Hello,
I'm not a hunter, I do own some guns and have deer hunted and squirrel hunted in the past.
I would like to train my dog, and therefore take her bird hunting. I think it would be fun. Anyhow I don't want to get rapped up into thousand dollar shotguns and such.
So what do you folks use to go hunting??? I was thinking of just getting a Remington 870 or something like that. Is that fine?
Thanks,
Shotguns
-
gspman
shotguns
What kind of dog do have? pointing or flushing dog.
The type of shot you choose is entirely up to your tastes. Remington, Mossburg,winchester all make fine guns for hunting.
The type of action pump, auto, single shot, sxs, o/u again up to your taste.
I personally use a beretta pintail, semi auto, its very light and balanced. The most important thing is to make sure the shotgun fits you and your frame.
Go to a gunsmith and handle alot of guns, find the the one that fits you the best and get that one.... irregardless of namebrand. You will be much happier with how you shoot as well as the recoil effect on you.
The type of shot you choose is entirely up to your tastes. Remington, Mossburg,winchester all make fine guns for hunting.
The type of action pump, auto, single shot, sxs, o/u again up to your taste.
I personally use a beretta pintail, semi auto, its very light and balanced. The most important thing is to make sure the shotgun fits you and your frame.
Go to a gunsmith and handle alot of guns, find the the one that fits you the best and get that one.... irregardless of namebrand. You will be much happier with how you shoot as well as the recoil effect on you.
-
Wireviz_lady
guns
Right now I am using a Benelli 12 ga Legacy semi. It is as smooth as butta! No kick at all. I have had a Mossberg and they are ok too. I dont really like Remingtons but I dont have a reason. We also have a couple of Winchesters and an Ithica for my daughter. If you find a gun that fits and feels balanced when you aim it then that is the gun for you. If I like the feel of it when I swing up to aim then I buy it. There are a lot of used guns that are great for beginners. I just picked up a little 410 single shot to work with my babies over birds. Doesnt fit at all but makes less noise for starting pups.
-
msparks
Re: shotguns
I have 2 dogs. A 7 month old GSP names Willow. And a 10 week old Bracco Italiano(my wifes dog) named Bella.gspman wrote:What kind of dog do have? pointing or flushing dog.
So I guess both of my dogs are "Pointers".
-
msparks
Re: pointers
Yes I've thought about it. I guess I just need to get off my butt.Wireviz_lady wrote:well pointers it is...have you thought about joining NAVHDA? It is a great place to start on training.
We are moving to Tennesse and I was going to wait to see what is happening in that area.
-
WildRose
- Rank: 5X Champion
- Posts: 1454
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 10:22 pm
- Location: Outfitter/Guide Gsp Breeder/Trainer
For a training gun there's really nothing better than just an old cheap pawnshop H&R single shot. One thing you want to avoid when introducing pups to the gun at first is multiple shots and misses of course. I find that ninety percent of the people I've ever worked with will shoot at least twice as well with a single as a repeater since they aren't thinking about subsequent shots, just making the first one count!
When it comes to a hunting gun you can spend about $250 on a good used 870 and go up from there. Personally I've grown to really appreciate the O/U's but they can be pricey. My Ruger Red Label stainless and synthetic is the best money I ever spent on a firearm but it was a budget buster! I grew up with an 870, still keep one for waterfowling, and as a backup and it never leaves the truck unless I'm carrying it in the field, pretty much proven the world over as the most reliable repeating shotgun ever built! I also reccomend getting a 12 or 16 ga rather than a twenty. You can load them as light or heavy as needed for just about anything that comes your way. CR
When it comes to a hunting gun you can spend about $250 on a good used 870 and go up from there. Personally I've grown to really appreciate the O/U's but they can be pricey. My Ruger Red Label stainless and synthetic is the best money I ever spent on a firearm but it was a budget buster! I grew up with an 870, still keep one for waterfowling, and as a backup and it never leaves the truck unless I'm carrying it in the field, pretty much proven the world over as the most reliable repeating shotgun ever built! I also reccomend getting a 12 or 16 ga rather than a twenty. You can load them as light or heavy as needed for just about anything that comes your way. CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people
-
feralaussie
I bought myself a .22 Anschultz when I turned 18. Still have it and it's my old faithful companion. Later I bought a Winchester 12g.
When Lou moved in he used to get very nervous about me hunting as we live along a system of drains and the area is known for snakes. To pacify him I bough a 410 (commonly called a snake gun here in Oz). The funny thing is that the only time I have ever seen a snake in the paddocks was when Lou was hunting with me, but they are around.
I use the 410 mainly on foxes or rabbits for feeding the ferrets. I enjoy the challenge of having to sneak up on them (there's not a lot of cover in dairy paddocks, only windbreaks). I prefer clean shots with my .22 for my casserole rabbits & hares and those sly feral cats!
The 12g hasn't had much use as yet however that's planned for the future when the dog's trained up. I'd love to get a 243, 270 or something along those lines.
