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Sidearms & Scatterguns Help with a 12 ga auto

quietmike

quietmike

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Minuteman
Oct 17, 2009
2,802
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Shelbyville, TN
So my wife decided she wanted to learn to shoot more guns than just her CCW.
She eventually got around to the 870 12ga. I started her off with light field loads, moving up to 00 buck and slugs. She likes it, but doesn't like the recoil.
I told her autos took some of the recoil away. She says, why don't we have one then. So, I get to buy a new shotgun for her.
I've looked at some of the go-to guns like the Benelli M2, Beretta 1301, Rem 1100, and Winchester sx3.
I don't know much at all about shottys besides the very basics. Looking for advice on the above guns, or others I'm not thinking of.
Will be partly for HD, but mostly for a range toy.
 
All I can talk about is the Remington 1100 or 1187, I've shot them for years. One thing I can say about them is they are reliable. Mine have been very dirty after multiple shoots and hunts and whatever else i was blasting, and it just kept cycling. Thats just my experiance tho
 
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Hard to beat an 1187 in price and reliability.

That said, all my shotguns are from Browning.
BPS, Citoris, and Auto A5.

Almost forgot about my Ithaca Model 37, but it has a rifled bore and a scope on it. A little different application.
 
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I will second the stoeger. I bought an m3500 a coworker wrote off as junk. Put a new extractor and some springs and it runs flawless now. I shot several hundred rounds through it in the feild and it has performed great
 
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Recoil op like the M2 or A5 have substantially more recoil than something like a beretta 391/400 or rem 1100.

Probably not what you're after, but I'd be looking for something that would be suitable for shooting clays.
 
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Berretta has that "kick off" unit, I don't recall the model that I tried, but it was very soft to shoot.
 
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Buy something with a defensive barrel and an interchangable
skeet or clays barrel reddily available.

Adjust stock lop to fit her and a nice decelerater butpad.

May as well get full use of it and her taking ownership decisions
go a very long way to confidence building / satisfaction.

Get a gunsmith to check and set lop and many of my wife's friends
like to paint them so used with a plain stock may be just as good.
 
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My wife, 5'4 125 lbs shoots a 12 ga just fine. The trick is to teach her proper shooting technique. i.e.
1. Pull shotgun tight to shoulder
2. Use an aggressive shooting stance, forward like a martial artist or boxer.
3. Roll with the recoil, don't fight it.
4. Use lots of hearing protection, the noise is more intimidatiing than the recoil
 
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Also if just for defense use birdshot for practice.
And one or two hot loads near the end of range time.

I do that as well, saves money.

Plus 1 on @buffalowinter suggestions double earpro is everyones friend.

Edit: A womans only class as a gift goes a long way towards making you look good. Lol
 
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buffalowinter said:
My wife, 5'4 125 lbs shoots a 12 ga just fine. The trick is to teach her proper shooting technique. i.e.
1. Pull shotgun tight to shoulder
2. Use an aggressive shooting stance, forward like a martial artist or boxer.
3. Roll with the recoil, don't fight it.
4. Use lots of hearing protection, the noise is more intimidatiing than the recoil
Click to expand...

5. Use a shotgun that fits the shooter.
 
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quietmike said:
So my wife decided she wanted to learn to shoot more guns than just her CCW.
She eventually got around to the 870 12ga. I started her off with light field loads, moving up to 00 buck and slugs. She likes it, but doesn't like the recoil.
I told her autos took some of the recoil away. She says, why don't we have one then. So, I get to buy a new shotgun for her.
I've looked at some of the go-to guns like the Benelli M2, Beretta 1301, Rem 1100, and Winchester sx3.
I don't know much at all about shottys besides the very basics. Looking for advice on the above guns, or others I'm not thinking of.
Will be partly for HD, but mostly for a range toy.
Click to expand...


Stay absolutely the fuck away from the 1187 unless frustration is something you'd like to deal with. Plenty of data out there on it's nature to jam and generally fuck itself up.
 
