suggestion for beginner shotgun purchase for pheasant hunting

[Bowtech84]

Originally Posted by wolf1931

fellow hunters thanks for input most reading I have seem to give it good reviews will do the pump (how many shells can I input in the pump??) one reviewer stated he shot over 10k in rounds and never had a jam but others claimed some jamming issues?? what has been your experiences ?? I assume I have to clean it and do maintenance on a regular basis plan on taking a gun safety and maintenance classes at bass pro so I know what is needed to prevent jamming what are common causes of "jamming" on shot guns thanks for your inputs ;is it just the poor mechanics of design or lack of maintenance?? appreciate comments and thanks for helping a novice jim wolf Chicago boys I assume pumps jam less than automatics ?? will go will 12 guage 26" barrel for pheasants

I have a cheap 870 express in 20 gauge and I have never cleaned it. Ive never had issues with It jamming either. It's never failed me. I would be willing to bet most jamming issues come from the shooter short stroking the pump.


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[Phil T]

If you never clean a shotgun, plastic from the wads will build up in the choke. Plastic from the hull will build up in the chamber. Either is easily cleaned with an over size bore brush in an electric drill. There are also plastic solvents, but friction/heat always worked better for me.
If your gun has changeable choke tubes, remove them fairly often and clean and lube the threads.

[ifish267]

Hoffman estates Cabelas has a much larger selection to choose from than dicks. If your not too far Gat guns is only a few miles further. They both have a good selection of new and used shotguns. To compare prices go to buds gun shops web sight. I have not found anyplace cheaper to use for comparison. The problem is they will not ship to any 606 zip code. Another point, in Illinois anyone born after 1980 needs a hunter safety certificate to hunt.

[AllenW]

Back in the late 70's I was told but a customer who had a wall of trap and skeet trophies that the one gun he would recommend for a beginner shooter was a single shot shotgun.

He said learn to shoot before you worry about how many shells it holds.

Made sense to me fwiw.

After that, my gun of choice would be an 870.

Al

[suntracker]

870...done

[Suzuki]

Just not an autoloader. They are not a safe choice for a novice.

No love for the Mossburg 500?

[Ricky Spanish]

I shot many pheasants, rabbits and squirrels with my Mossberg 500 12ga. It was the first gun I ever bought. I have an 870 now, too, but I will still grab my 500, if I go bird hunting.

[packpro]

Mossberg guy here. 16 gauge. Hard to find, and shells are not always easy to find. 12 gauge would be the choice today. Remington or Mossberg good choices. Pump vs. auto. Pump is a great first gun and keeps the investment down. Don't forget you need to have a FOID card in Illinois before you can purchase ammo or gun. Painless, but it is Illinois. Start the process as early as you can. I think you can find the application on line, and will need a photo to submit with the application. Got mine at Walgreens

[LLewellin]

Do you want to be a good shot or just go out and have fun with the guys?

Single shot like Allen suggested makes a good shot IMHO. I started out with a .410 single break action for my first 2-3 years of duck and goose hunting in ND back in the 70's. We learned to make that first shot count and we did not break my Fathers bank by burning up a ton of shells until we graduated to a Mossberg 12gage pump. The first morning with the Moss every single bird that went by both myself and my brother got 3 shells fired at it weather we hit it or not. Dad had to have a talk with us and tell us to slow down or we would be out of shells and heading home. Great memory!

As for pumps....870 Wingmaster is a wonderful shotgun but I would not go with 26" barrel. The 26" swings fast but easier to over swing or not get your cheek down on the stock. Even today when I am in western ND if my shooting is off I go back to the 28" barrel and find my groove!

I have been shooting a Beretta over and under for 20+ years with a 26" barrel and every now and then I need to pull out the Browning 2000 semi with its longer receiver and 28" barrel.