3 1/2 inch 10 Gauge

[6pt-Sika]

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

[Bill Anderson]

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