Daughters will be hunting hardcore

[madman4570]

After all the stuff (back and fourth)about what gun will be best for her first deer hunt/taking her safety class with etc.(class gotta be shotgun)

She still----because is mostly at College and honestly(not much time with guns)

Thought long and hard!
She wants to hunt with me(on the ground/in the woods)etc.
So, Today I bought her a H&R Tracker II 20ga
Single shot break open (I like that) 24" full rifled barrel and adjustable rifle sights.

[Rusty]

You could spend more but you couldn't do better IMNSOH. Congratulations!

[Blaine]

Can't you get an extra smooth barrel with chokes for those?

[Paladin]

Well done, should be a great start.

[madman4570]

Can't you get an extra smooth barrel with chokes for those?

Yep!

Guys I know this is an inexpensive gun(probably some will think )but here is the way I figure it.
Those break open single shots(with that hard cocking hammer )is about as safe a gun for her as I think I can get.

I know she will have (that 1st time buck fever)if that time comes.Way I figure it,she can walk back in the woods with me(will be dark)she can have the gun(broke open)Once I get her setup(which I will probably be right with her)she can quietly close action.

The scope deal-------I want her to be profecient and learn the ropes on a nice little open sighted gun.She will have enough problems(with buck fever)without trying the handle a scoped rifle at first! Not aquiring it(all she sees is brown??/ can't make target)

The shots should probably be from 50-150(feet)
That little 5 1/2 lb 40" gunshould come up easy and point easy.
The gun will be here this coming Monday(already paid for it/did all paperwork ahead of time)so they said(for sure)this Monday.

Now,what I like about this gun also(being 20ga)besides the less recoil(which still will be enough)and maybe one of my slip on Limbsavers will slip over whats all ready there(we will l see whats what)maybe not though because it already looks to have a decent pad.

I do like the fact that (she has the option to use Mild to Wild stuff as she progresses through her learning curve.
I mean she could use say a managed say Rem. Buckhammer/or a 1oz 1500fps 3" heavy hitter/ or a 2000fps (.454 260gr Partion)out of the Remington sabot 20ga loading.

I mean---same darn bullet my Raging Bull uses--- now her boyfriends(only this 20ga unit is faster) (2000fps vs 1800fps)
So, It will do the deal(if she can do her deal)
So I hope she likes it and don't think (because its cheap priced its sh##)I mean I would have spent whatever if "I truely thought" for her first woods gun(safety 1st priority)I mean sure she could just take my .243 Model 70(scoped)But If she hunts later on with her boyfriend where I am out of the picture(a Model 70/or even a Ithaca 37)AT THIS STAGE worries me.

I want her to be absolutely(spot on )
Gun broke open(no shell)
Get to hunting spot/setup/load shell/close gun action

Ready to leave(open action/even if walking the logroad back home(sure shell can be in chamber(action opened)go from there.
if a deer does walk out and present a proper shot(at this point the closing the action)if that causes no deer(fine)
Once I see she has become much more seasoned(her call)
Can hear it now from everyone else(your making her use that) (poor kid)
I say-----------------oh well----I am doing everything I can to be sure she makes it back (safe)

My first gun(deer) a 9lb plugged M1 Garand!(and for sure/no scope on that sucker)Worked for me!
However I was running around with either a Win 37 single shotgun or a Marlin .22 since about the age of 8


Play videoto the right on where the highlighted Basic Information is(and that's only the 2.75" (look what they rate it for)animal wise(even 20ga)They have 2.75" or 3" 20ga(Brown Bear)
http://www.winchester.com/PRODUCTS/SHOT ... SDB20.aspx

Check the 3" 20ga on table
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/w ... px?a=84664
Dudes isn't this kinda like a hot single shot .454 Casull open sighted woods Rifle?

[Tycer]

Only problem with your thinking that I can see is females don't get worked up on a hunt like guys do. Cold blooded killers them wimmen.

[RustyJr]

Sounds like you couldn't have done better. A 20 gauge will sure enough do the job and simpler is usually better starting out. While I have yet to take my first deer my first shotgun was also a, H&R 20 gauge (youth model).

RustyJr

[Blaine]

You don't have to convince me.....I could use that piece for everything I'd ever hunt again, and be happy.

[handirifle]

That gun will do fine, and she will do fine with it. Just make sure she gets lots of trigger time with it to KNOW where it hits. I know those slugs are pricey, but there are a number of folks that have been surprised where they actually hit.

One thing H&R has had issues with in the past, is sight alignment. Like I said, shoot it enough to know where it hits and determine HER max range and you're good to go.

That slip on pad is a good idea. Those little guns pack a whallop at BOTH ends. If recoil is still stiff you can add some weight in the buttstock, by removing the pad and adding as much weight as you feel necessary in the bolt hole, then filling the rest with strips of high density foam.

Lots of folks do that with the H&R's.

[horsesoldier03]

I would make sure I started her with birdshot, slugs are gonna put out quite a bit of recoil.

[86er]

Not much different than the 16 bore stalking rifle I recently bought. Fully rifled 16 bore that will shoot the Foster 7/8 oz just fine. My gun is over 100 yrs old and was made to shoot roe deer and stags. Not a whole lot different than her modern 20! If it'll make her feel better you can tell her it is equivalent to my $5000 gun but you got it on sale, or she can wait 100 yrs and maybe her gun will be worth $5000! Best of luck to her!

