Old assumptions die hard

[Ed Blake]

If you want to see some nice patterns try 1 1/8 oz of shot in a 10 bore.

[Bill Murphy]

I think I'll do some testing on #9 and #10 shot at the gun club tomorrow. The targets will be a pair of Duxback bird pants that no longer fit, my old Shott leather motorcycle jacket that I no longer use, a pair of heavy duty Levi Strauss jeans, and a pair of similar Wrangler jeans for brand comparison. What was the old story about two guys who shot at each other with #9 skeet loads, starting at 60 yards, and progressing five yards toward each other after each shot? The first one to bail is the loser.

[Tom Flanigan]

Better not do any testing Bill. I've seen how you bleed with just a few tiny thorn pricks. Don't shoot up those Dexback pants either. They are collectors items and command big bucks on the market. I never had the pants but I do have an old Duxback bird jacket. In my mind, the best ever made. I have a Filson also, but the Duxback is the best.

[Bruce Day]

1 oz old Win and Peters 16 ga 9 shot. Original paper loads. I have about 100 left. Should last me quite a while.

[Tom Flanigan]

What you have there Bruce is the ultimate grouse load, 16 bore, 1 oz. of shot, in my not so humble opinion. I love the feel of paper shells. And make sure you smell them after you shoot them. It is a wonderful and unique smell. Maybe I can cut a deal with you and you can send them to Daryl.

Maybe I'll share my grouse coverts with him some day and show him, first hand, the error of his ways.

[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Ed Blake

If you want to see some nice patterns try 1 1/8 oz of shot in a 10 bore.

No doubt. I haven't loaded any 1 1/8 10 bore loads yet. I load 1 1/4 for ducks and geese. I haven't used a 10 on clay birds yet. But I will. The 1 1/4 oz. load in a 10 bore at around 1200 fps. is the ultimate duck and goose load, in my opinion. Great patterns, low pressure and short shot string, no doubt.

The old market hunter I often talk about used the 1 1/4 oz. ten bore load of #10's for market grouse before the turn of the 20th centaury. That is one man I would have liked to have met. He died in the 20's.

[Bruce Day]

The grouse woods are in spitting distance.

[Tom Flanigan]

Nice Bruce. Nothing better than grouse hunting our your back door. I had it for many years. Wake up, grab breakfast and out the door with dog and gun. We had bayberry bushes in the yard. The grouse love them but they didn't come into the yard until the slimmer pickings with winter. All the bushes had loads of footprints around them in the snow. Also you could always see wing marks in the snow where they took off after feeding.

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Tom Flanigan

What you have there Bruce is the ultimate grouse load, 16 bore, 1 oz. of shot, in my not so humble opinion. I love the feel of paper shells. And make sure you smell them after you shoot them. It is a wonderful and unique smell. Maybe I can cut a deal with you and you can send them to Daryl.

Maybe I'll share my grouse coverts with him some day and show him, first hand, the error of his ways.

I'd really like that Tom. I agree that the smell of a freshly fired paper shell is right up there with the scent of Hoppe's #9. But if I'm going to shoot 1oz. of anything it will be out of a 12ga. I've found the 3/4oz. load in a 16ga. gets the job done for me but I can appreciate you loving that 1oz. load. It's a classic load for that gauge

I also just noticed you also live in Maryland. Allow me to extend an invitation to shoot some clays, and birds in season, at a club I belong to in Northern Balto. Co. or at any other club convenient to you. I bet I could make a real smallbore (20, 28) shooter out of you with just a little work. It would be nice to put a face with a name.

[Tom Flanigan]

I'd love to meet with you Daryl. I am familiar with that area. I do a lot of fly fishing in the Gunpowder River. I hunt grouse mostly with a VH 20, a GH 20 and a 28 Holland. My grouse hunting is done in my home town of Pawling, NY. I am retiring in a couple of weeks and will sell the Maryland house and move back to the family home I own in Pawling. But I plan to buy a townhouse on the Eastern shore that my wife will live in. She wants to stay close to the kids. So I'll be back down in Maryland a lot.

I used to do a lot of trap shooting with the little 28 bore Holland, low gun for the hell of it. I've had many 25 straights with it and once broke 23 at the 27 yard line. It's amazing what that little gun will do with 3/4 oz. of shot. It's bored improved cylinder and full with a single trigger. I set the trigger to shoot the full barrel when using it for trap.