Duck Hunting - Gun Selection

[Modeler]

Hi all,

A friend and I are going to start duck hunting. We've reserved a day with a guide to show us the ropes, we'll be heading to the coast to hunt in a month or so. I have most everything I'll need, except for a proper shotgun.

What kind of shotgun will I need? My initial thought is a standard Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 with a 26 or 28" barrel and interchangeable chokes; would that work well? I don't need to get fancy or anything, just looking for something to start with.

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[Joe13]

Hi all,

A friend and I are going to start duck hunting. We've reserved a day with a guide to show us the ropes, we'll be heading to the coast to hunt in a month or so. I have most everything I'll need, except for a proper shotgun.

What kind of shotgun will I need? My initial thought is a standard Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 with a 26 or 28" barrel and interchangeable chokes; would that work well? I don't need to get fancy or anything, just looking for something to start with.

Both of those are good choices - Although I'm a Remington fan over the moss.

IMO - with limited bird hunting experience - I like an over under or side by side with 2 triggers. It allows you to choke one barrel for further shots and one for closer shots.

I have a stoeger uplander SxS in stainless that is a great gun.

Over unders and single barrel shotguns are more intuitive to aim though...

 

[thorborg]

A ton of good guns available and rather a Ford / Chevy sort of question brand wise.
More important than brand: "FIT" smooth cycling, choke-able (I like em tight for duck size and up) most prefer modified. My eyes need a rib to focus with dark and cloudy back drops and especially need easy loading with frozen or gloved fingers. Adjustable comb and cant are helpful and may be necessary depending on your frame size.
Wear the clothes you intend to hunt in, close your eyes and throw up the gun at the imaginary incoming dinner. Open your eyes, if you are not sighted down the barrel rib you must adjust it until it is, (FIT) or you will not likely shoot consistently. Most good guns (not necessarily expensive) have shims to adjust. Kill a couple of hundred clays, then throw two at a time. Just remember usually the crappier the weather the better the hunt so buy plastic stock or over wax your wood, pick up your shells, clean and dry your investment before take your boots off.
I love my Benelli Ethoes my wonderful wife bought for me but prior to that, I have never missed a duck albeit I don't duck hunt much (and very few clays) with my starter Weatherby PA08 once I got it to fit.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

My choice would be the Remington over the Mossberg. I have to disagree on the other types of shotguns, buy what you're going to shoot! Learn to shoot one gun well. It's not like a repeating shotgun is all that complicated to operate!
Do you have the proper type of warm, waterproof gear and chest waders? When you're warm and dry duck hunting is a great joy! When wet and cold, it's a little slice of hell!

Oh, yeah! I know that the season is here, but when you can shoot trap! It's not perfect but will enable you to practice a lot of the shooting techniques for waterfowl hunting.
Modeler, I wish you great good luck with your hunt! Of all the game I've ever hunted waterfowl was the best and most addictive!

 

[jluck]

Last year I devoted a bunch of time to this very issue. I made a list of one's I wanted to look at from Benelli nova to Winchesters SXP and seven or so iin between. Go to cabela's and fondle them. I ended up with the dead last one on my "preferred" list.

I ended up buying a sequential serial number pair of Winchester SXP's with a 28" barrel. We frickin love them and they were 100 dollars less each than the Nova. Everyone who has checked it out love it, Even die hard fans of other brands. I'd also recommend getting a shotgun that can accept 3 1/2" mags just for the versatility and if you choose to hunt geese or sasquatch.

 

[2506]

Duck hunting is a lot of fun, the only problem is you might get one
Remington is the better choice, IMHO.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Get the one that you can "shoulder" well, throw it up like your going to shoot and it should fit in the shoulder and the sights will align. That is how you can get more birds and follow through after the shot.
Good luck with your new addiction!!!!

 

[mjbskwim]

Get the one that you can "shoulder" well, throw it up like your going to shoot and it should fit in the shoulder and the sights will align. That is how you can get more birds and follow through after the shot.
Good luck with your new addiction!!!!

OK now the only problem with this is if you ' shoulder ' a gun that is out of your budget then you may get in trouble
Duck hunting is more of a semi auto or ,like you mentioned,a pump gun sport. Few use double guns for ducks,they are usually used for upland birds.
Now as far as the 2 guns mentioned,I believe they are the most used pump guns there are. i have been on hunting forums that the only 2 guns used were the Mossy 500 and the remmy 870.
I am not worth a pee tadler with a pump.
I use a semiauto. Just don't have the ability to cycle a pump.
Anyway,I shoot a Benelli Super Black Eagle II. Not a cheap semi gun but had the money at the time and bought it. Plenty of lesser priced semis out there.
I wouldn't use a Stoger if my life depended on it. I would chuck it into the biggest body of water available. Pure POS.
So like suggesting a pistol,I would try to find a couple buddies with shotguns and see which one you like.
"Good luck with your new addiction!!"
now this is a problem. Shotguns are cool so be carefull with your shopping

 

[Stomper]

My first year of duck hunting I used a 26" Mossberg 500 w/ImpMod choke.

