H & R single-shot shotguns

I am interested in picking up a cheap shotgun soon, and was wondering if anyone has any experience with the H&R single shot guns?

The two models that I am thinking about are the Tamer, and the Pardner...

http://www.wanstallsonline.com/h-r-model-tamer-20ga.html

http://www.cabelas.ca/product/9797/hr-pardner-single-shot-shotguns


The reason I want one of these is my wife is left handed, and I am right handed so I am looking for something we can both use without trouble. Also, shes tiny (85lbs at most) so I was looking for a 20gauge. I would be interested in an Ithica 37 knock-off, like a Stevens 350 pump gun, but they dont seem to be available in 20g and price is a definite factor.

Any opinions or experiences with these or any other cheap shotguns would be much appreciated.

Well, recoil wise even though it is a 20 gauge you're still going to have quite the kick due to it being a single shot, less than a 12, but you will feel it. Single shots you can't really go wrong with for reliability wise. If you're willing to spend the money you can get an ambidextrous shotgun, like the Browning BPS and there are a few other ones. Now on the other hand if you're really looking for a single shot, Rossi is they way to go, they make them with interchangeable barrels in different gauges and rifle calibers. My first gun was a Rossi that I had a single shot .22 and 20 gauge barrel I could change out.
http://www.rossiusa.com/

As said, preference would be a pump-action with a bottom eject port, like the Ithica 37 and its knock-offs, but I have two problems with that - one, they all seem to be tactical shotguns, and I have no use for a short-ass barrel with no choke... And two, they are all 12g which is the big one.

My brother is going to pick up a Remington 887 soon, so Im going to make her try that, but I expect it to knock her on her ass. lol

edit - the interchangable barrels are a novel idea, but I will already have a .22lr or two by the time I grab a shotgun, so its all about price and availability.

MastuhWaffles said:

Now on the other hand if you're really looking for a single shot, Rossi is they way to go, they make them with interchangeable barrels in different gauges and rifle calibers. My first gun was a Rossi that I had a single shot .22 and 20 gauge barrel I could change out.
http://www.rossiusa.com/

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H&R used to fit the barrel to the gun for free if you bought the barrel. They have traded hands since I heard that so I don't know if it still holds but at one time you could.

I think Thompson Center is that way too, they may not require fitting though.

The only snag is like my H&R Sidekick blackpowder, they changed the frame so it wouldn't work that way because legally it isn't a firearm and they didn't want anybody able to make it a firearm.

Ah, well with a semi auto recoil is cut back a lot. 12 gauge isn't that bad at all in a semi, and 20 is even better, but like I said with a single shot, you will feel that 20. I don't know anything about the H and R shotgun but I'm fairy sure with a single it shouldn't be to complicated. And the Browning BPS comes in 20 gauge as well, and it's not a tactical shotgun. Expensive, probably.
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/family.asp?webflag_=011b
But you can really never know how someone handles a 12 or 20 gauge until they shoot them, yeah 20 is the better way to go recoil wise, but shooting a 12 once wouldn't be a bad idea. It seems like to me lefties take a little longer to get used to shooting, but then again I can shoot right or left. And it took me some practice to be able to do that.
Also maybe you should check around your local gun shows and see if you can't pick up a single shot 20 for cheap, I see them all the time because people outgrow them or get a new shotgun and sell them for cheap. Well, before the gun hype I did.
Just make sure you stand behind your wife when she shoots it. Lol, with the proper stance, she should be fine.

MastuhWaffles said:

And the Browning BPS comes in 20 gauge as well, and it's not a tactical shotgun. Expensive, probably.

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Yeah, that looks a little pricey... The big appeal of the single shot is the low price, so if she doesn't like the shotgun its not a big loss, and I could certainly have some fun with a cheap 20gauge in the collection. That is the right style of pump shotgun(center eject), so I guess I have an idea of what to look for in the future if I want a pump in 20g

MastuhWaffles said:

Also maybe you should check around your local gun shows and see if you can't pick up a single shot 20 for cheap, I see them all the time because people outgrow them or get a new shotgun and sell them for cheap. Well, before the gun hype I did.

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Im in Canada. Im new to the gun scene, but I am unaware of gun shows in the same fashion of what the USA has. And I dont think I can import guns easily either, so thats not really an option either...

I can obviously tell how a semi-auto could cut down on recoil, but is there much difference between a pump and a break-action?

85_Ranger4x4 said:

I think Thompson Center is that way too, they may not require fitting though.

The only snag is like my H&R Sidekick blackpowder, they changed the frame so it wouldn't work that way because legally it isn't a firearm and they didn't want anybody able to make it a firearm.

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Im sorry, but I dont understand what you are saying here. I might just be ignorant, but I certainly dont get it.

