Jump to content

  • GUESTS

    If you want access to members only forums on HSO, you will gain access only when you Sign-in or Sign-Up .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member. ?

Good Starting/First Firearm?

Spazzums08

By Spazzums08
in Hunting

 Share

Recommended Posts

Sartell Angler Proficient

Sartell Angler

Posted
Posted

Besides a .22 for squirrels, a Remington 870 Express 12 gauge is my first and last! I got the slug barrel for deer but my passion is ducks, geese, and pheasants. Don't plan on getting another gun until this one fails me (probably never will)...and if so I'd get another 870.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tealitup Mentor

tealitup

Posted
Posted

Is this for a kid? I would say that starting with a .22 or .17 is a great first gun to teach with.

However, a 20ga. is also a great weapon (single shot) to start with. It forces good shots. I think it is bad to have someone shoot 3-5 times without hitting anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sandmannd Grand Master

Sandmannd

Posted
Posted

I had the same question last fall. I am new to hunting. Got an 870 as well and it's a great gun and it won't break the bank. I borrowed a buddies slug gun for deer but during target practice I ran rifled slugs through my 870 and was just as accurate. They are great guns. 12 guage might be a little much if it's for a kid though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JigginIsLife Experienced

JigginIsLife

Posted
Posted

yup, i would deffinatly start with a .22. for one reason i remember when i did my hunter safty course we took out our .22 and shot at the range with them for awhile so they will need that if they havent taken the course. if you thinking shotgun, deffinatly the 870 is the right gun to go for, not all the jazzy sights to break, very durable, and fairly easy to clean (If pump) but like tealitup said a single shot is what my dad wanted me to start with but didn have the funds to buy another gun, but the 870 great starter shotgun, for practice work with the .22

Link to comment
Share on other sites
southwest Enthusiast

southwest

Posted
Posted

I would also go with a pump or auto if you can afford. The single shot shotguns are dangerous for anyone not used to using

a hammer on the shotgun. A single shot bolt action with a clip works well but haven't seen those since I was a kid in the 70's.

I had a single shot .410 and a single shot 12 ga. They were great until found out they were not my dads guns but my uncle's and then my cousins used them. I do not recommend the single shot

real dangerous with the hammer for anyone that hasn't had alot

of practice with one any thumb strength.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tom7227 Grand Master

Tom7227

Posted
Posted

Ditto on the 870. I have had problems with an 870 Express with the Parkerized (dull) finish. It rusted badly during a 20 minute trip back to the motel. No luck with a warranty claim. I have an old 870 Wingmaster that I just love and have never had a problem with it. Frankly I would look for an old Wingmaster before I bought a new Express.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JustLOVEit Enthusiast

JustLOVEit

Posted
Posted

My recommendation is a 12ga (any remington).... its legal and can terminate squirrels, ducks, turkey, deer, bear, doves, rabbit, geese, mule deer. This is just the list i've gotten with my mine.. just a plain 8 yrs old remington 12ga w/ both bird and rifle barrel... i also have a 15+ yrs old 20ga rem, that is still dangerous in the field.. but it has retired.. =D

"Doing it, cause Just LOVE It!!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sartell Angler Proficient

Sartell Angler

Posted
Posted

Don't understand why some have a problem with the Express...mine has been hunted in the rain and snow on many occasions and after a quick cleaning I never have had to worry about rust. Mine doesn't jam, is a good-looking gun, and fits me perfectly. It has the light-colored stock with the 28 inch barrel...also added a glow bead to it and a sling (which I take off if I'm in a layout blind or hunting upland game).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hooliganz Enthusiast

Hooliganz

Posted
Posted

I started with my grandpa's Iver Johnson single shot 20ga..great little gun.

Still my favorite to take grouse hunting, since its so light and usually only have time for one shot at those grouse anyways.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
brittman Mentor

brittman

Posted
Posted

Youth? What are you going to hunt?

Youth sized Remington or Browning pump. Also have a Mossberg 20 ga bantam shotgun with rifled barrel and scope mount, but the Remington and Browning pump actions are built so much better.

I thought about a single shot, but most are heavy and do not have the same balance as the namebrand pumps, they usually lack a ribbed barrel and often have the pull back hammer.

The pump can be a single shot for as long as you want - just do not add the shell(s) to the magazine.

The youth size is nice to handle too. If will make a great little grouse woods gun even when he gets bigger and starts carrying a full sized 12.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jlm Experienced

jlm

Posted
Posted

My first gun was a .410 and I think this is a great starting point for kids 12 and under. A little older, perhaps a 28 guage or 20 guage would be good choices. I would disagree, I think the single shots are much more safe compared to pumps. Cycling a gun can be dangerous as well as leaving something in the chamber. Single shot does have a hammer in some cases but overall, I think it is much more safe and easier to teach a youth how to handle the gun. Pros and cons to everything I guess. Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SDbowhunter Community Regular

SDbowhunter

Posted
Posted

AR-15 or AK-47 get one now while you can... But really a 22 is always a good gun to learn shooting skills with or a 12 gauge. But for me all my extra gun money is going to semi-auto rifles, magazines, and ammo for every gun i own.

