What would the shotgun be used for? Hunting or home defense? A 20 guage would be lighter, and works well for most uses.
New to Shotgun world - Any suggestions?
Ok so I'm 5'3". We have several rifles - some easy for me to shoot, some not. I am more experienced with pistols and have no experience with shotguns at this point.
My question is I think I want a 12 Gauge shotgun, but everything I've picked up has been too heavy or too long. The youth ones don't feel just right either. Any ladies have that trouble on here or maybe someone's wife? Suggestions appreciated.
My question is I think I want a 12 Gauge shotgun, but everything I've picked up has been too heavy or too long. The youth ones don't feel just right either. Any ladies have that trouble on here or maybe someone's wife? Suggestions appreciated.
1 - 20 of 32 Posts
Probably more home defense. But in a SHTF scenario you never know possibly hunting also.
+1! You could also shorten the stock.What would the shotgun be used for? Hunting or home defense? A 20 guage would be lighter, and works well for most uses.
Regards, Pete
12 guage Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 with a Knoxx spec ops stock. The stock is adjustable and reduces recoil.
I would go with the 20 guage. It's definitely good for home defense, will take down small game easily, and I've seen many deer dropped with them. With your size, the ability to get more rounds on target easily and accurately with a 20 will more than outweigh the benefits of the 12's extra power.
12 Gauge 870. Cheap, common, and reliable.12 guage Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 with a Knoxx spec ops stock. The stock is adjustable and reduces recoil.
I would NOT go for a 20 gauge. If it hurts to shoot a 12 gauge then your not doing it right.
you are 5'3" or the wife is?Ok so I'm 5'3". We have several rifles - some easy for me to shoot, some not. I am more experienced with pistols and have no experience with shotguns at this point.
My question is I think I want a 12 Gauge shotgun, but everything I've picked up has been too heavy or too long. The youth ones don't feel just right either. Any ladies have that trouble on here or maybe someone's wife? Suggestions appreciated.
the length does i guess in theroy put more pounds further away giving it more leverage, but i have to ask, how much do you weight? 100 lbs?
Granted i was taller than you i think or close to your size in middle school when i started shooting shotguns for the first time. I was really skinny when i was younger, tall and skinny. I would hit clays no problem with a remmy 870 pump, and a remmy 1100.
I suspect you might need to refine your stance and grip etc. There are tiny ladies out there that compete with full size shotties.
You can easily swap out a barrel on most shot guns in very short order. An 870 barrel and spring swap for real, its only a 30 second to a minute ordeal. You can swap out a 24-26 inch barrel for a 18.5" barrel. That would bring a bit more of the mass towards your body and not feel like your tipping forward.
Heres the thing though, the vast majority of the weight is to the reciver, and the back half of the gun. Basically gravity is doing the work, you just wedge it into your shoulder. Its not really lifting weight. So if you put a barrel that is even 8 inches shorter i dont know if it would help you much.
You can get a 20 or 12 guage 870 model Remington (and others) in a 'youth' model. I have one that our 15 year old girl kidlet uses, and it's fine. The only difference is the length of the stock, it's 1.5" shorter I think.
Thanks for all the help guys. In answer to one of the questions I am the wife. I weigh about 135 pounds. My husband has one shotgun and it is huge. 10 gauge double barrel inherited from his father, so I really haven't gotten the chance to practice at all with them.
I've been trying the feel of them in different shops, but they just feel so different than my 22 Winchester or Mini-14 that I think I may be overanalyzing it. I just wanted one that I would be able to keep forever. I've had several people try to make the shotgun vs. pistol argument to me in the last 6 months and thought it sounded wise.
I've been trying the feel of them in different shops, but they just feel so different than my 22 Winchester or Mini-14 that I think I may be overanalyzing it. I just wanted one that I would be able to keep forever. I've had several people try to make the shotgun vs. pistol argument to me in the last 6 months and thought it sounded wise.
