What Will You Use the Shotgun For?
The first question you will want to ask is what you will be using the shotgun for. Lighter shotguns are great for hiking into the wilderness and hunting, while a longer, heavier shotgun will be more useful for targets and clay pigeons. The length will give a slight advantage with shot grouping, while the weight will help with recoil. A tactical shotgun, such as the Benelli M4, is perfect for a competition, for example, but is not ideal for hunting.
Which Gauge Is Best for You?
The two most common gauges are 12 and 20. The 20 gauge is good for small game and deer as well as clay shooting. This gauge is often recommended for beginners because it doesn’t have the recoil of a 12 gauge. A 12 gauge, such as the Beretta A400 series, gives you better range, and is better suited for general hunting, such as waterfowl, turkey, and deer. It packs more recoil than a 20 gauge but is more versatile. A 20 gauge shotgun is smaller than a 12 gauge.
Semi-Automatic or Pump Shotgun?
Today, many shotguns are semi-automatic, like the Beretta A300 Outlander. Semi-automatic shotguns are great for hunting waterfowl or clay pigeons thanks to the gas-cycling action, which is faster than pumping. This is comparable to a semi-automatic rifle or handgun, where all you have to do is pull the trigger. However, they are also significantly more expensive than pump-action shotguns. Pump-action shotguns are more common, are inexpensive, reliable, and are easy to use and break down for cleaning.
What About Break Action?
Break action shotguns, such as “stagecoach” guns, with side-by-side double barrels, a single barrel, or over-under barrels must be broken open for reloading. They accept either a single shell or two shells, depending on the number of barrels and fire immediately with a trigger pull. Double-barrel shotguns often have two triggers. Today, they are far less common and are either fairly inexpensive or extremely expensive as a prestige item. They are safer than the other types of shotguns, unable to fire while having the action open, but limited in how many shots you have available.
Fitting the Shotgun to You
The stock of the shotgun should fit you well, and you may need a professional gunsmith to help fit the shotgun to you. Consider the length of pull, or the distance between the center of the trigger and the center of the recoil pad on the stock where it connects to your shoulder, as well as how wide the stock is. The angle of the stock should also be comfortable for your shoulder.
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