Shotgun advise wanted

[JAB]

Picked up the Savage at Walmart for $199. And some 223 ammo, hopefully get to try out the shotgun this weekend. If its too hard on me I guess I can hand it down to my son, he'd love that lol.

They asked for a phone number and wrote it on top of the 4473 and wouldn't tell me why so i gave them my throw away google voice number.

 

I hope you enjoy it.  Just having gotten one last week, I have only fired the Savage/Stevens a little.  Honestly, though, to me the recoil is probably about the lightest of any of my 12 gauge pumps (surprising with the seemingly hollow, plastic butt stock.)  I haven't fired any 3 inch loads out of it, yet, and may not ever - for my purposes, I don't really see the point of 3 inch and 2 3/4 does just fine.  There is a guy on another forum to which I belong who also picked up one of these shotguns, recently.  Like mine, he says 'pumping' the forearm on his is buttery smooth.

 

Heck, if it hits you too hard but is almost manageable, you could always put a slip-on recoil pad on it.  I look forward to reading your impressions.

 

Just FYI, here are a few pics I took when I decided to try to (very informally) get an idea of the patterns with a few ammo types I had onhand.  All shots were from ten yards (figured that was a good indication of 'home defense' distances.)

 

I generally wouldn't use game/birdshot loads for defense if given a choice.  This was more to satisfy my curiosity than anything.

 

 

 

Where I shoot in the back yard, the ground slopes downward from where I stand to where I mount the targets.  I should have taken that into account and pointed the shotgun a little 'low' with this buckshot but I didn't - I was pointing it right at the dot sticker in the middle of the paper plate.  That was likely the cause of the shot hitting a little high - but I still think the distance between the holes made by the shot that did hit the plate gives a pretty decent idea of the overall pattern.

 

 

 

With this buckshot load, I did think to point lower but apparently pulled to the right a little (probably me, not the shotgun.)  Once again, though, I think the distances between the holes gives a good idea of the overall pattern (notice that two pellets seem to have struck right next to each other and made one, elongated hole.)

 

 

 

Then there was the S&B slug.  I've had these for a few years, if you couldn't tell by the price on the box.  With the slug, I pointed pretty low.  Again, I think it is the fact that the ground slopes downward, not the shotgun, that necessitated pointing lower than desire POI.

 

 

 

 

I plan to pattern it a bit more 'formally' at some point, soon and would like to do a side-by-side patterning comparison with my Maverick Security 88.  I would also like to find some Federal buckshot and maybe a few types of 'premium defensive' buckshot loads to pattern.  For now, though, I think these results give me a pretty good idea of what to expect.

[Tobashadow]

I know its been awhile but my current shooting area is almost a hour from my house so I have to plan for it far in advance.

Shot the Savage and honestly as long as I stay away from the 3" mag slugs I feel I'll be perfectly ok with it. The factory pad on it helped alot and the pistol grip helped me to hold it firm to my shoulder and keep the muzzle from flipping back on me. It felt more of a hard push with the #8 and the 00 Buck but hit a little too hard on the joint with the 3" mag slugs.

There's a little soreness in my joints from the three slugs but the rest left nothing. Best shotgun I've ever shot so far, after getting used to it i was able to use #8 to hit small target like a spray can lid at 30 feet or more with the bead site setup.

I do wish it had a ghost ring style tho.

The action was butter smooth after the second shot or so but I probably won't ever shoot magnum loads in it again since it actually opened the action slightly after each round until I force shucked it and held it forward on the grip.

[JAB]

I know its been awhile but my current shooting area is almost a hour from my house so I have to plan for it far in advance.

Shot the Savage and honestly as long as I stay away from the 3" mag slugs I feel I'll be perfectly ok with it. The factory pad on it helped alot and the pistol grip helped me to hold it firm to my shoulder and keep the muzzle from flipping back on me. It felt more of a hard push with the #8 and the 00 Buck but hit a little too hard on the joint with the 3" mag slugs.

There's a little soreness in my joints from the three slugs but the rest left nothing. Best shotgun I've ever shot so far, after getting used to it i was able to use #8 to hit small target like a spray can lid at 30 feet or more with the bead site setup.

I do wish it had a ghost ring style tho.

The action was butter smooth after the second shot or so but I probably won't ever shoot magnum loads in it again since it actually opened the action slightly after each round until I force shucked it and held it forward on the grip.

 

Glad you are enjoying it.  I didn't realize until after I had bought mine that Savage/Stevens offers a ghost ring type setup.  I have since seen one at my LGS (who didn't previously have any of this model - I would have bought from them if they had) and it looks really good.  I like ghost ring sites in general, anyway.  Still, for the uses I have for it the bead sight will be fine, I think.  Might even be better for quickly pointing on target at self and home defense ranges in a low light situation.