Perfect Pheasant Gun?

[Mills]

Several friends have been discussing this issue lately. What do you consider the perfect pheasant gun? What gauge? What attributes do you look for? What guns/gauges are too heavy/too light?

I have shot with a 16 gauge, 12 gauge and 10 gauge. All seemed to require no. 6 shot. The 10 gauge was the one that delivered consistently clean kills. Unfortunately, my pheasant hunting has been limited to tower shoots and released birds, so I have zero experience with the real thing. We hope to get out west for the real thing sometime and want to be prepared. Hence, a reason for this thread.

Here is a photo of my 10 gauge with some very dead pheasants.

[Double Lab]

The best pheasant gun for the prairies out west is one you can carry all day and you can shoot it well. For me it's a gun that weighs less than 6 1/4lbs. and has plenty of choke in the second barrel.

This was my 15th year to SD and I take 5 or 6 guns with me. I'll carry a 28, a 20 or a 16 and use 7 1/2's. (Parkers or Foxes) A different one each day. I know some people will take me to task for 7 1/2's but I use what works for me. I could'nt imagine carrying a 10 ga. all day long but if you can shoot it well then that's the gun for you.

Above all is a good, close working dog.

[Mills]

The tower shoot did not involve much walking. If there was any more walking, the 10 gauge would have been too much. Julia wants to shoot a 28 gauge. Some say that is not enough gun, but small guns become big guns in her hands

[Dean Romig]

A 20, 16, or 12 with a good modified left barrel and I/C or mod in the right barrel. Shot sizes in 5, 6, or 7 1/2 would do well. I think a 28 gauge is not quite enough payload for pheasant unless the shots are 30 yards or less. Pheasants can sometimes take a lot of lead and keep on flying. You need to either break wing bones or head and neck bones. Seven lbs. or less makes for a relatively easy walk.





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[Double Lab]

The 28 is plenty of gun IF you can shoot well. We hunt all wild birds and a gun that you can mount quickly is the ticket. Wild birds don't screw around when they flush, they don't tower up and then level off like preserve birds do. Factor in the ever present 15mph.+ wind up their butt and you'll see why you need a quick, nimble gun.

I have to laugh when we are at Cabela's buying our license in Mitchell, SD. Watching these dudes buying 1 3/8oz. of 4's and 5's makes me cringe.

BTW, my avatar shows a couple of pheasants taken with my 28 VH choked IC/IM and my pointing Lab, Parker. What a great dog.

[Daniel G Rainey]

There is no such animal as the perfect pheasant gun ! I first when to South Dakota in 79 and have been countless times. Before the lodges took over and you stayed with the farmer. The first dog I saw pheasant hunting was my lab in 81. I shot my quail gun, a 870 20ga. skeet gun. It worked. Over the years I have shot a side by side 28 choked IM and MOD. Great up 35 yards. Even tried the 28 ga. one oz. loads. Killed just many birds with 3/4 oz. loads. Tried a o/u in 20. But, after I was bit by the Parker bug ,my gun is a PH 12 on a 1 1/2 frame choked Cly. and IC. It weights 7 lb. and I shoot it better than all the others. Have always used 6 shot. Use a 1 oz. light load in my PH and have replaced my lab with a Boykin. I think that all those super loads for pheasants are just something to sale. Released pheasants tend hold better than wild ones, but they are the best released bird I have ever had a go at. Danny

[SXS OHIO]

My personal wild rooster guns is a light 16ga that comes in about 6lbs-4oz 28" choked .009/.031 or light mod/X-full I use 1 1/8 oz of 5# HV from Fiocchi, this load also works very well on wild Quail. I find that number 5 shot does not pepper the birds full of pellets and the ones that stay in the bird are easy to find and remove. We loose very few cripples I am happy to say. Her in Ohio at our quality preserves most any small gauge and choke combo will work fine as shots are close over pointing dogs. Its fun to use a light 28ga. For the king of game birds...the rough grouse any light gun with open chokes work great. SXS Ohio....(-:

[charlie cleveland]

a 12 ga withweight under 7 lbs barrels 26 inch right barrel improved cly and other barrel full choke or extra full...for ammo 7 1/2 right barrel and 6 s in the left...this combo is about as good as it gets....charlie

[JLoew]

I use a 1-1/2 frame VH 12 with orig. 26" barrels choked IC/F. Weighs 6lbs 12oz and with RST #6's it's the best shooting gun I have.

[Mills]

Very helpful. Thanks for the responses