First shotgun?

Just learned my neighbor is going deer hunting with some friends – he seems interested in getting into small game too and is looking to buy his first gun. I grew up with piles of guns and have never faced buying a first gun so although I could show/teach him alot of basic things about different guns all I could recommend was to get a 12g combo. What is a good one? 870, mossberg, winchester? He spoke of spending around $400, not sure what the firm budget is. I could probably give him a decent scope to get by. Twin cities area – he’s looking to buy asap.

I personally have a Stoeger P350 and believe it’s a quality gun, and mainly bought it so I could shoot the 3.5 inch shells. But you definitely can’t go wrong with the 870’s and could probably find a combo on them for right around $400 when on sale.

Not sure if you have a Dick’s in your area but for $300 for the gun I’m sure you could find a rifled barrel and still keep it right around the $400 range. https://m.dickssportinggoods.com/p/remington-model-870-express-pump-action-shotgun-15remu870xprsswd2shg/15remu870xprsswd2shg

Benelli nova. 3 choke tubes ic, M and F come with it. Nice gun cycles 3.5 inch shells too for goose hunting. These pop up used for around 300 bucks.

The first gun I purchased was a Benelli SuperNova. I think about upgrading every year but I really have no need to. Solid gun… for being part plastic.

Fleet Farm has the Mossberg 535 on sale this week with a slug barrel for $359.

I’d suggest the Mossberg as a starter gun and tell him that if he enjoys this sport he can always look towards a better gun down the road with the Mossberg able to hold onto some re-sale value.

The Winchester is a solid gun but if a bird gun is bought a rifled barrel is spendy for the Winnies. I’m not sure of combo guns in Winchester.

I have a hard time recommending a Remington in a combo gun in an express model. I’ve seen a world of issues in these guns over the years. They are affordable yes, but they may be a headache down the road.

Since deer hunting is his objective, I suggest the fully rifled barrel even if its used with open sights as its way more accurate and open sighted the gun will be less fussy as far as sabots go. 3″ at 50 yards with open sights will drop a deer right now and is good enough to get a beginner in the field.

Spending years managing a very large gun shop chain in MN, I would go with the 870. I hear all these stories of “the old ones are better, don’t buy a new one”. Yes, the old ones are slightly better than the newer ones in fit and finish…But they still work just as good or better than other pump guns on the market today….

The ease of takedown and cleaning (good luck with the Nova and Mossie for a beginner) and the simplicity of the gun, I would recommend an 870 to ANY new beginner out there. Plus the combos can be had for a very reasonable price. I’ve owned everything from a Stoeger, Beretta, Benelli, Winchester, Browning, CZ, Mossberg and Remington. The ONLY pump shotguns I still own are 870’s. Autoloaders, that’s a different story…

404 ERROR wrote:

Spending years managing a very large gun shop chain in MN, I would go with the 870. I hear all these stories of “the old ones are better, don’t buy a new one”. Yes, the old ones are slightly better than the newer ones in fit and finish…But they still work just as good or better than other pump guns on the market today….

The ease of takedown and cleaning (good luck with the Nova and Mossie for a beginner) and the simplicity of the gun, I would recommend an 870 to ANY new beginner out there. Plus the combos can be had for a very reasonable price. I’ve owned everything from a Stoeger, Beretta, Benelli, Winchester, Browning, CZ, Mossberg and Remington. The ONLY pump shotguns I still own are 870’s. Autoloaders, that’s a different story…

Being that you spent “years managing a very large gun shop chain in MN”, would certainly qualify you as knowing what you are talking about.

FWIW, my first was an 870 Express and it’s still the only shotgun I have. (I don’t hunt much so it’s probably all I’ll ever need).

I have the Mossberg 500 and picked up a rifled cantilever scope-mount barrel for it. Switching between birds and deer takes 30 seconds and I haven’t noticed any accuracy problems with the scope. The only other gun I use is a rifle for deer if I’m hunting up north.

Like rifles, there are just so many good entry level shotguns on the market now that you would have to work fairly hard and be terribly unlucky to get a bad one. But definitely get a combo package with the slug barrel.

Also, with the consolidation of brands under larger parent companies, action designs are also becoming very similar between brands.