The .243 is ideal for feral goats but not legal for deer which I hope to aspire to. Also I'd love to try for pig before I'm too old so maybe I should be looking at .308 or something along those lines. Suggestions appreciated.
Hey CR, tell me more about the 16g. I'm not very knowledge about guns. I've heard of but never seen a 20g. What are they most commonly used on? What make are they?
Sam
When Lou moved in he used to get very nervous about me hunting as we live along a system of drains and the area is known for snakes. To pacify him I bough a 410 (commonly called a snake gun here in Oz). The funny thing is that the only time I have ever seen a snake in the paddocks was when Lou was hunting with me, but they are around.
I use the 410 mainly on foxes or rabbits for feeding the ferrets. I enjoy the challenge of having to sneak up on them (there's not a lot of cover in dairy paddocks, only windbreaks). I prefer clean shots with my .22 for my casserole rabbits & hares and those sly feral cats!
The 12g hasn't had much use as yet however that's planned for the future when the dog's trained up. I'd love to get a 243, 270 or something along those lines.
The .243 is ideal for feral goats but not legal for deer which I hope to aspire to. Also I'd love to try for pig before I'm too old so maybe I should be looking at .308 or something along those lines. Suggestions appreciated.
Hey CR, tell me more about the 16g. I'm not very knowledge about guns. I've heard of but never seen a 20g. What are they most commonly used on? What make are they?
Sam
-
WildRose
- Rank: 5X Champion
- Posts: 1454
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 10:22 pm
- Location: Outfitter/Guide Gsp Breeder/Trainer
Sam the 20g is probably the most popular gague for upland especially preserve bird shooters in this country. The problem with the 20 though is it's a bit under powered and under load if you have to do much shooting at all beyond 20yds, which if you hunt wild pheasant, or hunt often in heavy cover and high winds most of the time like I do you just don't put enough pellets in the air with it. A heavy load in a 20 is 1oz. The 12 in my opinion is by far the most versatile and useful of all shotguns as here we can get loads easily as light as 2 3/4" 7/8oz at about 1000fps (light enough for any child or woman who can carry the gun) all the way up to a 3.5" 1 7/8 oz waterfowl load.
The 16ga lays somewhere in between a little heavier than the 20 and a little lighter than the 12 and I've seen 16 ga loads running the gamut from 2 3/4 in 5/8 oz up to 3" 1 1/4oz. The advantage of the sixteen and twelve is that with the smaller diameter barrel you can get a somewhat lighter gun over the 12 in the same exact make and model. Some people just prefer a very light gun to carry. I'm not one of them myself but then Im not Five foot four and 110lbs (nearly a hundred lbs better than that actually) and I stay very fit so weight is not a factor to me in shotgun selection, in fact I prefer the heavier guns because of the high winds we work in most of the time and a heavier gun simply doesn't get blown around as much when I am swinging it.
The sixteen ga lost a lot of popularity between the seventies and nineties but in recent years has made quite the come back and many different manufacturers are chambering for it now again and the availability of ammunition is getting better and better all the time. As a versatile upland and waterfowl gun especially for women and youth I think it's an ideal choice. CR
The 16ga lays somewhere in between a little heavier than the 20 and a little lighter than the 12 and I've seen 16 ga loads running the gamut from 2 3/4 in 5/8 oz up to 3" 1 1/4oz. The advantage of the sixteen and twelve is that with the smaller diameter barrel you can get a somewhat lighter gun over the 12 in the same exact make and model. Some people just prefer a very light gun to carry. I'm not one of them myself but then Im not Five foot four and 110lbs (nearly a hundred lbs better than that actually) and I stay very fit so weight is not a factor to me in shotgun selection, in fact I prefer the heavier guns because of the high winds we work in most of the time and a heavier gun simply doesn't get blown around as much when I am swinging it.
The sixteen ga lost a lot of popularity between the seventies and nineties but in recent years has made quite the come back and many different manufacturers are chambering for it now again and the availability of ammunition is getting better and better all the time. As a versatile upland and waterfowl gun especially for women and youth I think it's an ideal choice. CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people
-
feralaussie
Thanks for the feedback CR. I' ll try to find out about availability here in Oz. I'm not all that strongly built and have a bit of a upper back problem so weight & recoil can at times be a bit of a factor for me. (The dog better not get bit by a snake, heh?)
I assume they come as single/double,side by side/over-under? What make would I be best to look for?
Sam
I assume they come as single/double,side by side/over-under? What make would I be best to look for?
Sam
-
WildRose
- Rank: 5X Champion
- Posts: 1454
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 10:22 pm
- Location: Outfitter/Guide Gsp Breeder/Trainer
Sam make is really largely a question of personal taste and budget. Personally of all the actions available i prefer the Over and Under or pump actions. Of the O/u's I absolutely love my Ruger Red label, in stainless and synthetic stock. It's not as pretty as some of the fancier guns but I never worry about it ease of operation or clenliness being a problem. If it gets too dusty I blow it out with an airhose or simply break it down and run it through the shower with me! Then oil the working parts after it dries and put it back together. Baretta is very popular over here as well. In the pumps there's absolutely nothing more proven for reliability and serviceability than the remington 870. My suggestion would be to got to a shooting club and work with an instructor and try as many as you can. A lot of women prefer the semi auto's because of the reduced wt and recoil in comparison to the Pumps and O/u's since cas operated semi's use part of the recoil to operate the action.
