Most Reliable Shotgun Type? Best Cartridge?

Erasmus said:
What's the best round for gypsies, tramps and thieves, anyways? :)
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Like for Bears, I find a pump action 12 G to be the choice, loaded with an alternation of buck and slugs.

Really the above is good for me for protection against just about anything, which is why I bring it.
 
Actually, I'm as big a gun nut as anybody on this board :eek:

I've always thought that ANY excuse to buy a gun is a good excuse. Fly here, and buy something extremely cool to go walking with. When your trip is over, figure out how to import it back to NZ or just sell it on consignment at a gunstore.

Who am I to tell you to settle for a mere .22? You may have a 10 day "cooling off" period in CA before you take possession of a firearm, though. Percussion revolvers are instant satisfaction here, though. Pay for it and walk right out with it.

Firearms are more in the realm of "fun sidekick" here in The States, than life and death type stuff. Hollywood is inaccurate, and the boring, peaceful truth doesn't sell movies or news programs.
 
I had a maverick 88 that i bought last year for 250 bucks CDN..great gun, i beat the sh*t out of it too..never jammed or did anything suprising..great gun! But today i came home with a mossberg 590 SP with the ghost ring sights and 9 shot tube, 20" barrel...what a gun..i really like it.. mossberg, remington or winchester you cant beat em...but i really really recomend the mossberg 590...reliable, tough and built well...but then again, so are all the remingtons and winchesters...pick one that fits you and be happy.
 
Thanks for all the friendly, helpful and humorous comments.

I've learned some things and I have plenty to think about.

The main 'firearms' thing I want to do if I come to the USA is to put some rounds through a revolver. We aren't allowed them here, and I'm fascinated to know what they are capable of. All I'd need was a place to legally shoot, a sensibly-sized .22 revolver with a good reputation, and a packet of fifty cartridges. I guess I'm fairly easy to please.

If I get to spend some time in the Alaskan or Canadian wilderness I will keep this good advice in mind if it appears necessary to carry a shotgun.

Much appreciated.... Coote.
 
I have two mossberg 500s' one wich I've had over 14 years and they are very reliable and not that expensive. I understand that the mossberg Maverick is even less expensive and very similar to the 500 but I've never owned one so i can't say for sure. But if you really want to get old school, can't fail reliability, while I've not owned one, I'd have to say a double hammer, double barrel 12ga. Why? I heard long ago that the great thing about these guns is not only are they very simple, but unlike other shotguns, if you get a broken firing pin YOU STILL HAVE ANOTHER ONE in the other barrel.
 
If you're in AK brown bear country, I'd pass on buckshot. Might deter Lower 48 black bears but the guys I know in AK brown bear country use heavy slugs. If you want a really serious "buckshot" load for some purpose, the Tri-Ball from www.dixieslugs.com offers the best penetration I've seen.

DancesWithKnives
 
K Williams said:
You'd probably want the Mossberg Model # 54169.

http://www.mossberg.com/images/Mossberg_Guns/930/NEW/54169.jpg

I have a Mossberg 500 Combo model. 28" bbl for ducks/geese, 24" rifled bbl for deer/bear, and I just got an additional 18.5" smoothbore bbl for it.

http://www.mossberg.com/images/Mossberg_Guns/930/NEW/52264.jpg

I think the Remington 870 has similar combo models.
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I also have an 18.5 smooth-bore w/ rifle sights on one of my Mossberg 500s' along with a folding pistol grip stock and pistol grip fore end and sling. It's my main woods wandering gun of choice. Shoots 3" and 2 3/4" slugs fairly accurately under 100 yds and is a devastating self defense gun when loaded with 00 buck. I also have a scope mount on it and a shotgun scope but sighting that thing in with 3" slugs is no picnic. :D
 
Remington 870 pump 12 gauge. Its all you need. Nuff said.

STR
 
Coote, come visit Colorado. I can walk into any gun store and leave with anything from a single shot to an assault rifle, and everything in between. If you are coming up here, don't settle for a .22 revolver. Go big, or go home. At least a .357, if not a S&W500. You cant understand the power unless you experience it for yourself.
 
Erasmus said:
Alaskan travel calls for an anti-bear shotgun. Or rifle.

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Canada? I dunno. It won't be a pistol, though.
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CHEERS
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Canada?? My 14" 870 - always. Ontario has 1/3 of the worlds population of black bears...
 
