Shotgun or rifle

[u/z00animal]

I have many 22lrs now. Trying to decide if I should get a short barrelled shotgun (less than 16 inch) or a 223/5.56 centre fire (308 is a consideration as well but ammo is pricey) and of course 16 inch or less. I have a thing for short barrels.

Use would be almost exclusively at the range. I don’t hunt but the thought of having it in the wilderness is intriguing.

Help me decide please. Would be a first for a shotgun. I’ve had centre fire rifle before but gave it to family and can’t get it back.

[u/Iokua_CDN]

I have a short barrel shotgun,  a wood stock canuck defender.  Let me run through the features

Its got both a full stock and the pistol grip. I've only ever used the full stock. 

It's fit screw in Chokes and longer barrels available. I have a screw In barrel extension that can bring it to a 20 inch barrel,  or I have a 28 inch barrel I can put on for hunting,  or I can do both and have a freaky long 34 inch shotgun (probably very quiet with a barrel that long)

In its 14 inch confirmation,  it's about the same length as my 16 inch lever action. Very compact and usable. It's still nice to shoot,  not unpleasant  at all,  so 14 is just a really good length. 

5 round in the tube. So plenty of capacity.

And it's lovely wood! I'm a bit of a Fudd so I love my guns too have some old school charm, while being a super useful  short barrel shotgun. 

Best of all, price is cheap.  I payed 300 for the gun,  150 for the extra barrel.  Prices may be different now but sales still come close.

But if you are wary of Turkish guns,  I understand,  then look for a mossberg Shockwave on sale and put a full stock on it.   Or better yet,  buy a mossberg Shockwave, and then buy a long barrel Maverick 88.  This will get you both the stock,  and a longer barrel for usually 300 bucks or less.  Plus you'll have that extra receiver to either use or save as a back up.  If my Canuck ever broke on me, I would likely do this myself.  Shockwave and a Maverick and then just swap pieces to get my perfect gun. 

Either way though, the shorty shotgun is likely way cheaper than a 223, and it also opens up a fun new world of shooting clays! I bought a 50 dollar clay thrower and I have a ton of fun out blasting clays.

So that's my suggestion, I'll comment a part 2 though on the short bolt action too

[u/Iokua_CDN → u/Iokua_CDN]

So,  I have a short barrel shotgun, but I also have a shorter bolt action centerfire! Like you, I also have a thing for short barrel guns. (I also have a really short 410 revolver shotgun but that's a story for another post!)

The rifle I have is a CZ Trail in 7.62 x39, not 223 (though they have 223 as well)

16 inch barrel and a collapsing stock make this  one of my most compact guns, even shorter than my shotgun.

The good about it? It's very accurate, it's very compact. The Rail is super long so I have a huge selection of scopes and optics I can use. I've used flip up irons sights, I've used traditional knotch and post sights, I've used a red dot, I've used an LPVO scope. But you could also throw on a scout scope or pistol scope, or prism or even a traditional hunting scope.  The options are endless.

The bad is that a 16 inch barrel makes a noticeable fireball and has more kick and concussion! Something I'm still getting used to, but it'd noticeably more kickback  than my Sks. Because of this I do suggest maybe getting a 223 or 7 62 x39 instead of a 308... I imagine a 16 inch 308 is even more of a blast!

But if you don't want a CZ trail, you also got other options!

Ruger american  makes both a 7 62 x39 and a 223. They have several different models, and all are reliable and fun to shoot.

Tikka has a 223 ranch rifle, and while it's a but too expensive for me, lots of folks love tikka.

Black Creek Labs makes very short bolt actions, like 16 or 12.5 inch barrels. I hear their quality control isn't very good,  but they have excellent warranty.

So you have a couple options. Personally I see it as go Ruger for the traditional stock,  CZ Trail for the compact stock, and Tikka if you want more quality.

[u/z00animal → u/Iokua_CDN]

Thanks for the reply. I hadn’t consider 7.62 x39. I read that 7.62x39 has dried up lately.

[u/Iokua_CDN → u/z00animal]

Wanted to add, winchestor xrp also does a 16 inch 223.

Also Londerno has a used remmington 783 in 223 for like 800 bucks.  Add in a Canuck Defender/regulator  for 400 and you could have both guns for 1200!

[u/z00animal → u/Iokua_CDN]

Winchester XPR wasn’t on my radar before. Thanks I’ll look into it.