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Utility shotgun for 60 yr old lady

wtroper
I have a lady friend who lives alone in the country. She is experienced with firearms and is a good shot with revolvers. For example--- a skunk with one shot to the head at about 35 yds using a scoped S&W 22LR revolver. She has rifles & a pump shotgun but she is small & not very experienced with long guns. She also has arthritis in her hands so she lacks strength in her hands and no longer cares for those with consequential recoil.

Her need, in my opinion, is for a short simple utility shotgun for varmits & snakes around her place. I prefer a double bbl because of its simplicity. Has anyone had any experience with the Remington/ISP SPR 220? She would need one that is very easy to "break" due to her lack of hand strength. Alternatively, any other suggestions? A Judge would be ideal, but I do not expect that she would like the recoil.

Thanks.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • nmyers
    The Baikal's are fine for cowboy action shooting, but the recoil, need for hand strength & dexterity, & 2-shoot limit would not make it my choice for your friend's situation.

    I'd look at a Remington 1100 12 ga model with recoil pad, or a 20 ga model.

    Neal
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  • duckhunter
    20 ga 1100 Remington.
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  • Mark G
    +1 Remington 1100. A 12GA with target loads has very light recoil and lots of barrel and stock choices. I have both a 12GA and an LT20. Would recommend either one. Have her shoot whatever you are thinking about before she buys if you can.
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  • wtroper
    I had considered the 1100. However, as I stated, she is not very experienced with long guns. I worked with her a little this past weekend showing her how to properly operate the pump shotgun. I am not totally comfortable that she would empty the chamber (without loading another shell) if she had a loaded shell in the chamber. The semi-auto could be worse.

    Her experience and comfort level with revolvers leads me to lean toward a double bbl 20 ga. She is accustom to opening the cylinder of the revolvers, loading rounds in them, checking to make sure that they are loaded, etc. A short double bbl would be similarly simple. Two rounds would very adequate for her needs. The only rattler that escaped her 22 revolver last summer was crawling & got into a mesquite bush before she could get it hit. A pattern out of a shotgun would have easily dispatched it.
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  • goldslammer
    Single barrel H&R 20ga., or a short barreled "Coach Gun" in 20ga.
    Rossi makes a decent one with a short stock for around $300 or Stoeger make a very nice one for under $500.

    alt_coachGun.jpg
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  • Robin
    The double barreled shotgun may be a good choice but she may have difficulty with the 2 triggers if she is severely arthritic. Single triggers on less expensive SxS shotguns can also be problematic. BTW, I would have posted "a 60 year young woman" to be more PC, especially if you are going to show this e-mail to her.
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  • wtroper
    Robin ---

    Thanks for the correction ---- young & pretty, I might add. In addition her arthritis is not that bad yet. Howver, I am concerned about her ability to "break open" a new coach gun.

    As I have considered this issue at length today, I am now leaning toward a "well used" 38 or 357 to be kept loaded with snake shot. She prefers revolvers & the 38 cal shot shells (cartridges with shot?)would likely dispatch a crawly critter with ease. The four legged kind (or uninvited two legged varmits)will have to deal with her S&W 22, S&W 38 spl, or FA 327 mag. Thus, her needs could be easily covered with a revolver of the type that she is accustom to using.

    Thanks to all for your thoughts.
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  • 11b6r
    Single shot H&R Topper 12 g. Give her a box of the Aguilla "shorty shot shells. Remove buttplate, fill stock bolt cavity with birdshot, replace buttplate. Visible hammer, break open easily, no safety to mudge with, one trigger, ejects fired shell, can reload pretty quick, light recoil on the shorty shells, extra weight soaks up fair bit of recoil. Heavier than all get out, but she is not likely to be wing shooting with it, or carrying it 5 miles thru the woods. Should find a good used one for under $100.
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  • v35
    20 gauge Remington 1100 lightweight plus instruction and practice loading and unloading. Even a caveman can do it.
    No heavy weight, hard breaking, hard cocking or recoil issues here.
    Also no recoil pad needed.
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  • bigbossman
    You might want to look at the New England Firearms models of shotguns, especially the youth models. They come in 12 and 20 gauge, small, easy to operate. Also inexpensive. I just checked the auctions and there are some for only $79.00 - not a big loss if she does not like it....
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