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 Post subject: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 11:08 am • # 1 
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Since I hijacked Sasha's thread (sorry), I thought it best to start a new one about
shotguns.

I quit hunting back in 2004 due to a job I had taken which kept me so busy that I didn't have time to hunt anymore. I also had my duties at home, with children, etc. I no longer work for that company (thank God) and all four of my boys are now in school. This gives me a bit more time to do things. I think I want to get back into hunting again. Ohio is a shotgun State, we can't use centerfire rifles for deer hunting, only for coyote, and groundhogs. .22's are allowed for squirrel hunting on private property and some public hunting land. I've always been more of a shotgun guy for squirrels anyway.

Right now I have 3 shotguns, two 16's, and a 12. My Mossberg 500 was the first gun I bought after I turned 18. Before that, I had a H&R single shot 20ga. and my Dad's old Remington 11-48 12ga, which was quite beat up. I hunted with my Mossberg for years, then turned it into a home defense gun with the 18.5" barrel Mossberg has on their Persuader guns. The 500 now stays in "riot" configuration.

Back in 2000, I bought the two 16ga guns. The first, a very old Riverside Arms single shot, which was made by Iver Johnson, and was nothing more than their Champion model stamped with the Riverside name. Number two was my beloved Winchester Model 12 16ga. This one became my hunting gun from then on.

I have yet to reload shot shells, but I do have an old Mec 12ga press that is missing some parts, and I picked up a NOS Lee Loader for 16ga a few years after I got the two 16's. One of these days I load for the 16, whenever I shoot up my good supply of 16 shells.

If your shotgun shooter, lets hear about it.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:02 pm • # 2 
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I haven't had the time to hunt in a while. My favorite shotgun is a Belgium made Browning Sweet Sixteen give to me by my Grandfather. Having a hard time finding shells for it locally. I also have an old Browning light twenty and a Remington 1100 in 12 ga. The 16 is def my favorite, though.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:26 pm • # 3 
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I started off with a Sears (?) Stevens 20ga pump when I was 12, my first year for pheasant hunting back home...3rd Saturday of October in South Dakota is the best day of the year.

Next was a Winchester model 1200 12ga, a year or two later, don't remember exactly...I was still a dang kid. Still have that one, it was used when Dad got it for me, the blueing is completely gone where the pump/slide goes across the receiver. Man, that gun took a LOT of pheasants, ducks, grouse and dove. I used to get home from school, bust ass getting chores done, then grab the it and three shells to take a limit before before dark. I could eat pheasant every meal.

When I got back to the States after my first 5-year assignment to Korea (2001), Mom and I went to visit her folks, my Grandpa and Grandma...while we were sitting in Grandpa's reloading/gun room he asked me which one I wanted. He had a beautiful glass gun cabinet, full of high powers and shotguns in the corner of the room...about 20 or so. Then a some .22 rifles on the wall, one of which was a lever action with peep sights that he taught me how to use killing flicker-tails up the hill from his milk barn.

I told Grandpa that I'd really like to have Uncle Pete's 6mm. It's the rifle Uncle Pete let me borrow for my first deer season. I took a doe that field dressed 200lbs, with Grandpa next to me 30 minutes after my very first deer season opened. Uncle Pete was my Mom's youngest brother, and my favorite uncle. Leukemia took him way too soon (1998).

When I went back to S.D. for the 2002 opening of pheasant season, I was passed my grandfather's Browning BPS, Field Grade, 12ga pump...what a sweet gun. By far my most cherished, and I got to carry it while hunting pheasants with grandpa; the last time I got to be in the field with him before the cancer took him a couple years later.

I think one of Uncle Pete's brother's has the 6mm. Grandpa always knew I liked wing hunting more than anything; I'm sure that's why he made sure I got the BPS.

Dad passed me his beloved Winchester auto, 12ga; when they decided to move to Alaska (didn't want to take guns across the border through Canada to get them up there) the same trip as above (2002). I don't know what model it is, fiberglass barrel with a steel insert...maybe that will ring a bell with y'all? Only pic I have, from when I was a little turd:

Image

Dad also handed me his Browning Gold 10ga auto, same time, same reason.

I held on to Dad's guns (more than just the ones above), until I got orders back to Korea this time. Now all of my guns are somewhere in Missouri, back with my folks until I've had enough kimchee to hold me over for a while. :lol


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:16 pm • # 4 
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Great thread regarding the evolution of our membership as shotgun enthusiast .. I seem to always hick jack these threads so I'm going to be a lurker on this one ...only comment is to my bud cowpokey I think We need to Change you handle ..

