Getting a gun
 

Alright guys.

Heres the deal.

Im most likely going to be getting a gun this summer. I live in Illinois, go to school in MN, will have a house there all summer and school year. I wont be making the purchase until June.

Never owned a gun and am starting hunting although it will be bowhunting deer using a friends bow and practicing with it at his house.

Im not looking at breaking the bank with this. I was thinking a .22 or a 12 gauge, and going relatively cheap on it. I don't want to spend too much as Im not sure it will be used in hunting and will mainly be target practice. Possibly clays with the gfs dad and my roommate on a friends farm in owatonna

Help me out

I got my foid so no worries there.

Get yourself a good used pump 12 ga. shotgun. With removable choke tubes, it would give you a lot of versatility. You could hunt everything from rabbits to deer with it. I'm guessing the price would be in the $200 dollar range. The brand would be your preference. Be advised, that a shotgun has to fit you to be able to shoot it well. When you put it up to your shoulder, your eye should be looking at the bead right down the barrel. If you have to search for the bead, its the wrong gun.

In my opinion a decent 22 and a decent 12 gauge (i.e. Ruger 10/22 and rem 870) are must haves for anybody looking to get into hunting and shooting sports. If you ever plan on hunting with a rifle/sluggun/muzzleloader shooting a 22 religiously is inexpensive and very valuable for learining to shoot well. With a 12 gauge you can shoot clays, and easily pursure all small game, waterfowl, and deer even.

What carpmaster said. Everyone should have a 22 and a 12ga. The question is, which do you want first?

2 of the best to start out with, if you are looking for a nice clay gun, 12ga wingmaster, versatile and easy to "put up" when bearing down on the dreaded skeet :)

I was hoping you all could give some insight on which to get first. I know that finding a .22 would be the easiest part, and there relatively cheap in comparison to a 12 gauge. Also .22 ammo is cheap also.

Where would I go about finding a 12 gauge used?

I know Illinois deer is slug only, or bow and muzzle loader. What about Minnesota? I know I can look at the regs but there's the chance you guys can fill me in right off the bat. Would I be able to use the shotgun to hunt in Minnesota?

Also Illinois, if I wanted to hunt squirrel and I'm pretty sure rabbit too I can only use a shot gun. I most likely wouldn't hunt squirrel because I don't eat it and can't see myself getting a taste for them. So having a shotgun would do for Illinois.

Also hunter safety, I know I have to do. You can hunt a year without it in mn as long as your with someone who has it with their apprentice program. I'll probably just do that

Gun stores usually carry new and used firearms. If I were to have either a 22 or a 12ga, I'd rather have the 12ga first. Shots with a 22 on small game are usually within shotgun range anyways. A good pump will do the trick nicely. Some models to check out would be the Remington 870, Benelli Nova, Mossberg 500, or Winchester 1300 (if you can find one). IMO Winchester makes the smoothest shooting pump gun around, followed by Remington and Mossberg. Sorry Benelli guys, never did care for how the Nova felt :D

For actual field use, sounds like the 12ga would be the best first buy. A Remington 870 (Wingmaster if you can afford it) is probably the best option for a student. If you are going to hunt deer, do yourself and the game a favor and get a rifled slug barrel or at the very least a fixed improved cylinder barrel with rifle sights. No need for a scope etc, open sights are fine at shotgun ranges. Hunting deer with a bird barrel/choke and a bead is no fun for either you or the game, and clip-on sights are crap. Trust me, been there done that in my student days. You can find combo deals on this.

A .22 is great for general plinking but also for learning to shoot well. Starting out on a 12-ga with slugs is a great way to develop a flinch and other bad habits. A Ruger 10/22 is a good fun gun, but I'd also look into a CZ452 if you can swing it. They are very nice guns and more accurate.

Check the Minnesota regs! In most states, the price of non-resident licenses will turn most students away.

Definitely the 12 guage. Far more versatiole. Choke tubes would be good. I'd also get one that would allow you to put a slug barrel on it if you chose to try deer hunting.

As for finding one, check your pawn shops.

Actually I get resident rates because I showed proof that I was a college student living there for more than 60 days. That was enough for proof of residency for my fishing license, just brought a bill from the school in. With my name being in the system for my fishing license I'll be ok getting residency status. It's a loop hole I guess.

And I shoot skeet with my girlfriends dad off their back porch all summer so I'll be needing it for skeet, possibly waterfoull depending on friends. I could have gone but didn't have a gun and they only brought one each down.

I been looking at 870s while I've been home. Gonna take your other suggestions and look at those. Since I'm right in cook county, seeing Chicago out my window, there is not too much for guns out here. I can probbly head out to Cabelas and look there. I know they have good deals on guns sometimes.

WhileI've bought a couple guns at Cabelas when I had credit card points and special offers, they rarely have a good price. Better off finding a Walmart that carries guns, or exploring some shops outside Chicago metro area.

Remington 870. Best bang for the buck. litterally.

