Maggie's Farm

In that photo, and in that light, the Maple Leaf looks quite nice. Still, nothing can match the beauty of the old Dominion flag... well, if I weren't a Yank and lived north of 49 degrees, I know which one I would fly. :-)

Hi AP:

What BD says. It is a very personal thing, like getting fitted for a suit of clothes. The easiest and most productive way is to simply go to a gun club, get to know people, and try a variety of lady's/youth shotguns in 12 and 20. Try semi-autos as well. Don't be swayed by what is fashionable or what people tell you is the right choice. When you find what you want, you'll know it.

Now see, and you said it would only be a one hour discussion....

Like when I patterned two turkey guns today? I think a few nerve endings in my shoulder actually weren't obliterated, though...

Woo-ee. Sounds like you need to mount it on a swivel on the gunwale of your duck boat. I can feel my retinas detaching just thinking about it. I can't imagine doing it as a little kid.

Both guns I patterned today are Ithacas- a 37 turkey gun in 12 gauge and an upland 37 in 16. Nitro makes decent turkey loads in 16, the only ones that I know of. Less kick than the 12, with about the same reach as a 2 3/4" 12 gauge load. Good to, say, 25 yards max.

I carved a new stock for the 16 myself, so it fits me great, though it took nearly a year. My first stock. I ruined one blank and this was the second one. Second time was a charm. The wood is nearly done. I finished it in tung oil, which makes it nearly matte. And I had the thing re-blued, also matte. So no shine to spook those toms, yet traditional. My anti-camouflage camouflage, as it were. I draw the line at checkering, though. Too scary. There is a delightful lady down in Oregon named Sherry Abraham who does great work and I'll probably send it to her. There was a famous stockmaker and checkerer named Leonard Mews active in the 40s and 50s whose work is featured in the well-known Monty Kennedy checkering book. I want her to use his Ithaca pattern as inspiration:

http://books.google.com/books?id=HCDLamhDlL4C&pg=PA151&lpg=PA151&dq=leonard+mews&source=web&ots=kRVtuBudee&sig=K9sKrHB20VrToPv9JpGxyEw80Zc

A restocked Savage 99 is next. Because I can't quit while I'm ahead. :-)

As Buddy says, nothing whatever wrong with an 870. A very tough and simple gun that comes plain (Express) or a bit fancier (Wingmaster), in right or left hand, and with countless aftermarket products so you can customize it pretty much any way you want. It is a good first shotgun. The finish on the economy Express model is not the best however, and you want to clean it carefully after each use and keep it lightly oiled. There are many companies that apply weather resistant coatings to firearms and you may want to do this with an Express, especially if you plan to be out in bad weather or around water. But try a whole bunch of guns first before you buy.

Then there is always that $50,000 Perazzi.