Paul :rollin :rollin


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:40 pm • # 5 
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Cowpokey, your Winchester auto is a model 59. I've never seen one in person,
but I know that the late Frank Woolner used one.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:11 pm • # 6 
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Panfisher1 wrote:
Great thread regarding the evolution of our membership as shotgun enthusiast .. I seem to always hick jack these threads so I'm going to be a lurker on this one ...only comment is to my bud cowpokey I think We need to Change your handle ..

Paul :rollin :rollin


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:19 pm • # 7 
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I'm a big fan of a good 20 ga for general duty as it is easier to walk into most stores and by ammo. 20 years ago, I was a big waterfowl hunter...I mean nutz about it. So I owned various 12 bore guns through the years, including several Reminton 870's, including a 3 1/2" magnum 870 which made a nice turkey gun but a lousy fowling piece....you see, I believe the Brits had it right when they recommended a 'square load' meaning the shot column was no longer than it is wide. Patterning a fowling gun on paper is only good to show POI....but says nothing about how well it performs on flying targets. Turkeys are shot on the ground....so the long shot string just means more shot in the air...and likely a deader turkey at distance. But a long shot string flying through the air works against the shooter...even with so many pellets in the air, it doesn't mean the bird with be hit with them. I went back a a 2 3/4" load, back in the days of lead, I shot registered trap and loaded a fast 1oz load of 8's. I clobbered the clay targets harder than a 1 1/8oz load. Going back to waterfowl hunting, back in the 70's and early 80's, when you could hunt with lead shot, I used the same 1 oz load for ducks and geese, close in over decoys only with #5's. When I went to steel shot, I went with a 1 1/8 oz load moving fast in a 2 3/4" load, 3's for ducks and 1's for geese.

Now for upland birds, I think a 20 is plenty....however, were I to set up another upland gun, I would go with a 16 ga....a double gun - side by side. Going back to the oint I was making about 'square loads' a light 16 ga load will out pattern any same shot charge in a 20 ga. And a light shot charge in a 20 ga will out pattern any 28 ga. The old 10 ga load was a 2 7/8" shell but you never hear about it....we Americans are in the rut of 'go big or go home'. The 3 1/2" 10 ga load will out do a 3 1/2" 12 ga load but it will not out do the old 2 7/8" load.

The Brits had it right. They even used a 2 1/2" 12 ga load that performed on flying targets better than most all the other loads.

Anyway, IMHO. Sorry so long.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:32 pm • # 8 
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The 1oz 16 load is a nice square load. RST has some nice Brit loads.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/RST-Sh ... ducts/503/


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:52 pm • # 9 
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Dave, I am not going to copy all you said as a quote but I totally agree with you on shot column and a square load. That is why, I believe, my 12 ga 3/4 oz load is so effective. Height to width and being in a 12 ga hull makes a big difference. Some folks use inserts in a 12 ga OU or SS to shoot smaller gauges out of the 12 but that leaves a smaller wad trying to seal the bore from blow by and the pattern suffers. The other key with this load is that it is slow at 1,176 fps and only has a pressure of 4,000 psi therefore it creates little shot deformation. Unfortunately due to the low psi this load does not work well or at all in autoloaders that normally like somewhere around 7,000 psi to properly function. I locked onto this load when lead prices began to soar as a way to keep up my shooting. Back then I was shooting about 12 to 14 thousand rounds per year so reducing the amount of lead was an important factor. Now I just love the way the load shoots and use it and my 410 tubes for all my skeet shooting.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 5:46 pm • # 10 
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I don't reload shotgun anymore nor did I ever shoot as much as you but I did shoot summer leagues and some Sunday competition but that was 25 years ago. I had two trap guns, a trap model 870 for my handicap and a Weatherby trap gun O/U for doubles.

I sold all my reloading gear 15 years ago. I wish I had tried the 3/4oz shot bar. That might be as close to the old Brit 2 1/2" shell as you can get in a 2 3/4 " case. I shot both AA hulls and blue Peters...which I found lasted a few more loadings over the AA's.

