Perfect Pheasant Gun?

[Mills Morrison]

Several friends have been discussing this issue lately. What do you consider the perfect pheasant gun? What gauge? What attributes do you look for? What guns/gauges are too heavy/too light?

I have shot with a 16 gauge, 12 gauge and 10 gauge. All seemed to require no. 6 shot. The 10 gauge was the one that delivered consistently clean kills. Unfortunately, my pheasant hunting has been limited to tower shoots and released birds, so I have zero experience with the real thing. We hope to get out west for the real thing sometime and want to be prepared. Hence, a reason for this thread.

Here is a photo of my 10 gauge with some very dead pheasants.

[Daryl Corona]

The best pheasant gun for the prairies out west is one you can carry all day and you can shoot it well. For me it's a gun that weighs less than 6 1/4lbs. and has plenty of choke in the second barrel.

This was my 15th year to SD and I take 5 or 6 guns with me. I'll carry a 28, a 20 or a 16 and use 7 1/2's. (Parkers or Foxes) A different one each day. I know some people will take me to task for 7 1/2's but I use what works for me. I could'nt imagine carrying a 10 ga. all day long but if you can shoot it well then that's the gun for you.

Above all is a good, close working dog.

[Mills Morrison]

The tower shoot did not involve much walking. If there was any more walking, the 10 gauge would have been too much. Julia wants to shoot a 28 gauge. Some say that is not enough gun, but small guns become big guns in her hands

[Dean Romig]

A 20, 16, or 12 with a good modified left barrel and I/C or mod in the right barrel. Shot sizes in 5, 6, or 7 1/2 would do well. I think a 28 gauge is not quite enough payload for pheasant unless the shots are 30 yards or less. Pheasants can sometimes take a lot of lead and keep on flying. You need to either break wing bones or head and neck bones. Seven lbs. or less makes for a relatively easy walk.





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[Daryl Corona]

The 28 is plenty of gun IF you can shoot well. We hunt all wild birds and a gun that you can mount quickly is the ticket. Wild birds don't screw around when they flush, they don't tower up and then level off like preserve birds do. Factor in the ever present 15mph.+ wind up their butt and you'll see why you need a quick, nimble gun.

I have to laugh when we are at Cabela's buying our license in Mitchell, SD. Watching these dudes buying 1 3/8oz. of 4's and 5's makes me cringe.

BTW, my avatar shows a couple of pheasants taken with my 28 VH choked IC/IM and my pointing Lab, Parker. What a great dog.

[Daniel G Rainey]

There is no such animal as the perfect pheasant gun ! I first when to South Dakota in 79 and have been countless times. Before the lodges took over and you stayed with the farmer. The first dog I saw pheasant hunting was my lab in 81. I shot my quail gun, a 870 20ga. skeet gun. It worked. Over the years I have shot a side by side 28 choked IM and MOD. Great up 35 yards. Even tried the 28 ga. one oz. loads. Killed just many birds with 3/4 oz. loads. Tried a o/u in 20. But, after I was bit by the Parker bug ,my gun is a PH 12 on a 1 1/2 frame choked Cly. and IC. It weights 7 lb. and I shoot it better than all the others. Have always used 6 shot. Use a 1 oz. light load in my PH and have replaced my lab with a Boykin. I think that all those super loads for pheasants are just something to sale. Released pheasants tend hold better than wild ones, but they are the best released bird I have ever had a go at. Danny

[Kenny Graft]

My personal wild rooster guns is a light 16ga that comes in about 6lbs-4oz 28" choked .009/.031 or light mod/X-full I use 1 1/8 oz of 5# HV from Fiocchi, this load also works very well on wild Quail. I find that number 5 shot does not pepper the birds full of pellets and the ones that stay in the bird are easy to find and remove. We loose very few cripples I am happy to say. Her in Ohio at our quality preserves most any small gauge and choke combo will work fine as shots are close over pointing dogs. Its fun to use a light 28ga. For the king of game birds...the rough grouse any light gun with open chokes work great. SXS Ohio....(-:

[charlie cleveland]

a 12 ga withweight under 7 lbs barrels 26 inch right barrel improved cly and other barrel full choke or extra full...for ammo 7 1/2 right barrel and 6 s in the left...this combo is about as good as it gets....charlie

[Josh Loewensteiner]

I use a 1-1/2 frame VH 12 with orig. 26" barrels choked IC/F. Weighs 6lbs 12oz and with RST #6's it's the best shooting gun I have.

[Mills Morrison]

Very helpful. Thanks for the responses

[Russ Jackson]

Here is one of my favorite Pheasant Guns but I only use it on Preserve Birds but really like a Nice Open Choke for close Pointed Pheasant Imp. Cyl. and Extra Full for the missed birds or wild flushes in 20 Gauge is my pick for regular Pheasant hunting !

