HD Shotgun recommendations?

[CATI]

Congratulations on your purchase. If I may "hijack" the thread for a bit, how do people keep in practice with a HD shotgun? Do y'all shoot trap and skeet even with the disadvantages for that purpose? Somehow, I can't picture myself going to the range and shooting at a patterning target every week.

I just go to the range. HD is going to be like 25ft max in my case.
The practice at least for me is more going through the motions not so much the aiming as that is pretty much the same as a rifle. (of course I shoot accurately)
The loading, pump, recoil is what I focus on
I try to go when it is empty or near empty or when others are shooting rifles because 12 gauge slugs can get pretty obnoxious indoors

 

[Deleted member 67409]

Congratulations on your purchase. If I may "hijack" the thread for a bit, how do people keep in practice with a HD shotgun? Do y'all shoot trap and skeet even with the disadvantages for that purpose? Somehow, I can't picture myself going to the range and shooting at a patterning target every week.

Same way as with a pistol for me practice emergency reloads. Target acquisition, dry fire. Maybe take a course

^^^ this is how you start. Get snap caps because most of the issues people experience with shotguns is (1) loading a tube mag; and (2) operating a pump quickly without short strokes. Once you've gotten to the point where you're comfortable loading, dry firing, and operating the gun, and maybe taken a class, there's "practical shotgun" and 3-gun and 2-gun matches.

Practical shotgun is basically what it sounds like, practical use of shotguns that aren't oriented towards trap, skeet, or sporting clays. Most of the matches I've been to and heard of involve shooting birdshot at steel poppers, clays, and spinners, and slugs at steel plates. Usually, buckshot at matches isn't a thing because of concerns about damage to targets/backstops, how far the shot can travel, and its a lot more expensive than 7.5 to 9 low brass birdshot.

3-gun is pretty well-known, but for those who don't know, its a match involving the use of a pistol, rifle, and shotgun. 2-gun is similar except its only one long gun and a handgun. While most 2-gun matches are rifle + pistol, shotgun + pistol matches are popular here in RI at some clubs because the clubs only have so much space and birdshot doesn't travel as far as a rifle bullet.

Of course, this isn't to say that trap, skeet, and sporting clays aren't good practice to become familiar with a shotgun, but you should consider why those more traditional sports exist. Trap is descended from live pigeon trap shooting in the 19th Century. Skeet started in the 1920s-40s, in fact in the Northeast, in response to how trap was less practical of an experience for upland hunters. Sporting clays is often called "golf with a shotgun."

Practical shotgun and multigun matches are probably the best way to understand the ins and outs of defensive shotguns, absent a very advanced class.

 

[NorthShore]

I have both 20 & 12 gauge home defense Remington 870. Aftermarket parts are plentiful for each but I bought both at different times for different reasons years ago and paid under $300 for each. I prefer Mossbergs because of of the safety on the tang but I just never got around to grabbing one and now prices are ridiculous. As other said, recoil is similar but I did install a knoxx recoil reduce stock and my son likes the 20gauge.

I also picked up a stoeger self defense double barrel 12 gauge back in 2015 or something and that’s been fun to shoot. I picked up the stoeger for my wife, as her interest using a pump action was zip. For simplicity reasons, the stoeger is a great choice as any one can load and shoot.

 

[LLF]

Congratulations on your purchase. If I may "hijack" the thread for a bit, how do people keep in practice with a HD shotgun? Do y'all shoot trap and skeet even with the disadvantages for that purpose? Somehow, I can't picture myself going to the range and shooting at a patterning target every week.

Thank you for your comment. My plan is to get thoroughly proficient with the loading, unloading, firing and cleaning of the shotgun. If I ever (God forbid) have to use it to defend my family I will be able to do so. I do not anticipate becoming any sort of marksman with the shotgun, just good enough to aim it in the right direction and let the gun do its job.