Regardless of which gun you get, don't make the mistake of getting excited and shooting one too close. This is footage of me demonstrating what happens when you don't give a little distance when shooting a bird. My buddy's Shorthair pointed a chukar during a training hunt and I stuffed a shell directly up its keister. That bird was toast. It would've been more prudent to count off a potato or two before squeezing on it.
Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
I did the same thing to a pheasant along a railroad track in Kansas. Best I can figure, it was about 12 feet from my 12 gauge muzzle when the shot charge arrived. I'm not that fast anymore.
Mike
"Walking away seems to be a lost art form." N454casull
Yep..did the same thing on my last woodcock hunt...very tight cover and according to my friend who was watching the action, the little feller was about two feet off the end of the muzzle..we found a beak and a foot...looked like a little feather pillow exploded....
Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
Great info all. Thanks. Started to fondle some shotguns the other day. What is a good all around barrel length? Bigal mentioned a 22 inch for the brush but that would seem short for fields. Is there a good compromise, or is it just better to have dedicated shotguns for the task at hand?
Figure with a pump or semi, the reciver automatically gives you about 6-8 inches more sight plane than you would with a break action.
It won't really matter for performance of your ammo. It's really just a question of what kind of feel you like. Some folks like more weight up front to steady and smooth out their swing. Others like them, light, lively, and more "quick draw". Obviously, the hunting you're doing can have some bearing on that.
Take your beater to the trap range. Then take it to the skeet range. Learn the movements you make when taking the different shots. Once you have some of that burned into your lizard brain, when you find the right shotgun, you'll pretty much know it.
So I went out and bought a 500 youth in 20 gauge. I have nubin number 4 on the way right now so it was apropos. I got the one with the 22 inch barrel. I can now go to the trap range and try out the 22 and the 28 and get a feel for both before I decide on what to get the o/u in.
Apparently free thought is punished, and conformity is required, while peckerless cowards run the show.
The most wonderful dove hunting shotgun I've ever had the opportunity to shoot was a Benelli 24" 20 gauge semi-auto with Improved Cyl choke tube installed. At 25-30 yards, it was amazing.
Had it been my gun, I would have tried the modified choke tube, which would likely have extended the kill range to 35-40 yards, but would have reduced the 25 yard efficiency. Normally, I shoot a 12 gauge with a 26" barrel, the IC choke, and shoot at birds in the 35 yard vicinity.
But there is every reason to believe that a 22" barrel with a modified choke would yield acceptable results from a 20 gauge, past 30-35 yards.
So I went out and bought a 500 youth in 20 gauge. I have nubin number 4 on the way right now so it was apropos. I got the one with the 22 inch barrel. I can now go to the trap range and try out the 22 and the 28 and get a feel for both before I decide on what to get the o/u in.
Great choice. That should make for an excellent tight cover rig. Long barrels may make for a great swing on the trap range or sporting clays course, but they suck when you have to negotiate tall grass or low branches. That 22" barrel should treat you very well.
In fact, not only will that make a great upland gun, if you ever desire to scope it for turkey season, it will also do extremely well in that venue. Add on an xtra-full/turkey choke and some Winchester Long Beard XR #6 or (if you feel inclined to spend a little more for the superior pattern density) go with Federal TSS #9 and kill them cold at 40+ yards.
Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
Late season pheasants can be a trial...all the young dumb ones are either dead or educated...I have seen every bird in a CRP field flush because somebody slammed a truck door...
This is my favorite time to hunt 'lone wolf'! Just me and my dog. Roosters will many times sit tight in the snowy sloughs and hope you walk by. A good dog makes this an enjoyable hunt!
"Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Mark Twain
So I went out and bought a 500 youth in 20 gauge. I have nubin number 4 on the way right now so it was apropos. I got the one with the 22 inch barrel. I can now go to the trap range and try out the 22 and the 28 and get a feel for both before I decide on what to get the o/u in.
Great choice. That should make for an excellent tight cover rig. Long barrels may make for a great swing on the trap range or sporting clays course, but they suck when you have to negotiate tall grass or low branches. That 22" barrel should treat you very well.
