Shotguns

Every once in awhile, veteran shotgun enthusiasts might think back to the old days when hunting and target shooting proceeded at a slower pace, with a little more emphasis on fine form. Not that there is anything wrong with the quality over and under, semi-automatic, or pump-action shotguns on today's market, but in many minds, the old side-by-sides just give off an image of a little more class. A lot of today's veteran hunters started their shooting careers with an old double barrel handed down to them by their father or grandfather. Unfortunately, many of those old side-by-sides kicked like a mule and had so much drop in the stock that the shooter really had to work at obtaining a proper sight picture to hit anything.

Times have changed, and now the younger generation seems to have adjusted to modern technology with new model scatterguns that are easier to shoot and handle. Fine side-by-sides are few and far between on today's field and clay target ranges, but they have not been totally forgotten. We decided to jump into our time machine and take a little venture back to the days when side-by-sides were king. To cover the bases and pit old versus new within a reasonable price framework, we selected a used old-style SIACE Model 350G with double hammers and double triggers, available for about $2,000; and a recently introduced CZ-USA Ringneck hammerless with a single trigger, retailing for $1,022. Both of the doubles were 20-gauge models with screw-in internal chokes.

As most shooting instructors will point out, shooting a side-by-side can be a little more difficult to master than shooting down a single-barrel sight plane. The wider two-barrel image can be a distraction for a shooter who should be focusing on the target. If you are looking at the barrel and not the target, chances are the shot string will not be in the right place at the right time, and you'll miss.

In many cases, a shooter will slightly lift his or her head off the stock of a side-by-side when taking a shot (also related to having a wider sight plane and other design features of the double guns) causing the shot to go high. Shooting a little high is fine for flushing quail, grouse or pheasants, but can play havoc with a clay target score.

A similar shooter adjustment is required when the firearm features double triggers rather than a single trigger. When the front trigger only fires the right barrel and the back trigger only fires the left barrel, the shooter has to remember to switch from front to back to touch off two shots. With practice, this switching procedure is not a problem, but for double-trigger newbies, there is most definitely potential for confusion.

Although each of the 20-gauge double guns were designed to handle up to 3-inch shells, we decided to limit our test ammunition to lighter loads, with the understanding that increased recoil can be a major factor when shooting lighter side-by-sides. Our test ammunition included Noble Target Trap 2.75-inch loads, 2.5 dram equivalent, packing 7/8 ounce of No. 7.5 shot with an average muzzle velocity of 1,210 fps; and Federal Game 2.75-inch loads, 2.5 dram equivalent, with 7/8 ounce of No. 7.5 shot with an average muzzle velocity of 1,210 fps. The only ammunition malfunction we encountered was with a single Federal shell that had its primer seated too deep for the firing pin of either of the side-by-sides to touch off. Here are the rest of our findings:

Members of our staff have been afield hog hunting and walked into a mess of quail and wished for a shotgun to knock down a bird or two. Or weve been grouse hunting with a shotgun and saw a nice rabbit pop out 45 yards away, making us want a rifle. The solution in both cases would have been a combination rifle and shotgun. Though far less popular in the United States than in Europe, combo guns such as the Savage Model 24V, .222 Rem./20 gauge, $400-$425 and the Baikal Model MP94 #489330 223 Rem./12 gauge, $790, have a legitimate place in the birding/game sportsmans gun closet.The 24V and MP94 are break-action firearms with two barrels in an over-and-under configuration. One barrel is a rifle barrel, the other is a shotgun barrel. Combo guns are designed for hunting, and depending on the caliber and gauge, a variety of game can be stalked, from rodents in a barn to whitetails in the big woods, or perhaps pigeons, pheasant, or ducks. They are guns for opportunistic hunters, since the barrel set up allows the hunters to bag a squirrel, or if by chance a grouse, or whatever game the hunter happens to comes upon. In that respect they are flexible, but since a rifle is aimed and shotguns are pointed, their features compromise elements of both firearms types. Getting the balance right is the trick.Probably the most common combination gun manufactured in the U.S. was the Savage Model 24, an iconic firearm that was first produced in 1949. We were able to lay our hands on a Model 24V specimen built in 1968 to test as a used gun versus Baikal MP94, which was first imported from Russia in about 2001. The reason for that pairing: Savage doesnt continue to make a larger-bore shotgun model to compare to the 12-gauge Baikals. Savage has only one combination gun still listed on its website, the Model 42, a 22 LR or 22 Magnum over 410-bore gun that lists for $485 (#19666). We hope to put Savages smaller combo gun up against Baikals #489392, the MP94 set up as a 410-bore/22 LR ($562) or the #489394, a 410/22WMR ($511). Interestingly, Baikal still produces several combo guns, our #489330 12/223 Rem., the #489338 12/30-06 Springfield, the #489334 12/308 Rem., and the #489342 12/7.62x39, all $790. We reviewed and recommended the European American Armory-imported Baikal IZH94 12 gauge/7.62x39mm in the July 2002 issue, when it sold for a paltry $425.