Thanks for the comments once again. Good to know that there are some kindred spirits out there.

I agree that a double shotgun can provide the security of two complete gun actions in one weapon. If one side doesn't work, hopefully the other will.

Go big or go home :) Well if I do come over, I'd say that Colorado probably would be on the itinerary because that is where my brother lives. It is quite serendipitous (?) that it is also a gun-friendly state. Yeah, gotta say I wouldn't mind squeezing the trigger on a .357 just to see what happens. I'll be wearing earplugs though.

I am a licenced firearms owner. This involves a test and police checks. The licence has to be renewed (and paid for) every ten years. This is a trifle bothersome because we were first issued a relatively inexpensive 'lifetime' licence. But after they learned who we were, things changed (although I don't believe that it was a cunning plot.... just bureacracy and pressure from non-hunting city dwellers I suppose).

While I like to have access to firearms, I am confident that my meat supply won't dry up if I don't have a gun because I have already proved that home made arrows and snares can provide more than I can eat. However I very much doubt that guns will be taken away from people who have a legitimate reason for using them in this country. Thank goodness.
 
Coote:

A lot of gun stores here have firing ranges attached and often rent guns to shoot. Have your brother locate one somewhere near his house and you could spend an afternoon trying out all sorts of firearms that you can't have in NZ. I also don't know about Colorado laws, but one of the gunstores/ranges I've been to in Michigan also offers rentals of fully automatics.
 
Hi,

Pretty hard to mess up picking either a Mossberg or Remington. But just for fun, checkout this short video done by a couple crazy Canadians with the Baikal MP153. Normally I don't like shell-shuckers. But I'd buy this one.

WARNING: Do NOT try this with your 390 or 1100


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--GbVKwDfNU

dalee
 
I have an 870 with the smooth slug barrel and rifle sights. I did pick up a rugged looking High Standard FlightKing smoothbore with iron sights that is somewhat rough in looks but the action is smooth as silk. Looks like a riot gun. It's a good bush thumper. Both guns are in the 12 guage flavor and are not magnums.
 
Going with a lot of others. Remington 870.
Have one. Really like it.
Hasn't caused me any problems yet.
 
Thanks folks. Much appreciated. I'm off to a good start if I ever decide to get another shotgun. And if I'm in the US I will keep my eye out for a range where I can hire guns to try.

I had a Baikal once. Single shot. I liked it, but the stock was broken and taped up. Finally gave it away. Never dunked it in mud or water though :)

As a side note, I think some guys have been converting the single shot Baikals into single shot rifles. Seems like they must be suited to it. Never handled one, just hearsay.

Best wishes.... Coote.
 
sizzler said:
. . .Look for an old used Wingmaster or Police model. Find one that looks beat to hell but still works. 870s are hard to kill and the best deal will be something that looks like Mad Max used it but still functions fine.. . .
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That's a good description of what would have been my fourth 870. Out of a barrel of LE turn-in 870's, this was the most beat-up weapon and had a correspondingly cheaper price-tag. When my brother saw it, he took it out of my hands and up to the counter ;) Yeah, I let him, he needed it more than I did, it was a great deal at the price. He replaced the stock and fore-end with new wood and now has a nice looking and very reliable HD weapon.
 
coote said:
Thanks folks. Much appreciated. I'm off to a good start if I ever decide to get another shotgun. And if I'm in the US I will keep my eye out for a range where I can hire guns to try.

I had a Baikal once. Single shot. I liked it, but the stock was broken and taped up. Finally gave it away. Never dunked it in mud or water though :)

As a side note, I think some guys have been converting the single shot Baikals into single shot rifles. Seems like they must be suited to it. Never handled one, just hearsay.

Best wishes.... Coote.
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Hi,

Yes, I've seen three Baikal SxS shotguns converted to double rifles. I can't remember what cartridges they were chambered for though. And I think for a short time Baikal offered a model or two of double rifles here in the US.

dalee
 
I think you're right. My memory isn't great but I thought those doubles were briefly marketed through Remington. As I recall, they weren't in the big African Express calibers like 470NE, 500NE, etc.

DancesWithKnives
 
Mossberg 500 with the combo barrels is a great value:thumbup:

The only problem I have had with semi auto shotguns is they don't cycle target loads (7,8,9 shot sizes)
Not enough weight..I guess:confused:
 
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