It depends on where you're at in the state. Minnesota has a shotgun zone and a centerfire rifle zone. The shotgun zone is the southern half of the state. In the northern zone all firearms are legal (seasonal restrictions only).

If I were you, and you're interested in hunting more than small game, I'd get the 12 gauge. With the right slugs, you can hunt just about anything. Then get the 22LR, followed by a CF rifle, and lastly a handgun of your choice.

Mike

Cabelas every now and then has some good sales from what i've seen. Id be buying them in Mn most likely, maybe at fleet farm (if your near one get the deerskin gloves for 22 bucks, best deal on gloves ever). I know the walmart by my school only has muzzleloaders, so I wont be looking there.

What is a good price for an 870. And I've heard about problems with the fact that their plastic receivers? Any info?

I looked into the beneli nova, basically said there good if they are a right fit for you, watch out for a rattling forearm (or something) and that there really aren't that many parts for them.

Supposedly the Mossberg is a good gun if it fits you, but people tend to trust the 870 much much more because its been around for so long. Any insight?

sorry if im a pain in the butt with all these questions.

If you're looking toward a pump shotgun, then I would strongly suggest you take a good look at the Browning BPS. IMO, it's the best pump shotgun on the market today. I still regret selling mine.

Mike

dont buy used if you dont need to. i would get a benneli nova pump

J&S gun shop in Lakeville is a great place to look for good used and new guns. I have bought 3 from them always have good deals and are willing to give good advise.Go with the 12 ga. Just my thought.

I was planning on going with a twelve gauge. Not too sure which kind I'm going to buy, guess it depends on the money and how it feels.

And lakevilles not too far from me. My roommates is actually from there.

You all say the benelli, any specific reasons?

I'd go for an 870. Have had mine for years and its never let me down. I would actually look for a gun show or gun auction. Alot of time you can find great deals there especially on these two items. Mossberg 500 wouldn't be a bet either. good luck.

benelli is way eay better than most. they make a $350.00 pump and then $1,300 bad "A" semi gun. in the end, they all are awesome, and dependable.. 870 express and mossberg are old technology.

If it was me, I'd pony up the extra couple hundred bucks to get a Remington 11-87 Semi-Auto rather than an 870.

You might consider visiting Cabela's in Owatona and Bass Pro Shop in Gurnee (Gurnee Mills) and having a look-see at what your options are in both new and used guns. I know when I was looking last summer I did not find much differience in price between new and used. I would also take seriously the idea of a shotgun with differient choke tubes for the sake of versatility. Biy what you think will fit your neds and fit you - what feels best.

:rolleyes: It's a pump gun. Wtf would make them "new technology?" For me, I'll opt 870, or even 500 over the Nova. Though Winchester ranks top on my list for pump guns.

In this economy everyone is selling guns,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,buy both cheap and get better ones when you can afford it.

12ga for both shooting cheap and hunting i guess thats three. A mossberg 500 at walmart will cost you 200 bucks. A nef can be had for 100 bucks or so. Or go with a ruger 10/22 you can have one for around 200 bucks. No clays with the 22 though. Unless your just that good.

Easy on the language Big Z.. I misspoke, I was meaning the Beneli seems to be lighter weight then most pumps. I took my Browning BPS to S. Dakota for Pheasants, and it jams after a shot every 7-8 shots. So a nice guy in our group tosed me his Nova. That gun is simple, light weight, and reliable.

Ive been looking at every gun suggested here. Its weird to see so many die hard fans of so many different guns.

All the 870 people love them, its the most popular shotgun around. Looks like one that I should check out. Same with the Benelli Nova, the Mossberg, the winchester, and all the other suggestions.

I think the browning bps is out because of the price, not sure if I want a used gun because some people sell them because they dont quite fire right. Ive seen guys suggest to buy 5 used guns see which shoot the best and return the rest! :rolleye0011:That was through google searches. Im a poor college kid I could and cannot afford that.


Im basically looking for one that will end up being the most versatile, and it looks like its pointing towards the 870. My girlfriends dad suggested a Benelli. I liked how it shot, but I know that it was a higher end gun.


Also, illinois is shotgun only. If I have a gun without a rifled barrel, am i correct in that I would purchase rifled slugs? Can anyone explain that real quick.

Have you done much shooting before?
If not, the .22 is the learning platform. Minimal noise, minimal recoil, minimal cost. All shooting principles can be learned on a .22. You can go out by yourself to practice with it, as opposed to a 12 gauge which you will need someone to throw the birds or activate the thrower. It is legal in most localities (even here in New York State) to purchase a rifle or shotgun used from an individual. There would be your best deal. Stick with known names in a bolt, or single shot for learning safety. Marlin makes very good and inexpensive guns, there are a zillion out there, and you should be able to get one used for around 100.00.
A shotgun combination (buck and bird barrel) makes great sense if you are in with a shotgunning crowd, with access to a skeet/trap field, or even a place to throw your own birds. just blasting at cans, paper etc. gets old real quick though, and darn little in marksmanship will ever be developed without a purpose. For target shooting, 12 gauge slugs will prove very pricey and painful.