Grouse gun
 

I took out my wc scott 28 gauge this year for woodcock and grouse. The gun is currently choked tight mod and full. I wanted to open up the chokes. What would your recommendation be? The hunting would be confined to Maine and New Hampshire with pointing dogs.

JMHO, I wouldn't alter the chokes. Try using spreader loads to see if that will help. If it doesn't then use a different gun that is suitable for the type of hunting you are trying. The factory chokes will be right for other types of hunting.

100% what David advises.





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I have tested on steel plate several gun/choke combo's with poly-wad and RST spreaders. RST spreaders showed the best patterns at grouse ranges. I find them to be the perfect solution to open patterns. This is a win-win for the guns and my wallet! (-: I only have chokes altered if its the best choice for the guns intended use or if the chokes are over tight like the Parker reproduction 28ga. guns. I like a Open choke for my first shot and full or tight full for my second when hunting grouse or roosters. With my double trigger guns I have choice of choke with zero delay of my shot! Its happens without thinking....So sometimes I do have only the right barrel opened up. Briley has done work for me. They open chokes to my exact spec and after the barrel work shot point of aim perfectly! SXS Ohio

Kenny, I’ve heard nothing but good reports on the RST Spreader loads.





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In my tests....16ga. they had the best kill patterns for grouse hunting.

What method does RST use for creating the spreading effect .......... cross post, obturating disc, etc.?

Bob, I'm an open choke guy, even in a 28, but would try/ or load spreaders first. Sounds like a great little gun.

Thanks guys for the comments.
I would agree about changing the chokes in a “collectors” gun, however I had this one made to my spec’s and purchased it directly from WC Scott in the late 80’s.
Due to a rapidly expanding family and my flushing dog passing on the gun has sat in the safe for a long time .
Recently I stated hunting grouse and wood cock again however with pointing dogs and really enjoy it. It seems that a lot of the Fourm members have a lot of experience with pointing dogs. When I had this one made most of my shots seemed to be quite a bit further out than what I had experienced with my springer spaniel. That is why I had the tighter chokes on the gun 1/4 and 3/4 English measurements.
So I wanted to get some opinions from the group. I plan on opening up the chokes and using this for wood cock and grouse, I have other guns to use other types of hunting/shooting.
Surprisingly this gun still fits me and is a joy to carry around all day.
The hunting will be in maine mostly.
I like to use the heavy 28 gauge loads while hunting and use the regular 3/4 for clay games.
I’m thinking of cylinder for the right barrel but not sure on the left maybe between IC and Mod.
Opinions please.

My grouse gun is a 20 choked .004 & .008. It has served me well for many years. Because I have been using it frequently of late I decided to take it to the clays range today. It broke targets with authority out to 35 yards and I broke 3 in a row at 40. Did not smash them but they broke.

I completely agree with Gary, if you want your chokes opened up.
I shoot a lot of quail over my dogs and like open patterns. I normally shoot only RST spreader loads over my dogs in all gauges and all chokes with very good success.
I would send my barrels to Dean Harris at SKEETS and have him open the chokes.
Barrel work is his specialty and he does things right.

As to your second barrel; I shoot cyl in the right barrel and anything from LT Mod to full in the second. I recently purchased a Parker VH 20ga. 30" barrels with cyl in the right and full in the left. It did the job in the dove fields (#8 shot in both barrels) and on woodcock. I shoot nothing but 20ga, factory skeet loads in both barrels (#9 shot) although I do sometimes us 7/8's 8's in the second barrel.

There are any number of qualified smiths out there that can work your chokes. Just remember to have them set the constriction off the bore measurement.

For about 20 years I exclusively used a Dickson (box lock) 28 for all my hunting. It is bored cylinder and light full. The open/tight combination has served me well in the grouse and woodcock coverts as well as on prairie Bobs. The 28 will swat pheasants over pointing dogs, too.

I have another 28 that is a two barrel set: one cylinder/full and the other skeet 1/skeet 2. After shooting it for several years, I found that the skeet 1/skeet 2 barrels were the only set I used on quail and grouse.

Don't forget that the shells you use will make a difference in your patterns, and you can sometimes get nearly the equivalent of a choke size by the speed and pressure of the load.

FWIW, I found heavy 28 gauge loads to not pattern nearly as well as 3/4 oz. loads. Spending some time at the pattern board before you open those chokes might be revealing. Good luck with your decision...and in your hunting over pointing dogs (the only way to go as far as I'm concerned).

Thanks a lot of good info.
Planning on doing some patterning before I get the chokes opened up.
I have never patterned this gun so well advised.
This year the first shots where from 20 feet to 20 yards. The second shots 20 to 30 yards, for grouse and woodcock.
I have used the heavy loads and like them a lot in the early season when the trees have a lot of leaves.
I also had good luck with the premium 3/4 oz loads in the late season.

We're expecting some good photos of your hunts now...

Over the years I have become an advocate of “leave the alone” but it’s your gun. If you have them opened I suggest as other have you leave the left barrel a little in the tight side.

Years have also taught me there is only one place to send a gun for choke work and that is to Jim Eyster in OH (http://www.jimeyster.com/). Note I said gun, not barrels. There is a lot more to having chokes opened than running a reamer through them. First thing Eyster does is determining POI (not pattern) because not all chokes we’re bored properly (asymmetrically) in the first place. Eyster can correct that when he opens the chokes.

Any place that only needs to barrels today open chokes isn’t taking into consideration where the barrels are putting the payload in the first place.

Photos from our hunt this year with one of my sons, he shot his first partridge and woodcock this year.
Bob our guide is holding the WC Scott.
Brought different guns for each day couple of Parker’s and the Scott
Great trip 14 grouse and 4 woodcock 3 days

Very nice. When I switch guns too frequently, I start missing. Nice shooting there.