What should i get? What shells are good to?

[TrapperJ]

Howdy folks. Made the trip and im here in west texas and dove season has recently opened and I wanna get out and get some doves but im thinking on buying a new shotgun. Ive not went and looked at any places but how hard pressed am I gonna be to find a shotgun under 500? Also what would yall recommend for doves? I could travel back later in the year to missouri and get my 410 but I would love to expand my collection. Im thinking a 20ga but what shells are the best for dove? And what brands is everyone using for dove?? Any help would really help lol its my first time dove hunting

 

[Ajax2744]

A good dove shoot is high volume so personally I typically get the cheapest 7.5 shot I can find and I’ve never had a problem. As for good shotguns under $500 I’d look at a mossberg 500. You could get the mossberg maverick 88 which is a dressed down mossberg 500 for half the price. I wouldn’t recommend buying cheaper double barrels or semi autos as they are all Turkish and vary in quality, although they have gotten better as time has gone on they still can be a crap shoot.

The other option is a nice used shotgun. Remington 870s, beretta 3901, classic Winchester model 12, Remington 1100, or a browning bps are all solid guns that can be found for ~$500 and will last a lifetime

 

[Jnasa]

You can easily pick up a shotgun for $500 especially if looking on the used market. For pump action I like Remington 870. Semi Auto I like Beretta but may have to look to find one under $500. Over and Under there are brands you could find in your price range but I'm not familiar enough to give suggestions. Ive heard good things about CZ but think they are a little over your budget.

The 12 guard is the most versatile. If wanting to double up on waterfowl I would recommend that. If it's mostly an upland gun then a 20 gauge is my preference.

For shells it doesn't matter too much. I would avoid target loads although for Dove they'd be ok. I like shot size 7 or 71/2 for Dove. Most other species I prefer 7 or 6 shot depending on distance. Quality 6 shot is hard to beat for an overall upland load.

For economical dove shooting the heavy target/field shells 3 dram 71/2 are good. Box stores often have packs of 4 boxes for a discount.

It doesn't hurt to pattern your shotgun with new shells to confirm they pattern like you want.

 

[Wyoming270]

I biy the cheapest 4 pack of federal 7,8, or 9 shot shells at walmart for doves. If your on management area you might need steel. Run them through the winchester pump shotgun i bought for $300 when i was 18.

 

[redhaze]

If you are not a heavy shooter of thousands of rounds a year, the Mossberg 20 gauge is sufficient. It also has interchangeable chokes if you need it for other game. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Nick87]

7.5 game loads not target loads. Winchester super x or remington's work just fine.

 

[Nick87]

As far as the gun goes, I would try to find an old used remington, 870 express. You might be able to get one in that price point nowadays. Back in the day, you could buy them brand new for $300
, probably less.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

As far as the gun goes, I would try to find an old used remington, 870 express. You might be able to get one in that price point nowadays. Back in the day, you could buy them brand new for $300
, probably less.

I think my 870 express was like $230 when I turned 12. Dad took his folgers cans of change to the bank to buy me one for my first gun.

 

[Nick87]

I think my 870 express was like $230 when I turned 12. Dad took his folgers cans of change to the bank to buy me one for my first gun.

That price actually seems more like it. I think it was like $350 for the combo with 2 barrels iirc.

 

[NoWiser]

Don’t let a forum choose for you. Go shoulder a few in your price range and see what feels good. You should have a few options.

 

[Jbotto]

If you look hard enough at the used rack at gunshops and pawn shops you should be able to find a good used shotgun to get you started that will last a long while. Finish might be a bit rough but most should work just fine. Lots of good suggestions here already in the various pump shotguns on the market. I’d be looking for a used 870 Express with a plain wood stock. Avoid the stocks that look like laminated wood. Those models were hit and miss in quality. An 870 Wingmaster could be more expensive than your $500 plan but if you find one that looks a bit rough, it should still shoot and function well for a lower price.

That price actually seems more like it. I think it was like $350 for the combo with 2 barrels iirc.

Mine was $279 new in probably 2005 or 2004. The shop had a used iron sighted, smooth bore slug barrel he threw in for an extra $70. He even let me step out the front door and shoot a slug through it to show me it still worked. God Bless rural gun shops.

