[kmac]

hey...new to hunting with shotguns here in Canada. My questions which you'll probably find naive, are. I'm looking at a 12 guage shot gun that is affordable for a new shot gun user and also can the same 12 guage be used for birds, (grouse and waterfowl) also be used for bigger game like deer without buying a ton of different barrels with different chokes. Hope these aren't silly questions but I can't seem to find much info in what I'm reading.

Cheers
Keith

 

[spittinfire]

I would find a 12 ga with a removable choke so you can tune the gun to your needs. I have a Winchester 1300 and would highly recommend it, I love mine. They are no longer made but you can find them readily used. I have used mine on everything from deer to dove and everything in between. You can even get rifled chokes to shoot slugs if you'd like. I know you said no chokes but I honestly think thats your best bet for a do it all shotgun.

 

[kmac]

I was looking at an 870 Remington Express Combo type setup. It seems like a decent set for a good price. I guess don't know enough about rifled or removable chokes.
Cheers
Keith

 

[h2oking]

There are a lot of very cool shotguns out there. I shoot a Perazzi SCO Gold combo as my trap gun and a Perazzi SCO Side plate gun for sporting clays. Those two shotguns combined new from Perazzi will put back about $60,000. I am not saying that to show off but rather to bolster my opinion and that is a Remington 870 will do anything those high dollar Perazzis will do and even better because an 870 holds more shells. Oh by the way my skeet gun is an 870 skeet grade 20 gauge with every bit as nice a wood of any Perazzi I have, and I paid about $250.00 for it 40 years ago. I would also suggest that you consider a fixed modified choke over removable screw in chokes. You would be amassed at the different point of impact (center of pattern) from choke to choke if you were to pattern you gun on paper and not a greased steel plate like some ranges offer.

 

[hillbilly68]

kmac, good chocie with the 870, about as versatile as you can get. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[spittinfire]

The 870 will work just fine and if I'm not mistaken you can get them with removeable chokes as well. I just mentioned the Winchester because it's what I have and I like it. I know many people who have the 870 and get great service out of them. Good luck!

 

[robocop10mm]

That is a fairly tall order to fill. Being in the Great White North, Geese and Ducks are standard fare. Most folks go with at least a 30" full choke and 3" shells. For the faster hunts like grouse, I prefer the fast handling characteristics of a 26" barrel and modified choke. Deer slugs should be fired through Improved cylinder or cylinder bore barrels. Rifle sights make hitting accurately a lot easier. Sabot slugs require a rifled barrel or at least a rifled choke tube.

I prefer the Winchester 1300 also but accessories are more difficult to find than for the 870. Hard to beat the 870 for versatility.

 

[john_101]

so you want a cheap shotgun for hunting..in my opinion buy the 12 gauge mossberg pump action mod.88 it costs like 330$..its realy good choice for less money...its a type of shotgun for fast-easy hunting...9 shots in the clip plus one in chamber..

 

[bkt]

The 870 is a good gun, and it takes about a minute to remove one barrel and replace it with another. So even if the package you buy at your local sporting good store doesn't have exactly the barrel you think you might want down the line, you can always buy just the barrel you want later.

Removable chokes probably give you the most flexibility, but a fixed adjustable choke is OK, too, if you get yourself a slug barrel to swap in as desired.

 

[Northwoods]

Ithaca mod 37's are also a good choice. Bottom feed and eject so right or left handed shooters can use them. Interchangable barrels are quick and easy, so no chokes to keep track of. They have been around forever so used ones (and used / spare barrels) should be easy to find and probably cheap.

Good luck!

 

[stalkingbear]

That 870 express combo would be perfect! Kerep in mind however that the long ventrib barrel that takes the choke tubes is usually supplied with modified choke. Also they are usually 28" long which is the best allround length. All you'll have to do is buy more choke tubes which are inexpensive.
I would reccomend getting a full tube and improved cylinder tube as the slug barrel normally don't take choke tubes.

 

[sgtdeath66]

i have a moss 500 with 4 barrels 2 of which came with the gun and only cost 220 after taxes. it came with a 24 in and a 28 in with the accu choke system and a 24 in partial riffled barrel and finally a 18.5 in for home defense