[AJMD429]

Great choice, in my opinion, for all the reasons you said.

Consider a "Marbles Bullseye" sight on it - one of the fastest, easiest-to-use, and least view-obstructing sights there is. Pretty indestructable, too (they look like they'd be flimsy, but they are such tough spring-steel I had to use a carbide bit to drill through one - tougher than the receiver of my levergun, that's for sure!)

[madman4570]

Not much different than the 16 bore stalking rifle I recently bought. Fully rifled 16 bore that will shoot the Foster 7/8 oz just fine. My gun is over 100 yrs old and was made to shoot roe deer and stags. Not a whole lot different than her modern 20! If it'll make her feel better you can tell her it is equivalent to my $5000 gun but you got it on sale, or she can wait 100 yrs and maybe her gun will be worth $5000! Best of luck to her!

Now, there is indeed a plan my friend! I like it.
yep---I'm going to tell her Joe (she already knows all about you) said--------- (it's a good one)

That (100 year old)16 bore stalking gun you got -------------------extremely cool!

Thanks for bailing me out-------------------again!

[1894c]

my first deer gun was a H&R in 20-gauge...then i moved up to a used Mossberg bolt-action shotgun also in 20-gauge (wish i still hasd it)...madman4570 you made a good choice and your daughter won't need a 2nd shot... :)

[madman4570]

my first deer gun was a H&R in 20-gauge...then i moved up to a used Mossberg bolt-action shotgun also in 20-gauge (wish i still hasd it)...madman4570 you made a good choice and your daughter won't need a 2nd shot...

Thank you Sir!

Doc----will check out that sight too----------Thank you very much!

[madman4570]

Daughter and boyfriend came up for dinner(she tried the following guns)
1966 Ithaca 20ga Deerslayer with smooth buck barrel (w 2.5X Leupold Gold Ring)shooting regular loaded Win Super X rifled slugs
1974 12ga Ithaca Deerslayer Deluxe open rifle sights with Reduced Recoil Federal Truball slugs
1938 Wininchester 37(Single Shot)Reduced Recoil Federal Truball Slugs

Boy, she can shoot.
She absolutely loves the Scoped 1966 Ithaca 20ga Deerslayer(though shot the others well too)
However standing offhand using standing sapling(hand against side of sapling for support)
All her shots with that gun(in the 2" square bull) Said----dad that don't even kick

The other gun ordered for her comes in tomorrow(she will be coming back up in a couple days)for her to try(That new open sighted H&R Tracker II 20ga I just ordered for her.
She said (She will try it and probably use it for Hunter Safety Class this weekend(but she said, I am using that 1966 Deerslayer hunting)its a tack driver!

Oh well maybe I can always try the Tracker???

ps----she at the end of shooting said Dad,let me try one not using any support.
I said----no problem(big difference though)
She said-----it's pretty much on target till I start pressing trigger ??(I said just go with it and when it comes back on target give the trigger enough smooth squeeze. Boom-----She said,I didn't hit the bull as she was sighting back through scope.
Nope you are right but you were only 2" out of bull at 8 O'clock, boyfriend said that's a ----dead deer
She loves that gun----she said I want to own it!

I said---------oh, but everyone told you (a smoothbore shotgun)your gonna use that???
She said----------------I am using it.

[madman4570]

Ok,
Picked up H&R Tracker Slug Gun.
Talked to the owner at shop(he swayed me towards using the 20ga Litefield Hybrid EXP 2.75" loads(385gr@1500fps)
They do sell 3" 20ga in that which go 1700fps (but he said the regular drops deer quick)
So,I bought 4 boxes($15.99@box)
I was happy this gun was the H&R(not New England)though probably same gun(I just like the H&R)
At the shop(he just opened up the top box lid(I said looks great)
Get home---I did notice the rear windage screw was loose and the sight moved.
I took my best guess(tightened screw and verified elevation screw was tight.(it was)
Went downstairs and ran a couple patches of bore solvent/then clean patches etc.
Got my stuff walked out back(measured 50yds)
Walk back to sapling cup standing sapling with left hand(holding guns forearm in web of hand)

BOOM----Nice wallop----but not that bad(daughter can handle that)(she will come up Wed)
Walked to target(yep)7" out 2 o'clock
Made adjustment----BOOM-----3.5" out 10 o'clock
Made adjustments---BOOM-----2.0" out 9 o'clock
Thought(this is it,right here adjustment made)everything tight------BOOM-----
Honest to God------------------DEAD NUTS!

Thought open sights---------------------This baby shoots.(thats enough/wait for daughter)
Called store-----said grab 4 more boxes of those exact stack(I told them where/which stack)and hold them for me(will be down)

Absolutely fine weapon(she's a little tight opening yet)---New/was dry etc.----oi;ed it and that will be rectified pretty quickly.
For $269----------I am very pleased. Hope she will be(though she already has claimed that Ithaca 37 20ga)
And a 20ga shooting a 385gr@1700fps(if desired)---good grief
Just got done recleaning gun now ready for Ms. Hunter
She said her boyfriend's sister(they have over Columbus Day/youth deer hunt)she got A FANTASTIC 8 point couple hours ago at their place.I said you sure you want to mountain hunt with the old man and not there?????