I like the 16 bore best for grouse but a light 12 shooting an ounce of shot is good also as is a 20 bore with the 7/8 ounce load. The 28 does a remarkably good job with the 3/4 ounce load. I have used them all.
My grandfather liked his little 20 bore VH best and used it with 7/8 ounce of #10's. His former market shooting buddy killed grouse with a 10 bore loaded with #10's for the market but used a 12 bore damascus Colt after his market gunning days were over.
My grandfather's former market shooting partner, Dee Slocum, thought the little VH was a toy. He got it in trade for his furs but quickly sold it to my grandfather. Market hunters were usually big bore boys. Many of them considered the 12 a small bore.
Most of the old grouse gunners in the Pawling area favored #10 shot in light 12 bore guns. In those days, the mark of an amateur grouse gunner was high brass shells shooting larger shot. I remember one day I found a couple of high brass 20 bore 7 1/2 shells in my coverts. Some one snuck in. I complained to my grandfather and he said, "with those loads he's no partridge gunner (they always called grouse partridge), he won't kill any of your birds".
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