Anyone hunt ducks with a 10 gauge regularly?

[Copper John]

I have my eye on a 10ga damascus gun that I am thinking of using for turkey hunting and possibly ducks. I was just curious if anyone uses a 10 bore regularly to hunt ducks or if it'll be too much like a canon to shoot effectively.

[Bill Murphy]

I shot nothing but a ten gauge for ducks and geese for about 15 years. Finally, it got too much to carry in the marshes and I sold my ten AYA.

[mobirdhunter]

I have used a 10 gauge for ducks with regularity. I have three nice 10 gauge waterfowl guns -- an Ithaca (New Ithaca) Hammer gun, an Ithaca 3.5 inch NID, and a very nice Parker GH. The hammer gun has more open chokes and works best for me (hunting over decoys). The other two are choked very tightly, but really drop birds when I'm on (ok, not often). The bigger issue for me is getting the right shells. My wife likes to kid me that the price per ounce of duck is far higher than caviar when she factors the price of guns, decoys, and shells, etc. Sheesh, it seems like a bargain to me.

I should be getting my Grade 3 top lever Parker back this year from Bachelders (once things settle down there). It also has open chokes and will get a crack at doves with some light loads I'll be cooking up.

Heck yea, get that 10 and have attum!

[Copper John]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

I have used a 10 gauge for ducks with regularity. I have three nice 10 gauge waterfowl guns -- an Ithaca (New Ithaca) Hammer gun, an Ithaca 3.5 inch NID, and a very nice Parker GH. The hammer gun has more open chokes and works best for me (hunting over decoys). The other two are choked very tightly, but really drop birds when I'm on (ok, not often). The bigger issue for me is getting the right shells. My wife likes to kid me that the price per ounce of duck is far higher than caviar when she factors the price of guns, decoys, and shells, etc. Sheesh, it seems like a bargain to me.

I should be getting my Grade 3 top lever Parker back this year from Bachelders (once things settle down there). It also has open chokes and will get a crack at doves with some light loads I'll be cooking up.

Heck yea, get that 10 and have attum!

I noticed RST only makes one type of bismuth shell in 10 ga is that what you typically used? This is a damascus gun so I would assume I need to shoot RST only in it.

[mobirdhunter]

I mostly use RST shells, and I have a stash of 1 1/8 oz (which I like better) as well as their 1 1/4. I also have some Bismuth shot in size 4 and load some light versions when I have time.

I've had no problems with the RSTs in any of my Damascus barreled guns (which have decent wall thickness, I might add).

[charlie cleveland]

a short ten with weight of around 9 lbs to 9 3/4 makes fo a very good handling turkey or duck gun...buy the rst shells or better yet make your own....do not worry about the damascus barrels if in good shape will do fine...i have shot them for 60 years and most of the shells were factory heavy loads....you will enjoy the ten ga .....charlie

[OH Osthaus]

i hunt with a short ten quite often, i have hammer and hamerless (not really- the hammers are just on the inside) - i do not find them too heavy to hunt waterfowl with - although i would not drag one through my woodcock covers

cannon or not depends on how you load it- 1 1/8 for clays or 1 1/4 for birds seems to be light on the recoil -

i reload for them with lead for clays and non tox for hunting- go to the shotshell reloading forum - and download the spread sheet

[10 bore]

yes, ducks, geese, crow and turkey. 1 1/8th crow, 1 1/4 oz bismuth for duck and geese to 1 1/2 oz lead for turkey, Ithaca NID 10 with ,040 choke at 9 lbs even and a 2 frame EH Parker with ,025 choke at 8 3/4 lbs
scott

[Craig Larter]

I shoot my 10's on ducks frequently. They are perfectly suited for duck hunting in my opinion, even my beloved Super Foxes are not better than the short 10. Kind of like a 0 frame 16ga is the perfect upland gun never really improved upon. I handload 1 1/4oz of bismuth 5's. If you shoot a short 10 it pays to reload. I own Parkers, Elsies and one new to me Ithaca super ten.

[6pt-Sika]

Never killed a duck in my life , but this season I’m hoping to start . And it’ll be with one of several Parker 2 7/8” 10’s . Already have Bismuth #1’s , #2’s and #4’s to load for ducks and or geese .