Help me buy a shotgun for hunting (Duck & Deer)

[SWThomas]

So I'm finally going to get into hunting. Mainly ducks and deer. I use to hunt hogs but we never used a gun and it wasn't legal.... A couple of co-workers and I are working out all of the logistics and slowly accumulating the equipment we will need. I'm going to the Bass Pro Shop in Savannah this weekend to look at some shotguns. I fully intend to make a purchase if the price is right and I find what I want.

Basically, I'm looking for a 12 gauge that I can use to shoot ducks and then change barrels and use to shoot deer. I know a rifle would be better to shoot deer, but I'm going to start out hunting on base and they only allow shotgun use. That'll be fine for me right now.... BABY STEPS... I'm thinking about getting a semi-auto instead of a pump, but I'm open to suggestions if you think one has an advantage over the other.

I know a lot of people on this site hunt so I was hoping some of you would offer me some advice on which shotgun would be best for my needs. I'm willing to pay a little more for quality.

:beer:

 

[bright blue]

You don't have to change barrels, just buy one that will shoot slugs as well.

I'm not up to date on shotguns, so I don't know what is out there. I've had the same 8 guns for almost 10 years. What ain't broke, I don't fix.

Stick with Remington, Mossberg, Browning, etc.

Don't buy Charles Daily. Dad bought one of them, 2 shots from a 3 1/2" mag, game over, firing pin broke. Charles like to work on his guns daily. :lol1:

Anyway, good luck in your decision, and go out there and get them ducks and bucks!

 

[chrisheltra]

Chinese made sawed off shotgun with a 12X scope should do ya fine.

Wish I could help more but cant us both being born and raised in the south you would think we would know more about these kind of things.

 

[Evil Bender]

I like my remington 1100 ,its reliable and you can find them in pawnshops everywhere.

 

[canibus]

you know you can only shoot one deer a year right

 

[matab14]

Remington 12ga 870 Express....Great gun for the price. I use a 26" barrel along with that. I think it ran me around $280-$290.....It's light and perfect for what your looking for. I went with a camo pattern as well. I have been using this Gun for 3 years now and love it. I don't hunt deer all that much but do Hunt Ducks about everyday I can in season of course! haha

I know others that shoot Binelli 12ga's as well but you wont hardly get out the store without dropping $1200-$1400. Guess all depends onwhat your looking to spend.

Hope this helps.

 

[usmcrebel]

Remington 870 hands down. you can't beat the quality and reliability for the price.

 

[GodStang]

you know you can only shoot one deer a year right

Wow you lost your talking privileges. There is no limit on shooting deer in his state. I know people that have killed 6 in one day on a mass dog drive.

Ok now onto shotguns. I hunt Quail, Duck, Deer, hogs, and Dove all with the same gun with different chokes. Hands down the best shot gun is the Benelli. Best feeling and best shooting. You do not have to change barrels just chokes. I have owned/shot most brands and this gun is by far the best. As said above stay away from Charles Dailey. Pops has one and he took it hunting once and it broke. He sent it back to get fixed and he took it hunting again and again it broke. He then bought a Benlli to match mine. I was shooting a Remington 1100 and a Browning A5 both 12 gauge semi autos and both nice but no where in the same league as the Benelli. You can also add a Pattern Master choke for deer hunting they are very nice and an extension tube to handle 7 3.5" shells.


This is the one I have its the super black eagle II:

 

[Posi]

^Damn I'm impressed lol. I got the older one and love it. Expensive yes but it will be the last shotgun you ever buy.

You know how to make it hold 4 shells? Because I do:thumbsup:. I can tell you how also.

 

[rev440]

You'll shout your eye out kid.

 

[matab14]

My 870 holds 5 shells...but the Illinois Game Warden's like to write tickets for people that remove the plug and keep anymore than 3 in the chamber. So i stray from that urge! haha

 

[Posi]

^Binelli's hold 4 shells with the plug "IN" haha lol. They are a "jamless" shotgun.

 

[LuDamiKE81]

+1 on all the above. 870,1100 FTW I love mine i also have a mossberg pump. My uncle had an old savage "goose gun" it was something like a 42" barrel 3.5 in mag bolt action. If you see the dot in the air you can kill it with that. But IMO automatics always win.

 

[matab14]

^Binelli's hold 4 shells with the plug "IN" haha lol. They are a "jamless" shotgun.

I see. Didnt realize that. State law here sitll says no more than 3.

 

[SWThomas]

That's a lot of votes for the 870. The good thing about that would be that I'm already trained to work on them since we use to have them in the USMC and I'm a Small Arms Repairman. I'll see what they have at BPS and unless they're having a sale on Benelli's, I'll probably go home with an 1100.

So let me get this right.... I can shoot birds and deer with the same barrel as long as I just change out chokes? Does that also apply if I'm going to use slugs?

 

[Posi]

I see. Didnt realize that. State law here sitll says no more than 3.

^Same as the state law everywhere else. That's the thing you can sneak an extra one in and it's a huge selling point for Binelli. Just need to keep an eye for the ole Game Warden. I'm not saying I do it but I'm saying it's a huge selling point. Let alone the Super Black Eagle for the money is the best shotgun you can buy.

 

[SWThomas]

What's the difference between a Remington 870 and an 1100?

 

[Posi]

Hey if you need a duck or goose call check these out. Expesive like Binelli's but they sound badass! He's my brother also.

www.wingtipsdown.com

 

[THE_STIG]

Get the AA12, you will NEVER MISS......








(google it)












(for the lazy)
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhstuvzMiB0"]YouTube - AA12 Automatic Shotgun[/ame]

 

[GodStang]

In South Carolina (where the OP is from) a Shotgun can only hold 3 shells when hunting Migratory birds but can hold as many as you want when hunting hog and deer. I have the matching Camo extension tube on the Benelli for Deer hunting and it holds seven 3.5" and one 2.75" shell for a total of 8 shells.