Gobbler Nation

well, the time has come for me to purchase my first shotgun. i have done a bit of research but figured i would come to the pros and see what everyone is using. i primarily hunt turkey, occasionally dove but would like to get into pheasant and quail. i have checked out mossberg, remington, weatherby and others and they all have their pros and cons. i am kind of an old gun guy, but buying new seems to be less expensive and i can get a camo synthetic stock. again, pros and cons. i've been using my dad's 20 ga remington single shot he's had for 30+ years and have had a lot of success with it but i would like something with more power. i don't know a ton about them and want to know everything i need to know about owning one. what is everyone shooting and what would you suggest for a first time shotgun owner? any links, sites or general info would be great. if you have a model suggestion, load, choke style, etc. feel free to explain why you use that particular model and what you like or dislike about it. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome aboard on your first post. Do you have a price limit or range? Do you want an auto, pump, side by side or over and under?
Gil

My suggestion would be to go and shoulder several different models that have gotten your attention for one reason or another. Then see which one feels like your gun. If you find more than one that feels right then make a decision by doing some research. I wouldn't let a bunch of internet strangers pursuade my decision of how I spend my money. Then once you settle on a gun I'd start asking the internet questions about choke and load combo's. Good luck with what ever you wind up with.

Man, I have a feeling this thread will get exciting but I'll keep it simple...I'm NOT Rich and could care less about what the Pros Use or anyone else honestly...I turkey Hunt for the challenge to see how close I can get a Turkey to come to me with my skills...NOT how far I can Kill 1!!!! I shoot Made in the USA Mossbergs and they have yet to let me down!!! I have a 930 Auto for Turkeys and a 935 Auto for Waterfowl....In MY OWN opinion..You can spend more but you can't buy better!! My Guns cost a fraction of what my Buddies Guns Cost and we Hunt Side by Side and mine goes Boom EVERYTIME alongside His $1500 "What the Pros use" Gun...I would even say that mine are a Little prettier and to the best of my knowledge...The Critters could care less what I'm using...I shoot off the shielf Ammo from Walmart and again...NEVER a Problem....I don't Kill everytime I go out and sometimes they do Hang-Up at 60 Yards...BUT...That's OK...That's another day I get to come back and Try again...I have nothing to prove to anyone so Mossberg gets my vote but It's all in How much you wanna spend...Like Power Windows and Door locks on your Car (Something else to go wrong) I prefer to just do mine manually and Pocket the difference...Good Luck with whatever you choose!!! Have Fun..Stay Safe

Mossberg with $20 Primos Tight-Wad Choke and $10 Winchester Supreme 5s ==Tagged Out!!!

Welcome to the site.

Whatever you buy, there are guys on here that will tell you how to set it up so it flat lays out the Gobblers.

I have Remingtons and love them. It boils down to Ford, Chevy, Dodge. I only use a pump 870 for my turkey guns. If I was going to have a multi-purpose shotgun, then I would go semi-auto.

Good Luck,

Kevin

A Remington express is cheap and will kill more turkeys than you can carry. Welcome to the site!!!

I have the 870 Remington express 12 gauge also .This gun with the tight wad choke and the nitro turkey load, if you can shoot straight it will knock them down every time.

I shoot a Benelli Nova and love it. However you can't go wrong with an 870 Remington.I have owned at least a half dozen of them and never had a problem .

Welcome 42grand ! Good luck with whichever gun you choose !





vaturkey

redarrow wrote:I shoot a Benelli Nova and love it. However you can't go wrong with an 870 Remington.I have owned at least a half dozen of them and never had a problem .

I definetly have to go along with these other fellas on the 870s and the Express.
12ga or 20ga,... you are not going to beat the value.
If I were a Newbie, and I knew then, what I know now,... I would grab a youth model 870 Express 20ga 3", so fast you wouldn't believe it!!!

It's all personal preference.. Some people like benellis because of the way they fit their shoulder and another guy might like a Remington better. I would suggest to shoulder whichever gun you buy and just get the one that best fits you.. The way ammo and chokes are now you can make any gun a killer with the right combo.. I own a Remington youth model 3" 20 gauge and a benelli super black eagle 1 12 gauge and really like them both! Again it's all personal preference and which one fits you.. Once you get a gun check back and we will help you figure out a good combo for the gun you choose... Welcome to the site!!

go to a gun shop and start shouldering shotguns in your price range. once you have a few picked out, shoulder them with your eyes closed. the one that feel the best is the one you want. just be careful, sometimes you get what you pay for. SOMETIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS!!!

