NEED HELP!!!! Hunting Shotgun

[mlouisalbert]

My hunting rifle(Marlin .44 Mag) is being reclaimed by it's owner, which leaves me without a hunting rifle. I want to start getting into fowl hunting as well and am thinking about finding a shotgun with interchangeable(smooth/rifled) barrels so I can use the shotgun for both deer and fowl hunting. The problem is that I know next to nothing about shotguns and need your help!!!! I do not have a lot of money to spend, so please keep that in mind while you are making your suggestions.

 

[netsecurity]

Improved Cylinder barrels aren't rifled, but they shoot slugs just fine out to 100 yards or so. That's what I prefer.

 

[UncleNorby]

Either Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. I have the Mossberg, came with a smothbore slug barrel (rifle sights) and a fixed choke field barrel. I have since bought a variable choke barrel. Fully rifled barrels are available, and I think they sell a combo with the rifled barrel and a variable choke barrel. That is what I would recommend. But, I will say that I could shoot deer all day long out to 75 yds with my smoothbore slug barrel. Rifled slugs (smooth barrel) are so much cheaper than sabot slugs (rifled barrel), that it may make sense for you to go that way, especially if you don't shoot much past 75 yds.

If you intend to use a scope, go with the cantilever style scope mount. Mounting a scope of the receiver of a pump can be an exercise in frustration because there's not really a good lock-up between the barrel and receiver.

 

[Bigtanker]

↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑good advice↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑

 

[mrjarrell]

Mossberg often has the 500 with both barrels for sale at local Gander Mountains. I bought mine as a set for around $300 on sale a few years ago. Comes with both barrels and the Mossy is a decent gun. Check Ganders sales flier for it.

 

[singlesix]

I'd go with the Mossberg 500 Combo Set. Gander Mnt, Dicks or Wal-Mart.

 

[saintnick81]

I have a remington 870 with both a 28" field barrel and a rifled slug barrel. You can shoot rifled slugs out of a smooth barrel as long as you have the right choke. I love my 870 and highly recommend it. I use it for deer, birds, clays, and am getting ready to buy a shorter barrel so I can use it for hd as well. The nice thing about the 870 or the 500 is you can start with a base model and add barrels, stocks, and accessories as your resources allow.

 

[mlouisalbert]

Would the choke need to be set to FULL if you are shooting slugs?

 

[gunselman]

If you could give a price you are wanting to spend that would help out a lot. If you are not going to be hunting geese or ducks you could probably get away with a 20 gauge instead of a 12 gauge (no one has said what gauge).

I would try and get a used semi-auto also instead of a pump action gun. I have hunted most of my life in IN with a remington 1100 20 gauge. It is great for smaller birds, rabbits, squirrels, and with a rifled barrel and slugs deer.

 

[churchmouse]

Remington 11-87

 

[saintnick81]

Would the choke need to be set to FULL if you are shooting slugs?

I believe most people shoot through an improved cylinder. You can also buy a rifled choke if you want to shoot sabot slugs.

 

[mlouisalbert]

If you could give a price you are wanting to spend that would help out a lot. If you are not going to be hunting geese or ducks you could probably get away with a 20 gauge instead of a 12 gauge (no one has said what gauge).

I would try and get a used semi-auto also instead of a pump action gun. I have hunted most of my life in IN with a remington 1100 20 gauge. It is great for smaller birds, rabbits, squirrels, and with a rifled barrel and slugs deer.

I was not quite sure of the price range that I would be looking at, that's why I did not initially give one. I would like to stay around the $500 range, and I figured that the autoloading would be more expensive so I figured that would be out of the question. The birds that I would be hunting are geese and ducks, so from what you have already sad I am guessing that I will have to look exclusively for a 12 gauge.

 

[gunselman]

I think that you should be able to find a used semi-auto 12 gauge in the $500 range. Or you could look for one of the Stoegers m3000's. They use the Benelli inertia action and can be had for $439 new! Add a rifled barrel later or just shoot slugs out of the cylinder bore choke tube.

 

[Whitsettd8]

It's more than your wanting to spend but DrewTitans has a Mossberg 935spx with waterfowl barrel and rifled slug barrel he's asking $700. Send him a PM if your interested.

 

[Pete]

For your budget, you can get into a semi auto or pump. All mentioned previously are good serviceable shotguns.

 

[mrjarrell]

Mossberg 500 Field/Deer Combo Shotgun - Gander Mountain

http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...hotgun-Combo&i=613874&aID=510E10&merchID=4006

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

As said before you can't go wrong with a mossberg 500 combo, I'm good out past 100 yards with my smoothbore slug barrel, using 1oz rifled slugs. The field barrel does a number on clays.

 

[JasonB]

Remington 870 or 1100/1187 if you prefer a semi-auto...

Great guns... Just my take but I'd go with combo with dedicated slug barrel and vent rib field barrel... The newer slug barrels are available as cantilever or riffle sights scope will stay dead on even after barrel change.

Mosseberg is also decent but newer especially in the combos most places offer up on sale don't have the most consistent trigger setup...

 

[throttletony]

I love my benelli nova, but accessories/barrels are way too expensive and way too scarce.
As others have said, get a rem 870 or a mossy 500, in a combo pack or just add on the other barrels later

 

[fundy87]

i was always able to get away with a single shot 12 gauge, just don't miss! lol