I hadn't in months, but this morning I put 100 rounds downrange, and was reminded again of how fun shotguns are, and how the recoil isn't as significant as most would imagine, and mine is just a basic 870 with the Magpul plastic, a +2 tube, and factory barrel cut to 18.5".
I put a mix of 100 slugs and reduced-recoil slugs of about six varieties into a pail and filled tube after tube in my 870 until they were gone. I killed the shit out of a standard paper plate stapled to a fallen tree, Minute-of-Pieplate confirmed at 7-21 steps, in about 30mins.
I hope I never have a reason other than fun to shoot 100 12ga slugs in 30min, but if the situation arises I'm as confident as ever that me and my gear will work just fine. My love for ARs and their high-capacity, low-recoil, compactness makes the 12ga easy to forget.
But it's still a fun and useful type of firearm, and is a unique experience - feel wise. If it's been a while since you've fired a few rounds or more through a shotgun, you might want to drag it out and do so. My brief session this morning was tons of fun.
Nothing. I have a 590A1 SBS that I haven't shot in oh, 5 years (?) and a new 590 that came decked with Magpul parts from the factory when Buds was blowing them out for $330. I think I got it 2 years ago and its been in the safe the whole time.
The SBS is legit 5+1 with Federal Flight Control OO Buck but it's not in the top 10 things I would ever grab unless legislatively shotguns were easier to use.
Maybe I'll drag them out when the weather finally turns. From May - Sept/Oct, all my range visits are early morning and very direct to the point - either training with a CCW handgun or zeroing 1-2 weapons in under an hour. No time to dilly daly in the heat / humidity of the south.
I do a shotgun match every July (do as in match director, designer, builder) so I did a fair bit in July. Despite having two dedicated "race guns", I used one of my turkey guns. I have some that see use throughout the year. Some every couple years. Some I haven't shot in decades and at least two I've never fired.
_____________________________________________________ Sliced bread, the greatest thing since the 1911.
I think its been about a year. I love my 1897 but havent done much with it in a bit. I do admit shotguns arent really my thing outside of historical or novelty designs.
Posts: 3155 | Location: Pnw | Registered: March 21, 2009
Funny you should mention it, shot my Benelli M4 yesterday. 00 buck is nothing through that gun, it is a beast. While I do not shoot it often I cannot see parting with it anytime soon.
________________________ "Don't mistake activity for achievement." John Wooden, "Wooden on Leadership"
Posts: 1392 | Location: Gilbert, AZ | Registered: November 08, 2000
My shotgun is a featherlight Ithaca 37 12ga, old wood stock with a plastic butt plate. Recoil in a t-shirt is not enjoyable and thus it hasn't been shot in several years. I honestly don't have much use for shotguns as I am not a hunter.
Define recently? If you mean in the last decade, then yes. Our gun club doesn’t allow any shotgun shooting in any of our bays. Unless you want to shoot trap, you’re out of luck.
Posts: 723 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: December 27, 2004
My dad and I went in together on a DryFire shotgun system, I shoot a full round of skeet and other clays every day I have it in my basement! Live fire however, last shot was on quail last year.
Posts: 2183 | Location: NC | Registered: January 01, 2006
Originally posted by Peanut71: Define recently? If you mean in the last decade, then yes. Our gun club doesn’t allow any shotgun shooting in any of our bays. Unless you want to shoot trap, you’re out of luck.
that's one reason I was fond of my last gun range - they had several 'shooting pits' - surrounded by high berms on three sides - you could pretty much shoot whatever / however you wanted as long as it was safe
I would fire 50-75 rds for practice with my HD shotguns numerous times per year at the end of my handgun / rifle range sessions
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Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Posts: 8940 | Location: Florida | Registered: September 20, 2004
Shot 50 rounds of Trap with my 20 gage O/U and 50 with my 12 gage BPS. BTW the Browning has a 30 inch barrel so it's a great Trap gun, just wish it had the Trap Cutoff.
I've stopped counting.
Posts: 5794 | Location: Michigan | Registered: November 07, 2008