Shotgun Collecting

Shotgun collectors are a varied lot. They always seem to want to collect something different than the other guy. If he likes Remington shotguns, he doesn’t want to hear anything about a Mossberg.  But what if you’re a beginner and would just like to have a nice collection of shotguns. Guns you can use for hunting and that will retain their value over the years. A good place to start is by just looking at the different brands available. Here are most of the major manufacturers:? Beretta? Browning? CZ-USA? EAA Corp.? H&R Firearms? Mossberg & Sons? Remington? Rossi? Ruger? Thompson? Tri-Star? Weatherby? WinchesterOnce you’ve decided on which brand, or brands, you want to buy, you’ll have to decide just how many different calibers you want in your collection. Most collectors have at least a .410-, 12-, 16- and 20-gauge shotgun. There also are 10-, 24-, 28- and 32-gauge shotguns, but they’re not as common.Here are some of the best uses for the four most common shotguns:? .410: Good for small game hunting and using in thick cover. Doesn’t damage the animal too much.? 12-gauge: Most versatile and popular shotgun, great for waterfowl hunting and can be used for larger game.? 16-gauge: Not as common as in the past, but still a good bird-hunting shotgun.? 20-gauge: Popular shotgun that’s light and easy to carry, which makes it great for turkey hunting and other hunting that requires a lot of walking. Shotguns also have different actions for loading. There’s the break-action, single-shot and then the pump action you can usually load with three shells. For the serious shooter, there are also the auto loaders.If you want to get a bit more unusual, don’t forget that besides a single-barrel shotgun, there’s the side-by-side and over/under double-barrels. As for price, you can pay as little as about $100 a gun to wiping out your child’s college fund. It depends on your budget, how serious you are about your collection and your degree of familial responsibility. For example, you can get a Rossi Single-Shot .410, 12-gauge or 20-gauge for about $110. But for the extremely serious trap shooter and bird hunter, there’s the Browning Citori XT Trap Golden Clay 12-gauge for $4,635. Somewhere between those two prices is probably you’re middle ground. Just remember, with shotguns everyone is different, so you have to find what’s right for you.  Florida Gun Exchange has one of the country’s biggest selections of firearms and accessories.

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