Anyone use a short 10 for dove ?

[Milton C Starr]

Does anyone here use their short 10s for dove ? I am debating which RST load would be more ideal the 1 1/8 oz or 1 1/4 of 7.5s . I think the 1 1/4 oz loads has 50 more 7.5 pellets in it from a chart I was looking at .

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

It's just my opinion, but I would let the weight of the gun determine the payload. I also prefer #8's on doves due to the pellet count.

[Milton C Starr]

It's just my opinion, but I would let the weight of the gun determine the payload. I also prefer #8's on doves due to the pellet count.

Well my Parker is about 13lbs .

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

At that weight 1 1/4 oz. loads would hardly be felt. My short ten weighs in at 10 pds. 6 oz. and I use 1 1/4 oz. of #8's even when using the gun on sporting clays.

[Milton C Starr]

At that weight 1 1/4 oz. loads would hardly be felt. My short ten weighs in at 10 pds. 6 oz. and I use 1 1/4 oz. of #8's even when using the gun on sporting clays.

I think I calculated the recoil in such a heavy gun would be about that of a 223 or around 13 ft lbs which is barely anything at all .

We arent allowed to shoot shotguns at our local range so I will have to field test loads and see what works best . I will probably buy a case of the 1 1/4oz loads .

[James Rhodenizer]

In the late season, I sometimes take my Ithaca 10 out for the fun of it. I use little skeeters inserts which take 12ga. shells. Much cheaper, 1 1/8oz. is all I use. Very little recoil.

[davidboyles]

I use 1 1/8 RST on doves in my grade 3 hammer and used inserts with AA. 1 1/8 oz. 7 1/2's. Will try both RST loads in my heavy EH and probably some 12 AA with inserts. Very tight chokes always makes it interesting. High flyer Whitewings don't like me!!

[Milton C Starr]

I use 1 1/8 RST on doves in my grade 3 hammer and used inserts with AA. 1 1/8 oz. 7 1/2's. Will try both RST loads in my heavy EH and probably some 12 AA with inserts. Very tight chokes always makes it interesting. High flyer Whitewings don't like me!!

Well the reason I was looking at the RST a 1 1/8 oz load is because I have experience with them . I shot a case of them out of the Bonehill hammergun I had it was 10lbs and didnt have much recoil . The two loads are the same price though and the 3ft lbs of recoil difference in my 6 frame seems negligible .

Although , I may pick up a LC Smith 10 gauge next month and its 10.5lbs so the 1 1/8 oz would probably be more comfortable in that gun .


I used to have a set of the gold gaugemate adapters 10 ga to 16 ga , The 16 gauge loads actually kicked pretty good in the 10 ga . I think they were 1 1/8 oz at 1450 fps .

[charlie cleveland]

I shoot some of the 3 1/2 inch shells in the over and under 12 ga I bought with those 43 1/2 inch barrels it weighs 12 lbs..it still kicks pretty good...I use those gage mates and those skeeter mates in my 10 ga guns with the 1 1/8 ounce 12 ga loads they are a pleasure to shoot....not much recoil in a 3 frame gun 10 ga weighing 10 lbs or so... I even use the gage mates in the 8 ga. using 12 ga loads...wish I had a pair of 10 ga to use in the 8 ga... I seen a gage mate the other dayto shoot 10 ga in a 4 gauge...charlie

[Milton C Starr]

I shoot some of the 3 1/2 inch shells in the over and under 12 ga I bought with those 43 1/2 inch barrels it weighs 12 lbs..it still kicks pretty good...I use those gage mates and those skeeter mates in my 10 ga guns with the 1 1/8 ounce 12 ga loads they are a pleasure to shoot....not much recoil in a 3 frame gun 10 ga weighing 10 lbs or so... I even use the gage mates in the 8 ga. using 12 ga loads...wish I had a pair of 10 ga to use in the 8 ga... I seen a gage mate the other dayto shoot 10 ga in a 4 gauge...charlie


Yes gauge mates used to make adapters in just about every configuration up to 4 gauge , I had problems with the 10 ga to 16 ga adapters from them . So If I were to buy adapters again it would probably be something like the little skeeters . I dont think gaugemates is in business anymore .

2 cases of RST 10 gauge loads though would probably last me a year .

[CraigThompson]

A group of us about ten years ago started going out a couple times during the late December dove season here in Virginia . I carried my grandfathers W&C Scott crystal indicator 10 gauge with my go to load of 30 grains of SR7625 pushing 1 1/4 ounce of #8’s or 7 1/2’s . Probably killed 12-20 with it over a few trips combined .

