No pheasant, dove, or quail around here. Ruffed, Sharptail, and Spruce grouse with some Huns in the fields. For the last several years the go to is a Fox AE 20 with 28" barrels. I recently picked up a Parker VHE 20 with 28" barrels and after I bend it for a little cast off it may get a big share of the rotation. When I'm feeling old school I may take a Purdey bar in wood hammer gun in 16 bore. If I'm feeling high tech I'll take an early Model 12 20 with 2 1/2" chambers and 25" barrel. Others get out at least once a year. If they don't I might have to concede to the wife that I really could get by with fewer guns.

Bob thats a great line-up of guns. An AE 20 Fox is really sweet.

We just had a trip come together today! Heading to the Maine Northwoods with some bird buddies the second week of October. Taking a Parker VH 28” 16 and a Lefever 26” 12g. Our smallest Setter will be making her trip to the great Northwoods!! It’s just what the doctor ordered!

You’re going to have a great time Mike.






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Going upstate N.Y. in 14 days for Grouse think I will take 2 20ga Parker's. A Trojan and a VH.

Not to get to far off topic, but in response to this comment. As a former police firearms instructor and department firearms coordinator, I had one of my police firearms instructors show up to qualify with his personal shotgun (12 GA mandatory) that had a rifled tube installed and he was going to shoot rifled slugs (also mandatory) through it. I had to explain the difference to him. Something worse? I had an officer show up for firearms inspection with his personal shotgun that he had installed an extended magazine tube on, no problem, it was legal. The problem was he did not know he had to install an extended magazine tube spring! Thought you might enjoy these two.

Now I know why I cannot find the gun I always wanted, a 16GA DH(E) Parker with 26" barrels choked IMP/MOD. You guys have bought them all! I need a bit longer length of pull (no, a slip on pad will not work) than the factory produced, so I would need stock work done. The initial purchase price, then additional stock work, puts them out of my budget. My first shotgun was given to me by my maternal grandfather. A 28GA, American Gun Company, SxS, hammer gun, still have that one. I never hit a bird with it. I never used a smaller gauge gun in bird hunting (quail exclusively) until I competed in NSTRA events. Due to the walking involved I bought a 20GA Franchi AL 48 because of the weight. Now there are no wild birds to hunt here any longer. If there were I would take a 16 as my all around gun.

Now I know why I cannot find the gun I always wanted, a 16GA DH(E) Parker with 26" barrels choked IMP/MOD. You guys have bought them all! I need a bit longer length of pull (no, a slip on pad will not work) than the factory produced, so I would need stock work done. The initial purchase price, then additional stock work, puts them out of my budget. My first shotgun was given to me by my maternal grandfather. A 28GA, American Gun Company, SxS, hammer gun, still have that one. I never hit a bird with it. I never used a smaller gauge gun in bird hunting (quail exclusively) until I competed in NSTRA events. Due to the walking involved I bought a 20GA Franchi AL 48 because of the weight. Now there are no wild birds to hunt here any longer. If there were birds to hunt I would take a 16 as my all around gun.

I'll head to the U.P. for the opening weekend with the boys (Ike and Duke) even if it is hot and thick it's still time in grouse country besides I need to go when I can. I won't get another chance until I get back from Wyoming and who knows how many chances I'll get then. I'll take a 26 inch straight grip DHE 20 cyl/IC but something else with some choke for the foliage but haven't decided yet. The soft maples are starting to turn color already.

Like this one William. DHE 16, 26" cyl/mod 6 lbs even