My second year onwards Ive been using a Weatherby SA-08... a pure duck slaying MACHINE!



Duck hunting is great, those things scoot along up to 60mhp! I just wish they tasted like domestic duck and not like nasty liver.... bleck!!

 

[Caveman Jim]

OK now the only problem with this is if you ' shoulder ' a gun that is out of your budget then you may get in trouble
Duck hunting is more of a semi auto or ,like you mentioned,a pump gun sport. Few use double guns for ducks,they are usually used for upland birds.
Now as far as the 2 guns mentioned,I believe they are the most used pump guns there are. i have been on hunting forums that the only 2 guns used were the Mossy 500 and the remmy 870.
I am not worth a pee tadler with a pump.
I use a semiauto. Just don't have the ability to cycle a pump.
Anyway,I shoot a Benelli Super Black Eagle II. Not a cheap semi gun but had the money at the time and bought it. Plenty of lesser priced semis out there.
I wouldn't use a Stoger if my life depended on it. I would chuck it into the biggest body of water available. Pure POS.
So like suggesting a pistol,I would try to find a couple buddies with shotguns and see which one you like.
"Good luck with your new addiction!!"
now this is a problem. Shotguns are cool so be carefull with your shopping

Why would a person looking for a low priced gun even shoulder a $1,000 gun, at least I wouldn't. It's a waste of my time....

 

[mjbskwim]

Why would a person looking for a low priced gun even shoulder a $1,000 gun, at least I wouldn't. It's a waste of my time....

Cause they're so purty and the fit and finish an,an,yeah dumb idea I know

 

[Caveman Jim]

Too purty to drop on the dirty floor of the duck blind, all that mud, grass & coffee.....

 

[mjbskwim]

Too purty to drop on the dirty floor of the duck blind, all that mud, grass & coffee.....

I had a Weatherby Orion for a bit. Took it to Ocean Shores hunting area,you know with salt water?
Had to relieve myself and had to take my coat off to lay the gun down.Wasn't gunna lay it on the ground or a rotten stump!

 

[Stomper]

I had a Weatherby Orion for a bit. Took it to Ocean Shores hunting area,you know with salt water?
Had to relieve myself and had to take my coat off to lay the gun down.Wasn't gunna lay it on the ground or a rotten stump!

LOL.... that's why I'm not into "trophy guns". All of mine are tools to be used for their purpose and then reasonably cared for. I snagged my Weatherby SA-08 NIB from BiMart for less that $400 when they had a "crazy" sale going on. It was the all black synthetic stocked version, and I did the camo-wrap myself. It shoots sweet, like a properly oiled & tuned sewing machine.

 

[Caveman Jim]

LOL.... that's why I'm not into "trophy guns". All of mine are tools to be used for their purpose and then reasonably cared for. I snagged my Weatherby SA-08 NIB from BiMart for less that $400 when they had a "crazy" sale going on. It was the all black synthetic stocked version, and I did the camo-wrap myself. It shoots sweet, like a properly oiled & tuned sewing machine.

EXACTLY, ain't tryin to impress anyone but myself.

 

[waglockfan]

Mossberg 835. Handles 3.5 shells all day long should you feel the need to really reach out and touch somethin'.

I got mine off an ad I saw in a local hardware store for $300, with 2 aftermarket chokes included.

Buttery smooth with zero issues. Only thing I plan on doing is getting a red fiber - rod sight that'll snap on over the rib, instead of trying to focus on a smallish white bead.

 

[teb]

I'd choose the 870 with 26" or 28" interchangeable choke barrel.
3" is big enough.
Pattern your gun before going out.

Also, I second the clothing recommendation.
Chest waders, jacket, gloves, hat, etc.
Bring food/drink and a lot of shells, unless you're hunting an area that limits you to 25.

 

[jluck]

3.5" guns will shoot shorter shells too.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Pardner Pump (870 clone)
28" vent rib barrel and choke.
About $160-$190
They also sell other chokes at Bimart and Sportsmans warehouse to make a better pattern.

Buy a rattle can of paint and camo it up.
Hardly cost you $210

 

[teb]

Don't feel like you have to get a 3.5" gun
An 870 express that shoots up to 3" will be just fine.
Heck, a 2 3/4" will do it all.