Hunting with 10g

[Timothy schiller]

I was just wondering what is the kill range for a 10g using the low pressure ammo like what is offered by rst. Is it further than shooting a 12g 3” ammo in conventional guns? What about a 3.5” shell in conventional 12g?
What is it meant by short 10g that I read. I’m guessing 2.5” 10g shells?
Thanks.

[scott kittredge]

What are you killing ? Short 10 is 2 7/8 in. Long

[CraigThompson]

I’ve shot some clay targets and feathered targets out a pretty fair distance with both my SR7625 1 1/4 ounce load that’s not stout by any means and with my 18.6 gr Red Dot loaf with 1 1/8 ounce of shot . In my very biased opinion the kill range is more governed by the chokes in the gun and the ability of the guy doing the shooting .

[Timothy schiller]

Ducks

[Dean Romig]

Vermont longbeards with my 3-frame Damascus barreled short ten Lifter.






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[Timothy schiller]

Yessir re ability and chokes.
I imagine that vintage doubles were tightly choked and range was great. I was just wondering how close I need the target to kill and not cripple a duck. I have plenty of experience w a modern 12 gauge but really want to hunt w a classic double in 10.

[Jerry Harlow]

Just my opinion but the short 10 gauge is superior to the 12 if both are shooting 1 1/4 to 1 3/8 ounce bismuth especially in tight chokes, and in the 1 3/8 ounce RST 1200 fps loads I would not go over forty yards to avoid crippling since bismuth is not as heavy as lead.

The commercial 3" 12 gauge loads as you know can load up to two ounces in tungsten but in non-toxic you typically see 1 1/2 ounces at higher velocities, so the 1 3/8 ounce in a 10 can't compete fairly with it. And it cannot touch 3.5" 12 gauge loads, but with steel, bismuth, or alloys I still do not trust them over forty-five yards. Modern guns with heavy loads are an insurance policy but the old girls still work at forty.

[CraigThompson]

Ducks

A goose at about 40-45 yards with my W&C Scott 10 gauge of 1881 vintage shooting my #1 Bismuth 1 1/4 ounce handloads pushed with 30 grains of SR7625 . That Scott is choked a bit tight :cool:

[Keith Sirmans]

I've killed turkeys with their 10 gauge ammo in 5's

[charlie cleveland]

the old short 10 ga 2 7/8 inch gun has been passed by the modern 12 ga magnum loads...but the short 10 ga is still one fine load it will still kill a duck or goose out to 60 yards with the right shell...such as tungston or heavy shot shells...just about ever body loads their own shells today but loaded ammo can be bought...most all of us have a 12 ga magnum gun but it usally stays home and the old 10 ga is in our hands in the field....why.....because.......it s just that way....charlie

[Victor Wasylyna]

I have plenty of experience w a modern 12 gauge but really want to hunt w a classic double in 10.

I gave up on the modern 12 gauge and now hunt ducks and geese with the short ten using my WSF bismuth load (http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=23362&highlight=%28WSF%29). I still hunt with others that use modern 12 gauge steel waterfowl loads. Based on my experience, the WSF bismuth load is more effective on ducks and geese than modern steel loads. Perhaps the higher density of bismuth and the better patterns achieved with the short ten compensate for the lower velocity (as compared to the higher velocity modern steel loads). I do not believe you will notice a drop in range or performance if you move to the short ten.

-Victor

[Milton C Starr]

the old short 10 ga 2 7/8 inch gun has been passed by the modern 12 ga magnum loads...but the short 10 ga is still one fine load it will still kill a duck or goose out to 60 yards with the right shell...such as tungston or heavy shot shells...just about ever body loads their own shells today but loaded ammo can be bought...most all of us have a 12 ga magnum gun but it usally stays home and the old 10 ga is in our hands in the field....why.....because.......it s just that way....charlie


I used the RST 1 1/8oz loads for shooting clays and squirrels in #7 shot or was it 7.5s I cant remember . Next time I may try #5s or 4s . My 3.5" 10 ga didnt pattern 4s that well but maybe in a shorter shot column the 2 7/8 might ?

Even if the modern 12s beat the short 10 , its still just a fun shell to hunt with . And in a 10lb gun those RST loads are probably one of the softest shooting combinations .

It would be interesting to see someone load some tungsten matrix in the 10 ga 2 7/8 ive read its safe for old barrels . I plan to order some of RSTs bismuth loads this year . We have a early geese season that starts in September I think it would be alot of fun to hunt geese with a vintage 10 ga double in the autumn .

[WilliamJanelle]

A good day with the Parker short 10’s in the corn fields. 10 bore on the right, me on the left. Shells were loaded with 39g of blue dot, SP10 wad and 1 3/8 of bismuth #1’s. Very effective for geese.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Bill, can you describe the 2 Parkers you and Scott were using?

[Dean Romig]

Scott’s looks like an Ithaca.





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[CraigThompson]

A deer double a few years back with a circa 1884 Grade 2 top lever 10 shooting handloaded 0 buck .

[CraigThompson]

A late season dove hunt in central Virginia using a circa 1881 W&C Scott 10 gauge , with 1 1/4 ounce #8 handloads .

[WilliamJanelle]

Bill, can you describe the 2 Parkers you and Scott were using?
Hey Harold,
I’m shooting a Parker 10ga NH with 30” Damascus barrels on a 3 frame choked .025 & .030. Dean’s right, Scott is shooting 10ga NID with 32” steel barrels choked .025 & .045. You guys have good eyes.