Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: wizardgoat on November 05, 2015, 07:33:13 pm
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Can you guys recommend me a good shotgun?
Will probably never hunt with it, mostly for protection in the bush, and some good times.
I don't plan on owning too many, so if you guys could have just one shotgun what would it be?
Cheers
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Remington 870 12 guage in 3" magnum. Damn near bullet proof and as reliable as a Swiss watch. It'll handle any job requiring a shotgun and they're reasonably priced. Josh
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+1 what Josh said...........
DBar
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Anything with a good old fashioned breech action for me. Less parts, less can go wrong. No quirks. Ether have a functional gun or you dont. Pluss i figure that in self defence in the bush two shots is about all youll get before that grizz is on top of you anyways.
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Remington 870 12 guage in 3" magnum. Damn near bullet proof and as reliable as a Swiss watch. It'll handle any job requiring a shotgun and they're reasonably priced. Josh
^ yup
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Anything with a good old fashioned breech action for me. Less parts, less can go wrong. No quirks. Ether have a functional gun or you dont. Pluss i figure that in self defence in the bush two shots is about all youll get before that grizz is on top of you anyways.
I'm guessing that you've never seen the inside of a hammerless s/s or o/u. They have plenty of small intricate parts to malfunction. However, a hammer type single shot fits your preferences quite well. Josh
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I would suggest a Remington 870 also. You can get them with the slug barrel and bird barrel combo. They are super easy to swap out to. I've had one since I was in high school. It's taken down a lot of deer, rabbits, and clay targets. Never had a single problem with it.
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Can you guys recommend me a good shotgun?
Will probably never hunt with it, mostly for protection in the bush, and some good times.
Based on your criteria,i would second jayman448.A good single shot shotgun,would be my choice.
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Anything with a good old fashioned breech action for me. Less parts, less can go wrong. No quirks. Ether have a functional gun or you dont. Pluss i figure that in self defence in the bush two shots is about all youll get before that grizz is on top of you anyways.
I'm guessing that you've never seen the inside of a hammerless s/s or o/u. They have plenty of small intricate parts to malfunction. However, a hammer type single shot fits your preferences quite well. Josh
I guess i should have mentioned the hammer thing. I did indeed mean a double breach with hammers
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870 is a great hunting gun. I own two, a 20 and a 12 . But since you are not going to hunt, want to use it in the bush for protection I would get a short barrel 12 gauge double barrel. Much easier to tote around.
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I am with Josh, Rem. 870 3" mag. You can get different sized barrels, and stocks. If you going to use if for home defense, or defense in the woods, while hiking, camping etc. You can get a stock with a pistol grip. Do not get just the pistol grip. it is pretty much useless, in my opinion. Get the one with the stock, and pistol grip combo. you can put the stock under your arm, and hold the pistol grip, and finger off the trigger, at the ready, and a flash light in the other hand, held out away from your body, so if the light becomes a target, you are not behind it, while investigating things that go bump in the night. Also you can change barrels, for defense, to hunting. you can get chokes for it. The barrel will usually come with a choke already built into the barrel, full, mod, cylinder bore, Improved cylinder, etc. you can get barrels,with screw in chokes. I would recommend a Modified choke, as it is the most adaptable in most situations. If you are going to be duck, or goose hunting, get a full choke, but the Modified is the all around choke. And yes you can shoot slugs out of a full choke. The 870 is a VERY dependable gun. My second choice and right next to the 870, is the Mossberg Pump, in 3inch mag. It has the tang safety, and two slide action bars. You don't have to shoot 3 inch mags in these guns, you can shoot 23/4 inch, in them also. But the mag is a bit more powerful, and more shot capacity. A single shot is fine for back packing, or a truck, or boat gun, but when the chips are down, do you really want a single shot? Get the 870, and then look for accessories, but like I said, the pistol grip, is just Hollywood. Shoot one a couple of times, especially 3" magnum buckshot, and you will soon be putting the real stock back on. Plus you have much more control with a stock with, or without the pistol grip. Anyway, that is my two cents. I have an 870, 3 " mag, with 20 inch modified barrel, and a stock with a pistol grip, and flash light attachment. It is by the bed within arms reach, in case a bear,or other critter, thinks it wants something in my house. I have had bears in my yard, and a young one on my deck, and it showed no fear, when I rapped my knuckles against the sliding glass doors,
So I grabbed my pistol, and stepped out on the deck, and jumped, and stomped on the deck, and yelled at the bear, and it took off. But the big boy, in my yard, was a big black bear, but there are Griz, here too. My neighbor had a sow, and cub walk in front of him, as he was walking out of his shop. The shotgun, by the bed, I keep loaded with 3"inch Mag buckshot. If you are just using it for home defense, against intruders, I would suggest, number six shot, for the first two rounds, and then buckshot for the rest. You can get extended magazines for it. Number 6 shot, at close range, will cut most anything in half, and will not go through two or three walls, and hit innocent persons, as the energy will be be spent, to the point it will be pretty much harmless. Besides, even empty, just the sound of a pump action shotgun, in the dark, is universal, and gets people who should not be there to thinking about exiting as soon as possible. Good luck with your decision.