No worries, I'm not crazy... just enthusiastic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
huntnfishsd Community Regular

huntnfishsd

Posted
Posted

870 is always a safe bet. My brother just got one (Super Mag) last year and loves it! I have an 11-87 Semi-auto and absolutely love it! It definately puts birds down if they happen to fly where you are shooting!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tedl Community Regular

tedl

Posted
Posted

I feel you get more bang for your buck from the 870 express. My barrel rusted but it was my fault, I forgot about it and left it in the case wet over night. I wiped it down with inhibiter and that did a good job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pyrex Enthusiast

Pyrex

Posted
Posted

My first was an 870, and I still use it faithfully. Most of my friends have gotten other guns, usually semi's, but I will always have a pump.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      By The way that didn't work either!! Screw it I'll just use the cellular. 
    • Wanderer
      Just Food and Drink

      By Wanderer · Posted

      It’s done automatically.  You might need an actual person to clear that log in stuff up.   Trash your laptop history if you haven’t tried that already.
    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      😂 yea pretty amazing how b o o b i e s gets flagged, but they can't respond or tell me why I  can't get logged in here on my laptop but I can on my cellular  😪
    • Mike89
      Just Food and Drink

      By Mike89 · Posted

      I grilled some brats yesterday, maybe next weekend will the next round...  
    • Wanderer
      Just Food and Drink

      By Wanderer · Posted

      You got word censored cuz you said        B o o b ies….. haha.   Yeah, no… grilling is on hiatus for a bit.
    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      Chicken mine,  melded in Mccormick poultry seasoning for 24 hours.  Grill will get a break till the frigid temps go away!
    • Mike89
      Problems with Yetti

      By Mike89 · Posted

      good luck!!!   
    • rundrave
      Problems with Yetti

      By rundrave · Posted

      we had some nice weather yesterday and this conundrum was driving me crazy  so I drove up to the house to take another look. I got a bunch of goodies via ups yesterday (cables,  winch ratchet parts, handles, leaf springs etc).   I wanted to make sure the new leaf springs I got fit. I got everything laid out and ready to go. Will be busy this weekend with kids stuff and too cold to fish anyway, but I will try to get back up there again next weekend and get it done. I don't think it will be bad once I get it lifted up.    For anyone in the google verse, the leaf springs are 4 leafs and measure 25 1/4" eye  to eye per Yetti. I didnt want to pay their markup so just got something else comparable rated for the same weight.   I am a first time wheel house owner, this is all new to me. My house didn't come with any handles for the rear cables? I was told this week by someone in the industry that cordless drills do not have enough brake to lower it slow enough and it can damage the cables and the ratchets in the winches.  I put on a handle last night and it is 100% better than using a drill, unfortatenly I found out the hard way lol and will only use the ICNutz to raise the house now.
    • Wanderer
      Problems with Yetti

      By Wanderer · Posted

      I haven’t done any leaf springs for a long time and I can’t completely see the connections in your pics BUT I I’d be rounding up: PB Blaster, torch, 3 lb hammer, chisel, cut off tool, breaker bar, Jack stands or blocks.   This kind of stuff usually isn’t the easiest.   I would think you would be able to get at what you need by keeping the house up with Jack stands and getting the pressure off that suspension, then attack the hardware.  But again, I don’t feel like I can see everything going on there.
    • rundrave
      Problems with Yetti

      By rundrave · Posted

      reviving an old thread due to running into the same issue with the same year of house. not expecting anything from yetti and I already have replacement parts ordered and on the way.   I am looking for some input or feedback on how to replace the leaf springs themselves.    If I jack the house up and remove the tire, is it possible to pivot the axel assembly low enough to get to the other end of the leaf spring and remove that one bolt?   Or do I have to remove the entire pivot arm to get to it? Then I also have to factor in brake wire as well then. What a mess   My house is currently an hour away from my home at a relatives, going to go back up and look it over again and try to figure out a game plan.           Above pic is with house lowered on ice, the other end of that leaf is what I need to get to.   above pic is side that middle bolt broke and bottom 2 leafs fell out here is other side that didnt break but you can see bottom half of leaf already did but atleast bolt is still in there here is hub assembly in my garage with house lowered and tires off when I put new tires on it a couple months ago. hopefully I can raise house high enough that it can drop down far enough and not snap brake cable there so I can get to that other end of the leaf spring.

  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

  I accept