AR Shotgun?

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William Suter

Well-known member
Anyone have one? Seems the AR style shotguns are everywhere these days. Could you or would you use one of these for a coyote gun or maybe turkey or just general hunting that required a shotgun? I traded of my 1100 and am in need of a shotgun but it will spend more time leaning up against the wall than in the field so I don't plan on spending much. I might even buy an old beater single shot if push came to shove.
 
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I tried my hand at skeet and realized real quick that it cost more to shoot than rifles and I didn't enjoy it that much either, so I sold all my skeet stuff. But I felt I needed a shotgun just in case I ever wanted to shoot it again. So I bought the 1100 Remington. It was nice and pretty to look at but it set in the gun room and was never shot in over a year. Everytime I go in a shop or gunshow I see these AR Shotguns. Most of them are pretty cheap compared to a lot of pumps and semi autos. Not sure that's the direction I will go but I want to at least have a shotgun of sorts.
 
Love my 1100. My benelli m1s90 is my dedicated coyote shorty. The AK just looked cool and was under $300. Makes for a cool blaster just to sling lead with.
 
I had intentions of selling my 1100 so I took it to the gunshow last week-end. A dealer traded me a Christensen Arms Mesa for it. I had to pony up $100 but I thought it was a pretty fair trade. It was in the box and he said it had one box of ammo shot through it. I know, we've all heard that before but it is in very good shape and the barrel was spotless. But now I do need to find me a cheap shotty. And the Mesa will make a nice light hunting rifle.
 
Stay away from the turkish shottys, they pretty much suck. The Maverick 88 is an excellent cheaper shotgun, only con is cross bolt safety. My wife runs the security model 7+1
 
crapshoot said:
I would have kept the 1100.
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No real love for it. I've had a half dozen 1100's and several 870's. I do like the old 870 but I'm not much of a shotgun guy. Don't bird hunt at all. Been dove hunting maybe a couple of times, not a turkey hunter and wouldn't cross the street to kill a duck. Just really not much use for a shotgun. And like an AR....I hated picking up hulls as bad as picking up brass.
 
I don't bird hunt or shoot clays either. Was just thinking that 1100 is lightyears better than any of those cheap Turkish shottys, especially any of the ARs, AKs, or bullpups.
 
crapshoot said:
I don't bird hunt or shoot clays either. Was just thinking that 1100 is lightyears better than any of those cheap Turkish shottys, especially any of the ARs, AKs, or bullpups.
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Totally agree. The 1100 is a great do all shotgun and run like a Timex watch if you take care of them. Maybe only 2nd to the 870 WingMaster. The only reason, well two reasons, was it just sat and the 1100's are bring premium prices. I had the 1100 over a year and never shot a single shell through it and I have wanted to try a Christensen rifle for a long time. He was asking almost a grand for the Mesa and to trade an 1100 and a hundred dollars seemed like a really good deal to me.
 
Widow maker 223 said:
Stay away from the turkish shottys, they pretty much suck. The Maverick 88 is an excellent cheaper shotgun, only con is cross bolt safety. My wife runs the security model 7+1
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I think the Turkish shotguns are like just about everything else, you have some good ones and you have some bad ones. I have had a youth 20ga ATA Venza for about five years now. It's my rabbit gun and it's be great. To be honest, I would have ever thought it would hold up to the abuse that I have put it through chasing beagles.
 
I have one of the cheap Turkish ones topped with a Sightmark red dot. I haven't really done much with it other than patterning buckshot for coyotes. The only thing with mine is it is finicky with loads. Per the manual, I have to shoot 1400fps+ rounds for the break-in period (100 shots) and then 1300fps+ after to get it to cycle properly. This drastically limited my options. I will say if you get one that will cycle, they are capable of doing whatever you want with them. Mine seems to be doing well with 2 3/4" Hornady #4 buck. They are definitely a lot of fun to shoot.
 
DoubleLungRage said:
I think the Turkish shotguns are like just about everything else, you have some good ones and you have some bad ones. I have had a youth 20ga ATA Venza for about five years now. It's my rabbit gun and it's be great. To be honest, I would have ever thought it would hold up to the abuse that I have put it through chasing beagles.
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You got a good one. I have a G force cheap pump and right away had light primer strikes. The triggers are a cheap copy of the 870. I put a wolf extra power hammer spring in it with a few coils cut off, it runs great now but I wouldnt bet my life on it. The turk guns all die in the 500rd burndown tests.
 
I have ran several Coyote specific traditional style gas and pump shotguns over the years. I eventually switched to a pump .308 in woods and then a 18" suppressed AR for extended range thermal gun in timber. This year I bought one of the AR-12 style shotguns (Citadel Boss 25)for the purpose of running a low power lightweight thermal on it.I've tried to run thermals on traditional SG's but it's just a foolish (and painful) proposition with the scope mounted back so far to be within thermal eye relief range Coup[le that with a lot of comb drop and 12 gauge recoil..and you'll get a white flash followed by blood running down your forehead..
The AR-12 cheap sg was the solution. Mine patterns really well at 50 yds with Win and Fed 2.75" 27 pellet 4 buck loads using a .695 choke. I'm consistently
getting 22-24 of 27 pellets in 30" circle and all 27 inside 36" circle. Fed 3" 41 pellet 4 buck loads have substantiallly more recoil and had less hits inside the 36" circle.
The shorter 18.5" barrel still gets 1198fps out of the 27 pellet Win loads although box specs 1325fps(saami test length =30") My 22" Winchester clocks same load at 1250fps. and patterns slightly better with an extended .675 Extended Undertaker Turkey choke with 24 of 27 inside 30" at 50yds.

The stock trigger is 9# and horrible. After seeing the patterns and reliablility cycling was good on mine, I upgrade to a timney trigger at 3.5#.
timneytriggers.com

Impact Shotgun Trigger

Best replacement triggers available
timneytriggers.com timneytriggers.com
It fits several different AR style SG's..
 
@William Suter
It depends entirely on your need/use for the shotgun. :unsure: A Maverick 88 and/or Mossberg 590 have outstanding reviews for 500 round burn down tests. (y)

I'd love to take a shotgun coyote hunting, but around here I'm better off with a rifle. If a coyote gets closer than 100 yards, they always manage to get downwind and disappear, before I have a chance to get a shot. :rolleyes: So, I use either a suppressed 243 or 22-250 for coyotes. :cool:

I recently purchased a Mossberg JM Pro 940 with a 24" barrel that has a 9 +1 capacity. I use it for turkey hunting and sporting clays, but it could be used for goose hunting or coyotes....with the right choke tube. :) As with any shotgun, it's all about the "fit and feel" that makes the shooter a better shot. This 940 has been nothing but amazing! đź’Ż

Good luck with your choices! (y)
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I've had a pair of Benelli Montefeltro's, 12 and 20, for about 25 years. The 12 will now double fire sometimes so it needs a new trigger group, they want me to send it in but I just want a new trigger group lol. Otherwise they've been great and I've never wanted anything else. Like most here I'm not much of a bird hunter anymore, though I have shot 25 straight in trap with the 12 before. I did get a RIA 410 pump that's dirt cheap and good enough for what it is.

I also have an ATI Omni 410, which is an AR upper so I could mount a thermal and shoot mice with it. It's the single biggest pile of crap firearm I've ever owned. It's mainly way over gassed and it beats itself up, even though supposedly it's adjustable. They've sent me some parts and even took it back and checked it out but it's just junk. BCA makes one but I don't know much about it, but honestly that itch has been scratched and cured.
 
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