Shotgun Help

I have never owned a gun before I want to get a shotgun for bird hunting, but also want one that’s good for shooting slugs. What length of barrel can I get that would be good for both so I don’t have to switch between them.

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maverick 88 nuff said

Get a 20 inch + long barrel if your shooting trap / burdies. Slugs will shoot out of anything.

What about 26 vs 28 and what about chokes?

Maverick 88 or Mossberg 500 Secuirty 18.5in barrel + 28 inch field barrel combo.

you can’t get a shotgun that will do everything well. get a mossberg and get an o/u that fits your budget.

>What about 26 vs 28 and what about chokes?
Longer barrels and tighter chokes are for longer range shooting. What kind of birds do you want to shoot? Determine that first, since that determines what kind of gun you want.

If you're hunting geese you want a long as fuck barrel. If you're hunting turkeys barrel length doesn't really matter, but you want a really tight choke. If you're hunting quail on foot then you want a short gun that points fast and a nice wide choke, etc.

This is sound advice.

If you can remove the choke on the 28 in barrel and replace them this is the best option.

more important is to get one that fits and points naturally for you. This is always true but especially true with shotguns. Trying a bunch is really the best way. 2nd best is to heft and point a bunch. Get one that fits you. Also applies to barrel length.

The general "jack of all trades" (and master of none) shotgun is the pump action. Is used for busting some clays for fun, is used for HD, and plenty of birds are taken every year with them. But if you're going to be hiking all over creation you'll want a lighter gun. If you get serious about shotgun sports you'll get another. But the pump is the "one and done" gun.

Prob ducks and geese

26 vs 28 is all down to your preference. I like a 26, other people like a 28. 28's are better for swinging shots, 26's are better for snap shots.
But for someone who isn't a seasoned clay shooter or hunter you aren't going to notice a difference.
Choke-wise, the gun will most likely come with a modified choke installed if it's a long barrel. I'd just go ahead and get a set of the big 4 sizes, cylinder, improved cylinder, modified, and full. Waterfowl needs chokes closer to full because you're using heavy shot, upland birds need chokes closer to cylinder bore as not to shred the birds if they're too close. Choke selection is something I'd defer to a graybeard on, find someone more experienced than yourself and ask them.

>more important is to get one that fits and points naturally for you.
Agreed, but "trying a bunch" isn't really going to get you anywhere since all the big-name guns are built to the same dimensions for the "average male". Unless you're shopping older guns which may have been custom-made there's not going to be much help from random browsing.

There are far better options:
1) have a bespoke stock made. con: expensive
2) have a skilled gunsmith modify an existing stock to fit you. Wooden stocks can be bent/formed to suit your body.
3) Buy a gun (or a stock) which has adjustments. Some stocks have adjustable combs and length of pull with screws or sliding extensions. Those devices can be added to existing stocks. Others can change the drop and cast by changing shims where the stock meets the receiver. LOP can be reduced by cutting down a stock; it can be increased by adding spacers or installing a thicker recoil pad.

clarifying this for you OP; barrel length has nothing to do with distance or accuracy on a shotgun, but a longer barrel affects your sight radius and the extra weight out front makes it naturally easier to swing it through an arc when shooting clays. a shorter barrel is just better for maneuvrebility and portability, but the only thing that will really affect spread is which choke, which on many shotguns is replaceable.

what said sounds good, otherwise split the difference because there's no real advantage to having the shortest possible barrel anyway.

There's some variation. The 870 fits me better than the 500 and I hit better with it. They're all trying to fit "the average american male" but there's still variation.

For a first shotgun I don't think OP is going to be in the custom stock territory. Though that must be nice.

Sure, there is "some" variation. But I still claim that there are better solutions for addressing fitment than hoping a handful of very similar factory options just so happen to be perfect for you.

So if I got a Remington 870 with a 28 inch barrel I would be able to shoot slugs and shots right? Some of these online hunting forums are like don’t shoot slugs through a bird barrel you need a rifled barrel

Yes, that's correct.

There exist different types of slugs. Some work great in smoothbore barrels. Others require a rifled barrel. The ones that work with rifled barrels tend to be more accurate, but there's zero reason why you can't shoot slugs through a smooth barrel.

Very cool, Very helpful

Those forums are running into 2 issues.

1. Slug only shotguns. Really just a low pressure rifle to get around hunting regulations. These are very specialized shotguns and not really relevant for you. A regular shotgun with slugs will be accurate enough out to 50-70 yards. These specialized guns are chasing accuracy past that.

2. Choke constriction. Shooting a hot slug through a full choke is probably a bad idea. There's a chance it could be unsafe. Slugs and Buck do best with a cylinder bore.If you have screw in chokes, you're fine, just put in cylinder when you want to shoot slugs and buck. Takes 2 min tops. You're probably fine with a modified choke but nobody wants to be on the hook for saying "it's safe" and getting sued.

tl;dr Slugs are fine through normal shotguns.

I'm super new to shotguns. Do you guys clean your shotgun barrels the same as a pistol or rifle? I just got a 590a1. Do you put a rag down the barrel with some oil? Or do you just wipe out fod and go?

have you tried reading the owner’s manual?

no, I like to live on the edge