Buying A Shot Gun

Overview

After you have known what you want to do with your shotgun, you now need to know what best suits you, your experience and your purpose. There is an array of types of shotguns of different properties and values and getting a chance to compare them will help you avoid buying irrelevant kinds. Below is a comprehensive guide on what you should consider before buying your first shotgun. Don't forget, like anything, you can choose to buy a new shot gun or used guns, so take a look at your budget and needs and see what suits best.

Caliber

The gauge of your shotgun is obviously among the things you want to give first priority. You have a range of gauges to choose from, including 10, 12, 16, 20, 28 and 410. The smaller the gauge, the bigger the bigger the size, meaning, a 20 gauge is smaller than a 12 gauge. Therefore, a 12-gauge is the best option for a starter as it is cheap, less complex, readily available and arguably the best for target shooting. A 10 gauge is more expensive and too much powerful for target shooting and is therefore recommendable for self-defense and hunting while a 20 gauge is a little bit weaker making it hard to hit long range targets.

Chambering

After you have known the best gauge size for you, you will now have to choose among the shell-sizes available. For instance, upon choosing a 12 gauge shell, there are different lengths to pick from: 2.75, 3 and 3.5 inches. 3 and 3.5 inch shells are best for hunting while 2.75-inch ones are best on clay target fields. You also need to know different guns can handle different shell lengths with some handling one size, some two sizes and others 3 sizes. For versatility, 2.75” is perfect as it is good for target shooting and hunting. There is a good range posted daily on Buy Used Guns - the easiest way to know is to subscribe to their twitter feed and get instant updates.

Length

Lengths of barrels vary from 24-32 inches. The shotgun’s length will obviously affect its weight and it’s therefore advisable to choose on the shorter ones which are easier to carry around. Many people, though, consider other reasons other than ease of transporting when choosing shotguns. A long-barrel gun is basically most suitable for hunting as it reduces the distance between the target spread and the target. For experienced hunters, though, there is no big difference between short and long barrels. For a starter, 30”-barrel is perfect for you.

Material

There is no single material that is specifically meant for the barrel, stock or grip. There is no big range of choices either, as you can only choose between rubber, wood and plastic for the stock and grip. The barrel can be made of stainless steel or blued. Choosing among these materials is a matter of personal preference if efficiency is the matter. For durability, though, synthetics are slightly better.

Choke Tubes

Choke tubes are approximately 4’’ long tubes that are attached to the inside of the end of the gun barrel. They help extend the shot spread and therefore make it easier to hit distant targets. For a starter make sure the gun you buy has choke tubes.

Ammunition

There are two types of ammunition which shot guns are able to shoot: single large pellets (slugs) and shells full of smaller pellets (shots). The large pellets make the shotgun act like a rifle while the smaller ones are best for hitting small moving targets. Therefore, for bird-hunting, smaller pellets are the best.