looking for a shotgun

[Leanne]

With my tax return this year I decided to buy my self a shotgun.  I will provide a few details about my goals and needs and I hope someone can give me an idea of what I should be shopping around for.

The type of hunting I am most interested in doing is upland bird hunting and grouse.

I am not a very big person, 5"4 and my bow draw length is 25 inches if that give you an idea of my size, a lot of guns I pick up are too long.

I do not mind buying a used gun at all.

I would prefer a pump or a side by side.

My budget is about $350

Any inf or and suggestions would be appreciated!

[singleshot12]

I have a New England 12 ga. pump that shoots 3 in.shells. It's only had a box of shells shot through it. Like new $200 or trade?

[turkey buster]

for starters go to your local sporting goods dealer and try on some different guns,try youth model 20GA and 12 GA if that's whats comfortable to you, my wife is about the same size as you and Love's her benelli nova, and my Remington 870 express magnum, there are a lot of shot guns out their that are in your price range
chuck

[Wacenturion]

Might want to check out the Browning Upland Special in 20 gauge.  Sell new for like $450, but should be able to find one new or used a little cheaper.  Straight English stock, bottom ejection, light and has interchangeable choke tubes.  Very nice gun for what you mentioned.

[MuleySniper]

 
I have that same Browning only in 12 gauge. I actually used it today and rolled a few pheas out at Cooke Canyon!!
MS

[Wacenturion]

I have that same Browning only in 12 gauge. I actually used it today and rolled a few pheas out at Cooke Canyon!!
MS

Don't need another gun, but those Upland Specials are sure sweet.  Might just have to pull "the old guns are breeding in the safe again" routine...lol.

[Shootmoore]

For a side by side option.

http://www.stoegerindustries.com/firearms/stoeger_uplander.php

MSRP is about 50 bucks over your price range but you can usually find them cheaper.

Shootmoore

[AWS]

This is a little  Charles Daly 20ga youth model semi auto.  The stock I painted.  I bought it this summer to rlace my 870 youth that I gave to my granddaughter.



So far this has proven to be a great little rig.  I've used it for ducks with 3" Kent 3's and BK 4's, beaver, coyotes and coon with #3 Buck and #2 Heavishot and upland in WA and MT with #4 and #5 steel loads, it has been totally reliable.

The 870 was just as good or I wouldn't have given it to my grandaughter.

Stocks can be shortenned quite easily. My Bowning Superposed , Win 101 and Ithica/SKB SxS have all been shortenned around an inch to fit me.

AWS

[high country]

leanne, have a look at some of the older sxs guns. the older fit was too short for most men, could be just up your alley. take a book on proof stamps and you can know exactly if the gun is proofed for modern loads. I hunt quite often with a 100 yo sxs. also a vintage sxs is only worth more $$$ every day.

[Huntbear]

You can get a Remington 870 in a youth 20 ga. that should fit you very nicely, and the recoil will not be bad either.  You should be able to check em out at any good gun shop.

[ICEMAN]

You may wish to consider one of the youth model shotguns in a .20 guage. A wide assortment of youth 20's available, to fit your budget....



EDIT: huntbear, ya beat me to it!

[TONTO]

 Nephew shoots a mossburg youth 500 in 20ga, about as versital as a 20 can get. He knocks geese down with 3" #2's. Small light wieght inexpensive and came with an extra rifled slug bbl as well.

[jdb]

You can get a Remington 870 in a youth 20 ga. that should fit you very nicely, and the recoil will not be bad either.  You should be able to check em out at any good gun shop.

You may wish to consider one of the youth model shotguns in a .20 guage. A wide assortment of youth 20's available, to fit your budget....



EDIT: huntbear, ya beat me to it!

sage advise from both parties

[satchel3006]

hard to beat an 870

[uplandhunter870]

ill repeat what has been said and say check out a youth sized 20ga.  id reccomend an 870 i have several that have thousands of rounds through them and many dives into the dirt and snow, my balance is sometimes the topic of severe question, and they are still booming. 

ill throw in a new suggestion and say check CZ and baikal, i may get flamed for this but both guns are imported by a US gun maker and put through rigorous inspection before they hit the shelves.  several friends of mine have both cz and baikal and never had a problem either mechanical or otherwise.

Steve

[coriantonk]

I like to take a new hunter to a gun show, they can check out a wide variety of guns all in one place.  That said I found a 20ga for my wife who is 5'4" at a show.  It is an old K-Mart brand single shot, best shootin shotgun I have ever used.  I only payed 90 bucks for it.