[Mills Morrison]

Really nice Russ!

Looks like I might need to buy a new gun. I don't have one that is IC/full in 12 gauge.:whistle:

[Russ Jackson]

For the last 20 Years or so I have had Brits , and almost every Bird was taken over a nice solid point which makes the Imp. Cyl. great for up close and personal shooting , problem is my shooting isn't always perfect and that tight choke follow up was often the just the ticket !

[Jack Kuzepski]

I haven't a whole lot of wild pheasant experience in Delaware but this is what has worked for me. I use a 12 ga with I/C chokes and shells are my hand loads of 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 oz of #4 shot @ about 1200 fps.

Jack Kuzepski

[Larry Frey]

I think we all know someone who has killed a pheasant with a 410 or 28 gage but while these smaller gages are great for dove, grouse, woodcock and other small birds they are far from what most would consider the perfect pheasant gun. Planted birds are one thing but in open country with truly wild birds my choice would be a 16 or better yet a 12 gage with no less than #6 shot and plenty of choke. You can bet none of the hunters in the late seson Kansas hunt below wished they had a smaller gun. For thoes new to this site you can see the rest of the story at the link below.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1337&highlight=kansas

[Dean Romig]

Here is one of my favorite Pheasant Guns but I only use it on Preserve Birds but really like a Nice Open Choke for close Pointed Pheasant Imp. Cyl. and Extra Full for the missed birds or wild flushes in 20 Gauge is my pick for regular Pheasant hunting !



Russ, you're talking 20 gauge but the barrels on that A-Grade look to be .410

Please fess up and tell us what it really is.





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[Mills Morrison]

Using enough gun to make a clean kill is a cornerstone of hunting ethics. It is one reason I like 12 gauges.

[Kenny Graft]

Hey DP....that's some late season big, cold and windy realastate.....better have plenty of bullets in them shells...maybe a light 10ga?? (-: WE will be in Kansas soon...six days with tight choked 16-s I really hope its not winter there yet..............I have felt the knife , as it tears at any exposed flesh, blinded by tears as I head into wind!!! can't see the dog...its a white out! SXS Ohio

[Richard White]

Hey DP....that's some late season big, cold and windy realastate.....better have plenty of bullets in them shells...maybe a light 10ga?? (-: WE will be in Kansas soon...six days with tight choked 16-s I really hope its not winter there yet..............I have felt the knife , as it tears at any exposed flesh, blinded by tears as I head into wind!!! can't see the dog...its a white out! SXS Ohio

It's been winter in the western 1/3 of the state the last couple days. Some highways closed, but back open this morning.

[Russ Jackson]

Dean ,it is a 410 and as I said ,I use it for Pheasants only on Preserve hunts , my go to gun is as I said ,20 Gauge ,# 6 Shot ! Our Pheasants in Pa. at least in our neck of the woods are all stocked birds by clubs or the Pa. Game Commission hardly like hunting in Kansas !!!!!!!!!!!!! The other item is , hunting over good Dogs and limiting your shooting to only pointed birds or birds that flush close makes a huge difference in the size gun you need ,no ethical sportsman would ever set out to cripple game !

[Ron Gebhart]

I was born and raised in the heart of South Dakota pheasant country. Started hunting in the 50's and continued to live & hunt there for 30 years. When I was 12, Dad bought me an 20 ga. 870 w/ modified choke and gave me a 500 round case of 1oz #5 shot each fall. When the case was gone I would usually buy 1oz #4 shot for the late season birds. I now carry a Parker VH 16 ga, 1oz #5 is still the best. Choke IC/IM. 1oz #5 kills clean but doesn't grind the birds into hamburger. 1oz #4 is good for late season birds. Sure would like to go back to the days of open land and a limit of birds after school!

[calvin humburg]

103 year old Trojan did well last weekend crushed 2 roosters. 16 mod full 3 1/8 dram equiv. 1 1/8 5 shot close to perfect in my finite opinion. best ch Ron is right as well does not hurt for calvin to have a few moor pellets the way he shoots.

[charlie cleveland]

calvin sounds like you have a pheasant gun for sure...maybe i can borrow it next time i come your way...charlie

[nick balzano]

I love my 16 ga. parker Trojan

[nick balzano]

I have a chance to purchase a vh 12 ga. from my ex-wife. it's used pretty hard the wood is not original but the metal parts all match, and I would use it for a shooter only. I'm confused about the chamber length as it was made in 1903. I presume I could use 21/2 inch 12 ga. shells . Is that correct . Thank you, Nick

[Dean Romig]

Yes, 2 1/2 inch is perfect.






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[nick balzano]

thank you Dean