Shooter wrote: If I were a Newbie, and I knew then, what I know now,... I would grab a youth model 870 Express 20ga 3", so fast you wouldn't believe it!!!

This is a comment from Shooter I would have never thought I would read!!!!! I am glad to see him coming to the small bore dark side.

pedro wrote:go to a gun shop and start shouldering shotguns in your price range. once you have a few picked out, shoulder them with your eyes closed. the one that feel the best is the one you want. just be careful, sometimes you get what you pay for. SOMETIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS!!!

Not Wally World. A real gun shop. When you find the one you want then shop for the best deal.
As you say you want more power and to get to shooting birds I would suggest a Semi-Auto. Benelli, Browning, Remington and Winchester. I would not touch the Mossbergs.

John

If I were to buy an auto, it would be a gas operated Beretta, any model. The older ones are hard to beat. Gil

gophert wrote:

Shooter wrote: If I were a Newbie, and I knew then, what I know now,... I would grab a youth model 870 Express 20ga 3", so fast you wouldn't believe it!!!

This is a comment from Shooter I would have never thought I would read!!!!! I am glad to see him coming to the small bore dark side.

Yea, I messed up didn't I ??? Been trying to get you to upgrade for a couple years now.
You will never sell all those 870s now, will you?? LMAO!!!

BTW Tim, you seen any rain or any water lately?? Geeeez!! LOL.

The SPURSUADER wrote:Man, I have a feeling this thread will get exciting but I'll keep it simple...I'm NOT Rich and could care less about what the Pros Use or anyone else honestly...I turkey Hunt for the challenge to see how close I can get a Turkey to come to me with my skills...NOT how far I can Kill 1!!!! I shoot Made in the USA Mossbergs and they have yet to let me down!!! I have a 930 Auto for Turkeys and a 935 Auto for Waterfowl....In MY OWN opinion..You can spend more but you can't buy better!! My Guns cost a fraction of what my Buddies Guns Cost and we Hunt Side by Side and mine goes Boom EVERYTIME alongside His $1500 "What the Pros use" Gun...I would even say that mine are a Little prettier and to the best of my knowledge...The Critters could care less what I'm using...I shoot off the shielf Ammo from Walmart and again...NEVER a Problem....I don't Kill everytime I go out and sometimes they do Hang-Up at 60 Yards...BUT...That's OK...That's another day I get to come back and Try again...I have nothing to prove to anyone so Mossberg gets my vote but It's all in How much you wanna spend...Like Power Windows and Door locks on your Car (Something else to go wrong) I prefer to just do mine manually and Pocket the difference...Good Luck with whatever you choose!!! Have Fun..Stay Safe

Mossberg with $20 Primos Tight-Wad Choke and $10 Winchester Supreme 5s ==Tagged Out!!!

I am with Spur,
I have a Mossberg 935 and a REM 870 both are good guns. I prefer the 935 and just switch out barrels.

Johndoe wrote:

pedro wrote:go to a gun shop and start shouldering shotguns in your price range. once you have a few picked out, shoulder them with your eyes closed. the one that feel the best is the one you want. just be careful, sometimes you get what you pay for. SOMETIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS!!!

Not Wally World. A real gun shop. When you find the one you want then shop for the best deal.
As you say you want more power and to get to shooting birds I would suggest a Semi-Auto. Benelli, Browning, Remington and Winchester. I would not touch the Mossbergs.

John

Wally World Don't sell Real Guns??? I have gotten alot of Guns from Walmart!! Why?? Simple..They Had the Best Deal and so far I've Never had a single problem with any of my Wally World Guns...Like I've stated before..I have friends that have the "B" Guns that cost 3 times as much as mine and they have had trouble in freezing Duck hunting weather...Another friend has a Kimber 1911 in 45 acp that he has around $1600 in with stainless Barrel ETC...We shoot side by side alot and my Stock $420 (Total) Rock island Armory 1911 in 45 ACP has never ever ever failed to go boom...He can't say the same with the Fancy Kimber!!!! I've seen it with my own eyes!!! But like I said before....The Guys who die with the best Toys...Still die!!....For what it's worth..The Remington 11-87 Camo Combo I purchased NEW from a Real Gun shop was trouble from day 1...Would Jam time after time even after being professionally cleaned...Another Browning I had (A-500 Auto) had a reputation for being trouble but I bought 1 anyway...I should have listened because it also was a pain in the S....The Last remington 870 express I bought...The quality from the older ones just wasn't there..Felt like a toy and if you shot low-Brass shells such as Dove Loads..It would fire 1 then you would have to take Gun apart and get the empty from the barrel with a stick...It went Bye-Bye also....Now I just grab my Mossbergs and go play and then put them back up till the next time but that's just me....A Simple kind of Guy...I need the Extra Money I save to Fish anyway

Shooter wrote:
BTW Tim, you seen any rain or any water lately?? Geeeez!! LOL.