[Milton C Starr]

A group of us about ten years ago started going out a couple times during the late December dove season here in Virginia . I carried my grandfathers W&C Scott crystal indicator 10 gauge with my go to load of 30 grains of SR7625 pushing 1 1/4 ounce of #8’s or 7 1/2’s . Probably killed 12-20 with it over a few trips combined .

Do you notice a big difference between the 7.5s and 8s ?

[CraigThompson]

Do you notice a big difference between the 7.5s and 8s ?

I actually don’t like 7 1/2’s that much . But since I started fooling with pheasents I like them for the first barrel and 6’s in the left barrel . As to dove I think they might be a skoosh better for the late season flight dove but if all I’ve got are 8’s or even 9’s it isn’t gonna stop me from going . A friend that moved to Colorado almost a year ago gave me four bags of Remington 7 1/2’s he’d had for about thirty years . I loaded some and used them for clays back before the crud hit and they broke targets very well especially the farther targets . I’ve since bought four more bags of 7 1/2’s to have in reserve . I suppose now I’ve got 10+ bags of 9’s same for 8’s and 6 or 7 bags of 7 1/2’s now . Got a couple bags of 8 1/2’s that came in a group of stuff I bought from the wife of a deceased friend , I don’t make an effort to keep 8 1/2’s but if I get them cheap enough I shoot them . Don’t ever keep more than a bag or two of 4’s or 6’s . Thirty years ago I’d buy chilled 9’s for 12 and 20 skeet loads , magnum 9’s for 28 and 410 skeet loads then for trap I bought chilled 8’s for 16 yard line and magnum 7 1/2’s for handicap and whatever I grabbed was okay for doubles all stations in skeet or trap .

[CraigThompson]

My grandfathers old circa 1881 W&C Scott crystal indicater 10 gauge and a couple dove it plunked the first time we did the dove hunt between Xmas and New Years . The other guns a 16 gauge 30" Guild Gun thats choked tighter than the hinges of well you understand .

[Mills Morrison]

I used an EH 10 some years ago. I found it to be a bit too powerful, personally. Doves were really shot up

[Milton C Starr]

I used an EH 10 some years ago. I found it to be a bit too powerful, personally. Doves were really shot up

What loads did you use ? I know 1 1/8 oz is popular in modern shotguns , also all the shotguns I have are all 10 gauges haha .

[Milton C Starr]

I actually don’t like 7 1/2’s that much . But since I started fooling with pheasents I like them for the first barrel and 6’s in the left barrel . As to dove I think they might be a skoosh better for the late season flight dove but if all I’ve got are 8’s or even 9’s it isn’t gonna stop me from going . A friend that moved to Colorado almost a year ago gave me four bags of Remington 7 1/2’s he’d had for about thirty years . I loaded some and used them for clays back before the crud hit and they broke targets very well especially the farther targets . I’ve since bought four more bags of 7 1/2’s to have in reserve . I suppose now I’ve got 10+ bags of 9’s same for 8’s and 6 or 7 bags of 7 1/2’s now . Got a couple bags of 8 1/2’s that came in a group of stuff I bought from the wife of a deceased friend , I don’t make an effort to keep 8 1/2’s but if I get them cheap enough I shoot them . Don’t ever keep more than a bag or two of 4’s or 6’s . Thirty years ago I’d buy chilled 9’s for 12 and 20 skeet loads , magnum 9’s for 28 and 410 skeet loads then for trap I bought chilled 8’s for 16 yard line and magnum 7 1/2’s for handicap and whatever I grabbed was okay for doubles all stations in skeet or trap .

Im not sure on dove but if they are similar size to our quail 9s are pretty deadly on them , then again quail are shot at almost point blank ranges at least here . Only thing I have used #4s on is squirrels and it really hammers them . I was thinking a duplex load of 6s and 8s would be interesting but from all the pattern testing ive seen duplex loads dont work out in practice as they do in theory .

[Mills Morrison]

What loads did you use ? I know 1 1/8 oz is popular in modern shotguns , also all the shotguns I have are all 10 gauges haha .

They were RST

[charlie cleveland]

use some gage mates or skeeters and use 12 ga loads in the 10 ga...I have done this it works well andkills dove...charlie

[Mills Morrison]

That is a good idea Charlie

[CraigThompson]

Im not sure on dove but if they are similar size to our quail 9s are pretty deadly on them , then again quail are shot at almost point blank ranges at least here . Only thing I have used #4s on is squirrels and it really hammers them . I was thinking a duplex load of 6s and 8s would be interesting but from all the pattern testing ive seen duplex loads dont work out in practice as they do in theory .

