Recommendation? just got a shotgun

Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
136
i just bought a stoeger 12 GA coachgun from bass pro and its my first firearm. i have some pellet guns 2 of which can do some damage (gamo varmint and swarm magnum .22). i was wondering what rounds would be good to start with. mainly something that won't knock me on my ass or blow out my shoulder (or my pay check). not sure if this helps but i'm about 6'3 175 pounds. any other tips would help too, like what not to use (guy at work said the dragons breath shells would mess up the stainless finish).
 
I'm running a Modded Remington 870 Express 7 Round, the first 2 out are
Remington PDX1, followed by 00 Buck.
ellet-bos-shop-guns-pics-034.jpg
 
i just bought a stoeger 12 GA coachgun from bass pro and its my first firearm. i have some pellet guns 2 of which can do some damage (gamo varmint and swarm magnum .22). i was wondering what rounds would be good to start with. mainly something that won't knock me on my ass or blow out my shoulder (or my pay check). not sure if this helps but i'm about 6'3 175 pounds. any other tips would help too, like what not to use (guy at work said the dragons breath shells would mess up the stainless finish).
Get comfortable with the operation of the gun first. Use bird shot, game loads, etc. #7 is a good load. Pattern your gun so you know what it will send downrange. If you don't know what this means, Google and YouTube it. Save the heavy stuff for later. Avoid the exotics as stated earlier. Take some lessons. Go to the range and ask for advice. Join a club. Make the most of others' mistakes.

Zieg
 
If you want to start with a soft recoil to get a feel for it ... I would recommend light #8 or #9 target loads ...

or low recoil buckshot or slugs ... they will have a bit more recoil but a step up from light target loads ...

And stay in the 2 3/4" shells ...

Be sure to get the stocks firmly against your shoulder and grip it tightly for your first outing ... after you shoot it and have a feel for it you will learn what works best for you ...

And welcome to the world of gun ownership :thumbsup:
 
Start with what are called "game loads" and low brass. Skeet loads would work too. Avoid any loads that have high brass, buck shot, slugs, and so forth until you're ready.
 
I’ve had one. Birdshot is manageable to most not used to shooting shotguns.
 
Or, if I may add a counter point.

Don't shoot it at all and take it back and get a nice pump gun, mosberg or Remington. Something that holds more than 2 rounds, there's a reason we don't carry doubles for defense anymore, unless that's all we're aloud.

Or just shoot it, it's only a shotgun, if you insist on a double barrel, watch some cowboy matches on YouTube to get some idea of what you can do with it and how to go about it.

Have fun, buy a couple boxes of what evers on sale and save some milk jugs and fill them with water and blast away.
Have fun
 
As mentioned, you should definitely stick to lighter target loads like #8 shot. Ask any clerk at a gun store and they may direct you to even softer rounds to start with.

Always hold the buttstock firmly in your shoulder - NOT your collarbone and not your biceps. Also, pay attention to your stance (keep your feet apart), bend your forward knee, and lean into the shot (i,e. lean forward). This will help you absorb recoil more efficiently and reduce trauma to your body. As said above: it should feel like you're being pushed, not punched. I have seen 120 lb girls totally unphased while shooting .12 gauge high-brass loads. It all comes down to technique.

If you want to be accurate with your shotgun then you should hold your dominant-side cheek onto the comb of the stock. This will naturally help keep your line of sight in line with the front bead (or front sight). Practice this and the muzzle will ultimately point exactly where your eyes do.

I am not sure what your intentions are with your new boomstick. But, considering this is your first firearm you should think about swapping out the coach gun for a longer barrelled sporting gun in whatever configuration you fancy. Then take lessons on proper handling and techniques for hunting, skeet, or defense. You may want to even downsize to a .20 gauge just so you don't beat yourself up too much while you're learning. Once you get confident in your abilities you will better understand your needs and can choose to get that coach gun or something more purpose-driven.

Don't be discouraged from side-by-sides and over-unders. They are classics for a reason.
 
I wish you had posted a thread titled “what makes sense for a first gun?”

Because you started in a strange place. But if it spoke to you and you like it. It’s a great gun. Have fun with it.
 
its weird for me since i'm in between the handgun/long gun age (19). would have liked a ranch hand or mares leg but its a pistol. yes i do watch a lot of westerns. which is why the side by side.
 
My ranching partner Steve (in fact we call him Shotgun Stewie) has the exact same shotgun. Its a lot of fun. Every year on Father's Day lots of friends and family get together at our range on the ranch and we have a big "shootout" and then grill later. We start out by blowing up a bunch of clay birds and ya can sure do that with that gun, in fact its a lot of fun. I have a similar shotgun from Stoeger only its an over and under that I call "The Zombie Killer". Its a lot of fun too. Here's the wife blasting some clays with it:

2Mufzoz.jpg


I was coaching her a bit as she hadn't blasted clays before:

7KllA3s.jpg


Anyhoo the point of all this is have fun with it. Are their better shotguns for home defense? Sure, more ammo is always nice. Will yours work? Absolutely! In fact two rounds of #4 buckshot from your guy down the hall can be staggeringly decisive. There were some of the more tactically inclined at our shootout this year that were kinda phoo fooing the doubles as a home defense weapon. I shot a clean pistol target for them at 10 yards. Two rounds of #7 bird shot so fast that its one noise. No more phoo fooing. Mostly the response was F...!
 
Shotgun recoil is dependent on a few things. And governed like everything by the laws of physics. Shot size and even gauge to a point have no bearing on it.

At the most basic level recoil is determined by the weight of the charge and the velocity at which it is ejected from the barrel. An ounce of # 8 shot at 1200 fps out of a 20 ga produces the same recoil impulse as an ounce of 00 buck at 1200 fps out of a 12 ga. Increase either the velocity or the weight of the charge and recoil impulse increases--decrease those factors and recoil impulse lessens. This spring I patterned some 1 3/4 oz turkey loads out of my Beretta 391 auto and after two shots it felt like I'd been in a fight. One oz target loads out of the same gun are a pleasure and I've shot 200 rounds in a day many times!

Felt recoil is a little different and can be affected by weight of the gun--heavier guns kick less. The type of the gun can matter too--gas operated automatics kick more softly than fixed breech guns because the action itself eats up some of the energy. The shape of the stock can make a huge difference--shooting a gun with a poorly fitting stock can be miserable.

I suspect the gun you got is pretty light. Get some light target loads, no more than one ounce, and moderate in speed, no more than 1200 fps. Fortunately more companies are putting velocity on the packaging, which they didn't used to do. Shooting a load like that will make familiarizing yourself with the gun a more pleasant experience.
 
Maybe its me but I feel like these side by sides have a reputation for scaring the crap out of uninvited guests.
 
Semi auto no NFA stamp required
 

Attachments

  • F175C10E-125D-45D4-8C63-DC85AD886E99.jpeg
    F175C10E-125D-45D4-8C63-DC85AD886E99.jpeg
    41.6 KB · Views: 11
Maybe its me but I feel like these side by sides have a reputation for scaring the crap out of uninvited guests.

True if they’re looking down the barrels. But the sound of a pump shotgun can scare them even in the dark.
 
Back
Top