A good friend of mine at work is going to buy his first SG and has sought my input. He said the reason he asked for my advice is mainly because he really knows no one else he feels has any firearm knowledge and he has seen me give what turned out to be good adice on buying HG's and rifles. Although I am rather knowledgeable about a several shotguns because I own them, admittedly I haven't bought a new shotgun in 7 or 8 years so I am concerned my knowledge on some manufacturer types may not be any longer accurate. So I would greatly appreciate the input of people who are at least very knowledgable and base their opinions on first hand experience and not so called "friend of a friend" second hand information.
My friends budget is under $500 and the gun is for his son to use for upland game hunting and clay birds to prep him for same. He also told me if his other son takes to it he would be more likely than not to purchase him his own SG as well as one for himself, so my advice is going to influence a potentially considerable financial investment on my friends part. Both his sons have been through several firearm safety courses and are capable of responsible firearm handling, while under direct adult supervision.
Based on his sons age and firearm experience I recommended he begin with a pump action shotgun, and as his son has fired a 12 gauge enough to know he is comfortable with the recoil. Based on the parameters my fiends has given me I have narrowed my pump shotgun selections to the fallowing, I am also going to list some of the possible short comings of each shotgun and would like anyone offering their input to comment on weather or not these short comings or issues have merit or are just internet BS. I am listing these guns in no particular order of rating of preference, they are simply the guns I feel best fit his stated requirements. I also discussed at length with my friend about the option of buying used but he has no interest in doing so.
<>Remington 870 Express laminate 3" chamber 26" barrel. As I own 1- 3.5" 870 super mag express, 1-3" 870 Express, 1-11-87, and a 870 Wingmatser all of which have provided me decades and 1000s upon 1000s of rounds of problem free service I was going to recommend he buy a 12ga 3" laminated 870, but while doing my research I saw so many negative postings of 870 Express (as well as their flagship Wingmaster) produced since the Freedom Group acquired Big Green I am understandably hesitant to recommend a 870 Express. All my Remington shotguns were made prior to 2000 so I personally own no post acquisition Remingtons to compare to ones I bought prior to the sale.
<>Mossberg 12ga 3" chamber 26" barrel 500 series shotgun. Per my research other than being the least attractive of all the shotguns I am listing, I could find almost no proof of Mossberg's model 500 having any real issues with CC or anything approaching issues with reliability, but IMHO the 500 is as ugly as Rose O'Donnell at a 24hr ALL U CAN EAT BUFFET.
<>Winchester sxp fIELD 12ga 3" chamber 26" barrel. Although the majority of my research showed this to be a very good gun for the money, I found just enough negative postings about it to seek additional knowledgeable opinions of this gun, but I will admit all the problems I read about it occurred after many 1000s of rounds expended. I also felt of all the guns in my fiends price range that the SXP with wood stock and forearm to be hands down the best looking of the bunch. My friend is not concerned the SXP is made in Turkey. Unless someone can provide a solid reason not to buy, I feel the SXP is very good choice for starter shotgun. Lastly can anyone confirm or deny that the chokes that come with the SXP are poor performing?
<>Benelli Nova 12 gauge 3" chamber 26" barrel. Last but certainly not least is the well regarded Benelli Nova shotgun. This is given all the recent negative press about Remington, actually the pump shotgun I would most likely recommend above all others as the ONLY negative comment I have read is that extra barrels are costly, but I did a search for after market barrels and they now can be had OTC for well under $300, there not actual factory Benelli, but they are at least reasonable, and my fiend most likely will never need anything beyond a 26" barrel unless his son decides to start deer hunting.
So which do the shotgun Yodas think would be the best 12 gauge pump of the ones I listed, please first hand based advice only, please, please.
Thank you,
Arthur.
My friends budget is under $500 and the gun is for his son to use for upland game hunting and clay birds to prep him for same. He also told me if his other son takes to it he would be more likely than not to purchase him his own SG as well as one for himself, so my advice is going to influence a potentially considerable financial investment on my friends part. Both his sons have been through several firearm safety courses and are capable of responsible firearm handling, while under direct adult supervision.
Based on his sons age and firearm experience I recommended he begin with a pump action shotgun, and as his son has fired a 12 gauge enough to know he is comfortable with the recoil. Based on the parameters my fiends has given me I have narrowed my pump shotgun selections to the fallowing, I am also going to list some of the possible short comings of each shotgun and would like anyone offering their input to comment on weather or not these short comings or issues have merit or are just internet BS. I am listing these guns in no particular order of rating of preference, they are simply the guns I feel best fit his stated requirements. I also discussed at length with my friend about the option of buying used but he has no interest in doing so.
<>Remington 870 Express laminate 3" chamber 26" barrel. As I own 1- 3.5" 870 super mag express, 1-3" 870 Express, 1-11-87, and a 870 Wingmatser all of which have provided me decades and 1000s upon 1000s of rounds of problem free service I was going to recommend he buy a 12ga 3" laminated 870, but while doing my research I saw so many negative postings of 870 Express (as well as their flagship Wingmaster) produced since the Freedom Group acquired Big Green I am understandably hesitant to recommend a 870 Express. All my Remington shotguns were made prior to 2000 so I personally own no post acquisition Remingtons to compare to ones I bought prior to the sale.
<>Mossberg 12ga 3" chamber 26" barrel 500 series shotgun. Per my research other than being the least attractive of all the shotguns I am listing, I could find almost no proof of Mossberg's model 500 having any real issues with CC or anything approaching issues with reliability, but IMHO the 500 is as ugly as Rose O'Donnell at a 24hr ALL U CAN EAT BUFFET.
<>Winchester sxp fIELD 12ga 3" chamber 26" barrel. Although the majority of my research showed this to be a very good gun for the money, I found just enough negative postings about it to seek additional knowledgeable opinions of this gun, but I will admit all the problems I read about it occurred after many 1000s of rounds expended. I also felt of all the guns in my fiends price range that the SXP with wood stock and forearm to be hands down the best looking of the bunch. My friend is not concerned the SXP is made in Turkey. Unless someone can provide a solid reason not to buy, I feel the SXP is very good choice for starter shotgun. Lastly can anyone confirm or deny that the chokes that come with the SXP are poor performing?
<>Benelli Nova 12 gauge 3" chamber 26" barrel. Last but certainly not least is the well regarded Benelli Nova shotgun. This is given all the recent negative press about Remington, actually the pump shotgun I would most likely recommend above all others as the ONLY negative comment I have read is that extra barrels are costly, but I did a search for after market barrels and they now can be had OTC for well under $300, there not actual factory Benelli, but they are at least reasonable, and my fiend most likely will never need anything beyond a 26" barrel unless his son decides to start deer hunting.
So which do the shotgun Yodas think would be the best 12 gauge pump of the ones I listed, please first hand based advice only, please, please.
Thank you,
Arthur.
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Ive got two 12s and a 20. They are getting passed down to my kids for their first scattergun.
