July Smith Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 My wife and sister are both interested in joining and shooting SASS. We have been practicing on occasion, and I have noticed the area we all need the most work in is the handling of the shotguns. Both the Mrs. and my sister really struggle with the two SxS I currently own. It seems to be a combination of the weight of the SxS and the shucking of the shells. If I read the rules right, ejector/s are legal on single shot shotguns. I cannot help but think they would both do better with a lighter single shot shotgun and the added benefit of an ejector clearing the chamber. Keep in mind we are all beginner shooters and I do not foresee either my wife or sister going beyond the occasional shooter level. They just want to have fun and not embarrass themselves. Does my thinking sound right when it comes to single shot shotguns? What single shot shotguns w/ejectors are considered SASS legal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeb Stuart #65654 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 The lighter single shot shotguns will be easier for them as they will auto eject, but with a lighter gun you get more felt recoil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
July Smith Posted April 3, 2018 Author Share Posted April 3, 2018 1 minute ago, Jeb Stuart #65654 said: The lighter single shot shotguns will be easier for them as they will auto eject, but with a lighter gun you get more felt recoil. They are both about the same size, so cutting the stock to fit one will result in a "good enough" fit for the other. Additionally, I reload, so making light loads with minimal recoil is already standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeb Stuart #65654 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Reloading will make the recoil issue a non issue. My 10 year old grandson started with a 12 ga. single shot H&R. and had no problem. ( I also reload) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie T Waite Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 16 minutes ago, July Smith said: My wife and sister are both interested in joining and shooting SASS. We have been practicing on occasion, and I have noticed the area we all need the most work in is the handling of the shotguns. Both the Mrs. and my sister really struggle with the two SxS I currently own. It seems to be a combination of the weight of the SxS and the shucking of the shells. If I read the rules right, ejector/s are legal on single shot shotguns. I cannot help but think they would both do better with a lighter single shot shotgun and the added benefit of an ejector clearing the chamber. Keep in mind we are all beginner shooters and I do not foresee either my wife or sister going beyond the occasional shooter level. They just want to have fun and not embarrass themselves. Does my thinking sound right when it comes to single shot shotguns? What single shot shotguns w/ejectors are considered SASS legal? You are correct. SHB V22_2 Page 43: Automatic ejectors are allowed on single shot break action, lever, and pump action shotguns ONLY. Side-by-side shotguns may not use automatic ejectors. As previously stated a lighter SG will increase felt recoil. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Yes, ejectors are legal on any single barrel break open shotgun, and can be used in any cowboy match category. Takes quite a bit of practice to get up to a good speed, though. Also are not usually as well made (cheap materials and simple design) and may shoot loose pretty quickly. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
July Smith Posted April 3, 2018 Author Share Posted April 3, 2018 Open to suggestions on quality single-shot shotguns with ejectors. I see Winchester Model 37s on gunbroker pretty regularly. Do these guns have ejectors and are they considered a quality single shot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deuce Stevens SASS#55996 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 My 7 year old son Speed Stevens started competing last year and he shoots and H&R 12 ga. cut for him and tuned by Chilli Pepper Pete. He loves it and honestly at his current strength level it's perfect for him. He is shooting a greatly reduced 12ga load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Howdy July, IMHO they will benefit much more by teaching proper technique, stance and a well tuned SXS.....in addition to a good light load. If they learn how to handle these guns correctly that will increase the fun factor by 10X....and they'll be able to beat alot of us on any Saturday. Find one of your top guns to work with them or find the nearest shooting school. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Or just go with a 97. It's basically a glorified single shot in our game anyway, and is easy to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 my wife prefers a 97 to a SXS. easier for her to handle. I had the stock cut down to fit her, and I use it for WB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 20 minutes ago, July Smith said: Open to suggestions on quality single-shot shotguns with ejectors. I see Winchester Model 37s on gunbroker pretty regularly. Do these guns have ejectors and are they considered a quality single shot? A good condition Model 37 would be exactly what I would look at if considering a single shot. Good quality overall, excellent quality compared to what is often found in used single shots, or even most of the new ones with tons of plastic parts on 'em. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Bill Burt Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 July, you didn't mention what types of doubles they are struggling with. If weight is an issue SKBs are lighter than Stoegers or Baikals. Not to discourage you from picking a single shot, but to me they're more of a transitional gun until the shooter acquires the skill/strength to shoot either a double or a '97. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Weight is rarely the issue with a double gun for folks over the age of about 12 and possessing normal body strength for their age. Strong opening springs or stiff hinges - mostly correctable by any good cowboy gunsmith! Poor fit (too long a butt stock) - quite correctable by any good cowboy gunsmith. Lack of good recoil pad - - quite correctable by any good cowboy gunsmith Hard to eject shells - - quite correctable by any good cowboy gunsmith. Also, if not already doing so, get them some light Win AA (featherlight) loads because THOSE hulls (and the Remington STS hulls) are the only ones that most easily shuck from doubles! Almost all struggles by ladies and kids with a double shotgun can be directly traced to an adult who will not spend the time and money to get the shotgun fitting the shooter and running smoothly. Get an SKB (lightest high quality 12 gauge) and cut the furniture so it fits! Shorten barrels to 20" or 22". Those strugglers will become warriors/warrior princesses with the shotgun. If you don't make the shotgun (however you do it) fun for them to shoot, they will likely quit the game altogether. It really does not matter if they ever "become competitive". What matters to them, to you and to us is that they ENJOY shooting the guns! Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 4 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said: (and the Remington STS hulls) are the only ones that most easily shuck from doubles! Almost all struggles by ladies and kids with a double shotgun can be directly traced to an adult who will not spend the time and money to get the shotgun fitting the shooter and running smoothly. Get an SKB and cut the furniture so it fits! Shorten barrels to 20" or 22". Those strugglers will become warriors/warrior princesses with the shotgun. Good luck, GJ Ta Daaaa!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Any H&R or NEF single shot shot gun will serve you well. You can find one in most pawn shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 For me personally, the way Stoger's are made I have a hard time working the top lever. A Baikal fits me much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 25 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: Any H&R or NEF single shot shot gun will serve you well. You can find one in most pawn shops. Kaya could run one pretty well before she moved up to young gun and a double 20. She would run a single today if I still had one in 20. She took great pleasure in ejecting shells at the timers head. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace_of_Hearts Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 The advantage of a Single shot shotgun is that you are not cocking the hammer when trying to open the gun. Opening a gun against the force of the hammer springs is a problem that most beginner shooters have with shotguns. The second problem is the recoil of a light gun with factory loads. It can be punishing even on an experienced shooter. So as to not handicap your shooting partners AND if they can handle the weight, a Cimarron/TTN double barrel coach gun would be perfect. https://www.cimarron-firearms.com/1878-coach-gun-12-ga-26-barrel-standard-blue.html The weight is 8.5 pounds and smooth to operate and built like a tank. Remember that Shotguns are the easiest gun to share and a 12 ga in this gun has almost no recoil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Culpepper 32827 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 if you can, get your hands on a 20 ga dbl for them to try out,, much lighter than the 12s,, if you were close I have a 20 stoeger and a 20 bakail that are both tuned.. they are light. and yes, get someone who can run a dbl well to work with them,, you may be able to stay with a tuned 12 ga if you do that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrider Outlaw Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 My wife started out with a Stoeger Coach gun in 20 gauge. On a whim she asked to shoot my 97 in 12 gauge. She hasn't shot the Stoeger ever since trying the 97. After using the 97 she said to me "guess what you are getting me for Christmas".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace_of_Hearts Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Usually when my lady wants a gun, she just says MINE! I have to either buy it or give up ownership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Friend, SASS #53635 Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 It's shorter money to get a double set up nice and put together some light loads (google Lee Load-All) than it is to invest in single shots that will only be used occasionally and that you won't use. A nice slick double will benefit both you and your guests because you can rotate it in and out of your cart as necessary as a backup or a change of pace. I think even an occasional shooter would have more fun if they learn the fundamentals and shoot the same game that everybody else is. A little practice with the right guns can do wonders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston CAS Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 On 4/3/2018 at 9:26 AM, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said: Almost all struggles by ladies and kids with a double shotgun can be directly traced to an adult who will not spend the time and money to get the shotgun fitting the shooter and running smoothly. Yep. My wife really struggled with a Stoeger SxS until I had the stock cut down to fit her. Now she enjoys the shotgun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Chance Morgun Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 On 4/3/2018 at 9:01 AM, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said: Or just go with a 97. It's basically a glorified single shot in our game anyway, and is easy to use. Don't they say that you need to own three 97's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty Newt # 7365 Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 On 4/3/2018 at 8:37 AM, Sedalia Dave said: Any H&R or NEF