Not liking that one, Chris. Sorry to hear that. I was commenting on another subject and thought I had best write down all my serial numbers for the guns in my safe in case some loopy decides that's a good idea to get into the safe. Definitely added a few to the vault. Really do like the Ithaca Pump. I actually haven't shot the Semi yet. Been just busy lately. Currently living in a town where just about every other house in the neighborhood likely has a firearm of some kind. I don't know if that's protection but an interesting feel of shared commonality.
I'm saying in a sense that there are more liberal areas that might not. Pretty gun friendly town. But I'm certainly not knocking on doors to find out,
Those trap guys are super friendly. I think it’s a nice retirement hobby. With new trap shooters it seems you either hit nothing and need lots of coaching /encouragement or you’re kicking butt right out of the box. Of course it’s more fun to turn those clay frisbees into black dust but improvement is fun too. The old timers love to teach new guys. The sport needs new blood. Life is full of choices and priorities. That whole story about the number and size of rocks in your jar is true. Shooting sports, especially trap with a cheap gun, does not have to take up much of your jar room. It can be a very casual hobby. Almost like bowling.
ATA can get very intense. For that matter any of the competitions on a State , National, or International level as well. Shot in competition ( in many venues) for many years. Sometimes it got a little stressful, but for me it was a total release from my 9-5 gig.
So back to shotguns... sorry for the bowling de-rail... any other shotgun advice? Is it best to load your own shells? Any pitfalls I should be aware of? Ps- I found an in-stock Benelli monfeltro ultralight finally. Wife says I should wait a few months... I think I should try again in a few days and see if her mood has changed...
Some great advice given. I have several weapons that I've inherited, mostly shotguns. I am not an avid shooter, too expensive, that's why I'm starting to reload. For home defense, a shotgun isn't my first choice. I am not a fan of loaded weapons in the house, and I wouldn't want to be fiddling with loading in an emergency. I do have a 9mm semi carbine that is magazine fed. Loads quick, let the bolt close and done. I hunt with 1 of 2 Ithaca mode 37 featherlites, one that I purchased probably 30 years ago, and one that was my mother's. I've never failed to drop a deer that I fired at with either gun. However, I don't think I've ever taken a shot further than 60-75 yards. The others generally sit. I'm not a seller, and I just don't find many reasons to bring them out other than recreational shooting when friends drop by to shoot. Find the best weapon for your needs, that you feel very comfortable shooting, and you'll be served well. As an aside, the model 37, like many shotguns can take different barrels.. Some cannot. Something else to consider.
I think the Ultralight and the Montefeltro are two different models. The Ultralight is an awesome upland gun (carry it a lot and shoot it a little), while the Montefeltro is more of an all around gun. Gun feel is subjective (and you should handle as many as possible before buying), but in that same class I really like Browning's new A5. To me, that gun just feels right.
Good advice. I would love to try a few different models but I haven't really been able to find anyone that has these. This is the one I was looking at Montefeltro Silver Featherweight Shotguns | Benelli Shotguns and Rifles 26in, 12ga. so still pretty versatile.
I can’t fathom having to settle on just one shotgun, I’ve got a dedicated turkey shotgun, a dedicated sporting clay shotgun, a dedicated dove/duck gun, a dedicated rabbit and squirrel shotgun, plus a few other shotguns I’m also happily single so I can’t fathom having to get permission to buy a gun either, lol I like a gas gun over inertia, a lightweight model is going to be prone to have more felt recoil (especially with heavy loads) . But the gas vs. inertia is strictly personal preference, both are a proven platform. IMO, it’s easier to use a hunting shotgun for self defense than it is to use a self defense shotgun for hunting. The shorter barrel length on a home defense gun isn’t going to be as friendly for wingshooting as a hunting shotgun would be. You’ll probably hunt with it often, hopefully you’ll never have to use it for home defense so get one that best suits what you’re mainly going to be using it for Once you settle that question, determine a budget and go hold as many different shotguns within that budget as you can. You’ll quickly weed out the ones you don’t like. Pick your favorite three , do some research and make your decision from there
I like how you have a rabbit and squirrel shotgun. Sounds like you are making splatter art in your backyard...
not really, I legitimately rabbit and squirrel hunt a lot. I have a squirrel dog and a buddy of mine has beagles for rabbits. we hunt all the time
Many shotgun clubs have range guns that are loaned out for somewhere between free and $25/day. My club has racks (plural) to pick from, and if you asked nice I bet they'd let you swap through a few during the day for one rental fee. At a nice club they'll have most of the common Benellis and Berettas.