Shotguns

[IDFireLass]

Timber_hunter, funny you should say that. I did shot a grouse left handed this fall. But now I'm dealing with a tear in the rotator cuff on the left side. It some of the problem of not strong and being able to lift heavy shotguns.

Salmonchaser, I'm in no hurry at all. Need to see if I can shoot the Remington in 20ga we have. If I can handle it and not feel like it'll dislocate the shoulder I will probably go with it. The prices are a little too shocking to the system. Need to get over the prices.

Cabelas is so sad. Can't stand Crap Pro won't buy much of anything in the store now.

Thanks everyone for your information on everything. A lot to think about.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Avoid inertia automatics (e.g. new Browning A5 ... not to be confused with old long recoil A5). Felt recoil for inertia action is comparable to fixed breech (e.g. O/U or pump action). You want lightweight AND light recoil = gas shotgun. Weatherby Orion is worth a look. Or ATA. I believe they are essentially the same shotgun. Very high quality Turkish made (ATA is the best of the Turkish batch in my opinion) and very affordable. The ATA autos do seem to have a slightly longer stock but that's easily remedied by gunsmith. I'm hearing good things about new Winchester auto shotguns but I don't see many in twenty gauge.

I caution you about sharing a shotgun unless both of you are same size. Wingshooting requires a shotgun that fits perfectly. Anyone can make a poor fitting shotgun work shooting trap or turkeys. But going from carry to shoulder and shooting at a moving target (i.e. wingshooting birds) is different. Very different. You both should have your own gun.

Fixed breech O/U or pump will thump you. If you don't have the weight to mitigate, those guns can thump hard. I also need to reduce recoil due to physical limitations ... retina detachments. So I chose probably the heaviest auto shotgun ever made, an old Browning A5 magnum twelve gauge with 31" barrel (1100 Remington in 3" 12 gauge may be heavier). Every once in a while when the weather is bad, I will shoot trap league with my former goose gun, an 870 twelve gauge pump. After one round I ask myself how the hell did I put up with that recoil for forty years. And sometimes I'll shoot skeet with the twelve gauge Citori I picked up a few years ago. Same thing. Immediately I notice the big difference in felt recoil. I don't shoot it very often because I don't shoot it nearly as well as my old A5 Magnum. The Citori has a slightly thicker stock than the plastic my A5 now wears. I shoot skeet low gun (shotgun held at field carry position when target is pulled, then mounted and fired). Proper fit for me can be the difference of five or more targets per round!
View attachment 351286
Three roosters last week in as many shots. Several times this year. Fit is paramount.

And this rooster yesterday late afternoon in fifty mph wind and light snow (temp just above freezing). Missed the first shot as the wind got him. No doubt on the followup. The only bird to give me a shot. Fit is especially important when the shooting is fast and furious.