Gun peoples: first shotgun.

[BICH]

BPS High Capacity

[z06boy]

Originally Posted by Triple

I've read that Mossberg and Remington 12-gauges are among the best for the price. Recommendations?

Either will serve your purpose as long as you have a slug barrel if you intend to use slugs.

[fnfalman]

Originally Posted by Triple

[Seems just about perfect for home defense. However, can it be easily altered for hunting use? It has a fixed choke barrel; can a longer barrel be swapped on and off for hunting?

Site says it has a 3" chamber. Does that mean it can fit all shells 3 inches and under? Does the size of the shell determine the number/size of pellets..?

All of these shotguns have interchangeable barrels.

The 3" chamber does mean that it will take all shells 3" and below. And yes, the size of the shell determines the quantities of the pellets.

[Amorok]

Any American Repeating Arms shotgun barrel will fit any domestic shotgun and most standard models of Benelli's. The Nova's and the like are a different story, but for the most part you can get a barrel from ARA and be sure it'll work, and I've never paid more than $150 for a barrel. Try sites like Gunbroker or Gunsamerica, you'll find deals there.

I use a Winchester 1300, don't know if it'sa been mentioned before. $300 new in the box and it holds 6 plus 1.

[t-homo]

Double check your laws as far as high capacity go for when you are hunting. I know in MO, its illegal to hunt waterfowl with a gun that holds more than 3 shells. My nova can hold 4 (almost 5) 2 3/4 inch shells with the plug out of the magazine, but the plug stops it at 3 total.

[Smittie61984]

Are you more concerned with Home Defense or hunting. Home defense with some hunting I'd get something like a Remington 870express 20ga. I actually have a youth model from when I was 12. Great gun. Make sure it's a pump gun. Pump guns are like tanks and won't let you down. Plus an intruder will shit their pants at the sound of that.

More hunting than home defense a 12ga for sure. But a basic model Remington, Browning, etc will work great. Shotguns are simple enough that you can't really screw them up. I've shot probaby 50+ different type of shotguns including some high dollar ones. A good midgrade is fine.

[HRCNICK11]

When in doubt buy the pick one!

[LeeNetworX]

Originally Posted by Triple

How can you purchase a gun from one of these sites if you aren't a dealer and your local dealer won't let you have it shipped to them..?

You can't. If your local FFL dealers won't accept them for you for a fee (usually $15-25) then there's nothing you can do, except buy one from them or drive to somewhere else.

Have you tried one of these locater tools?

http://www.auctionarms.com/help/fflnetwork.cfm



You could always get an FFL of your own?

http://www.fflkit.com/?hop=binocs

[ericr]

I keep forgetting your're in GA Triple. IF you can't get your local dealer to do a transfer, try Bargain Barn in Jasper, they have decent prices.

On shooting slugs, the most accurate is a dedicated rifled slug barrel. You can get rifled "slug" choke tubes for some guns, depends on the brand. It is bad to shoot slugs through regular shotshell choke tubes.

The chamber size is the max length shell you can fire in that gun... but the next longer size will sometimes chamber and can be dangerous if you fire it. THe longer the shell, the more powder and shot in them so size does matter. Do you always need bigger? Not always. A 3" chamber gun will handle most hunting situations unless you really want long range for waterfowl or maybe turky. Also GA law limits the gun to 5 shells for deer, 3 for small game and dove so if you get a 7 or 8 shot gun you have to make sure you get the right magazine plug for those limits. And the shell limit includes teh round in the chamber so small game, 2 in the mag and 1 in the chamber.

THe Benelli M1 is a bad mofo, I bought one 8 or 9 years ago but they are expensive. Mine has ghost ring sights and now has a 8 shot extension.

[Captain Morgan]

Originally Posted by ericr

Also GA law limits the gun to 5 shells for deer, 3 for small game and dove so if you get a 7 or 8 shot gun you have to make sure you get the right magazine plug for those limits. And the shell limit includes teh round in the chamber so small game, 2 in the mag and 1 in the chamber.

Most of these "plugs" are simply a small dowel rod that slides into the magazine to limit how far the shells will go into it, thus limiting the number of shells you have in there. My cheap mossberg came with one, so I imagine all other guns will come with one as well. If not, you can actually make one for a couple of dollars. If your gun doesn't come with it, PM me and I'll take a pic and send it to you.