I bought a NEF 20 ga. from Wally world umpteen years ago for around $75 too. Shoots like a gun of that value should. Maybe even a little better. I also got it for a "beater" gun. Worth every penny. Wish I would have bought one in .223 like my buddy did

Interesting. I purchased a New England 20 gauge break open at Wally World in the 1980s. It is our Tractor gun. Amazing all the animals you can kill while out doing your work. It has been banged around and mistreated for forty years but still shoots great.

Here's a classic! Iver Johnson Champion 12ga. Made in Fitchburg, MA
Dad purchased in early '40's (Ethan- that's 1940's).

In my experience, a lot of the new single shot shotguns, particularly the 12 gauges, kick like mules. Years ago, I bought a NEF 12 gauge for my kid...it kicked so bad, I didn’t want to shoot it.

Nice price and purchase on the shotgun!
I will make this comment at the risk of being run out.
I had a good friend in camp a year and a half ago who brought a very nice S&W .375 revolver with him. Knowing him well I know the gun had maybe 200 rounds thru it. We were shooting one morning, targets, when standing near him after a shot the barrel suddenly looked odd. I touched his shoulder as he thumb cocked another round to fire, he was still holding the pistol out. He looked at me and before I could say anything the barrel fell forward and onto the ground.
The top forward frame had cracked in half after the previous shot? Had he hit that trigger while the barrel was tipping I think it would have been very ugly.
Moral, crap happens these days expensive gear or not. I ask everyone who comes here shooting now to wear glasses in the yard and out on the stands. Take care out there guys.

* S&W was contacted and I’ve never heard of a company react so fast and offer so much to get that weapon back. They stood tall for sure.

Osky

I’ve got an old 20 gauge Winchester red letter that has more thump than one might expect. I only use it for vintage shoot fund raisers. One or two trap rounds is more than enough.

Osky

my favorite 12g is a baikal shingle izh 18 -em is my go to for clay / squirrel.it has been replaced for squirrel hunting with a C/Z bob white sXs 12g. i get a lot of what is that ,when they see the old baikal and when they find out it was imported from Russia, i get the look and it is not of approval.

your not alone

light weight

one size fit someone somewhere stock but it is almost never me. "poor fit"

little or no recoil pad to absorb any


felt recoil is a function of actual recoil , weight and fit

if the fit is right it is tight in your shoulder and tight on your cheek , if it weighs more it takes more to overcome the object at rest with a slip on recoil pad and a little sleeping pad and horse wrap you can make most things fit you and then it isn't nearly as felt of recoil.

that doesn't mean a single shot can't be good a good tool

I have my dad's old Remington 16 Gauge semi-auto. You want to shoot something that kicks, "WOW"!

I t must have a stiff spring. I know the butt plate pad is hard as a rock.

I had 3 of them. 410 and 20 full size from Walmart $83 each and youth 410 from a local shop. My daughter shot and loved the little one. Would shoot it so much the barrel would get warm breaking clays, cans and bottles. The 20 had a decent kick. All 3 needed trigger adjustments. Great guns if used within their limitations. Not going to win a beauty contest or long range precision shooting. Perfect truck gun, we hunted grouse and squirrel with the 410s together. Short barrel youth was good to 35 yards on stationary game, 30 on anything moving. Full size a bit further. I would purchase again, the price made making memories of father daughter hunting affordable. She will be a lifelong hunter as a result of being able to get her hooked as a child.

Josh

I meant early 1900s

Yeah thats kinda what my uncles gun looks like but without a stock

I'll admit I did not read through all posts.
But a quick search shows that the shotguns are imported from Turkey. Not saying that's a bad thing, just saying.

Hatfield doesn't mention on their history page where the firearms they sell are manufactured.

This one will get refinished. Says New England firearms. Made in Gardner Mass. pardner model 3” mod.

I had a 10 ga. NEF that I used for geese. Easy to carry into the marsh along with my 12 ga. and was stored by the back door for when they flew over the house. It was truly a punisher and pushed me into the muck, but that thing also did a number on geese. Traded it off for something else but I wish I still had it.

Moosetrot

Hey they are sweet little guns. Their auto loader is smooth. My son bought one at wally for 189 bucks. It worked flawless in the dove field and he even killed a turkey this fall. ONLY thing I can see is it looks like an aluminum barrel with a steel sleeve. I MAY BE WONG ....

My first gun was a H&R (later NE) topper model 410.

I know hundreds of guys/gals with $15,000 shot guns. That is about entry level cost of a good target shotgun. I started with a $275 browning and those are over $1000 now. I consider these entry level for a serious trap shooter.

https://www.silverseitz.com/new-guns

You could always but a used gun:

PERAZZI MX2005 TRAP COMBO SHOTGUN WITH SC3 GRADE WOOD - PREOWNED
SKU #: 140386-7-C
Preowned
$18,495

can a good shot really break more clays with a 16,000 dollar shotgun vs a 250 dollar shotgun? I have some real doubts. I think its more about trying to impress others

There's probably been more game killed in this country with a beat up single shot than any other firearm.