Yes, been a little on the "humid" side....LOL!

The SPURSUADER wrote:

Johndoe wrote:

pedro wrote:go to a gun shop and start shouldering shotguns in your price range. once you have a few picked out, shoulder them with your eyes closed. the one that feel the best is the one you want. just be careful, sometimes you get what you pay for. SOMETIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS!!!

Not Wally World. A real gun shop. When you find the one you want then shop for the best deal.
As you say you want more power and to get to shooting birds I would suggest a Semi-Auto. Benelli, Browning, Remington and Winchester. I would not touch the Mossbergs.

John

Wally World Don't sell Real Guns??? I have gotten alot of Guns from Walmart!! Why?? Simple..They Had the Best Deal and so far I've Never had a single problem with any of my Wally World Guns...Like I've stated before..I have friends that have the "B" Guns that cost 3 times as much as mine and they have had trouble in freezing Duck hunting weather...Another friend has a Kimber 1911 in 45 acp that he has around $1600 in with stainless Barrel ETC...We shoot side by side alot and my Stock $420 (Total) Rock island Armory 1911 in 45 ACP has never ever ever failed to go boom...He can't say the same with the Fancy Kimber!!!! I've seen it with my own eyes!!! But like I said before....The Guys who die with the best Toys...Still die!!....For what it's worth..The Remington 11-87 Camo Combo I purchased NEW from a Real Gun shop was trouble from day 1...Would Jam time after time even after being professionally cleaned...Another Browning I had (A-500 Auto) had a reputation for being trouble but I bought 1 anyway...I should have listened because it also was a pain in the S....The Last remington 870 express I bought...The quality from the older ones just wasn't there..Felt like a toy and if you shot low-Brass shells such as Dove Loads..It would fire 1 then you would have to take Gun apart and get the empty from the barrel with a stick...It went Bye-Bye also....Now I just grab my Mossbergs and go play and then put them back up till the next time but that's just me....A Simple kind of Guy...I need the Extra Money I save to Fish anyway

You missed the point Spur. A real gun shop will have all the brands and models. Wal Mart will not.
They will not have any Brownings, Benelli's, Winchesters and such.
You gave your opinion and I gave mine. Let the man choose the one he wants.

John

Geeeez Turtleman, give it a rest already, and stop arguing with all the experienced hunters with all of your Crap!
I doubt many people are taking you serious anyway, with your singing vids and all the other Crap.
Chill out already!
John is highly respected around here, and people listen to him for a reason.
You lost everyones respect quite awhile ago. Trust me, I've talked to dozens.

BTW, John,... There is only one Spur on here, and his name is Wes.

Shooter wrote:Geeeez Turtleman, give it a rest already, and stop arguing with all the experienced hunters with all of your Crap!
I doubt many people are taking you serious anyway, with your singing vids and all the other Crap.
Chill out already!
John is highly respected around here, and people listen to him for a reason.
You lost everyones respect quite awhile ago. Trust me, I've talked to dozens.

BTW, John,... There is only one Spur on here, and his name is Wes.

Not trying to argue with anyone? Just voiceing my opinion like everyone else does? I could care less if people take me serious or not..I followed this site long before I became a registered User and have seen the little Pack if you will on this site and was expecting comments such as yours toward me because some people have the best of everything and want to come off as more experianced hunters that have the Best of the Best and some like myself just play catch-up but I was simply saying what works for me and I never bashed anyones choice of Gun until people started bashing my Choice? And How did any Videos I shared made me loose everyones respect?? And If "Dozens" of people have a problem with me then why would they tell the likes of You instead of telling me? I'm a grown Man..I can take it....Don't really care...BUT I can take it So Sorry that once again, You felt the need to jump in with your Own opinion when all I was doing was voiceing mine on this topic....Chill out already??? Please!!! I simply like to talk Turkey like most of the other Guys on here...Guess you for one seem to take all the bad from my Comments and ignore what I'm really trying to say....Have a good 1 anyway!!!

Spur are you talking about an Auto-5 Browning when you say A-500? First time I've ever heard anybody say that the A-5's have a reputation for being "trouble"
Bragging on mossbergs is one thing, but throwing off on John M Browning's greatest masterpiece is kinda bordering on blasphemy.

Brent
For a while they made an A-500. Didnt do that well. Not even close to and A-5. I am sure he was talkin bout that.