For September dove I'm all about 9's or 8 1/2's or 8's .

For the middle and late season birds I think you need a slightly larger size shot , but no larger than 7 1/2 .

I only use 6's for things like pheasents and stuff that has hair .

The 4's are kinda more of an in case while deer hunting with whatever .

I likes to have me plenty of OPTIONS :rotf:

[Milton C Starr]

For September dove I'm all about 9's or 8 1/2's or 8's .

For the middle and late season birds I think you need a slightly larger size shot , but no larger than 7 1/2 .

I only use 6's for things like pheasents and stuff that has hair .

The 4's are kinda more of an in case while deer hunting with whatever .

I likes to have me plenty of OPTIONS :rotf:

Looking at the season dates for dove here Dove Statewide
Sept. 5–30
Nov. 21–Nov. 29
Dec. 8–Jan. 31.
It will probably be the Dec 8 - Jan 31 dates that I can go on . Our peanut harvest season is about to be here and we run that 7 days a week until sometime November .

Options are always nice , I remember the last time me and my oldest brother were deer hunting all we seen were large squirrels . I remember thinking I wish I had brought a shotgun instead of a 300 WM haha .

[Milton C Starr]

use some gage mates or skeeters and use 12 ga loads in the 10 ga...I have done this it works well andkills dove...charlie

Its really tempting for me to buy a Parker 16 gauge , the RST loads arent that expensive for it . But I have a list of about 5 guns I am thinking of buying so im not sure yet If I will pickup another sxs or not .

[CraigThompson]

Its really tempting for me to buy a Parker 16 gauge , the RST loads arent that expensive for it . But I have a list of about 5 guns I am thinking of buying so im not sure yet If I will pickup another sxs or not .

I have a half dozen Parker 16’s now and there’s still one or two other Parker 16’s I’d like to acquire .

[Stan Hillis]

I once owned a short ten LC Smith and handloaded for it, all the way down to one ounce. Never considered trying it on doves. I have so many other sub-gauge doubles that are more suited to dove shooting. My personal preference in shot size is 8s in the first two seasons, then 7 1/2s on the more mature, tough migratory birds. From 7/8 to 1 oz. of shot is all I've ever felt I needed, with enough choke, and I'll admit to liking tight chokes. Pattern density is what kills. One can achieve sufficient density with lighter payloads by going to tighter chokes. I'd never consider 1 1/4 oz. of shot for doves. Way too much overkill.

Milton, you'd love a 16 with one ounce of shot on late season doves. The DHE 16/20 with 32" barrels in both gauges, that I acquired late last year, is a dream come true on doves. I call it my "peanut field gun".

SRH

[Milton C Starr]

I once owned a short ten LC Smith and handloaded for it, all the way down to one ounce. Never considered trying it on doves. I have so many other sub-gauge doubles that are more suited to dove shooting. My personal preference in shot size is 8s in the first two seasons, then 7 1/2s on the more mature, tough migratory birds. From 7/8 to 1 oz. of shot is all I've ever felt I needed, with enough choke, and I'll admit to liking tight chokes. Pattern density is what kills. One can achieve sufficient density with lighter payloads by going to tighter chokes. I'd never consider 1 1/4 oz. of shot for doves. Way too much overkill.

Milton, you'd love a 16 with one ounce of shot on late season doves. The DHE 16/20 with 32" barrels in both gauges, that I acquired late last year, is a dream come true on doves. I call it my "peanut field gun".

SRH

Ive looked at a few 16 gauges , If I was to get a Parkers I would go with a PH 16 I have been looking at . Ive read only about 209 PH 16s were made but they dont seem too hard to find for sale .

Problem is two very nice 10 gauge doubles just popped up for sale :rotf: I cant stop myself from buying them when I see one that catches my attention .

[charlie cleveland]

you gona have to look long and hard to find a bigger 10 ga than you already got...ha charlie

[Milton C Starr]

you gona have to look long and hard to find a bigger 10 ga than you already got...ha charlie

Charlie I seen a 20 gauge a few weeks ago that reminded me of something you would shoot , it was a single barrel 20 gauge that apparently someone had build on a 4 bore action . It was over 25lbs :rotf:

But yes I think the only 10 bigger than a 6 frame would be if someone had a 7 frame 10 gauge .

I wouldnt mind finding a beat up or well used double 8 if one came along .

[charlie cleveland]

that's got to be a record for weight for a 20 ga... charlie