Wayne
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I've had an 870 for years and love it, i aslo have an old stevens 20ga single shot i got for christmas when i was 10 that is a great gun and it weighs next to nothing and breaks down to fit in tour pac
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12 ga Remington 870 3" mag
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I would also say and 870. so much versatility in one gun and solid and reliable.
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You can get a 870 clone made by H&R in China for about $150 on sale. Remington sued H&R for producing it then turned around and bought the company. The barrels won't interchange but it is a pretty close copy. Mine says H&R Pardner on one side of the barrel, Remington, Ilion NY on the other.
The fit and finish is not like a Remington but the function is flawless. Mine is leaning up at the corner of my bed to stop home invaders, crack heads or other unwanted guests. 3" magnum turkey loads are vicious things.
I have an 1187 Remington I hunt doves with, any other scattergunning I do is with a flintlock fowler.
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Benelli Nova. The ability to add a 3 1/2 mag for goose on the fly is a great option. With the addition of a recoil reducer that goes into the butt they are pretty light.
Now if we are talking if price weren't an issue, Benelli Super Black Eagle 2.
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870.
Unless you are a lefty, then Browning BPS...bottom eject settles the dominant hand issue.
Either way, the sound of the slide racking on a shotgun speaks a universal language, whether it is a .410, 20 ga. 12 ga, or boss hog 3 1/2 inch magdumb 10 guage. It tells people the reason the door was locked for the intruder's safety, not yours.
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Cheers guys, thanks for all the advice.
The guy in one shop was trying to sell me on a dominion arms grizzley. It has mixed reviews, the 8.5" looks pretty cool though, it's was super cheap, a little too cheap...?
I went to another store and the 2 guys also said the 870 was the way to go.
Looks like lots of votes for the 870, thanks again guys
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Make sure to post some pictures of whatever you get.
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870.
Unless you are a lefty, then Browning BPS...bottom eject settles the dominant hand issue.
Either way, the sound of the slide racking on a shotgun speaks a universal language, whether it is a .410, 20 ga. 12 ga, or boss hog 3 1/2 inch magdumb 10 guage. It tells people the reason the door was locked for the intruder's safety, not yours.
Lefty or not doesn't matter all i ever shot was right handed guns till a few years back and even my black powders are righty, shooting is shooting, only gun bothered me was an ar them shells get hot before they hit ya in the face
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the sound of the slide racking on a shotgun speaks a universal language, whether it is a .410, 20 ga. 12 ga, or boss hog 3 1/2 inch magdumb 10 guage. It tells people the reason the door was locked for the intruder's safety, not yours.
Im of a different opinion on this.I dont want an intruder knowing my location,until im ready to fire.If i choose,i can scare them with my voice,right before i fire or to tell them its time to give it up and go prone.If they know my location before i have the upper hand,then they know where to start firing and could get a lucky shot.Tweakers are known to just start firing at any sound.
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remington 870, but if i had money, and it was legal AA12. but the money thing ya know, so 870.Tony
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I'd go with the 870 also, unless you can handle the Mossberg 835 in a short barrel. That's what I have for a turkey gun.
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I've got to agree, an 870 Wingmaster 12 guage with a 28 Modified barrel - I've had mine for over 50 years. I've also kept a couple of single shots, a 12 and 410 both of which are older than me being hand down family guns.
If you want a repeater, go with an older Wingmaster, since the advent of screw in chokes, the fixed choke, like mine, have become a great used gun buy.
YMMV
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Yeah Gifford,
My old Iver Johnson is at least 80 years old and shoots as good as the day it was made and it aint been pampered neither.
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is the bush you prowl include salt water boating access or bears?
chrome and stainless short barrel pumps are popular further up the coast
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If ya think yer the rifle man get yerself a 45/70 mares leg xD ka frikkin boom. Hahaha
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Sometimes you can find some dandy guns at shows. I picked up an unusual 12 gauge that was missing some parts many years ago. It was a short barrel pump action Mossberg with adjustable choke and a 3 round clip. It was missing the butt stock, firing pin and the clip. I rebuilt it, making a stock out of Maple, and was able to find the other missing parts. The gun was light and kicked like a Mule but it was reliable and versatile, pity it got stolen.