single shot shot gun will serve you well. You can find one in most pawn shops. I agree. Do you know if anyone is making shotgun barrels for a handi rifle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 12 minutes ago, Nasty Newt # 7365 said: I agree. Do you know if anyone is making shotgun barrels for a handi rifle? According to this you can install a shotgun barrel on a rifle receiver but you cannot put a rifle barrel on a shotgun receiver. Me personally I would just buy a complete shotgun. If I was looking for just a barrel I would look on GunBroker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 I was having trouble shucking shells from my Wyatt Earp SxS and my 97 until I switched back to Winchester AA129 and AASC128 with brass bases. I found the Super Target etc with steel bases, hung up after they were fired, even after I had the chambers polished. As for the gun weight issue, I have no suggestions, other than free weights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Chance Morgun Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 18 minutes ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said: As for the gun weight issue, I have no suggestions, other than free weights. Yep, A little weight training is a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 16 hours ago, Marshal Chance Morgun said: Don't they say that you need to own three 97's? I have heard that said, and it has not been my experience. My first main match shotgun was a 20" 97 with WPD stamped on the stock. I choose to believe that it stands for Winchester Police Department. It's in great shape, and it's never given me a lick of trouble. It's all original, and has never been tuned. After I'd been in the game for a while, I wanted to find a long barreled 97, just to have one. I eventually got one, and in all truth, it is not in as nice shape as my short one. The barrel was loose on the frame, and even putting this shims in it did not help. So, I had to replace the part (I don't know what it's called) that screws into the barrel and can be adjusted to be tighter. The original one was already as tight as it would go. Since I replaced that part, the gun has been fine. It's not as "tight" as the short barreled one, but it works fine, and the only problems I've ever had with it have been due to operator error. Oh, and once I tried it at a match on a whim, I found that I really liked the longer barrel, so it is now my main match gun. When Norinco came out with it's reproduction Trenchgun 97, my father bought me one for a Christmas present. Never gives me any trouble when I use it for Wild Bunch or Zoot sooting. I also have a 93/97 which is a fine firearm in every respect. Finally, I hav0e an honest to goodness real vintage Winchester 93. As soon as I load up some black powder short shells, I'll be giving this gun a whirl. I have no reason to assume it's anything but fully functional, and while the finish may be worn, mechanically it is as tight as could be. So, do you need to own 3? If you mean in the sense of 1 to shot, one to have for backup and one in the shop, then no, you don't. At least as not as long as you have not over tuned them into "high performance race guns" that are prone to breaking. But, you may WANT to own several, to keep your collection at a point where you have many interesting variations to play with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Slim SASS #24733 Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Both my kids started with a 410 hammered single shot. It worked very well for them, and made the transition to a double much easier. My son was younger and smaller than my daughter so his first double was hammered, easier to open. But then they both started shooting matches when they weighed less than 50 lbs. Pretty sure none of your wives weigh 50 lbs. A double can just be too much weight, and as adults I think we forget this. Sure, kids can learn to deal with heavier guns, but I want them to have a good time, so if I have to buy 3 different shotguns while they transition, then so be it. And now we own a 410 single, 410 double, and a pair of shortened 12 gauges that hopefully their kids will learn on. And I probably have less invested in all of these than one SKB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 i understand the desire to have the youguns get off to a fun start , but if ejectors are not SASS legal why start them on that even if they need a light gun ? is there nothing on the market that would serve ? i am asking because i have grandkids approaching starting age , i bought a stoeger double 410 for them , do i need to rethink ? i think not but im willing to listen ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty Newt # 7365 Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 On 4/5/2018 at 6:26 PM, Sedalia Dave said: According to this you can install a shotgun barrel on a rifle receiver but you cannot put a rifle barrel on a shotgun receiver. Me personally I would just buy a complete shotgun. If I was looking for just a barrel I would look on GunBroker Thanks. I couldn't get the FAQs to come up when I was on their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Slim SASS #24733 Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 NN, I have a barrel I could sell, but you can't receive pm's from me for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 10 hours ago, watab kid said: i understand the desire to have the youguns get off to a fun start , but if ejectors are not SASS legal why start them on that even if they need a light gun ? is there nothing on the market that would serve ? i am asking because i have grandkids approaching starting age , i bought a stoeger double 410 for them , do i need to rethink ? i think not but im willing to listen ..... Ejectors are legal for single shot shotguns..............not doubles. Cut the 410 to fit them (w/action job) and teach them proper technique and stance. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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