 

[44hunter45]

I bet there is a pawn shop near with some used options you can try.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Get a 12 gauge pump of your choosing & a flat of 1 1/8 ounce #7.5's or #8's.

My 870 Express has been flawless. Picked it up used at a pawn shop for $300. The used racks are a working man's best friend.

 

[Wyoming270]

Never owned a mossberg but being the only family owned american fire arms manufacturer i endorse.

 

[2rocky]

My attitude runs toward a used shotgun over a new one because of historical quality being better in firearm manufacturing and more reliability, quality issues being known on older models. For instance Ruger over under firing pins scraping brass on shell bases

Brand / family	Recurring issue worth knowing	Typical consequence	Overall durability
Ruger Red Label	Firing-pin drag/protrusion complaints; some guns become loose with heavy use	Scraped case heads/primers, opening resistance; eventual action wear	Generally robust, but individual guns vary considerably
Browning Citori / 425/525/725	Lower firing pin erosion/pitting and lower-barrel light strikes; hammer springs/top-lever springs eventually weaken	Misfires, usually lower barrel first	Excellent; very high round counts otherwise
Miroku O/U	Essentially similar lower firing-pin/hammer-spring issues to Citori	Light lower-barrel strikes	Excellent
Beretta 680/682/686/687	Eventually hinge/locking surfaces wear; ejector/spring maintenance; occasional firing-pin issues	Gun starts getting loose “off face,” ejector problems	Excellent, particularly because wear components are serviceable
Older Mossberg Silver Reserve	Early firing pins and firing-pin/monoblock interference; trigger/barrel-selector complaints	Broken pins, dents, failure to fire	Mixed, especially early production
Stoeger Condor	Light strikes, stiff opening, crude trigger/action fitting reported	Intermittent firing and accelerated wear with high-volume use	Better suited to moderate use than serious clay volume
Remington 870 Wingmaster/Police	Few systemic durability problems; very old guns can have normal extractor/ejector/spring wear	Usually inexpensive repairs	Exceptional
870 Express, especially some 2000s–2010s guns	Rough chambers + MIM extractor; rough exterior finish	Stuck fired shells / extraction failures, corrosion complaints	Mechanically durable, QC varies
Mossberg 500/590	Small-part wear (extractors/ejector/safety components) rather than fundamental receiver failure	Extraction or control issues after considerable use	Excellent

 

[Jnasa]

Don’t let a forum choose for you. Go shoulder a few in your price range and see what feels good. You should have a few options.

This is also sound advice. Shoulder and see how it feels to you. How your cheek on the stock lines up with the rib is important. Proper fit will help you hit more birds than the name on it

Also if you know if you like the feel of a pump, semi auto, or break action more.

 

[TrapperJ]

A good dove shoot is high volume so personally I typically get the cheapest 7.5 shot I can find and I’ve never had a problem. As for good shotguns under $500 I’d look at a mossberg 500. You could get the mossberg maverick 88 which is a dressed down mossberg 500 for half the price. I wouldn’t recommend buying cheaper double barrels or semi autos as they are all Turkish and vary in quality, although they have gotten better as time has gone on they still can be a crap shoot.

The other option is a nice used shotgun. Remington 870s, beretta 3901, classic Winchester model 12, Remington 1100, or a browning bps are all solid guns that can be found for ~$500 and will last a lifetime

Okay ill look at the cheapest ammo I can. A mossberg is what i was thinking but I would love a Remington.

A good dove shoot is high volume so personally I typically get the cheapest 7.5 shot I can find and I’ve never had a problem. As for good shotguns under $500 I’d look at a mossberg 500. You could get the mossberg maverick 88 which is a dressed down mossberg 500 for half the price. I wouldn’t recommend buying cheaper double barrels or semi autos as they are all Turkish and vary in quality, although they have gotten better as time has gone on they still can be a crap shoot.

The other option is a nice used shotgun. Remington 870s, beretta 3901, classic Winchester model 12, Remington 1100, or a browning bps are all solid guns that can be found for ~$500 and will last a lifetime

I think i wanna use some Remington dove loads for this season. I also would love a Remington shotgun but im thinking probably a mossberg. Yeah I didnt plan on a double barrel but maybe a semi auto but ill keep that in mind.

Ill look for the 1100 and 870 but if anything ill get a mossbeeg