TYPES OF SHOTGUNS: DEFINITIONS AND USES FOR EACH KIND

[Gunreference1]

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/types...jy3TLcO2qtGlHo

Steve

[alismith]

I find it interesting that bolt action shotguns are called "precision" shotguns. I have, at least, one in almost every gauge plus .410. They are great squirrel guns... My favorites are the ones with adjustable chokes.

[JTHunter]

I find it interesting that bolt action shotguns are called "precision" shotguns. I have, at least, one in almost every gauge plus .410. They are great squirrel guns... My favorites are the ones with adjustable chokes.

Before we had any inkling of hunting, our Dad bought a Mossberg 3-shot bolt action 410 shotgun for my brother and me. I believe it was a full choke but we quickly found out its limitations in squirrel hunting. Used by an experienced hunter, it would be a good gun and provide an interesting challenge. But is isn't for novices, which we both were at that time.
I own two shotguns. The first I bought was the ubiquitous Mossberg 500-C 12 gauge with interchangeable chokes. As I frequently hunted rabbits & quail, pheasant, and squirrels, I chafed at the variability of the distance and the lack of range the choke in the gun at that time. Ten years later, I chanced on a used Stevens 311 SxS with double triggers. It came with full and modified barrels but the first thing I did was to take it to the gunsmith two blocks from the store where I bought it. He bored it out and put in screw-in chokes for me and now I have Skeet 1, I.C., Mod., & Full. Now, I can put a lo-brass #6 in the I.C. side and either a hi-brass #6 or #4 in the Mod. or Full side and have 2 different ranges for whatever OR two different LOADS for different game.
I hate to say it but the Mossberg has now been gathering dust for years.