shotgun for granddaughter

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This will be for hunting, not sporting

It will be for both both upland and waterfowl ( she has hunted Ducks, Geese, Cranes, Pheasant, Quail, Grouse, ptarmigan and chukar ) She enjoyed waterfowl, but her favorite hunts are pheasant and ptarmigan. She said she will never hunt Chukar again LOL.

1. I am leaning toward getting both a 12 and 20, but if only one then a 12, since she enjoys waterfowl.

2. I am thinking a double but not 100% decided on that yet.

3. So far the Syren ( for women ) or the Connecticut ( which they would make to fit her and it is what I have used for several years ) are two I am considering

She is a tall girl, 5'11", but not a heavy set girl

Shotgun manufacturer, shotgun gauge, shotgun style, even if you would consider getting two, a 12 and 20-----what are your thoughts ? thank you
 
If Connecticut and Syren are the two you're considering, you really need not come on here to ask advice;).
As far as anything other than a nice double or two, the Benelli Ultralight in either gauge is an extremely nice choice.
As a once grandson, I would have had no idea - at that time, what an exquisite gift something like a Connecticut was...….
 
Both of those are fine firearms.

I think the most important thing in buying a firearm for others is to make sure it's what they want rather than what we want to give them.

Having said that, fit is second most important. Being able to try them and then make a decision is paramount for shotgunners otherwise they won't be able to hit anything without significant practice.
 
Well sound's like she's fired the 12 ga before. And your talking about the Connecticut gun? Damn, you should be my Grandpa! In her case I'd have her pick as sound like she already shoot's. Does she reload? If so, I'd go with the 12ga and a 28ga for upland! I started using a 28 a few years ago and I am not going back to 12ga. If I were to start waterfowl again, I have two 16's that can handle it more than well enough. If she doesn't reload I'd give her probably both 20 and 12. Reason being she'll be stuck with what ammo she can buy. I always shot target velocity and wt loads in my 12 ga, don't like recoil and that kept it down. I also reload and I can load up 1 1/8th oz loads of #5 in a 12 ga and it will kill waterfowl very dead. For upland game in 20 ga I'm not sure what's out there but I'm still going with target velocity loads and if I can't find #6 or smaller, I can load #6 or smaller and they will kill all upland game very dead. In my 28 I load 3/4oz #7 1/2 and #6 and birds seem to die as well as if they been hit with a 12ga 3" mag. For me, the 28 works only because I reload it. Boy are factory loads expensive, especially field loads. I also shoot SxS's and don't have to look all over for ejected case's!

Love, your best grandson! :)
 
As to the last question on other brands -

I'd look at Merkel, Blaser and Rizzini. The Benelli that onpoint speaks of is a neat shotgun as well. Berettas are lovely, but seem heavy to me for what they are in a 12.

Are you considering a gas gun too? The Benellis and Berettas are both wonderful in the semi-auto field.
 
My ex was 5'7" and about 120 pounds. I bought her a bantam sized Mossberg 500 in 20 ga. With the different chokes it comes with you can do all of the different bird hunting you spoke of.
 
Ben, I am sir. I never really considered them until we hunted doves in Argentina. We used their shotguns and after a few hours of shooting I fell in love with the idea of a gas gun. I have considered Blaser and am a fan of the Blaser product line even in rifles. thank you

Don, I would have to get on one of those new surgeries they talk about these days to be your grandpa--but I am a doting grandmother LOL Actually, Don my husband, who has since passed, bought me my Connecticut for one of our anniversary's, as I LOVE to bird hunt, which was also the reason we went to Argentina to dove hunt. Also, I agree with the 28, I always liked the 20 but the 28 has merit, "IF" I get her two shotguns, but if only one, probably not. But I could not agree with you more about the hulls. Definitely a selling point for a double is you do not have to bend over to retrieve those hulls. thank you

on point, thank you for your kind words, and advise, much appreciated, thank you. The connecticut was a gift from my husband and now that I am in my 80;s and dont hunt anymore, my daughter has laid claim to it (-: But my granddaughter has used it and liked it. As to the Syren. I had never used one, but when my daughter and granddaughter were in Spain earlier this year they went Ptarmigan hunting and she used a borrowed Syren shotgun and really liked it . Thank you sir for your response

Thank you John
 
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First, I want to say how much I enjoy your posts. Your experience and thoughtfulness comes shining through.

For whatever it is worth, if you have the resources, my vote would be a lighter O/U in 20 or 28 gauge for most upland stuff and a heavier auto or O/U for the duck blind and late season pheasants. Carrying a heavy gun in the field is not much fun, and neither is getting punished shooting heavy duck and pheasant loads through a light gun. Anything that tries to cover both is a compromise. Many of us happily live with that, but if you or she don’t have to....

I second all the comments on fit. Syren field doubles show a drop at heal of 2.5”, while most other makes come out at 2.25. That can be good or bad, depending on what your granddaughter’s needs are. If she knows what fits and CSMC will custom build the stock, that may be the right answer by itself.

As noted above, there is no wrong choice between those makers. That choice is a classy problem to have.

Hope she has years of joy in the field with whatever you decide.
 
April for Christmas I got a CZ Woodcock .12 gauge over/under shotgun. It has beautiful wood and I really like how it shoots. So fat I've used it shoot ducks, pheasants, and quail. It handles nice and carries very nice. For her I think I would suggest a 20 gauge.

https://t9c6w9j5.stackpathcdn.com/hamme ... rdened.png

Take a look at this picture. I love the stock style, look, and feel. I also enjoy the case color hardening as it adds something as well. Nice to see you here April. Great bunch of folks on this Hunt Talk in addition to our beloved Nosler site!!

David
 
A 20 sucks for waterfowl and steel loads, you'll end up using tungsten .Try to do a 12 gauge, maybe a stoger auto

My guess is, based on the potential gun choices, budgeting for Hevi Shot/ tungsten isn’t an issue.:)

What’s up with her anti chukar bias?:D
 
JLS----lol--she followed them as they ran up the mountain and watched them fly back to the bottom and repeated this again and again and again------it is really funny listening to her tell this story of her Chukar hunting adventure along the snake river

David. How are you ? Great to hear from you and on this forum, you surprised me. Congratulations on the shotgun, it is a beauty, thanks for the suggestions

Nurioso,,, How very kind if you sir, thank you! I have been thinking and reading and talking to my granddaughter and a variety of others today and it appears that you have come up with exactly what I was thinking. She used a Syren Tempio Light 20 gauge in Spain and has said "grandma that was the first shotgun I liked better than your Connecticut" So what I am thinking of doing is exactly what you suggested. A Syren Tempio light in 20 gauge ( it is a double ) and a Syren xlrs waterfowl which is a 12 gauge.

D4570 thank you and I agree a 20 is not ones best option for ducks, and even worse for geese, cranes -------and maybe even chukar lol
 
Never mind what I just delete. I missed that you said Connecticut. If you are playing in that sandbox, then get her a round bottom action gun and have it built to fit. Whatever gage or gauges she likes. Maybe a 16 if just one gun. Swing for the fences.
 
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Gentlemen, I thought it appropriate to let you know what my final decision was. She will be the new owner of a Syren 20 gauge double and a Benelli 12 gauge semi-Auto. I like the Syren Semi-auto, except for the gas operation system, so I had her mother take her around to shoot shotgun's owned by friends and family to make sure the Benelli would work, fit wise.

I wan to thank everyone who responded to my thread, it was appreciated
 
She now has been well equipped.
I have 4 doubles, one semi-auto, a Benelli. My wife shoots an Ultralight. They are nice.
Bet that Syren is pretty.
 

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