If you’re a first-time shotgun buyer, Winchester Repeating Arms would like to offer some tips to make your first firearm a safe, prudent and useful purchase.

Always seek out other resources, such as certified training, gun store experts and excellent online resources from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the National Rifle Association (NRA). And always read and understand all information contained in any firearms owner's manual.

Winchester has a long history of shotgun designs. The Winchester Model 1887 is considered one of the first successful repeating shotguns. In the Winchester tradition it was a lever-action designed by the legendary John M. Browning. 

A popular shotgun type is the pump-action or slide-action like the Super-X Pump from Winchester Repeating Arms.

To load the Super X Pump, the “safety” is placed in the on safe position. The shells are loaded one by one into the magazine tube located under the barrel. Pulling the forearm rearward, then pushing it forward loads a shell from the magazine into the chamber.

With the “safety” moved to the off safe position, the Super X Pump will fire one shell when the trigger is pulled. The forearm is again manually cycled back and forward to eject the fired shell and load a fresh shell from the magazine.

Reliability and the ability to use a variety of different ammunition types, ranging from light game loads to heavy hunting shells are among the advantages of the pump-action shotgun.

Remember, with a pump shotgun you must manually cycle the action after each shot to load another shell.

The Super X Pump from Winchester Repeating Arms is available in your choice of 12 or 20 gauge chamberings. Specialized hunting models are optimized for waterfowl, turkey, deer and upland birds. Additional models for clay target games and for home security are also available. Field models of the Super X Pump come in standard, as well as in compact models.

Another popular shotgun type is the autoloading or semi-automatic like the Winchester Super X4. These shotguns use the energy from a shell being fired to operate the action.

First the “safety” is placed in the on safe position, then the individual shells are loaded into the magazine tube located under the barrel. Pulling back on the bolt operating handle and releasing it loads a shell from the magazine into the chamber.

With the “safety” moved to the off safe position, the gun will fire one shell when the trigger is pulled. The energy from the fired shell operates the bolt, ejects the fired shell, and loads a fresh shell from the magazine. You’re now ready to fire the next shot with just the pull of the trigger.

The major advantage of the autoloading shotgun is very quick follow-up shots. Some autoloading shotguns tend to be more sensitive to the type of ammunition used for the most reliable operation. It is a good idea to know the kind of ammunition you will be shooting before making a purchase. However, most advanced autoloader designs will handle virtually all popular loads. Winchesters fall into this category. 

Hinge-action or break-action shotgun, like the over-and-under Model 101 from Winchester Repeating Arms are very intuitive, thus the easiest to understand and operate for a first-time shotgunner.

With the “safety” placed in the on safe position, the action is opened by pushing a lever on the top of the receiver. You pivot the barrels down to open the action. Insert one shell into each of the chambers then firmly close the action.

When you’re ready to fire you simply move the “safety” to the off safe position and squeeze the trigger. Winchester double-barrel shotguns have a single trigger which automatically resets when you release it after the first shot. It then only requires a second pull on the trigger to fire the other barrel.

To reload, open the action, which also ejects the fired shells, and insert a fresh shell into each chamber. Simply close the action and you’re ready to shoot again.

The advantages of the hinge-action shotgun are overall simplicity and durability and their reliability with a wide variety of the proper gauge ammunition. Their major limitation is you only get one shot per barrel before having to reload.

The Model 101 from Winchester Repeating Arms offers elegant European craftsmanship and workhorse performance. Chambered for 12 gauge shells, it’s available in several models suitable for the field and for various clay target games.

One of the most important aspects of selecting your first shotgun is what “gauge” it should be. A traditional English measurement describing the diameter of a shotgun barrel, the smaller the gauge number, the larger the barrel diameter. For example, a 12 gauge shotgun has a barrel almost ¾” in diameter, while a 20 gauge shotgun has a barrel diameter of about 6/10ths of an inch.

The most prevalent traditional shotshell sizes range from the .410 Bore to the 10 gauge. Winchester Repeating Arms currently offers shotguns in the two most versatile and popular gauges, 12 and 20 gauge. Photo Credit: HUNTERcourse.com, the Official Hunter Safety Education Course.

IMPORTANT ADVICE FROM THE NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION. "Using improper or incorrect ammunition can destroy a gun and cause serious personal injury. It only takes one cartridge of improper caliber or gauge to wreck your gun, and only a second to check each one as you load it. Be absolutely certain that the ammunition you are using matches the specifications that are contained within the gun’s instruction manual and the manufacturer’s markings on the firearm."

LEARN MORE ON THE NSSF WEBSITE. 

Interchangeable choke tubes allow you to easily match the shot pattern to the shooting situation.

Shotguns are designed to fire ammunition that contains many small, individual pellets or shot, hence the term shotgun. Controlling how widely those pellets spread apart at a given distance is controlled by how much constriction or choke is present at the barrel’s muzzle. The more construction or choke, the smaller and denser the shot pattern at any given distance.  

A full choke will produce a tighter pattern than a modified choke, and a modified choke will produce a tighter pattern than an improved cylinder choke. A cylinder choke has no constriction at all. Full chokes keep the pattern denser at longer ranges. More open chokes let the shot pattern spread out, making it easier for you to hit fast moving targets at closer ranges.

Several decades ago Winchester helped pioneer the concept of interchangeable choke tubes with the original Winchoke design, which is no longer in production.

Today most Winchester 12 gauge and 20 gauge shotguns use the Invector-Plus choke tube system. A few specialized shotgun models may still be found with the Standard Invector choke tube system. The choke tube system is clearly marked on the shotgun barrel next to the gauge and chamber length.

While the tubes within a given choke tube system are generally interchangeable for barrels of the same gauge which are threaded for that system, please note that you should never attempt to “mix and match” the tubes designed for different choke tube systems and/or of different gauges.

For example, you should never attempt to install a 12 gauge Standard Invector choke tube in a 12 gauge barrel threaded for an Invector-Plus choke tube. Never attempt to install a 20 gauge Invector-Plus choke tube in a 12 gauge Invector-Plus barrel.

If you are unsure about the correct choke tubes for your shotgun, consult your owner’s manual or ask your Winchester dealer.

Today all Winchester shotgun barrels are fitted with interchangeable choke tubes so you can easily match your pattern to your shooting or hunting situation. Most come with choke tubes in full, modified and improved cylinder (F/M/IC) constrictions to cover most needs. Specialty choke tubes for hunting and clay target sports are also available from Winchester Repeating Arms. 

Gun Safety Starts with You. Here are some good rules to live by when handling firearms:

1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
2. Firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use. 
3. Don't rely on your gun's "safety." 
4. Be sure of your target and what's beyond it.
5. Use correct ammunition. 
6. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with care!
7. Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting. 
8. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting. 
9. Don't alter or modify your gun, and have guns serviced regularly. 
10.  Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you are using. 

Learn more about firearm safety at https://www.nssf.org/safety/