Were in NC are you located.... I'd be willing to let you shoot my 870 12 ga.or my daughters Rossi 20 ga..... just FYI a 20 will kick harder than a 12...... her 20 ga is a single shot and I love shooting it..... I put 12 rounds thru it as fast as I could load them and the recoil is nothing....well I am a little bigger than you are 
(6ft and 215ish)
(6ft and 215ish)ohh well being a female then, you definately have allot less upper body strength. I think they say an in shape female is only about 1/3 as strong as an in shape male.Thanks for all the help guys. In answer to one of the questions I am the wife. I weigh about 135 pounds. My husband has one shotgun and it is huge. 10 gauge double barrel inherited from his father, so I really haven't gotten the chance to practice at all with them.
I've been trying the feel of them in different shops, but they just feel so different than my 22 Winchester or Mini-14 that I think I may be overanalyzing it. I just wanted one that I would be able to keep forever. I've had several people try to make the shotgun vs. pistol argument to me in the last 6 months and thought it sounded wise.
Hmm 10 guage double barrell and old. Well that saying they dont make them like they used to is true, lol. Old stuff is heavy, old 1950s drills, toasters, fans, hell they made everything out of giant castings. You have minimum 2 barrels so thats a good 2 pounds maybe?
Go to your local shop and try out a youth sized 12 guage.
Either look into a youth sized 12 gauge, or a 20 gauge. Even with my knoxx stock on the shortest setting, it's still too big for my girlfriend (she's 5'3 as well), and definitely too heavy for her (granted the 13 rounds in/on it add up in weight as well). We shopped around for some, and the Remington 870 Youth 20 gauge fit her very well and was not too heavy for her. Knoxx now makes the SpecOps stock for 20 gauges, though I don't konw if it'll fit a youth model or not (if it will, then I'd say DEFINITELY go that route).
mossberg also offers a bantam model with a shorter pull stock in 12 and 20ga
I've have a Mossberg 500 and a Remington 870; after using them both, I've put the 870 in my storage room, and have been exclusively using the 500. Personally, I find the disassembly for cleaning much easier, and I find the controls much more logically placed. That being said, the 870 never failed.
The one thing that was a plus for me was that the 500 came with a pistol grip, which I have on the shotgun for HD purposes.
The one thing that was a plus for me was that the 500 came with a pistol grip, which I have on the shotgun for HD purposes.
Thank you everyone for the advice. When I find it I will post pics (hopefully in the next few weeks) I'm spending the rest of the day with my pistols on the farm.
I'm spending the rest of the day with my pistols on the farm.if you find the recoil to be too much, there's plenty of reduced power loads on the market too
Saiga 12. No seriously, Saiga 12. It is an AK pattern semi-auto shotty, so it is reliable. The tapco t6 aftermarket stock is a snap to install (Took me less than 15 minutes.) and is telescoping, so it is good for you short armed people. Further, since it IS heavy it reduces the felt recoil. Even better, the way the action works also reduces recoil, so in addition to being one of the fastest fireing semi-auto shotties, it also is one of the easiest to fire. Yeah, you have a heavy beast, but something to consider is that because it doesn't use a tubular magazine it is better balanced than most traditional shotties.
Also, the things seem to LOVE federal flite control OO buckshot.
The possibility of a 12 round (Or 20 round if you go for the drum that weighs as much as the shotgun itself) magazine makes it THE shotgun I recommend for SHTF.
Also, the things seem to LOVE federal flite control OO buckshot.
The possibility of a 12 round (Or 20 round if you go for the drum that weighs as much as the shotgun itself) magazine makes it THE shotgun I recommend for SHTF.
Get a mossberg 500. Make sure you get one that has the right forend. (not one that is directly attached to the slide tube) I have that and I have to buy a new one. Get that and get a collapsable stock. ATI and Knoxx makes them.
I have the Remi 870 12 gauge and love it. I didn't get into the whole 12 vs. 20, this is strictly SHTF gun.
1 - 20 of 32 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Shotgun Forums
A forum community dedicated to all shotgun owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
AIRB0RNE6176
27 Replies
GunZoneDeals.Com
22 Replies
Flash
21 Replies
Recommended Communities