The one thing that hasn’t changed is that fit and feel STILL matter. If at all possible, have your neighbor handle multiple guns before he buys. Fit, safety position, release button, etc all matter and we all have different preferences.

Also practice, practice, practice! The reality is that slugs through a pump shotgun kick like a mule. It is essential to be able to shoot accurately and to place follow up shots despite the recoil. Benchrests are for sighting in and load testing NOT practice. Standing and field positions are the only thing that count as practice.

Grouse

404 ERROR wrote:

The ease of takedown and cleaning (good luck with the Nova and Mossie for a beginner)

This statement blows my mind!! I have had a Nova for as long as they have been out. Take down of that gun is as simple as remove the barrel and 2 pins.

That being said I wouldn’t by a Nova for a combo gun, it’s a waterfowl gun and the best one I have run into in 40 plus years of waterfowling, but it’s not a deer gun. I would agree 100% on the 870 for a combo.

sticker wrote:

This statement blows my mind!! I have had a Nova for as long as they have been out. Take down of that gun is as simple as remove the barrel and 2 pins.

I was referring to having to drop the trigger group to pull the bolt and carrier out. Out of those 3 I stated, Remington is the only one not requiring that extra step that novice shooters may find intimidating.

404 ERROR wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>sticker wrote:</div>
This statement blows my mind!! I have had a Nova for as long as they have been out. Take down of that gun is as simple as remove the barrel and 2 pins.

I was referring to having to drop the trigger group to pull the bolt and carrier out. Out of those 3 I stated, Remington is the only one not requiring that extra step that novice shooters may find intimidating.

I can agree in that aspect that Mossberg can be a little tricky to get back together.

I fully agree with Grouse, that how the gun feels in your hands is very important. Since this thread is about the first shotgun and presumably the guy won’t be hunting hard and heavy, I think feel and ease of cleaning would be the most important parts. They all go boom and have the ability to kill game.

Yea Im leaning hard towards the 870. I have an old one and an 1100 and they just work well. Dicks has a synthetic stock combo with a garbage scope for $450.

Was tempted to piece together one since the wood 870s are $250, but the rifled barrels are $150-$170 anyway.

Honestly I would get too worried about the deer slug gun qualities of the gun, once the bug fully bites him then look into a quality muzzleloader for deer, I don’t know of anywhere that’s shotgun only they are not also allowed and shoot better than any shotgun I’ve see (I’ve not seen a strictly dedicated slug shooting shotgun first-hand though). Then still have the shotgun for situations it may be more pertinent (drives) and bird/small game/turkey.
I was looking at either buying a new, dedicated slug gun when I started hunting my in laws in MN or getting a new modern style muzzleloader (don’t like the groupings out my my Winchester shotgun and they no longer make rifled barrels for my model). I picked the CVA Acura muzzleloader, as I can hunt pretty much any season anywhere with it and was cheaper than a good slug shooting only shotgun. I can take my .270 rifle out if I wanted in WI gun season and I still pick the CVA over the rifle I like it and the way it shoots that much.

But depends on where/how you’re hunting too, some situations a muzzleloader may not be the answer.

I thought everyone started with an 870, tough to beat!

My first was an 870. Shoots & operates just like new to this day.

I have a Benelli M2 I’d be willing to part with for about $500…only has a couple hundred shells through it. PM if interested – I’m in S Mpls. I also have about a hundred Prairie Storm shells that I’d throw in with it.

Mossberg 835 ulti-mag was my first gun. Shot thousands of rounds through it. Smooth slug barrel shoots rifled slugs and im accurate to 100 yards with it. Bought it 22 years ago, but its been moved down the deer gun line a few times. Killed alot of deer with it, wouldn’t be worried about using it this weekend.

Isaac Rhode wrote:

I personally have a Stoeger P350 and believe it’s a quality gun, and mainly bought it so I could shoot the 3.5 inch shells. But you definitely can’t go wrong with the 870’s and could probably find a combo on them for right around $400 when on sale.

That’s also what I have for my main shotgun. It’s a little bit of a cheaper gun that’s been reliable and I haven’t had to worry about it with the abuse I put it through. It did stop working on me last fall, I spent a lot of time hunting pheasants in cattails and sloughs, and all the white fluffy cattail seeds jammed it up pretty good. Had to take it in to a gunsmith for a thorough cleaning that was beyond my knowledge and it works good again.