Im New to hunting
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Rahway ,NJ
Posts: 147
Im New to hunting
Im a youth hunter of 13. Im wonder what is a good all around gun. My dad and I are interested in deer hunting, And turkey hunting. Does anyone know of any good guns for hunting deer and birds? Price range $150-$250 for shotguns.
#2
RE: Im New to hunting
If you want to hunt both deer and turkeys with the same gun, then you're only option will likely be a shotgun (unless you're living in one of the few states that allows turkey hunting with a rifle). If you've got to stay in the $150-250 price range, your options for a one gun for both purposes will be limited. I normally would suggest a NEF 20 gauge single shot as a possible first gun, but their shotguns are all fixed choke models if memory serves, which means that buying the gun for one animal would make it unsuitable for the other.
Your best bet would be one of the less expensive youth pump-action 20 gauges for you, and a 12 gauge for your dad. My personal recommendation would be the Remington 870 Express as being the best bang for your buck. Buy one with a 24" barrel threaded for the Rem-Choke choke tube system. Then buy both an extra-full turkey choke and either an Imp. Cyl. or rifled choke tube for deer slugs. This setup will provide you with a gun suitable for both animals provided you choose the right shells, and with the standard chokes and shells it also opens up the possibility of upland bird and small game hunting as well.
The problem is that $250 won't buy you all that you need. It would come pretty close to buying the gun, but not the specialized chokes, although you can achieve great success with a standard IC choke tube and "rifled" Foster-style slugs for deer hunting (such as the Remington Slugger rifled slugs). I would suggest that you save up your money a little longer and buy gun that best suits your needs rather than going out and buying the first thing you can afford right now and regretting it later.
Good luck,
Mike
Your best bet would be one of the less expensive youth pump-action 20 gauges for you, and a 12 gauge for your dad. My personal recommendation would be the Remington 870 Express as being the best bang for your buck. Buy one with a 24" barrel threaded for the Rem-Choke choke tube system. Then buy both an extra-full turkey choke and either an Imp. Cyl. or rifled choke tube for deer slugs. This setup will provide you with a gun suitable for both animals provided you choose the right shells, and with the standard chokes and shells it also opens up the possibility of upland bird and small game hunting as well.
The problem is that $250 won't buy you all that you need. It would come pretty close to buying the gun, but not the specialized chokes, although you can achieve great success with a standard IC choke tube and "rifled" Foster-style slugs for deer hunting (such as the Remington Slugger rifled slugs). I would suggest that you save up your money a little longer and buy gun that best suits your needs rather than going out and buying the first thing you can afford right now and regretting it later.
Good luck,
Mike
#3
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 19
RE: Im New to hunting
New England Firearms, that is a single shot break-action firearm. you can get a rifle for about $250 calibers include, .223, 22-250, .243, 25-06, 270, 280, 7mm-08, 308, 30-30, 30-06, 45-70 and my favorite 450 marlin. Now that being said you could get a single shot shotgun for about $100 but that isn't completely necessary since the rifle reciver can have other barrels fitted to it at the factory rifle barrels are range from $75-$100 and shot gun barrels are about half that. oh and I forgot to mention that these guns will shoot just as good if not better than some guns that cost 3x as much
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Rahway ,NJ
Posts: 147
RE: Im New to hunting
yea im willing to spend more but i wanted to see what i could get for that money range but yea im willing to spend as much as i need. Btw where can i purchase a hunting shotgun? Maybe dicks sporting goods? I know they have a great hunting selection. Im going tomorrow to check them out.
#5
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 66
RE: Im New to hunting
for 350, depending on were you live and prices at your local gun store, you could get a rem 870, or a benelli nova pump. i baught my nova pump for $269, and the rem 870 fell in the same price range. take a look at both manufacturers websites. best bet for your age, since you are not fully grown, would be to go to your local sporting goods store with your dad, and try a bunch of different guns in your price range, and see which feels the best. you dont want to really be uncomfortible while trying to shoot, and if the gun is to big, you will have a hard time bird hunting.
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Western Nebraska
Posts: 3,393
RE: Im New to hunting
years ago several companys made bolt action shotguns in 12, 16, and 20 Ga and with adjustable chokes to boot. These guns actually was/are fine guns and easily serve dual purpose very well.
On the used market you could easily find one of these gems for roughly $150 or so. They represent a great value in a used gun and will be worth everything you paid for it when you want to trade it in a few years.....assuming you wish to trade.
On the used market you could easily find one of these gems for roughly $150 or so. They represent a great value in a used gun and will be worth everything you paid for it when you want to trade it in a few years.....assuming you wish to trade.
#8
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location:
Posts: 486
RE: Im New to hunting
Faced with a budget issue, I'd be looking at a used shotgun. They can be had (especially this time of year, in the off-season) for a low price; you might even find a used Remington 870 Express Combo (with long & rifled barrels).
Do you live in a fairly populated area, or are you limited in the number of places you've got to look for firearms?
Do you live in a fairly populated area, or are you limited in the number of places you've got to look for firearms?
#10
RE: Im New to hunting
Glad to see new people interested in hunting, welcome to the board!
For starting out hunting on a tight budget, a good 12 guage pump shotgun with interchangeable chokes would be a good start! You can use it on turkey and with a rifled choke, it will serve as a good deer gun too, at moderate ranges!
An NEF Handi-rifle, with a decent scope, has more than enough accuracy to qualify as a good deer rifle, without breaking the bank! The key with either rifle or shotgun is practice, practice, practice!
Good luck!
For starting out hunting on a tight budget, a good 12 guage pump shotgun with interchangeable chokes would be a good start! You can use it on turkey and with a rifled choke, it will serve as a good deer gun too, at moderate ranges!
An NEF Handi-rifle, with a decent scope, has more than enough accuracy to qualify as a good deer rifle, without breaking the bank! The key with either rifle or shotgun is practice, practice, practice!
Good luck!