Surrey said:

Im sorry, but I dont understand what you are saying here. I might just be ignorant, but I certainly dont get it.

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In the US a blackpowder rifle/pistol (or muzzleloader) is not considered a firearm. It is like a bb gun, if you are over 18 you can buy them with no paperwork.

My H&R Sidekick looks like just about every other H&R single shot, they didn't want somebody buying a Sidekick with no paperwork and then fitting a 30-06 barrel on it and shooting a bunch of people so they changed the receiver so it wouldn't take the generic barrels that they put on all their other guns. However they do make a blackpowder barrel you can put on your "firearm" frame.

I just threw it out there so you didn't snag a muzzleloader thinking you could get a shotgun barrel put on it.

85_Ranger4x4 said:

In the US a blackpowder rifle/pistol (or muzzleloader) is not considered a firearm. It is like a bb gun, if you are over 18 you can buy them with no paperwork.

My H&R Sidekick looks like just about every other H&R single shot, they didn't want somebody buying a Sidekick with no paperwork and then fitting a 30-06 barrel on it and shooting a bunch of people so they changed the receiver so it wouldn't take the generic barrels that they put on all their other guns. However they do make a blackpowder barrel you can put on your "firearm" frame.

I just threw it out there so you didn't snag a muzzleloader thinking you could get a shotgun barrel put on it.

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Ahhhhh okay.
In canada, black powder guns have the same restrictions/laws as any other gun (unless they are antiques, I think stuff made before 1896 or so doesn't count) so that wouldn't effect me. That is why I was confused.

But hey, you learn something new every day.

Surrey said:

I can obviously tell how a semi-auto could cut down on recoil, but is there much difference between a pump and a break-action?

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Not really, I'm sure a pump might have a bit less because of there's more the energy has to travel through to get to you, as were a single shot it's right there, but most likely they'll fell the same, it would be such a minute difference you couldn't tell it apart.

Does Canada not have guns shows? Pretty much gun shows now are overpriced weapons and ammo, but sometimes you find really good deals. Like recently my dad found himself a .38 7 shot revolver for $150 bucks, not bad.

MastuhWaffles said:

Not really, I'm sure a pump might have a bit less because of there's more the energy has to travel through to get to you, as were a single shot it's right there, but most likely they'll fell the same, it would be such a minute difference you couldn't tell it apart.

Does Canada not have guns shows? Pretty much gun shows now are overpriced weapons and ammo, but sometimes you find really good deals. Like recently my dad found himself a .38 7 shot revolver for $150 bucks, not bad.

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Canada does have gun shows, but they are not nearly as common as they are down in the states from what I gather.

definitely going to have to go check one out though... There is one coming up mid-June. I wont have my PAL by then, so I wont be buying anything, but I can at least check it out.

Surrey said:

Canada does have gun shows, but they are not nearly as common as they are down in the states from what I gather.

definitely going to have to go check one out though... There is one coming up mid-June. I wont have my PAL by then, so I wont be buying anything, but I can at least check it out.

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That's right you have to have a special license in Canada, you can only own certain types of firearms right?

MastuhWaffles said:

That's right you have to have a special license in Canada, you can only own certain types of firearms right?

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Im getting my restricted licence, so I will be allowed to own anything thats legally ownable in Canada.

With a non-restricted liscense, all you can own is long guns. Cant own pistols, or anything with a barrel under 18.5" or that can fold/telescope/whatever to under 26".

That being said, I still cannot own quite a few things...
Anything that is center-fire and semi-auto is limited to a 5 round clip. (Rim fire can have as big a clip as you want.)

Prohibited guns include:
handguns with barrels shorter than 105mm (just over 4 inches)
any .25 and .32 caliber handguns.
sawed off/shortened guns under 26" long.
sawed off/shortened guns over 26" long, but w/barrel shorter than 18".
Anything fully automatic.
Anything prescribed by legislation as being a prohibited gun. (This includes the civilian, semi-auto AK-47, just cause they can. ****ers...Will just have to make an SKS look like an AK I guess. lol)

Everything else the same, what kicks more, a lighter or a heavier gun? Anything else get effected by weight of the gun?

I just noticed the Tamer is lighter than the Pardner, and wonder how that might effect things.

Surrey said:

Everything else the same, what kicks more, a lighter or a heavier gun? Anything else get effected by weight of the gun?

I just noticed the Tamer is lighter than the Pardner, and wonder how that might effect things.

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A heavier gun will have less recoil, a lighter gun will have more. You will notice more recoil, but once you start getting into shooting it, and after a good time you shouldn't be bothered by the recoil. As for being lighter that's nice because you don't have something heavy you have to hold up, theoretically improving your accuracy by having a lighter gun.