Poll....who is hunting with small gauge for up-land birds?

[24 grams]

Originally Posted by Mills Morrison

Yikes!

I did explain that he could shoot 2 3/4" cartridges out of his gun just fine and pointed him to the 1200 fps 1 ounce Herters loads on sale. But seriously, he just did not know.

[William Woods]

Not to get to far off topic, but in response to this comment. As a former police firearms instructor and department firearms coordinator, I had one of my police firearms instructors show up to qualify with his personal shotgun (12 GA mandatory) that had a rifled tube installed and he was going to shoot rifled slugs (also mandatory) through it. I had to explain the difference to him. Something worse? I had an officer show up for firearms inspection with his personal shotgun that he had installed an extended magazine tube on, no problem, it was legal. The problem was he did not know he had to install an extended magazine tube spring! Thought you might enjoy these two.

[Battue]

Recoil....

It’s all good, and the 12 will almost always beat the smaller gauges by a little margin. Skeet averages across the board usually prove it. However, I don’t see it making any significant difference at typical upland shooting 30 yards and under.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Harry Neil

Recoil....

It’s all good, and the 12 will almost always beat the smaller gauges by a little margin. Skeet averages across the board usually prove it. However, I don’t see it making any significant difference at typical upland shooting 30 yards and under.

I saw a good many years when Bender would go clean for the entire year with the 20 and or 28 . While I don’t disagree with you it’s hard to beat perfection . 1000x1000 in ANY gauge is pretty special in my opinion .

[James L. Martin]

Another point to consider is a small chip off a clay bird is a dead bird but in hunting live birds that will usually be a lost bird or a wounded one. You should always try and have enough pattern density to kill whatever bird you are after. To me at least you can't compare 12ga vs 410 average at skeet , you are shooting at a known target that is thrown at your call at a known speed and path and one that you have shot at many times. Real birds do none of that.

[Ken Hill]

I just use a 2" 12 (5 1/2 lbs) in the early season and switch to a 2 1/2" 12 (6 lbs 5 oz) in the later season. I'm hunting pheasants (with a bonus quail now and then) over setters so the shots aren't long.



Ken

[Joe Graziano]

20 gauge Bernardelli for quail, 16 ga Poli for everything else upland, sxs of course. I also have a 16 gauge Belgian hammer gun that’s a blast on quail. Not easy but a lot of fun. In the 16 for quail, I use 2 1/2 RST #8, spreaders when they have them.

[Randy Roberts]

Most of my upland hunting is for Phez and Sharpies. My gauge of choice has been the 16. My favorite gun to hunt with is a well worn but cared for tight as a tick 1921 VHE on a 1 frame with 32" barrels which weighs in at 6-12. Heavy by most standards but I enjoy it in the open prairie. Bought it from a Gent at the Southern when I spied him putting it in the rack and inquired. He said he owned the gun for near 40 years and it had been a favorite of his, one he could always shoot well, he said he shot it like crap that day. I asked if he would entertain selling it. His reply, not most days but today ain't like most days

[Mills]

Harry and I are shooting 16's for our first dove hunt. Both Parkers.

[Mills]

Fox 16s and 20s are great!