In fact, not only will that make a great upland gun, if you ever desire to scope it for turkey season, it will also do extremely well in that venue. Add on an xtra-full/turkey choke and some Winchester Long Beard XR #6 or (if you feel inclined to spend a little more for the superior pattern density) go with Federal TSS #9 and kill them cold at 40+ yards.
I once read an article in Guns Digest about a man who used a short-barreled 410 for water-hole doves over decoys. Most people think of an open classic dove field on some farmland with long sporty barrels. I guess there is a proper dove gun for different shooting scenarios.
If you're going to shoot doves with a .410, you had better be a damn good wing shot, regardless of barrel length. I'm semi-convinced that one of the reasons I'm such a lousy wing shot is that I started out with a .410.
Jerry
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
Kent cartridge used to sell a low brass "spreader" load in #7 1/2 12 gauge....a great shell that really upped my averages on quail..while still being enough to deal with any early season stubble ducks that may pop up....I run Modified & Imp. Cyl on my doubles when were walking them up...works out nicely.
Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
One thing that has been mentioned but not really emphasized is the utility of choke tubes. Back in the day, shotguns had barrels with fixed chokes. If you had a modified choke barrel, that's all you had.
Then, someone came up with the brilliant idea of choke tubes. You could now change a barrel from full choke to improved, and everything in between. The greatly added to a single shotgun's versatility.
I know that just about everyone who reads this knows this, but since the post was resurrected by D_I, I thought he might want to know this.
Jerry
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
One thing that has been mentioned but not really emphasized is the utility of choke tubes. Back in the day, shotguns had barrels with fixed chokes. If you had a modified choke barrel, that's all you had.
Then, someone came up with the brilliant idea of choke tubes. You could now change a barrel from full choke to improved, and everything in between. The greatly added to a single shotgun's versatility.
I know that just about everyone who reads this knows this, but since the post was resurrected by D_I, I thought he might want to know this.
Yeah, it's an other thread, but if you're going resurrect a thread, this is a good one to bring back, especially now that we're kinda in the preseason buildup for the early bird seasons. This is normally when I start trying to shoot some clays again and get back into some semblance of shooting form.
You're absolutely right about the utility of choke tubes. The invention really stands out with over/under guns since you can go tighter on the second shot to make up for distance on a follow-up. It's a pretty regular occurrence to see me change chokes from say Improved Cylinder and Modified for pheasant to Modified and Improved Modified for further flushing or faster birds like grouse.
Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
Replies
Mike
N454casull
It won't really matter for performance of your ammo. It's really just a question of what kind of feel you like. Some folks like more weight up front to steady and smooth out their swing. Others like them, light, lively, and more "quick draw". Obviously, the hunting you're doing can have some bearing on that.
Take your beater to the trap range. Then take it to the skeet range. Learn the movements you make when taking the different shots. Once you have some of that burned into your lizard brain, when you find the right shotgun, you'll pretty much know it.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
ECHO...ECHO....echo...
Ah......One savors the hypocrisy!
Karma.........It’s a bitch.
In fact, not only will that make a great upland gun, if you ever desire to scope it for turkey season, it will also do extremely well in that venue. Add on an xtra-full/turkey choke and some Winchester Long Beard XR #6 or (if you feel inclined to spend a little more for the superior pattern density) go with Federal TSS #9 and kill them cold at 40+ yards.
ECHO...ECHO....echo...
Ah......One savors the hypocrisy!
Karma.........It’s a bitch.
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
Then, someone came up with the brilliant idea of choke tubes. You could now change a barrel from full choke to improved, and everything in between. The greatly added to a single shotgun's versatility.
I know that just about everyone who reads this knows this, but since the post was resurrected by D_I, I thought he might want to know this.
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
You're absolutely right about the utility of choke tubes. The invention really stands out with over/under guns since you can go tighter on the second shot to make up for distance on a follow-up. It's a pretty regular occurrence to see me change chokes from say Improved Cylinder and Modified for pheasant to Modified and Improved Modified for further flushing or faster birds like grouse.
"The Un-Tactical"