The birds with the half grip Parker 12 were taken using 28 gauge chamber mates.

Mills,
Southern gentlemen like yourself should only hunt bobwhite with a 16 gauge. I believe in the old south (glory days of the southern plantations) it was the gauge of choice. It was those miss guided northerners which confessed the idea of proper gauge for bobwhite. So I encourage you and your Georgia roots to stay the course.

16, 20 and 28 are the only gauges I use on quail. Some places frown on 16s and it is ridiculous

The above may be revisited when I get a 1/2 frame

Bein' a No'thener who shoots a 28 gauge for the formidable trickster, the ruffed grouse, and the long-billed dodger, the woodcock, I can't figure why the Southe'n boys would need to club their little gent'men bob-white speedsters with such a massive load??





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I wanted to take an original vent-ribbed M42 skeet gun to Bray's Island, and was told "break guns only" Grrr!

Some folks are born with frowns! I once (note, once) hunted with a young guy who berated me for shooting a 16 because it was "bigger" than his 20. He was shooting 3 inch 1 oz. shells, and I was using 2 1/2" 7/8 oz light loads. He also said my double was not as "humane" as his autoloader because he had an extra shot in case he winged a bird. It takes all kinds. At the end of our hunt, he left me with a bag of 20 gauge hulls to load for him. I never did reload his shells, nor did he ever hunt over my dogs again.

So much for frowns...

If you want the definition of 'shooting snob' just refer to that silly rule. It can't be about safety if the action is open...





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Spoken just like a d___n Yankee, for sure. :) No doubt you carry shells in a carpet bag, too. (I guess I should hide my 28s before I say this, eh?)

:biglaugh: Well said Garry... very well said!





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Well , living below the Mason-Dixon line I'm technically a southerner. That being said I've killed a boatload of quail here on Maryland's eastern shore (when we had boatloads of quail) with nothing larger than a 20 ga. and more often than not a 28. Never had the desire to shoot a 12 or a 16. But if you do, that's ok. Just use a good dog.

Will probably get some 2 inch RST shells if I do the 1/2 frame

Well, I live in 12ga-auto-loader-with-the-plug-out-and-3"-mags-if'n-yer-gun'll-take-em' country, and I typically carry a 16ga side by side which, I've been told, is "a pretty nice gun for a girl". So, 20/28, 20/16, 16/12, 12/10, meeny/miney...:)

Those are fighting words Scott. As a Yankee, I will admit that we abused the South by invading during the war and sending carpet baggers after, but the correct gauge for quail was not part of the agreement at Appomattox. You guys got to keep your horses and decide for yourselves what to shoot at quail. Further, sir, there are damn few Yankees that don’t think the ultimate upland gun is a 16 bore shooting an ounce of shot. We might use our 20’s and 28’s for grouse but we never tried to force them down the throats of our unfortunate Southern counterparts. Your ungenerous comments are off the mark Scott. Obviously, you still harbor hard feelings about getting trounced by Yankees in the war.

Whoa:shock:

Who hijacked my thread and stopped the pictures from coming? More pictures.

Sorry Mills. We Yankee's are a proud race and we find it hard to let pass unfortunate comments by Southerners. Below is what I considered to be my most effective grouse gun. It's a graded Smith 16 bore that I used for years shooting an ounce of #9's. I eventually sold it because it wasn't a Parker.

You know I'm kidding but keep the photos coming

For those who don't know me, I enjoy baiting Southerners and going head to head and toe to toe with them. All in fun of course.

These pictures are for you Mills. I know you like Brittanies. The best grouse dog I ever owned was a Brittany named Rusty. He was a two year old finished dog my grandfather bought for me when I was 14 years old. I've owned three Brittanies but switched to English setters because I thought them to be traditional and a bit more stylish on point. But I'll never forget Rusty. These pictures bring back great memories. Rusty and I were inseparable. I used to take him on dates.

After a day of guiding my great nephew to one of life's great pleasures. I introduced his mother to the wonders of chasing Mr. Bob and now it's his turn.

While traipsing through the wire grass at Morrison Pines I picked up an empty shell, it was a 3 inch 20 with 1 1/4oz of #4

I haven't used anything bigger than a 20 for quail. Admittedly I take the Purdey light game gun but the 2 inch RST are equivalent to a 28 or 20 with 3/4 oz loads. I also enjoy the 410 but it is a Fox double no repeaters:nono:

If were going to count 16's as quail guns I'll post a couple. :rolleyes:

If you're talking pen raised birds, a 20 gauge is the max. Wild birds are a little different story. And when I'm running the dogs off horse back then it's usually my 16 gauge NID, primarily because she's a bit of beater and the scabbard will pretty quickly ware the bluing off the barrels.

A 16ga quail gun. AH Fox A grade, factory straight grip, 26 inch barrels choked IC/M. In all honesty I'm considering some 16's for quail and will look into a flat of RST 2 1/2 shells and a 3/4 oz of shot. Should make for a great woodcock load as well.

That sure looks like a fine quail gun to me!

Here's one for you Mills. A sweet little VH 20 with 26" cyl/M barrels weighing an even 6 pounds. A great cofiguration for Quail.
Also shown with its little step-sister a VHE 20, quite used and abused.

And just so Dr. Bob doesnt get lonely, a Lefever Durstan Special 20 ga.
with ejectors, 26' IC/M weighing under 6 lbs.

Both look good

That Lefever is nice too

My quail guns in the field at Pine Hill Plantation
 

VHE 20 and Webley & Scott 28 do the trick. Apologize for the photo orientation.