Shotgun for not very strong lady!!!

[ruthi 0]

hi,

 

So far I've only shot with a little 20 bore but my mate says I could go up to a 20 bore if right ammunition was used. Can anyone tell me about a good (and cheapish) make of lightweight 20 bore I might be able to try? I'm not very strong at all so a shorter barrel might be better?

 

Help!!! I'm a complete novice

[waidmann 105]

have a look around the firearms dealers near you and see what they have in your weight class.

there are also calibers like .410 and 28 gauge which are even lighter in the gun(recoil and overall weight).

good luck

 

waidmann

[Deker 3,478]

I'm a little confused about your references to 20 and going up to 20 in the original post, so I'll just charge along anyway.....

 

Always tricky this one and plenty of lighter guns around, the 20g in particular being commonly referred to as a ladies gun.

 

Don't necessarily let all this malarkey get you down, there are plenty of options of 12g as well and light or low recoil cartridges.

 

Charlotte Kerwood - Shotgun - Charlotte went to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester aged 15, where she won gold in the double trap, and has done rather well in a couple of Olympics since!! She used a 12g!!

[ruthi 0]

Yeah, I think I was confused too Sorry people, had a dim moment meant from 20bore up to 12 bore!!!!

 

Thanks for the advice, I'll have a look round... the young Olympian sounds like a bit of an inspiration...keep telling myself...if she can lift it so can I....if she can lift it so can I. La la la !

[danebrewer10 6]

take a look at the Benelli Montefeltro or any of the other 20 bore semis- even the 12 bore version is so light- lighter than a Beretta semi and lighter than most O/Us Benellis are great guns and light as there's no gas system or springs and things under the fore end. Beretta do also make an ultralight O/U but I guess you might be small of stature as well so recoil may be an issue for you? then I think you'd do well with the Benelli- they do also make a lightweight version with a shortened fore end plus they do get rid of quite a bit of recoil- not as much as a gas operated semi but it smooths out the recoil to more of a push and makes high volume shooting much more comfortable....

 

ATB

 

Honestly? in practice 12 bore dosen't have that much of an advantage over a 12 unless you want to shoot heavy loads of 30 grams plus or shoot geese then a 12 is the way forward, but for general clay and game shooting a 20 will easily keep pace with a 12!

Edited March 25, 2010 by danebrewer10

[Mr_Logic 5]

In all fairness Deker, Charlotte Kerwood, nowadays at least, is a reasonable size...

 

I am just trying to find something at the moment for my other half, who is 5' 5" and built small. She is OK with a 12 - if you're worried about recoil then a semi auto solves that, but it's the length of stock. Trying to find something shorter and that should do. Franchi do a nice light semi auto 12 bore.

 

Are you shooting clays or live quarry?

[sage 0]

hi,

 

So far I've only shot with a little 20 bore but my mate says I could go up to a 20 bore if right ammunition was used. Can anyone tell me about a good (and cheapish) make of lightweight 20 bore I might be able to try? I'm not very strong at all so a shorter barrel might be better?

 

Help!!! I'm a complete novice

 

Good evening Ruth.

Lots of if's and buts here.

Gun fit is the single most important thing. The Gunmakers produce a one size fits all stance, and it is far from true. A properly shortened and balanced light 12gauge o/u, nice soft recoil pad and 21gram light loads to start with. Get a proper fully quilifed coach who will take you through correct stance and gun mounting and you will find you will be more than able to shoot a 12 gauge. you can then move to readly available 24gram cartridges that are a lot cheeper than 20 bore cartridges. I coach a number of lady and junior shooters, and try for their benifit to get them useing a light 12 o/u asap. Their are one or two other little tricks we can do to make the gun feel lighter and recoil less if required.

[Funky_monks 0]

I have an AYA coral o/u which is fairly light, short and quick to mount. I imagine it would be ideal.

[Fishslayer 10]

Lighter is not always better.

 

I agree with Sage, that fit is most important.

Try out as many configurations as possible.

 

I have two Remington 870's - a synthetic stock 12 (heavy) and a wood stock 20 (light).

 

The 20 kicks like a mule.

 

I'm also a fan of interchangeable chokes so that you can adapt to various game/range/loads.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Deker 3,478]

In all fairness Deker, Charlotte Kerwood, nowadays at least, is a reasonable size...

 

I am just trying to find something at the moment for my other half, who is 5' 5" and built small. She is OK with a 12 - if you're worried about recoil then a semi auto solves that, but it's the length of stock. Trying to find something shorter and that should do. Franchi do a nice light semi auto 12 bore.

 

Are you shooting clays or live quarry?

 

 

I haven't seen her for a couple of years, has she piled on the pounds a bit?? When I first met her just after the Commenwealth in 2002 she was a typical 15 years old girl, who had obviously been using a 12g shotgun for the odd year or two, so size isn't really and issue!

 

My lad let go his first 12g at age 10 I seem to recall and went on to love the tool, just examples but as others have said, fit, stance, cartridges and mindset are really the issue, not "I'm very small"

[Mr_Logic 5]

I do agree - plenty of 20 bore shotguns out there that won't fit either. 12 bore with 26 or 28 inch barrel(s) and a shortened stock should do nicely for smaller ladies. If you shoot o/u then use 21g carts on clays - you will still break the clay if you get your bit right.As for Charlotte Kerwood, let's just say she's not the svelte figure you'd expect from an athlete and leave it there!

[flytie 1]

If you use light loads there are plenty of 12 bores out there you could use. Most game side by sides are about 6 1/2lbs to 7lbs and there are plenty nearer 6lb if you look.

 

If you want to stick to o/u configuration try the Beretta ultralight. But why not stick with the 20g.

 

ft

[Deker 3,478]

If you use light loads there are plenty of 12 bores out there you could use. Most game side by sides are about 6 1/2lbs to 7lbs and there are plenty nearer 6lb if you look.

 

If you want to stick to o/u configuration try the Beretta ultralight. But why not stick with the 20g.

ft

 

Indeed ...but there does seem a sort of inclination to move to 12g in the first post, and 12 offers a lot more in a number of areas than 20...and Money is certainly one possible issue!

[clint 45]

my lady use new italian pietta mistral 12g auto with me, no bad recoil, she like very much. When she use side /side bakail, she complan for 3 day after ,hurt

[ruthi 0]

Wow, thanks veyr much to you all, lots to think about. Interesting what you say about getting up to a 12 bore as soon as possible, and about a shortened stock...will look around and see what like

 

Massive thanks - 'specially to Deker for working out my babble!!

 

Ruthi