I'm not a huge fan of the semi's though particularly if you are in an arid dusty climate as they can be hugely temperamental.
Ruger makes the red label and now i think the gold label as well both in a sporting clays model that is even lighter than the hunting models and is ported for reduced recoil. CR
I'm not a huge fan of the semi's though particularly if you are in an arid dusty climate as they can be hugely temperamental.
Ruger makes the red label and now i think the gold label as well both in a sporting clays model that is even lighter than the hunting models and is ported for reduced recoil. CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people
-
feralaussie
Thanks CR. I'll go have a try out at the club. I agree re semi's being a bit of a lady's choice. I fell in love with a Hekkler & Kosch .223 semi when I first started shooting- it was $700 then (22yrs ago).
I priced them about 5-6 yrs ago, try $2000!! Luckily the gunflea didn't bite me and I didn't buy the gun. About 6-8 months later semi-automatics became outlawed in Oz thanks to a massacre in our southern state Tasmania!
I think I'll have some quick explaining to do if my man finds me in the shower with the barrel, but I might just give it a go for laughs!
Sam
I priced them about 5-6 yrs ago, try $2000!! Luckily the gunflea didn't bite me and I didn't buy the gun. About 6-8 months later semi-automatics became outlawed in Oz thanks to a massacre in our southern state Tasmania!
I think I'll have some quick explaining to do if my man finds me in the shower with the barrel, but I might just give it a go for laughs!
Sam
-
icefire
I think I break all the rules based on this thread. I shoot a 20 ga Mossberg 500. For bird hunting it's a sweet gun. I usually shoot 2 3/4" shells. I've also taken that gun deer hunting, but I've never shot a deer. I've had a few does in my sights, but since it was only the first day of the season, I didn't pull the trigger. I have no doubts about the gun's ability to drop a deer, though, and would use it even though it is just a 20 ga.
Also, as a side note, my father-in-law has the same gun with a full turkey choke on, and has been patterning it using 3" shells. He plans to take it turkey hunting soon.
All that being said, I'm looking around at semi 12 ga guns. I'm a 6'2" 210 lb. man, and nearly all my uncles, male cousins and even my grandfathers have semi-autos. Ladies' choice? Hardly. Heck, if/when I do get my new autoloader (looking at a Browning Gold Classic Hunter now) then I'll be giving my 20 ga pump to my wife to use. I feel (and so does she after shooting my grandfather's Belgium Browning Sweet Sixteen) that shooting a pump-action as a beginner makes the shooter take an extra half second during the pump to line up a better shot. It's proven itself, because she easily hits just as many targets as I do when she's using that pump.
So, the bottom line is that it's all up to personal preference. Will a 20 ga work just as well as a 16 or 12 for most practical purposes? Yeah. Would it be ideal over a 16 or 12 for large game or waterfoul? No. Would a 16 or 12 ga work for all practical purposes? Yeah. Would either be ideal over a 20 for upland bird hunting? Not with the added weight.
Just keep in mind that a ligher gauge is geared better for lighter game and vise versa, and then choose a gun that would be the most versatile for you. As for action (pump, autoloader or break open), it's all up to you and how much speed you need when firing off consecuitive rounds.
Also, as a side note, my father-in-law has the same gun with a full turkey choke on, and has been patterning it using 3" shells. He plans to take it turkey hunting soon.
All that being said, I'm looking around at semi 12 ga guns. I'm a 6'2" 210 lb. man, and nearly all my uncles, male cousins and even my grandfathers have semi-autos. Ladies' choice? Hardly. Heck, if/when I do get my new autoloader (looking at a Browning Gold Classic Hunter now) then I'll be giving my 20 ga pump to my wife to use. I feel (and so does she after shooting my grandfather's Belgium Browning Sweet Sixteen) that shooting a pump-action as a beginner makes the shooter take an extra half second during the pump to line up a better shot. It's proven itself, because she easily hits just as many targets as I do when she's using that pump.
So, the bottom line is that it's all up to personal preference. Will a 20 ga work just as well as a 16 or 12 for most practical purposes? Yeah. Would it be ideal over a 16 or 12 for large game or waterfoul? No. Would a 16 or 12 ga work for all practical purposes? Yeah. Would either be ideal over a 20 for upland bird hunting? Not with the added weight.
Just keep in mind that a ligher gauge is geared better for lighter game and vise versa, and then choose a gun that would be the most versatile for you. As for action (pump, autoloader or break open), it's all up to you and how much speed you need when firing off consecuitive rounds.