O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Americas oldest family-owned and operated firearms manufacturer, is following the lead of several other firearms makers by adding new or expanded manufacturing capability in a firearms-friendly state.

Newer versions of this famous shotgun use roll pins instead of screws to hold certain action parts. Here’s how to convert early Auto-5s.

'Higher velocities mean shorter leads, which are necessary for fast-flying waterfowl,' said Brett Flaugher, Winchester Ammunition vice president of marketing, sales and strategy. 'We want to give the consumer what they want, and that's why we're expanding this popular waterfowl load.' …

TriStar Arms is announcing its new Raptor ATAC Turkey shotgun in 12 gauge just in time for the 2014 turkey hunting season.

We compared four 12-gauge pumpguns in in the October 2013 issue. They were the Benelli Super Nova Tactical No. 29155 pump-action 12 Gauge, $559, and the recently introduced Stevens Model 320 Home Defense No. 19495, $270; the CZ Model 612 Home Defense No. 06520, $290; and the CZ Model 612 HC-P No. 06510, $349.

At a reader's request, we selected several new models of self-defense shotguns that carry low to moderate price tags and pitted them against one of the popular veteran self-defense shotguns to see how they would perform.

(GunReports.com) — Here are more 2014 SHOT Show videos added to the GunReports.com YouTube channel this week.

(GunReports.com) — Stoeger Industries’ new Stoeger M3020 is a 3-inch, 20-gauge, semi-automatic shotgun that handles loads from 2¾-inch up to 3-inch Magnums without adjustment.

Franchi’s Affinity Sporting shotgun is now available in 20 gauge.

If you are in a situation in which the firearm need not be concealed, such as on a big boat, in a home, or if the piece is carried behind the truck seat, you should use a long gun instead of a handgun. For home defense, a single-barrel shotgun, a double barrel, or a self-loader are all viable, providing the user is familiar with each. But for most of us, the humble slide-action shotgun is the best choice. Simple to use and reliable with a variety of shells, the pump-action shotgun has a long history of efficiency. A sporting shotgun is useful and has been used many times in home defense. But for dedicated personal-defense duty, the 28-inch-barrel bird gun is a bit long. An 18- to 22-inch barrel is faster handling in close quarters. And though the single-shot design is a viable home defender against one burglar or intruder, the pump action, when properly designed and used, may move up a niche to the combat shotgun designation. No, the humble pump isnt a SPAS 12, but it is a very good defensive weapon, with some qualifications.You could fertilize a pasture with half-truths concerning the shotgun. Although the shotgun is a great defensive firearm and is effective in trained hands, it is not a problem solver that will work in untrained hands - far from it. But for self defense, we are willing to admit that a cheap shotgun usually works better than a cheap rifle or cheap handgun. But weve got to agree the shotgun cannot cover a house with shot - there isnt enough payload, so you must aim the shotgun just as carefully as a rifle at personal-defense ranges. And not having the power of a crane, they cannot knock a felon off his feet. You can miss, and you will miss, if you have not practiced enough to become used to the recoil of a shotgun.The difference in sporting performance and personal defense is profound. A sporting shotgun must deliver a few pellets to drop a bird, rabbit, or squirrel, or even a large goose. In personal defense, we wish to hit with the whole payload. Though an argument may be made for the smaller gauges and the larger 10 gauge as well, we feel that the 12 gauge chambering is an ideal choice, in part because more readily available loads in 12 gauge. And because we want to save Gun Tests readers money wherever possible, we wanted to focus on scatterguns that we could buy for less than $300. Guns in this price range do not incorporate a light rail or a means of mounting a red dot scope.So with a tight budget in mind, we put on our Bargain Hunter hats and chose two shotguns to test due to their similarity in price, location of the safety, and other features. The question was, for the money, should you choose a name-brand used shotgun or a modern economy shotgun? To answer that question, we bought a used 12-gauge Winchester 1300 Slug Gun for $250 and pitted it against a Rock Island Armory M5 Matte Nickel Shotgun #51329, $242.

The 36th edition of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) is ongoing through Friday at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Here are some of the more interesting shotgun introductions we’ve seen so far: