for quail here in mississippi when we had plenty a 26 inch barrel was the excepted barrel with open chokes....my dad shot a lc smith for years....charlie

I have a thing for 20 ga guns too. My first Parker is a Repro with two triggers, pistol grip, 26" barrels and splinter forearm DHE. I since aquired two Trojans, 26" and 28". I just in the past month came across a VH 16 ga on an "O" frame. I also have a Sterlingworth with 26" pipes.
The sad part is there are no grouse in Ohio.
KJ

I guess you and I have a different perspective on 26" barrels for New England grouse. I have a PHE 26" Parker 20 bore with fluid steel barrels and open chokes. The perfect grouse gun? I don't think so. I would prefer another two inches on those barrels or even better, four inches. Longer barrels don't get caught in brush and they can be handled with one hand in brush if the gun is light enough. Twenty six inch barrels are what everybody thinks of when it comes to grouse. But I have taken most of my grouse with a 28" 20 bore improved cylinder and modified. I like the longer barrels. Grouse shooting in tight cover is instinctive shooting and to my way of thinking, longer barrels are better at this.

I agree that the 16 bore with open chokes is the ultimate grouse gun. Probably my best shooting percentage wise was with a 16 bore and one ounce #9 loads. The perfect grouse load in my opinion.

People like what they like. I have 26 inch and 28 inch barrel bird guns. I hit or miss equally well with both. As long as weight of gun is between your hands and maybe a tad forward I don't think barrel length makes much difference if gun points where your looking and you have footwork and gun mount dialed in. I think there was a stigma with older guns is that if you wanted open chokes it had to be a 26 inch barreled gun.

As far as gauge and round, its hard to beat a 16 and 20 gauge in grouse woods with a proper load. Really like 28 gauge going after plantation quail but just feel a bit under gunned with a 28 gauge going after grouse.

Wild quail back to 16 and 20 gauge.

The best barrel length, weight, and gauge? Just check the gun you shoot best and have the most confidence in and it will tell you the best configuration. But let's not forget that the never-ending search for an even better configuration is most likely why we are members of organizations like this.

True. Or better yet in weak attempt to stay hip and relative. Word.

I agree with that statement completely. Confidence is key. We all have our preferences based on which guns we have had the most success with. For me its longer barrels, for another it might be 24" barrels. We have different opinions based on individual experience. I find it fun to state my opinion and discuss it with others some of whom might disagree. But I am very careful to say "in my opinion" when I make a statement based purely on a perspective that doesn't lend itself to empirical evidence. It's all good.

t
I have never hunted desert quail but I always wanted to. I think thte Mearns is one of the most beautiful game birds. I've wanted to take one since I was a kid.

Very early in the season before the broods break up, one can have the same situation on grouse. I've run into a situation many times where one flushes followed by the others and there you are with an empty gun. One reason I always liked ejectors. Plus I love hearing the thunk. Hearing the thunk and smelling freshly fired paper cases are wonderful simple pleasures.

I too am starting to favor 28" barrels. I took my Trojan out for sporting clays last weekend and i do a little better with it.
I see Kenny Graft thanked me on my post. I stopped and talked to you at your shop when I first got the 16 VH.

KJ

If I'm using a 12g or 16g , 26" barrels are fine. When using a 20g I prefer 28" to 30" barrels. Six to 6 3/4 lbs. with a high comb seems to be what works best for me lately.

I had Keith Lupton at the Pawling Mountain Club determine the optimum stock dimensions for me shooting and adjusting the dimensions of a try gun. It was worth it. My optimum drop at comb was 1 3/8 inches. It's probably not coincidental that I have done so well at grouse with a 20 bore VH with a drop at comb of 1 3/8 inches. Keith is now long gone from the Pawling Mountain Club, but he was a very knowledgeable English trained gentleman.

Tom, thanks for the reminder about the great dinner we had at Jeff Mulliken's home in Poolesville. I have another GHE 16 gauge three barrel composed set, which is even more outrageous than the factory set you saw. When you are situated up north, you may choose to get in touch with Jeff. He is a true outdoorsman and a fine fellow to boot. How can someone who can build a Cobra in a one car garage be all bad?

I can't imagine a GHE 16 three barrel set more outrageous than the one I saw. Again I'm thinking where the hell does he come up with this stuff? Jeff and I have always been in contact since he left Poolesville. He lives about three hours from Pawing and we have big plans to do some grouse and duck hunting this year. And he is going to Saskatchewan with me on my annual trip next October. I've got a line on a couple of 2 year old finished setters, so I will have a setter to roam my home coverts with me. When I get Pawling, I'll see each dog work and make a decision. I've lived without a setter for a while and its killing me.

One more thing Bill, I'm looking forward to seeing you at the Vintager's this weekend. I hope you'll be in the Parker booth where you belong. I'll shuffle over to the Fox booth to see Kevin but he may not talk to me after I implied that he is a heathen since he went to the wrong side of the tracks.

Tom, I'm travelling Friday with a group from Damascus and B-CC Izaak Walton all of whom probably want to shoot. I would rather hang out in the tents. We'll see how it goes. I think my travelling companions can do without my company on the course. Maybe if I buy lunch they will forgive me. Douglas Craig is one of our group. Have you maintained contact with him after Jeff's dinner? I was never clear about who knew whom before the dinner. I may have to come back on Saturday. In the old days, we made a five or six day adventure of the Vintagers. We ran a catering service on the tree line behind the tents. Lunch, beer, wine, and conversation were all free. Back then, we could do that for about the price of a cheap shotgun. It was well worth it because of the people we met over the years. I suspect that the event at Hopkins won't be as entertaining, but the guns will be cheaper.

Bill, no worries. I'll track you down like a setter on a running grouse. I only met Douglas Craig that one time. I'll make sure to be there on Saturday to see if I can find you. It's been a long time Bill.

My first "grouse Gun", and everything else gun , was a Remington 1100 12ga. with 26" barrel and a cutts compensator. It was deadly on anything I hunted. Why? Because it was my Skeet gun and I tried to shoot every weekend. It became an extension of my brain and soul. Familiarity and practice can make most any gun a Grouse gun.

Tom, my cell # is 301-503-5456. Hopefully, Kennedyville has cell service. I wouldn't doubt shrewd businessman George Hopkins has a cell tower on his farm.

I've put this on before, this ones for you Garry.
DHE 16 O frame 26" cyl/M

Harold
You know I like that gun a lot. Please give Betty a hug for me, I thought of her the other day when working Buzz. I can only hope the pup sees half the grouse Betty has shown you.

Today's grouse gun on opening day in New York, got lucky killed 3 with a Winchester Model 21 in 20ga.

good shooting with a nice gun...no grouse were i live....great picture of a great hunt....charlie

James looks like you had an awesome hunt with an awesome gun !!!

I have the same gun that weighs exactly 6 lbs and is probably my favorite bird gun.

It's one of my favorite guns, a 26" tournament grade dt, ae, sf, 6" 7' made in 1936 I think.

wow, in this game of "Grouse gun show and tell", I declare you the winner.
3 birds on opening day, my hat is off to you.
I used to be able to shoot my 3 bird limit in ohio on opening day, before the demise of the southern Appalachian grouse population.

That's off to a great start in New York! Congrats, good shooting and nice gun too. I'm going out tomorrow in the Newcomb area of the Adirondacks for the day to see if I can find any. I'll be taking a Browning Lightning and Parker GH with me. Both are 20 ga, 26" barrels choked IC and Mod. Not sure which one I'll use...probably the Parker.

Thanks!!!! The gun is exceptional as described— the dogs are even better. “Thank God for a dog like that, and a gun like that...”. (Sorry for the butchered quotation, but I hope it communicates.)

One of my favorite grouse guns, a real beater VHE 20 that someone cut the barrels from 28 to 26.5"(why?). The ejectors still work well, someday may have to clean the old girl up.
RIP, Shiner

43 rain and wind in northern Minnesota. Rained out wet and cold, went to Reeds for the afternoon. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny then maybe snow this weekend.

Mr Day, Thanks for the report. Any news is good news. It will be a few more sleeps before I head that direction, but the fire that moves me is building and it requires little kindling. Hope the weather settles some for you and that the rain has cleared a few shooting lanes.

Grouse gun
 

I have a small group of grouse guns. I’m most effective with a VHE 20 bore but enjoy hunting most with a Peter Chapman 20 bore.