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If ya think yer the rifle man get yerself a 45/70 mares leg xD ka frikkin boom. Hahaha
The Guide gun is available in 45/70 or .444 Marlin (18 inch barrel, lever action, ported barrel.). Grizzly arms also has a 45/70 5 shot revolver, it is called "Maxine".
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Maxine kills fore and aft!
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revolver would do the wizard no good. too much extra certification to have a pistol in Canada and you cant carry it even if you do get the licensing. (must be kept in a locked case for transport to and from a shooting range only)
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I can't believe I'll be the first to say this .... But ....
Remington 1100 12ga 2-3/4" .... No need for the magnum. The standard 1100 will cycle anything from clay loads to slugs every time as long as you keep it clean. I've never had mine fail to cycle on any hunting load, only target loads after hundreds of shots without cleaning. Cleaning is a 5min deal. People will tell you the gas system o-rings fail .... They are target shooters and yes 10,000 rounds will do that. The oring in mine is 30yrs old and has seen thousands of shells. Oring cost like 25c.
I also own the HR pardoner 870 clone in 20ga and you get what you pay for. It functions ... Enough said.
If you're into single shots, I have a Baikal Russian single shot, and for the $100 I paid the quality is quite good. Little blocky, but nothing a half round file, sandpaper and time can't fix.
Let's be honest, do you wanna defend yourself with 1 shell, or 5 shells?
With that said an 870 or 1100 is probably 8lbs minimum and a single shot is probably 6lbs ... So it's not a trivial difference if you're backpacking.
Lastly, and just a thought, if you're strictly concerned with protection in the bush, maybe a .22lr is a decent choice. They're reliable with good ammo, ammo is cheap and light, and the guns themselves are cheap, small, and light.
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The OP does not want a hunting shotgun but one for protection and security in the bush and that is why I suggested the very easy and quick to use double barrel.
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The OP does not want a hunting shotgun but one for protection and security in the bush and that is why I suggested the very easy and quick to use double barrel.
What double would you suggest? I've only ever owned a Beretta 686 sporting that obviously I would never dream to drag through the woods. Just way too long, bulky, and thin walled in the barrels. Rugged is definately not the word.
Had a buddy who owned one of those short coach sxs which was quite handy.
As a broader point, and mind you I don't know the laws in Canada, but why not use a rifle? Marlin camp 9, or camp 45, m1 carbine, ar15 .... I guess that's really a question for the OP. Don't get me wrong I love a good shotgun, but a semiautomatic rifle is a whole different ball of wax.
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There are tons of old breach double barrels with hammers floating around. Just look for some old sears brand. They are surprisingly bullet proof from what ive seen. Dont really need to have any specific model and make in mind, just the functions. People can spit model numbers at ya till your blue in the face. Just figure what functionality you want first and go from there. (Pump or breach or bolt, barrel length and cofiguration (if its over under or side by side), gauge, ability to shoot slugs, etc.)
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I hunted hogs and Dove for years with an old Stevens 12 gauge side by side. Never had a bit of trouble with it and wished I never sold it.
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I would look for a good used one in the shortest barrel that is legal to carry.
A short barrel double barrel can be carried easily in a back pack or an over the shoulder sling while hiking your way thru the woods. Like I wrote. I have two 870's and like them both but my favorite shotgun was my Stevens double barrel that my son confiscated. Funny how that works!!!
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Let's be honest, do you wanna defend yourself with 1 shell, or 5 shells?
With a single shot break action shotgun,i have as many shells as i care to carry.Its quicker to load that first shot and do it more quietly.They are much safer to carry around in the brush loaded,dont require constant cleaning to operate properly,can be much more easily field stripped for cleaning and repair and are lighter to carry around.With a bit of practice and training,you would be amazed at how fast a person can reload them.In a wilderness or bush wandering case scenario,ill take reliable in all conditions over fast any day.
As for a self defense weapon....
How many of you,have actually been in a serious self defense situation?how many of you have had to use lethal force to get out of that situation alive?
If you have,then you know,that in a real world situation,there is much more to self defense,then just standing in 1 spot,rackin and poppin off rounds.
If you stand by that attitude,then i say,someone has been watching too many movies and playing too many video games.Are there exceptions to every rule?In most cases yes,but i have to go on my experience and not by what other people theorize about.
And dont even get me started on the whole caliber thing.Ive has this debate with way too many people over too many years.
Now im not telling anyone they have to carry what i choose,or that they are wrong in that choice,but at the same time,dont be tellin me,my choice is the wrong one either.
PS...
I dont just own a single shot shotgun,so what does that tell you.LOL