Shotgun for my wife

[Blur125]

Hi all!

I am looking to buy a shotgun for my wife. She is small (5'1" - 110lbs) with short arms.

She can handle my Remington 870 and brother's Beretta A400 w/kick off stock, but the barrel weight and length of pull make it difficult to keep the barrel up.

I found this shotgun and am interested to see if anyone has experience with it or has any recommendations for a shotgun for her:

Beretta 3901 Target RL 12 - 26"

Basic requirements: Semi-auto 12 Guage 26-28" barrel for Trap/Skeet, women's/youth fit stock

Any recommendations are much appreciated!

[the86d]

An HD shotgun with an 18.* barrel would be easier to handle than a long barrel duck-hunter with the added forward weight, but that's all I got...
well, and this: http://compare.ebay.com/like/1110642...Types&var=sbar

As I recall, my H&R Pardner-Pump Defender was only like $234 out the door (5+1).

[BonnieB]

(Not your fault, but we've explained this about 190 times before. Please search the thread for more info from women who shoot trap. Don't bother to read the ones where men talk about what their wife needs.)

It won't really work to shoot trap/skeet with a tactical shotgun with that short a (18" barrel). And the old guys at the range, who have been shooting trap for 30 years and know what they are doing, will laugh their ashes off at you trying to do that. The point of the longer barrel is to keep the shot pattern contained at a distance.

To fit a gun, she (not you) has to go to a good gun shop that caters to hunters, when they're slow, maybe a Tuesday afternoon. She should shoulder every shotgun they have that has a shortish barrel, til she finds one she likes. (You stay home and mind the kids, let her do her own test driving. I know, guys want to help shop, but test driving like this is just about fit, not the technicals of a gun. You can't help with that).

If length of pull is an issue, get a gun with a wood stock and have a gunsmith measure her and cut the stock to her size. You can't do this effectively with a composite stock, because they're hollow. If the length of pull is right, the gun will almost balance itself in her left hand.

Take a look at a Weatherby SA-08, nice gun, not too expensive, 12 ga, semi automatic, wood stock. Or Beretta. They made a model with an adjustable stock and cheek rest, very nice, not sure if they still make it.

And it's just a given that she'll get stronger over time using a shotgun. You use muscles in your left arm that you've never really used that way before. You work them, you get stronger. She could practice shouldering the shotgun, with a snap cap, (no 'its not loaded' here). She should work up gradually to shouldering it it 25 times in a row, daily if possible, simulating a round of trap. NO pulling the trigger when practicing. Muzzle must point in a safe direction while practicing.

This should help. And remember to tell her that shotguns are pointed, not aimed.

[Blur125]

(Not your fault, but we've explained this about 190 times before. Please search the thread for more info from women who shoot trap. Don't bother to read the ones where men talk about what their wife needs.)

It won't really work to shoot trap/skeet with a tactical shotgun with that short a (18" barrel). And the old guys at the range, who have been shooting trap for 30 years and know what they are doing, will laugh their ashes off at you trying to do that. The point of the longer barrel is to keep the shot pattern contained at a distance.

To fit a gun, she (not you) has to go to a good gun shop that caters to hunters, when they're slow, maybe a Tuesday afternoon. She should shoulder every shotgun they have that has a shortish barrel, til she finds one she likes. (You stay home and mind the kids, let her do her own test driving. I know, guys want to help shop, but test driving like this is just about fit, not the technicals of a gun. You can't help with that).

If length of pull is an issue, get a gun with a wood stock and have a gunsmith measure her and cut the stock to her size. You can't do this effectively with a composite stock, because they're hollow. If the length of pull is right, the gun will almost balance itself in her left hand.

Take a look at a Weatherby SA-08, nice gun, not too expensive, 12 ga, semi automatic, wood stock. Or Beretta. They made a model with an adjustable stock and cheek rest, very nice, not sure if they still make it.

And it's just a given that she'll get stronger over time using a shotgun. You use muscles in your left arm that you've never really used that way before. You work them, you get stronger. She could practice shouldering the shotgun, with a snap cap, (no 'its not loaded' here). She should work up gradually to shouldering it it 25 times in a row, daily if possible, simulating a round of trap. NO pulling the trigger when practicing. Muzzle must point in a safe direction while practicing.

This should help. And remember to tell her that shotguns are pointed, not aimed.

Thanks BonnieB! We did shop around at Cabela's in Reno this past summer and found that the Winchester SX3 fit her the best, but I would much rather see her with a Beretta or Benelli if I'm going to spend over $1k. Otherwise I'd look at a custom built Remi 1100 or something over lesser brands.

I did a general search under Ladies forum for "Shotgun" and yielded minimal results, hence my post here. Plus, forums go stagnant/out of date over time, so you never know by creating a new post, you might generate some new ideas/products.

[Blur125]

An HD shotgun with an 18.* barrel would be easier to handle than a long barrel duck-hunter with the added forward weight, but that's all I got...
well, and this: http://compare.ebay.com/like/1110642...Types&var=sbar

As I recall, my H&R Pardner-Pump Defender was only like $234 out the door (5+1).

Not interested in a tactical shotgun or cheap pump, I'd like to get a quality semi-auto she can pass down at some point.

[Blur125]

Another good find, anyone have experience?

Winchester SX3 Compact

[adchrome]

whatever you get her, put a Limbsaver butt stock pad on it, my wife loves hers

[BonnieB]

If you put a thick recoil pad on the stock, make sure you count it in, when calculating length of pull.

Recoil shouldn't be a problem if she's holding the shotgun firmly to her shoulder, leans forward and has her feet in the right position.

(It's odd, but if you think the recoil is going to punch you, people tend to hold the stock loosely against their shoulder, to avoid the punch. Which is the exactly wrong thing to do. Snugger is better.

[California Sportsman]

Shot Gun For Your Wife!

What did she do wrong!?

[Souper]

Hi all!

I am looking to buy a shotgun for my wife. She is small (5'1" - 110lbs) with short arms.

She can handle my Remington 870 and brother's Beretta A400 w/kick off stock, but the barrel weight and length of pull make it difficult to keep the barrel up.

I found this shotgun and am interested to see if anyone has experience with it or has any recommendations for a shotgun for her:

Beretta 3901 Target RL 12 - 26"

Basic requirements: Semi-auto 12 Guage 26-28" barrel for Trap/Skeet, women's/youth fit stock

Any recommendations are much appreciated!

This girl that I've been seeing is just slightly larger than your wife (5'4 @ 115) and she has nor problem handling my Benelli M1 Super 90. It's actually her favorite gun now.

[Blur125]

My wife has no issues with recoil or handling of a shotgun too big for her. The point is, she needs one for herself that's fit to her so we can spend MORE time shooting together

She hates my ar-15 and glock 19, so if shotgunning is her thing, then you better believe I'm going to get her something nice!!

[Blur125]

What did she do wrong!?

As long as I don't end up on the other side of her shotgun..nothing! lol

[Blur125]

This girl that I've been porking is just slightly larger than your wife (5'4 @ 115) and she has nor problem handling my Benelli M1 Super 90. It's actually her favorite gun now.

Yea..that's too tactical and no good for clays. Sure, fun at say, Camp Far West..but trap/skeet? Forget about it, you'll get laughed at.

[Souper]

Yea..that's too tactical and no good for clays. Sure, fun at say, Camp Far West..but trap/skeet? Forget about it, you'll get laughed at.

She actually did way better at clays with the S90 than my nova with a 28" barrel.

you can have a long barrel too, plus with the short barrel you can have a great 3gun rig.

[ksaeger31]

10 ga should work just fine for her....You'll probably get alot of laughs