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best shotgun for entry-level hunter?
Posted on 10/2/26 at 7:56 pm
Posted on 10/2/26 at 7:56 pm
i’d like to get a shotgun with the versatility to hunt turkey, duck, quail, dove, and maybe other birds.
should i go 12-guage or 20-guage and should i go over/under, pump, or semi?
for context, i’ve never hunted but want to get into it and have the versatility to shoot all kinds of birds. i plan on getting a rifle further down the road for deer.
should i go 12-guage or 20-guage and should i go over/under, pump, or semi?
for context, i’ve never hunted but want to get into it and have the versatility to shoot all kinds of birds. i plan on getting a rifle further down the road for deer.
Posted on 10/2/26 at 7:57 pm to geauxEdO
What’s your budget and absolute most you will spend?
Posted on 10/2/26 at 8:09 pm to Ol boy
probably in the $700-900 range. don’t think i’d go over $1,000.
Posted on 10/2/26 at 8:15 pm to geauxEdO
quote:
700-900 range. don’t think i’d go over $1,000.
Franchi affinity 12ga semi auto is right there in your budget and it can do everything you will need.
Posted on 10/2/26 at 8:19 pm to geauxEdO
Beretta A300
Posted on 10/2/26 at 8:39 pm to Dtiger19
quote:
Beretta A300
I concur, in 12G.
Posted on 10/2/26 at 8:48 pm to geauxEdO
No reason to buy a 20 unless you just want to be stubborn
Posted on 10/2/26 at 8:57 pm to GumboPoBoy
No reason to buy a 12 unless you just want to be stubborn. Lol
Remington 20 gauge 870. Get a 28" barrel with remchokes. And an 18" barrel with remchokes for turkey. I have shot everything that walks or fly. With it. Like Legos you can change it up. Put a shorty stock for youth hunters and change back for adult. Change out barrels for different pursuits. They are great and they always work and they go up in value.
I have a dozen or more shotguns. Only one of then is a 12ga and it never comes out of the safe unless I accidentally accept an invite to goose hunt. I hate shooting 12ga.
Beretta A300 is an excellent shotgun. Have to spend over twice as much to get any gains.
Remington 20 gauge 870. Get a 28" barrel with remchokes. And an 18" barrel with remchokes for turkey. I have shot everything that walks or fly. With it. Like Legos you can change it up. Put a shorty stock for youth hunters and change back for adult. Change out barrels for different pursuits. They are great and they always work and they go up in value.
I have a dozen or more shotguns. Only one of then is a 12ga and it never comes out of the safe unless I accidentally accept an invite to goose hunt. I hate shooting 12ga.
Beretta A300 is an excellent shotgun. Have to spend over twice as much to get any gains.
This post was edited on 10/2/26 at 9:01 pm
Posted on 10/2/26 at 9:12 pm to SGrem
quote:
Remington 20 gauge 870. Get a 28" barrel with remchokes. And an 18" barrel with remchokes for turkey. I have shot everything that walks or fly. With it. Like Legos you can change it up. Put a shorty stock for youth hunters and change back for adult. Change out barrels for different pursuits. They are great and they always work and they go up in value.
This guy knows.
Posted on 10/2/26 at 9:23 pm to SGrem
My 870s are a couple of my favorite shotguns I own (early 80s and early 90s), but for the quality (and price) of what you buy one for now I couldn’t recommend it over the beretta. I haven’t laid hands on one of the newer ones, but I have heard that they are improving.
Posted on 10/2/26 at 9:30 pm to iwantacooler
quote:
My 870s are a couple of my favorite shotguns I own (early 80s and early 90s), but for the quality (and price) of what you buy one for now I couldn’t recommend it over the beretta. I haven’t laid hands on one of the newer ones
I have had one since 1992 bought it at Kmart for 225$ it has never let me down. But if I have to shoot 4 boxes of shells I would rather my sbe2. And I would rather shoot 12ga semi auto than 20 ga pump just because of recoil.
Posted on 10/3/26 at 2:35 am to geauxEdO
20 ga 26 or 28 in barrel, semi-auto. Trust me been doing this a long time.
Posted on 10/3/26 at 8:16 am to geauxEdO
1st gun, I’d suggest either a Mossberg 500 or a Benelli Nova.
The 870 was one of the best guns ever made until Remington fricked it up. No idea if they’ve fixed their issues since they have new ownership, but unless it’s 30 yrs old or more I wouldn’t have one. The ones they made from 2000 to 2023 would rust in a vat of cosmoline.
The 870 was one of the best guns ever made until Remington fricked it up. No idea if they’ve fixed their issues since they have new ownership, but unless it’s 30 yrs old or more I wouldn’t have one. The ones they made from 2000 to 2023 would rust in a vat of cosmoline.
Posted on 10/4/26 at 11:04 am to bbvdd
They've supposedly gotten better with the new owner.
Palmetto has a Mossberg 500 retro in walnut stock. PSA
PSA also has this one.
The synthetic stocks are cheaper.
Palmetto has a Mossberg 500 retro in walnut stock. PSA
PSA also has this one.
The synthetic stocks are cheaper.
Posted on 10/5/26 at 8:46 am to geauxEdO
I’d go with a 12ga myself. I love my Winchester SX4. The blued/synthetic can be had for around $900 last I saw.
Posted on 10/5/26 at 9:11 am to geauxEdO
quote:
Beretta A300
Posted on 10/5/26 at 9:22 am to Ol boy
quote:This
Franchi affinity 12ga
Posted on 10/5/26 at 9:40 am to geauxEdO
12 gauge will kill almost anything in North America. I started my kid with a youth 20 gauge, and he quickly switched to the 12 gauge. He liked the longer barrel on the 12 gauge for following through while shooting flying things.
Until you figure out if hunting is for you or not, borrow or find a used shotgun online. I bought him a Winchester 1200 pump for less than $100 through Bayou Shooter sale forums. It hasn't failed us yet.
When you get a rifle, start with the amazing Savage Axis with the scope combo. Super inexpensive, and super accurate.
Posted on 10/5/26 at 9:51 am to geauxEdO
Semi auto shotguns:
A300
SX 4
I would go with an A300.
Rifles: Tikka
Avoid the Savage Axis. It’s cheap for a reason. And the trigger sucks.
A300
SX 4
I would go with an A300.
Rifles: Tikka
Avoid the Savage Axis. It’s cheap for a reason. And the trigger sucks.
Posted on 10/5/26 at 10:29 am to geauxEdO
12 gauge pump gun. It will require some thought before pulling the trigger 2 times, will be more reliable with way less maintenance and will cost less than a O/U. I suspect most people under the age of 70 or so started off with either a pump gun or a single shot. The latter is likely to make a young hunter pretty frustrated in not having a second and third shot like Daddy and PawPaw and the former will force the young hunter to at least work the action before firing that second and third shot which may teach them that they have more time to find a target and lead it properly than they will initially think they have. I vote for a pump gun. Usually low maintenance, cheap and reliable and has to have some action on the shooters part to get off that second and third shot. No matter how good one is with a shotgun we are alll better on the first shot than the second and better on it than the third...unless we are shooting an autoloader and it may not be noticeable which shot actually hit....
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