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Which to buy?

4K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  sniper69 
#1 ·
So the wife says she wants a shotgun now. She wants something simple and I am at a loss. She likes coach guns, but also like over-unders. So It's between those I'm just debating what gauge to get them in.

She is 5'3" and 115 lbs. Do I just do 12 gauge with reduced recoil rounds or do I step it down to a 20 gauge? My issue is I am likely going to be shooting it too maybe to lower the clay pigeon population and maybe the pheasant population a little bit.

So side-by-side or over-under and what gauge? It's going to be hers, but you know the old addage "What's hers is mine and what's mine is ours."
 
#4 ·
Never thought of the 16 ga. I might have to look into that. She got all into it when the chick in Georgia shot a home invader 5 times and he walked out and drove away. She wants a "Definite" and not a "Maybe" lol
 
#6 ·
Agreed on the 16 gauge. :thumbup1:
 
#7 ·
I'll tell ya,, it's awfull hard to beat the real "sweat 16",, the model ,, had one and ,,,STUPIDLY ,,,,, sold it,,, real dumb. That thing swung so nice, pointed so naturally, easy recoil, and just plain knocked down birds and rabbits!! It was very nice. One of my buds has a over/ under Weatherby 20 ga that is nice as Hell too,, don't remember the model though? That handled extremely well too.
 
#10 ·
There are some higher end models still made. Most are quite expensive though.

I've heard remington and browning still make them, but can't confirm if that is true or not.
 
#12 ·
#13 ·
I like the 16 gauge very much. My best day ever at skeet/trap was shot with a Remington model 11 in 16 gauge. I fell in love with that gun.

Used to, they said about the 16 gauge, "Kicks like a 20, hits like a 12". I think ammunition has come such a long way that there is now some crossover between 20 and 12 gauge capability. It's not without its limitations, but overlap is definitely there.

Unfortunately, as much as I like the 16 gauge, I believe the ammo market is going to crowd it out of availability. I think you will soon see it only available from the high-end ammo suppliers. Which is sad.
 
#15 ·
I'd stay with 12ga and just buy the "rabbit loads." They're designed not to turn small game into confetti, with the side effect of they don't kick too badly.

Around here, 20ga is 2x the price of 12ga, and .410 are 3x or more. It's way cheaper to shoot 12ga if you plan on shooting much and don't reload.

If you do reload, a 20ga would make sense.

As for the shotgun itself... you know she really wants a Saiga-12 or Saiga-20. AK goodness, and shotshells too!
 
#18 ·
LOL Seriously there is very limited 16 gauge shell choices an there never on sale or cheap . Your or not going to see many popular guns for sale either. Its a OK round but its pretty much obsolete. the reloading stuff for it is also limited and expensive especially on the used market.

Before you buy go look an see what shells cost an whats available.

I have a browning A5 in 16 an I don't shoot it because shells are expensive an it wont do what a 12 will .

Just get a 12 gauge an load it light , lots of commercial light trap loads, shells on sale. even short pest control loads, special purpose ammo, flares, tracer rounds,
we have lots of kids an small women shooting 12s in our trap leagues .

Or get a 20 gauge . I buy shells here for abut the same as a 20 gage . walmart 4 packs are $22 same as 12 .

a 410 is IMO a experts gun . every one thinks there a kids gun . that might be true for rabbits or squirrel or rats but on birds you better be good. there no fun for trap an you better really b e good at sporting clays to use one . They have a light recoil for a reason an thats because they send very little shot down range. I consider my self A good shot an have been in the top 5 in our club for years an with a 410 I cant break 36 out of 50 an average about 30. my average with a 20 gauge is about 44. Its 46.5 with a 12 for a years shooting .
A 410 even at 16 yards back is a real handicap

a 28 gauge is another option that has become popular an I see a lot of them used in sporting clays there much much better than a 410 . The 28 has real came killing usage on birds. there expensive to shoot an shells are hard to find some times .

For a Boy id buy a 12 if he's tough or bigger an let him grow into it starting with light loads. for a small women Id buy a 20 gauge in a 3 inch mag barrel. an it will work on all game . My Grandmother , Mom an sister all shoot or shot 20's.

I started with a Ithica m37 when I was 11 an shot it as my only shot gun well into my late 20's . I have never felt out gunned with it an once I learned to shoot it I could embarse most adults in Trap or the field > MY 12 year old shoots it now but he will be moving up to a 12 very soon once he is big enough I don't have to cut the stock down for him. The Ithaca was shortend 3" when I was small.

a 20 gauge will make you a better more careful shot a 410 will make you frustrated shot . a 16 an 28 will make you broke .

I propose another option if you by a double barrel
get a 12 gauge an if the recoil is to much consider subcal insrts or barrel tubes . A bunch of guys have tubes for there skeet an trap guns to run other classes.

I have a set of inserts in 20 gauge for my trap gun they work surprisingly well.
 
#22 ·
gander mountain seemed to have a decent enough supply of 16 gauge last time i was in there. :)
 
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