3 1/2 inch 10 Gauge
 

I was bitten by the Short 10 bug a couple years back and currently have two. A Remington 1894 CE and an E.M. Reilly. I would like to do some experimenting with the 3.5 10 and currently looking to buy one. I like the Ithaca NID, Beretta but open to any good ones...not any Parker's out there I can find. I would like to hear of others experiences with these or other guns if any are willing to share. Handling characteristics and tight patterns are of particular interest. Thanks!

start here

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/...534#Post497534

Ask Bill Janelle about the 3.5" 10ga. I saw him kill a goose at an honest 70 yards with an Ithaca 10 magnum NID but the gun knocked him over too. :whistle:

I've owned no less then four guns that were chambered for the 10 gauge 3 1/2" . The first was a brand spanking new Remington SP-10 in 1990 it was one of the first year guns with a 26" barrel . I bought it for turkey and once I had it I started shooting 2 1/4 ounce turkey loads . Back then I crawled the stock like one wouldn't believe my nose was always against my thumb anyway the first shot with that cannon made me think I broke my nose but in reality it literally knocked the snot out of me .
Years later I got the bug again and before I knew it I had a pair of Ithaca MAG-10 autos and a Browning BPS all with 30 or 32 inch pipes . And as one might expect they all shot nicely .
Somewhere in all of that I got the hots to get a Benelli SBE and I wanted that one for Sika deer at Chincoteague NWR . Patterened a fair amount of 3 1/2" buck with that thing and it most certainly rapped you more then the 10 autoloaders .
Now I've pretty well settled on 2 7/8" 10's for most of that stuff . But I did today buy a slightly used MEC Steelmaster so I can have a press strictly for 12 gauge 3" to load for my Superposed Mag and A-5 Mag .

It is most certainly a viciouse cycle and I suppose I'll play it until I die :rotf:

If I really wanted good patterns and handling I would leave the ten gauge double idea behind and go for a pump or auto 10 gauge still in production such as:

http://www.browning.com/products/fir...e-stalker.html

Any old double gun will only give you a maximum of about .040 constriction whereas a modern pump can be fitted with an aftermarket extended choke tube. You can find choke tubes all the way down to .110 constriction for lead shot with Briley's Invector 10ga Super Turkey straight rifled choke tube .665. Pump gun would weigh in at the 10 1/2 lb range.

But, the biggest incentive to buy the Browning 10 gauge pump gun might be it's most attractive handling feature, it's price, under $699.00, new in a box!

Bill

you can still buy a spanish double barrel 10 fairly cheap they are good guns but kick like the devil...if you shoot the 3 1/2 inch gun then shoot the short 2 7/8 10 ga gun the short ten will come up the winner every time in handling aspects....i have both guns and the short ten handles better...charlie

many years ago - i was going through the doubles at the long gone store once run by Doug Turnbull's dad (just to say how many)- there was one of those big Spanish 10 gauges there and a young guy was looking at it with his girl friend or wife looking on

he saw me look at the gun in his hands, held it up and asked "what do you think?"

i smiled and said "I don't think I would shoot it straight up if I was standing in soft ground"

i'll agree with Charlie - i find the short ten a delight to shoot -

I've only shot one turkey with this gun, but he fell dead at 45 yards. Certainly not an Ithaca or Beretta but Spanish and imported under the name of Mercuri Magnum (yes, how they spelled it) but it is solid and well made with good case colors and nice walnut and checkering. No kick with 2 1/4 ounces 3.5 inch loads due to 32" sewer pipes, but still handles well and not too heavy to carry.

I decided I needed this Field grade Ithaca this spring. I haven't had a chance to use it much. It's close to a legal 8 ga.

I'd like an Ithaca NID Mag 10 double , but all the Spanish or Italian 3 1/2" guns have always felt clubby to me . But I'll say this "if" I owned a Parker 8 gauge I'd use it here in VA not for waterfowl but you can bet your bottom dollar I'd kill deer and or turkey with it .

the 8 ga will kill the deer and turkey for you i have done both...but as said the 3 1/2 inch 10 ga is very close to an 8 ga..i have shot 3 ounce of shot out of the 10 ga and the 8 ga the ten does not pattern well with this much shot..niether does the 8 ga but a 8 ga with large shot patterns real goodwith 2 1/2 ounce of bb shot a real good load for turkeys and coyotes...charlie

I purchased a Mod. 711 Zabala that says made for Richland Arms Blissfield Mich back in the early 70's I believe and I still have it and is getting a little heavy to lug around but will get the job done. Thomas

DH Parker 10, 32” sleeved barrels
 

http://parkerguns.org/forums/album.php?albumid=799

Have not quite figured out pictures from phone, sorry. Shoot 3 1/2” 1 1/2 oz with great results.

scott is this lead shot or some other shot...charlie

Heavy Metal Steel, these barrels are like steel water pipes.

Look at picture of barrel ends added in album, and this is the thin part.

thanks i too use still shot in the 12 ga 2 3/4 and 3inch they do a good job....i use this in a lc smith longe range with modified chokes it performs well and no barrel damage...charlie

My first 3.5" 10 ga. was a used Ithaca Mag 10 auto. Shortly after I bought it the extractor broke so I called Ithaca and asked if I could get a new one. The gentleman I talked to asked for the s.n. and when I told him he asked me to send the gun back for a rebuild. I told him it was used and it just needed an extractor. He explained to me that the first guns were designed around the then available rolled crimp shells and that they had digestion issues with the new pie crimped shells. Even though I wasn't the original owner the gun had a lifetime warranty so send it along. I did, and it has worked well ever since. It became my favorite late season duck gun until non-tox got stuffed down our throats. My favorite load was 2-1/4 oz of hard #5 shot. That gun is the only auto I ever liked.
C.G.B.

that was a good load you were shooting...you were probobly shooting full choke in this gun then..do you still use this gun for ducks....i too have one of those early guns....charlie

I shot 1 3/4 ounce steel #2 and BB in my AYA for years. The patterns were astounding so I never shot any lead. I bought a lifetime supply of steel for about 3 or 4 dollars a box. I have plenty of other tens, so I sold the AYA to a friend who now has two of them.

Charlie, I still have the Ithaca 10 (32" f.c.) but don't use it that much any more. When steel came along I decided I didn't need to lug around an 11# gun for 'only' 1-5/8 of steel so I bought a San Marco 10 ga o/u. A pretty basic gun, 28", dt, ae. but 3.5" chambers. From a distance it looks like a Superposed 12 ga. and only weighs about 8.5#. This became my go-to duck gun until I gave up on steel and went to bismuth and tungsten polymer in the 12 ga.
Now the San Marco gets used mostly with 1-1/8#8 on clay birds, a lot of fun.
C.G.B.

Nothing clubby about my Spanish double 10.

looks likea real sharpset of hooks on this bird...back in 1963 my dad bought one of the spanish 10 ga s 3 1/2 inch mag.killed a turkey at 62 steps with the secound shot the first shot cut a small pine of about 1 1/2 inches thick...i ll never forget that gun or the hunt....charlie

I suspect I'd find it clubby .