What shotgun to get a girl?

[CrazyMiniMan]

I want to get my girlfriend a shotgun, but I cant quite make up my mind as to which one to get. She has fired my 12 gauges before without flinching, but that was with 2 3/4 inch loads, not sure how she would do with 3 inch shells.

I want this shotgun to be useful for skeet shooting, Pheasant hunting, and (God forbid) home defense if necessary.

This girl is 18, 5 foot 4 inches, and very strong for girl her size. She weighs about 125 pounds, so if any of that matters, please factor that in as well.

I was thinking a 16 gauge or a 20, but I cant decide which.

Help anyone? :usa:

[Tailgunner]

Take her with you, you want to get one that is comfortable and fits her. Don't worry if it dosn't come close to fitting you. If you need to, get the butt cut down to fit her properly.
You didn't say what action style she prefers, but my (5'2) wife likes a 12ga Browning Cetori O/U that has had almost 1" cut off the butt.
Any 12ga chamber that can handle 3" shells will also be fine with the 2 3/4" ones. Use the 1oz or 1 1/8 "Lite" (2 3/4 dram) target loads in it, with the 1 1/4oz (3 1/4 dram) mediums for hunting. Let her try a couple of 1 3/8 or 1 1/2 oz heavy loads, she will tell you if there to much. Slug loads just plain hurt.
16ga dosn't have a very good varity of loadings, so I would think twice about that one.
20ga works, and has a better selection of loads than the 16ga but not as many as the 12ga.
If you go with a 20ga, follow the load selection advise above, but down scaled for the 20ga. IE: 3/4-7/8 oz for target, 1 1/8 for hunting (I think thats what the numbers are for the 20, could be wrong)

[ogre]

Consider yourself lucky that you can find a girlfriend that likes to go shooting. They seem to be getting very scarce lately. Here is the funny thing: my last really good female friend (not quite girlfriend material) I got her and SKS for her 21st b-day. Well anyway a good 870 express is always good.
Almost forgot... A 20 Gauge is great but where the 12 Gauge is more of a hard shove the 20Gauge has a tendency to snap back. A sharper recoil. I think you understand.

[Steel_Talon]

Originally posted by CrazyMiniMan@Jul 7 2003, 09:03 PM
I want to get my girlfriend a shotgun, but I cant quite make up my mind as to which one to get. She has fired my 12 gauges before without flinching, but that was with 2 3/4 inch loads, not sure how she would do with 3 inch shells.

I want this shotgun to be useful for skeet shooting, Pheasant hunting, and (God forbid) home defense if necessary.

This girl is 18, 5 foot 4 inches, and very strong for girl her size. She weighs about 125 pounds, so if any of that matters, please factor that in as well.

I was thinking a 16 gauge or a 20, but I cant decide which.

Help anyone? :usa:
Hello CMM...,

Sounds like a 20 guage Semi Auto will fit your /her needs.

I have a couple of Rem 1100 LT 20 guage that my son and girls learned to shoot with, weighs just over 6lbs.

All The Best
Steel :samurai:

[Bear 1769]

A GUN!!!! Don't get so !$**@$ serious yet there is still time just stick with the ring. Buy your self another gun she can borrow. :o

[Camera man]

If you look at a 12ga. I would go with a gas gun. My son is 12 and about that size and I picked him up a Rem 870 pump, youth 20ga. He has taken many a dove, duck and pheasent with it. It does pretty good with skeet too. But he does not like to shoot many of thoes. You have to soke them to long before cooking. The other day at the range a friend had a Rem 1100, in 12ga. It had a 26in bbl on it. My boy hit 3 out of 5 birds with it. It did not beat him up at all. But I think if he had to hump it in the field all day, the size and wieght would get to him. The 870 youth express can handle 3in mags. With a little shorted pull and 21in bbl, it fits him just right.

[deerhntr]

You are a Lucky man , Finding a woman that Likes shooting is rare indeed today.
Getting back to the subject I would Get a Good Gas operated Shotgun for her
and stick with the 12 gauge if she does well with it. I would Get a Remington
11/87 or 1100 with a 26-28 inch barrel then add a Kick-eez recoil pad to it and
have fun you lucky devil ;)

[Mule]

I purchased a Rem 870 Express Youth Model for my wife. When my 15y.o. daughter expressed an interest in shooting, she started using Mom's gun. Although she could shoot it respectably, she had trouble with doubles at skeet and Sporting Clays. I traded the 870 for an 1100 LT-20 Youth Model. Made all the difference in the world. Her 200 pound brothers have decided that the LT-20 is their new rabbit gun. My only regret is that the LT-20 is 2 3/4" only. That 870 Youth had a 3" chamber and was great for sneaking around the turkey woods.
Shoot Safe
Mule

[BigDaveS54]

My wife is 5'2" and we bought her a Mossberg 500C 20ga. pump, youth model, checkered wood stock, vent rib, 3 choke tubes. She loves it. Fits her perfect.

[swill269]

:D
i understand now, not "what shotgun to get a girl" but "what shotgun to get FOR a girl!" :lol:
:cool: :usa: :beer:

[Shooter1]

It's always good to hear a woman support the shooting sports. From what you describe, go with a gas-operated 12.

[Ivanimal]

Let her pick her own, If its a pump go with a 870 if its an auto go for the browning or winchester. Justmy 2 cents I would go for te browning in 12 gauge.

[csapor]

12ga, 2 3/4 low brass is fine for most purposes. I hunt pheasant with them.
A simple remington pump
or benelli nova is fine. Autoloaders are fine but if youre halfway decent with a pump why spend the extra cash? Also a 5dollar recoil pad will dampen any badly setup shots. 16 and 20ga has limited uses. :lol:

[Zydeco76]

I believe Houge makes a short buttstock with a pistol grip that would be a perfect size match. An 870 or a mossberg are fine shotguns for the price. Get one and buy all the lowbrass you can carry and go shooting. (often)