Anyone hunt ducks with a 10 gauge regularly?

[Jeff K.]

My Ithaca nid 3 1/2 will vibrate your teeth with 3 1/2 " shells!

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kuss

My Ithaca nid 3 1/2 will vibrate your teeth with 3 1/2 " shells!

I hear you ! I thought I had a need for an NID 3 1/2” but after messing with a BPS 10 shooting factory 3 1/2” stuff I saw the error of my ways 😂😂😂

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by CraigThompson

I hear you ! I thought I had a need for an NID 3 1/2” but after messing with a BPS 10 shooting factory 3 1/2” stuff I saw the error of my ways 😂😂😂

Don't knock the NID 3.5 'til you've tried it.

Mine is used mostly for fall turkeys, and it makes my arm longer by the end of the season...and leaves my middle finger swollen unless I shoot the back trigger. When I shoot it at turkeys they die, and at ranges I would not attempt with anything else. I only shoot it sparingly, and can't imagine shooting 3.5 inch shells at anything other than turkeys. I have used the Ithaca for ducks loaded with my own light, short loads, and it will reach out an touch a duck...when I luck into leading them correctly (not all that often).

I guess the Ithaca ten 3.5 would be called an niche gun, yes?

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

Don't knock the NID 3.5 'til you've tried it.

Mine is used mostly for fall turkeys, and it makes my arm longer by the end of the season...and leaves my middle finger swollen unless I shoot the back trigger. When I shoot it at turkeys they die, and at ranges I would not attempt with anything else. I only shoot it sparingly, and can't imagine shooting 3.5 inch shells at anything other than turkeys. I have used the Ithaca for ducks loaded with my own light, short loads, and it will reach out an touch a duck...when I luck into leading them correctly (not all that often).

I guess the Ithaca ten 3.5 would be called an niche gun, yes?

I’ve killed a fair amount of deer over the last 7 or 8 years using handloaded 2 7/8” Buckshot and slugs . And I had a couple old Ithaca MAG-10 semis and the BPS although I never killed a deer with the BPS or the Ithaca’s . I already have an NID Super 10 that does very well , but I got the idea I needed to be able to shoot 3 1/2” from a double also , hopefully I’m past that but I often have flashbacks . 😂😂😂

[mobirdhunter]

OK, seriously...you're hooked. I can tell. Yes, you DO need another gun! and you do need to shoot 3.5" shells through a double.

[mobirdhunter]

P.S. I sure wish we could shoot buckshot at deer here in Missouri. One of the many things I miss from growing up in Virginia.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

P.S. I sure wish we could shoot buckshot at deer here in Missouri. One of the many things I miss from growing up in Virginia.

Wouldn't matter what state I were in

Funny thing I'm 56 and have hunted VA for 50 seasons but I NEVER used buckshot until I started loading for my 10 gauge accumulation .

But the way I do it isn't exactly the text book way .

I go up my tree and when settled in I'll have a rifle of some type hanging on the side the tree and a double of some sort across my climber . The shotgun be it with buck or slugs is used more like archery IE: I don't shoot if the deer isn't inside 25 yards .

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

OK, seriously...you're hooked. I can tell. Yes, you DO need another gun! and you do need to shoot 3.5" shells through a double.

I recently acquired an Parker EH with factory original 28" barrels . I suspect before I ever get an NID MAG 10 I'll defer to a factory original EH in 26" or 24" .

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by CraigThompson

I hear you ! I thought I had a need for an NID 3 1/2” but after messing with a BPS 10 shooting factory 3 1/2” stuff I saw the error of my ways ������

I feel ya on that point. Have a BPS 12 gauge setup for a turkey gun with built in sights on the barrel that can shoot 3.5 inch shells. It is lightweight with a 26 inch barrel for a 12 gauge gun. I am not certain if felt recoil on same setup on 10 gauge is more than the 12. Weight of 10 gauge gun might offset the extra charge and load that 12 may offer, but betting that 10 probably does kick like an angrier whipped mule than equivalent 12. Either way remember vividly patterning my gun one afternoon to figure out which shot size would give me best patterns at 50+ yards with choke I was using, and that was 10 years ago.

I know these 10 gauge SXS guns generally are pretty heavy guns to offset recoil shooting a 3.5 inch shell but still there is no comfort of recoil reduction.

Was reading last night about Jerry's use of of 9 shot tungsten and lighter loads effectiveness at 50+ yards, may need to rethink this whole 3.5 inch heavy load big charge notion to get those longer shots.