Hopefully my next purchase will be a shotgun! Tho I do not know what gauge I wish to go for. The Most commonly spoken of around here is 410 20 and 12. So far Im riding towards a 20 gauge.

Check the price-tag on shotgun ammo. You may find that 12 ga is: 1) more common with more variety and 2) least expensive.

I would recommend a 12 gauge hands down over the other calibers. Highly versatile and effective. As you get into center fire arms, it would also be time to think about reloading, a fascinating and economical hobby in its own right.

Hmmmm I was thinking of a 20 guage single shot for 80$ just to be my first to play with but ill check out the 12s too.


EDIT

And there we go!

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/53818-55.html

Not bad For 114$ no? I can afford that! May not be a pump but Im sure itll be fun to shoot and usefull!

I suggest an American Made 12 ga,if you don't like it,You can Probably get close to if not the cost of it,should you want to sell it/trade it!

Those single-shot break action shotguns can be a little bit rough to shoot. This is because they're somewhat light-weight, which makes recoil a bit more stout. The price is good on them, but the recoil issue can actually make them a somewhat poor choice for new shooters.

Personally, I would look around for a Mossberg 500 Bantam 20ga. The going price on them seems to be around $280. Great all around shotgun, as you can adjust the length of pull to match shooters of all statures, it has a comparatively short 22" barrel (makes it easier to maneuver), and it accepts choke tubes. Plus, unlike the Rossi, it's pump action with the ability to hold 5 shots.

A lot of people say to go with a 12ga, and there is a lot of logic in that, as 12ga is the most common shotgun chambering by far and, because of this, it's very versatile. However, I'm also a big fan of 20ga shotguns. You don't really save any money over a 12ga, but what you do get is a gun that's typically a little lighter, swings faster, and is handier, without as rough of recoil. Also interesting is that, while 12ga is most common, sometimes it's easier to find 20ga shells than 12ga, as they're still extremely common but with slightly less demand.

Finally, one really nice thing about 20ga shotguns is that the standard buck load for a 20ga is ~20 pellets of #3 buckshot. This is just about a perfect home defense load.

Massad Ayoob (a well known firearms instructor) had a neat article on the 20ga shotgun a while back. Basically he said, unless you are going after big water-fowl (or big-bear), a 20ga shotgun can do everything a 12ga can and is arguably better at it. It's a good read:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob120.html

If you stick with one of the "standard" shotguns (Mossberg 500 or Remington 870) there are a wealth of accessories for both models if you ever want to modify them.

One way around the 12 ga. recoil issue is reduced recoil rounds. I understand they are just as effective at closer range.

Here's another vote for a 20 ga shotgun. I bought a mossberg bantam (designed for women and children with a shorter pull) several years ago at a "big mart" store and have been very happy with it. Not as much kick as a 12, more compact, and I find it easier to use. With the shorter pull, it can also be used by all members of the family. The shorter pull does not at all interfere with its use by a adult man.

With a 22, a shotgun, and throw in a lever action 30-30, you're pretty complete. (Lever actions are one gun I would buy used. There are always a lot of them in a local gunsmith's. They are likely to have been owned by a working guy or farmer who took care of his tools and are very likely not to have been shot out with high powered loads.) You can also get a new cheap Marlin 30-30 at a mart store.

Hint: Spend as much time shooting as looking at gun catalogs and you'll be pretty darn good.

TimW

If you just got your first firearm - that Marlin 795 - I would wait a while, shoot it first, get to know firearms, and only then start looking at other guns. No offense intended, but at this stage of the game you don't know what you want yet or why you want it, and you could rush in and make an impulse purchase that might be the wrong choice.

First you have to ask yourself, "Why do I want a shotgun?" Do you plan to hunt? Want it for self defense? Trap/skeet shooting? All of these things will make a difference in what you ultimately choose. If you have no plan or defineable need for a shotgun, you might consider something else as your second gun. A .22 handgun might be a more logical choice. Leave the shotgun for gun #3 or #4 unless you can specifically say what you want it for. I think everybody should own a shotgun in their collection, but maybe not as gun #2.

Ive been thinking about what firearms i wish to purchase for a very long time now. At the very least I would like to end up with my 22 a 20cal shotgun, 308 hunting rifle, 223 AR and a 9mm Pistol. At the very least for reasoning towards owning is just fun plinking even with the cost.