Hey I want to get into duck hunting. What type of shotgun should I get?
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Hey I want to get into duck hunting. What type of shotgun should I get?
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My late wife was 4'10" and 85 lbs. A tough little gal. She shot my sixteen gauge Model 12 just fine. A gas operated 12 gauge auto might do you fine. Get a 3" magnum and shoot 2.75" shells for now. The extra weight will help with recoil. If you're going to be hunting out of a blind the weight won't wear you out carrying it around and will work in your favor when shooting. You'll need to cut the stock down so stick with wood rather than plastic. It's often hard to pick up a youth stock for some of the fancier autos. Youth model shotguns seem to be primarily offered in pumps and I don't think you're going to grow a lot more at age 13 so I wouldn't recommend a youth pump. They typically have shorter barrels too which don't swing as nicely and are harder on the ears. Pic up a full size auto and cut it down. That's my recommendation for what it's worth. As far as what brand to pick up, some of the other fellas might be able to give you better advice. I haven't bought a gun since 1973. How much money do you have to spend?
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Get a Remington 870 pump gun in 3" 12 gauge. Get one with a barrel fitted with removable choke tubes so you can vary your choke based on loads and shooting conditions. If you can find an older one in good condition, get it. I understand they are better quality than the newer ones. Both of mine are older. Forget Mossberg. Nothing but headaches down the road. Don't worry about the finish. You can paint it with a camo pattern to reduce glare and save a ton of money over buying a camo model that will flake off the finish anyway. If you want to upgrade to an autoloader later, you will have a nice backup gun for when your autoloader craps out.
There are other nice shotguns out there, just my experience, that's all.
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I would get a youth model or be ready to cut down the stock. A full sized stock will not fit you well and as a result you will not shoot well while getting battered by recoil.
Gas guns will be the softest shooting, so you might consider that, but pumps are cheap and reliable.
With premium ammo, a 20 ga can be plenty for ducks and will be a lot easier on your shoulder. Many manufacturers make youth model 20 gauges.
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I would get a youth model or be ready to cut down the stock. A full sized stock will not fit you well and as a result you will not shoot well while getting battered by recoil.
Gas guns will be the softest shooting, so you might consider that, but pumps are cheap and reliable.
With premium ammo, a 20 ga can be plenty for ducks and will be a lot easier on your shoulder. Many manufacturers make youth model 20 gauges.
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Since your 13 yrs of age and probably do not have the money to go out and buy a semi-auto as suggested look into a pump for starters. 20 ga maybe necessary for your size. I do not recommend 870's. Look into Winchester SXP & Benelli Nova they can be had for well under $500 new and lower used. There are many other great guns that can be had for this price or less but these two I know well.
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I've also have an 870 for over 10 years now, this gun was cheap and reliable, I have never had any problems with it. Whenever I hunt, even if I bring another shotgun, I take this one with me. Its simply put as my go to gun. I recently bought a versa max that shoots extremly well and cycles anything I put in it, just a little on the pricey side.
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First thing is take a hunter safety course. You will need that for your license. There you will meet other hunters that may know of youth hunting programs in your area. Check with your conservation department or Ducks Unlimited for youth programs. Most programs have guns available for participants and will get you started in the right direction. Be safe, have fun.
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