turn to load, raise and call for your bird.  In fact you'll see it get kicked back and forth when a Lefty is shooting on a Squad.

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