Girlfriend Wants A 12 Gauge

[gnefishin]

Shes been shooting a couple times with me using a remington 870 12 guage with a 28 inch barrel but its just too heavy for her. She like the pump action or even a single shot. I know with a lighter gun comes more recoil. So it seems 20 guage would be the way to go. Would be used for clays only. Any model suggestion, standard or youth?

[taperxz]

NO! single shot 20 gauge kicks like a mule for what it is. Try a 16 gauge semi auto. JMO

[Chris M]

If she's open to semi-auto - 20ga Benelli Montefeltro

Otherwise, pick up a decent 20ga over/under

Youth sizes pretty much just shorten the stock and barrel. Lighter gun with shorter length of pull.

I've been looking for a shotgun for my wife for quite a while. She needs a shorter stock, wants a 12ga semi-auto or pump...and she's a lefty. I'm pretty sure the Montefeltro is the only way to go for her.

[bombadillo]

Beretta Urika II will be her gun. Great soft shooting gun for a 12ga with skeet loads. That would be a fantastic gun for her. Buy her a good one and do it right.

[Chris M]

Buy her a good one and do it right.

Absolutely! My wife and I made the mistake of settling for a cheap Tri-Star Viper...which is a Montefeltro look-alike, and cost about 1/3 the amount of the Benelli. We really should have just dropped the extra $700 on the Benelli.

[rojocorsa]

Yup, they say that the AL 391s are very nice. I did notice that it had a wide price range too.

[Trapper]

I'd aviod youth models, low end single shots and any 16ga. Most youth model shotguns have a shorter barrel along with a shorter length of pull. The shorter 21" barrel will not swing as well and my experence has been that the number of birds hit will decrease. Any good gunsmith will be able to adjust length of pull and add a recoil pad for around $100
Light weight single shots have much more felt recoil than a pump, semi or double in the same guage.
The 16ga has been decreasing in popularity for the past 40 years, possibly longer but I don't remember much prior to 1971. If you want to pay more for shotgun shells go for a 28ga other than that stick with a 12ga or 20ga.

[aippi]

I doubt an 870 20ga is going to kick anyone with skeet loads.

Yes, she would very happy with the 870 in 20ga.

[Chris M]

And if recoil is an issue, there's always limbsaver pads. Proper form and stance will also help tremendously with absorbing recoil.

[Go Navy]

Over/Under: too heavy for her. 12 gauge.....too much recoil for most gals, period. 16 gauge: ammo too hard to find; empty brass, primers, etc. for reloading too hard to find. 20 gauge: "just right"! Get a 20 gauge semi auto and don't look back.

I have a Browning Silver Hunter 20 semi, and it is a sweet, sweet shotgun with soft recoil. I've hunted pheasant with it and will also be using it for busting clays. The previous model, the Browning Gold, is also sweet, and you can find both.

[jayboy74]

avoid the single shot , Have any friends who own 20 or 16gauge pump guns? If so ask to go shooting with them and see if they will let her shoot their guns. I love shotguns and collect vintage pump and double barrel guns mainly old rabbit ear shotguns. I have never shot a pump 20 or 16 gauge that was not fun to shoot. The kick on most 20 or 16 gauge pump guns is not bad at all , If she shot a 12 gauge then she can handle the smaller gauge guns

[gnefishin]

Thanks for all the helpful tips!! Seems that the best way to go is 20 gauge semi, but if anyones getting a $1000 shotgun its going to be me .
@ Chris M Im also a lefty and have learned to use a right handed gun, there much easier to find and ive never been hit by any shells. .22 semi auto will get her once in a while.

[Marlin Hunter]

Have you looked at the Nova? It costs about as much as a Remington 870.

[Katana]

I have a 20 gauge Browning Gold Hunter and, except for my .22s, it has the softest recoil of any long gun I've ever fired.

[Thefeeder]

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Have her shoot different guns before choosing.....If the gun fits, the recoil will be minimal..

If you think a 20ga will kick less then a 12 because its smaller......Wrong. I have a Citori 20ga that will kick the Cr*p out of my cheek, it doesnt fit me so I have to compansate by pressing harder on the stock

A 7 1/2lb 12ga will kick like a 6 1/4lb 20ga....

Stock length is up to what the shooter likes