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I've got a new Beretta A391 Xtrema2 I should probably get rid of since it doesn't look like I'll ever use. Super light recoil.
 
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I’ve shot the Benelli M4 with a few different loads, and the Beretta 391 (might have been a 390). I didn’t own either gun, and it’s been 10-12 years since I shot them. I remember the M4 being a lot of fun, but it was heavy and the recoil was noticeable. We were shooting buckshot, buck & ball, and slugs. With the 39_, we were shooting #7 or #8 dove loads. For a 12 gauge, recoil was non-existent. I know these are very different guns, with different barrel lengths, made for different purposes, shooting different loads.

Having said all of that, I think your wife could learn to shoot an M4 if she already likes 12 gauge and wants an OAF shotgun. If she wants to hunt or shoot clays, the Beretta would be a great gun. If I were to go buy a shotgun today, I would probably pick up a 1301.
 
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Have her try a PAST recoil strap on shield. I use mine for everything from my Mossy 500 pump with slugs and my Mosin Nagant M-38 with Hungarian heavy ball (kicks kike a fricking mule). Of course I'm a 69 year old fart. Otherwise I'd take a hard look at a 20 gauge as someone else mentioned.








have her try a PAST
 
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quietmike said:
So my wife decided she wanted to learn to shoot more guns than just her CCW.
She eventually got around to the 870 12ga. I started her off with light field loads, moving up to 00 buck and slugs. She likes it, but doesn't like the recoil.
I told her autos took some of the recoil away. She says, why don't we have one then. So, I get to buy a new shotgun for her.
I've looked at some of the go-to guns like the Benelli M2, Beretta 1301, Rem 1100, and Winchester sx3.
I don't know much at all about shottys besides the very basics. Looking for advice on the above guns, or others I'm not thinking of.
Will be partly for HD, but mostly for a range toy.
Click to expand...
I’d consider sending the 870 barrel to Vang Comp. They port it and smooth the forcing cones, reduces the felt recoil to something close to a 20ga, while tightening the pattern by about 50%.
 
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Beretta 1301 or the a400 extreme with the kick off stock they shoot super soft and fast. I got a 1301 comp pro for 3 gun and after 1500 rounds still haven't had a malfunction.
 
I have owned and shot Berettas and Benellis. The Berettas feel slightly softer shooting than Benellis. The 12 does have more recoil than the 20, but is also heavier which soaks up some of the felt recoil. Both of my daughters preferred shooting a 12 ga over a 20 ga as the 20 recoil felt sharper rather than the shove of the 20.
It is really important to emphasize to the new shooter the ned to keep the stock firmly in the shoulder pocket and the head on the gun. I can’t tell how many times I have seen new women shooters try to hold the stock slightly off their shoulder and keep their head off the stock, thinking “distancing” would help reduce recoil. Big mistake. They can get bruised shoulders and cheekbones with one shot. I’ve seen them quit after one shot.
A Beretta 391, 390 or 303 will serve you well.
The Benellis are great guns and I still have one I use as my rain gun. But for soft shooting Beretta seems to be better for me and my family.
 
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If the shotgun doesn't fit the shooter It can beat the hell out of you, no matter what brand.
A proper fit you can shoot it all day long. I've Had Beretta 391's In both 12 and 20 ga and own a A400 now.
Really reliable and cycles everything I've put in it from 7/8 oz loads to 1-1/4 hunting loads.
 
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Big plus for the gas system.

be sure to check cheek weld as women’s cheekbones are typically higher. Build up the comb to improve sight picture and reduce the likelihood of the butt jumping and leading to black eye. No need to ask me how I know!
 
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Good call on the 1301T, I'm sure you'll both love it. I've got the Comp, that thing is super light and soft shooting. Theres a local girl who just rocks 3 gun with one too. My buddy's Versa Max was really soft shooting too, but was heavy as hell and swumg slow, wouldn't recommend it for a smaller person.
 