I have though about sporting clays....if I do that, I will get me another Weatherby. I tried a Diamond Grade Winchester once and loved it but already had the Weatherby. I tried several Browning's and though they seemed like nice guns, I hate such a tall rib. I don't like floating the target that much. I have always been a Weatherby Fan...though ironically, I owned a nice 300 Weatherby rifle once and sold it...not nearly as classical as my Dad's old 300 H&H.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 5:50 pm • # 11 
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jkurtz7 wrote:
The 1oz 16 load is a nice square load. RST has some nice Brit loads.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/RST-Sh ... ducts/503/


My friend who lives in Nebraska has a 2 1/2" 12 ga. double gun. He says he found some ammo and it was reasonably cheap so he bought thousands of rounds. I am not sure the make on his double but he has used it on pheasants, prairie chickens and quail.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 6:45 pm • # 12 
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I just hunt grouse, I've had a Remington 870 LW Special 20 Gauge for over 20 years now, I keep talking about getting a new 28 gauge side by side but I just can't imagine a better Grouse gun than my Remington.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 7:46 pm • # 13 
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I have a Savage-Fox SXS 20ga that I am real fond of. I quit hunting years ago but I will on occasion break a few clay birds with it.................Don in SC


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 11:16 pm • # 14 
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jkurtz7 wrote:
Cowpokey, your Winchester auto is a model 59. I've never seen one in person,
but I know that the late Frank Woolner used one.
That's the one! Thanks Jeremy.

The barrel is different, but the etching on the receiver is the same, along with the gold trigger guard.

Image

Image

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/winch ... 11115.html


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 2:24 pm • # 15 
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Nice to see the Game and Gun topic, I think I'm a little late for the party though.
Nothing fancy. I've a pair of Browning BPS' that I use most of the time. A 20ga for grouse, woodcock and pheasants. Not too heavy and short enough to shove through the woods.
Image
A 12ga for waterfowl and anything else you might need a 12ga for.
Image
Had both of them for almost 10 years. Shot thousands of rounds of ammo through them, no problems. I get a lot of ribbing from my buddies for not having an automatic hunting ducks but the pump has always been fast enough.
This old M1897 gets out for a couple hunts a year, its short enough and the cylinder bore is great for grouse and woodcock but its a little heavy(and out of focus).
Image


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:17 pm • # 16 
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I owned a Browning BPS 20 ga just like yours....a field model with straight grip. I used it a couple of years here in Idaho for forest grouse (ruffed, blue and spruce). As it turned out, everyone loved the gun, but me. I loved packing it but I just could not hit with it. I think I cut my teeth on flatter/narrower vent ribs and the rib on most Brownings are too much for me to look at....or it tended to shoot high for me, or it was my left eye/right handed dominance issue....something, I just could not hit with it.....and I was the only one.

Now I bought my son a Remington 870 20 ga with 26" barrel and because I cut my teeth on on Wingmaster Remington's I fell right into it shooting clay pigeons. I think the Browning was nicer but I sold it anyway. My son is having issues shooting pump shotguns, so when I get back to work, I think I will get him an auto loader and I will take over his little 20ga 870.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:12 pm • # 17 
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:D I have been a 16 ga fan for as long as I can remember.I have 12,20, & 410. But my Stevens 16 single shot is by far my favorate. The only shotgun that was to good for its own being


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 9:14 pm • # 18 
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DCG wrote:
I owned a Browning BPS 20 ga just like yours....a field model with straight grip. I used it a couple of years here in Idaho for forest grouse (ruffed, blue and spruce). As it turned out, everyone loved the gun, but me. I loved packing it but I just could not hit with it. I think I cut my teeth on flatter/narrower vent ribs and the rib on most Brownings are too much for me to look at....or it tended to shoot high for me, or it was my left eye/right handed dominance issue....something, I just could not hit with it.....and I was the only one.

Now I bought my son a Remington 870 20 ga with 26" barrel and because I cut my teeth on on Wingmaster Remington's I fell right into it shooting clay pigeons. I think the Browning was nicer but I sold it anyway. My son is having issues shooting pump shotguns, so when I get back to work, I think I will get him an auto loader and I will take over his little 20ga 870.


Its a high rib for sure, a lot of people talk about shooting high with them.


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:23 pm • # 19 
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My dad recently handed down to me his Ithaca Model 37 12ga. Complete with two barrels. I have always loved this gun and it is finally mine. :D


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 Post subject: Re: Shotguns
PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:51 pm • # 20 
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jddewitt1981 wrote:
My dad recently handed down to me his Ithaca Model 37 12ga. Complete with two barrels. I have always loved this gun and it is finally mine. :D


M37, that's a classic for sure. Gotta like those pumpguns, I always have my eye out for a 37 and a Model 12.


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