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Europ-Arm helps to choose the right shotgun

Choosing the right shotgun turns out to be a real headache for hunters. This is why Europarm is offering to support you in this choice, by means of a short guide allowing you to consider several criteria when choosing your first rifle. Indeed, the configurations are numerous between the superimposed barrels or those juxtaposed, the different possible calibers, the optics of the weapon or even the size induced. And then all hunting rifles are not suitable for the same uses: type of game, type of hunting, durability and ease of maintenance are important questions to ask. Finally, the last element to know to make the choice is the regulation and the categorization of the different shotguns.

 

A 12-gauge shotgun: the classic choice

You should know that semi-automatics as well as 12-gauge over-and-under guns are among the best-selling hunting weapons in France. This result can be explained in particular by the versatility of this calibre, and the fact that it has been widely used for many years. It is therefore easy to find ammunition and accessories suitable for this type of shotgun. However, you should not orient yourself towards this caliber of rifle, especially if it does not suit you. It is at this stage that your morphology involves certain choices. Indeed, 12 gauge is a relatively large gauge, and you should keep in mind that it is better to be able to carry your shotgun throughout the day without it being too difficult. In addition, a large caliber generates significant bodily recoil, which can quickly become uncomfortable and affect your shooting accuracy, particularly due to the apprehension (trembling) generated just before the shot. To sum up, if you are rather tall, muscular or corpulent, you can go for a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, but if you are of a lighter constitution, it is better to choose a 20 gauge. Finally, it is important to think about conforming your weapon with your gunsmith. This operation is important to definitively adapt your weapon to your morphology, and will make your shotgun a tailor-made rifle. This operation is also carried out on a 20 gauge shotgun or on a 12 gauge juxtaposed shotgun, etc. It allows in particular to retouch the butt of the weapon to best adapt it to your shoulder shape.

 

A shotgun for a long time 

When you choose your first hunting rifle, it is logically that you begin your hunting career. As a beginner, one must gather specialist advice. That's why we always invite versatility. However, by choosing a 20 gauge shotgun or a 12 gauge shotgun, you can always modify the pattern by adding chokes to the barrel. The sheaf is the grouping of pellets or steel balls which are fired by the weapon. By tightening the orifice of the barrel more or less via chokes, it is possible to modify the shape of the pattern. On a shotgun with two superimposed or juxtaposed barrels, it is even possible to position different chokes, which avoids modifying the configuration of the shotgun according to the configuration of the shot. But it is quick to change chokes, and to reduce weight, which is a problem for young hunters, it is customary to recommend a semi-automatic shotgun with a single barrel instead. This choice will allow the hunter to keep his weapon for a wide choice of game, without requiring additional investments for diversification. Additionally, choosing a semi-automatic shotgun is often more enjoyable for the novice hunter, as it allows them to quickly fire all three shots contained in the gun, which is more enjoyable for waterfowlers and requires less expertise on the part of the hunter. We will come back in another guide to hunting rifles, which are more specific to certain types of hunting, and whose ammunition is often more expensive. Europarm is the French leader in professional online gunsmithing, and is the privileged partner of gunsmiths to advise hunters and offer them the best shotguns, from the biggest brands on the market.