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Don't get her a Benelli, it's inertia, no matter what they say it will never be as soft as a good auto.
I've had Beretta, and yes Benelli, Remington 1100 and 1187, also Fabarm, stay well away from a cheap 1187 unless you want to carry o rings and carry out repairs in the field,in the dark, in the frost.
Browning Maxus was good to me but I traded it away on a decent O/U
So my point is
I thought I needed another Semi Auto. I'd handled the Rem Versamax and heard good reviews but it was just too big a gun
Enter the Remington V3
This is without a doubt the best Semi Auto shotgun I have ever owned and considering I'm 60 this year ever likely to.
Don't be put off by the plain Jane look, this shotgun is superb.
If I didn't have this my next choice would be one of the Fabarm L4S series.
 
Eric_F said:
Good call on the 1301T, I'm sure you'll both love it. I've got the Comp, that thing is super light and soft shooting. Theres a local girl who just rocks 3 gun with one too. My buddy's Versa Max was really soft shooting too, but was heavy as hell and swumg slow, wouldn't recommend it for a smaller person.
Click to expand...

Now we're looking at the base model 1301t or one from Hayes custom.
Not a bad problem to have with the wife on board either way.
 
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i have no doubt some of the guns mentioned above are excellent weapons. However, the absolute softest shooting 12 ga i have ever shot is my Beretta 390. With heavy duck loads it is a dream to shoot. It will also cycle trap loads reliably. The only down side is that the gas system prevents installing a larger magazine tube on it. I have heard good things about the Remington Versa series though if you need more capacity.
 
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I have a FN SLP MK 1 that seems to be a great shotgun. It's got a 22" barrel, 3" chamber, fiber optic front sight and folding rear, chrome lined barrel with interchangeable chokes, and will hold 9-2 3/4" shells or 7-3" shells. I ghost load it for 10 total rounds. It's also suppose to be one of if not the fastest shotgun on the market.
 
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PD333 said:
I’d consider sending the 870 barrel to Vang Comp. They port it and smooth the forcing cones, reduces the felt recoil to something close to a 20ga, while tightening the pattern by about 50%.
Click to expand...
Shotgun barrel ports are a scam

It's absolutely not the same or even close to a rifle brake and shotguns run on barely 10 ksi of chamber pressure compared to the 55 ksi or more of rifles.
 
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quietmike said:
Now we're looking at the base model 1301t or one from Hayes custom.
Not a bad problem to have with the wife on board either way.
Click to expand...

The Hayes custom guns look set up for 3 gun, and >$1600. Nice looking of course, but if you're looking for HD and range toy, go with the factory. I haven't modified the loading port on my Comp and quad load fine. Not competitive in 3 gun really, but the loading port isn't what's holding me back.

The biggest issue I had setting mine also up for HD was a light mount. Due to the thin forend, there's not really room to screw in a rail. I ended up using VHB tape, which has been great for years now: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?10177-Beretta-1301-Tactical&p=525730&viewfull=1#post525730

Maybe there have been better solutions found since then, I haven't been following it since this has worked.
 
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Clamps work of course, but the forend is pretty long especially on the Comp. I like it positioned there, but you'll have to see what feels right.
 
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Most folks here will choose the shottys they own. Naturally if you want it for part time HD, then you will want a shorter barrel and definitely a reliable one, so as far as family is concerned, what you can afford and though expensive, I chose the M2 Tactical. I have enjoyed shooting it more then any other long gun I own. The M2 is smooooth! Recoil? Whatever one can take. Good luck in your choice and stay safe!
 
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It's also worth noting that the difference between the 1301 comp and 1301 tactical arent just a barrel and sights. The gas system is different and the loading port isnt opened up on the tactical. My 1301T will cycle 2 1/2" 1oz 1050fps slugs. My 1031 comp, Browning A5, Benelli M2, FN SLP, Benelli Vinci will not.
 
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