Favorite Bird guns....

[DirectDrive]

I use to live in Indiana and loved to Quail and Pheasant every chance I go which was usually most Saturdays and then sometime Wednesday during the week and also train dogs. I had two English Setters that were great to say the least. Man I miss that hunting. Living now in Tennessee you have to go to a game farm to do that which I probably will never do! They hunt a lot of Doves down here. Point being we use to train Setters and sell them. We used Pigeons to train the young dogs a lot of time. We would go into an old barn at night and collect them. We would tuck their heads under their wings and swing them around. They would set where they were put for a while. And the new dogs would find and point them. So Grandpas (My) Fox Stearlingworth and the Franchi have not shot a bird in a long time. Someday I want to do that again! Of course my bird dogs have long expired and I liked watching them work as well as I did the shooting.

03

I've heard that a South Dakota pheasant hunt will fix you right up.

 

[DuneHopper]

Does a SW - 586-4 357 Mag with birdshot count?

 

[beavernation]

From Lesser Canadians to doves, there is not a lot of gamebirds where a 1 1/4 oz of 6's @ 1220 thru a 80's vintage Remington 1100 would not be "adequate". Not ideal but adequate.....

 

[DeanMk]

My dad used to say you didn't want to go too heavy with the shot, or the pattern would get too thin.
He felt #6's were just heavy enough to get through the heavier coat the birds wear in the later part of the season without thinning out the pattern too much.
So in his mind, they would work for the whole season.
Say what you want about that, but I know that if I ever had a problem bringing down a bird, the reason was ME, not the load.
Line everything up right, drops 'em, every time. =)


Dean

 

[DeanMk]

...of course, if anyone asks me (as the bird flies off), I'm ALWAYS gonna blame the gun.
"Stupid gun. Hit the bird, dammit!".

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Sometimes I think that somewhere , deep in the woodline , there is a Quartermaster , issuing flak jackets to the game birds...
Andy

 

[DeanMk]

YES!

 

[DeanMk]

...say, this thread just got me thinking....anyone use a Stoeger shotgun?
Just wondering how well they work.


Dean

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I have shot a few Stoeger shotguns , of the side x side and over / under type...they seem to be well made and shot well , if a bit lacking in the overall fit and finish department.
But for a good working gun ....they sure go bang when you need them to.
Hopefully their other models will prove to be the same....
Andy

 

[DeanMk]

How did the stocks fit you, Andy?
Did anything feel "odd" or "clumsy"?


Dean

 

[Andy54Hawken]

The stock fit fine...I'm 6 foot and fairly long of arm...I like something close to a 14 inch trigger pull.
Noting felt odd or clumsy...just not as refined as say, a more upper end gun....granted to compare a Stoeger to a Beretta or Westley Richards is folly.
The over all feel was very similar to a Post War Stevens or Savage side x side....
Andy

 

[DeanMk]

Right on. Thanks bud.

 

[Sniper03]

Dean
I always used #6s for Quail and Pheasants.

 

[bbbass]

Shot size discussion = the same as caliber discussions. It's gone all to hell now with steel shot requirements anyway.

IMO if birds are so easy to kill, why do shotguns have patterns? ... one bb should do the trick!

 

[bbbass]

I use to live in Indiana and loved to Quail and Pheasant every chance I go which was usually most Saturdays and then sometime Wednesday during the week and also train dogs. I had two English Setters that were great to say the least. Man I miss that hunting. Living now in Tennessee you have to go to a game farm to do that which I probably will never do! They hunt a lot of Doves down here. Point being we use to train Setters and sell them. We used Pigeons to train the young dogs a lot of time. We would go into an old barn at night and collect them. We would tuck their heads under their wings and swing them around. They would set where they were put for a while. And the new dogs would find and point them. So Grandpas (My) Fox Stearlingworth and the Franchi have not shot a bird in a long time. Someday I want to do that again! Of course my bird dogs have long expired and I liked watching them work as well as I did the shooting.

03

Man... you pluck my heartstrings. I miss all of it so much!!!

I raised shorthairs. But I had some friends with English Setters... wonderful animals!

Does a SW - 586-4 357 Mag with birdshot count?

No.

 

[DeanMk]

Shot size discussion = the same as caliber discussions. It's gone all to hell now with steel shot requirements anyway.

IMO if birds are so easy to kill, why do shotguns have patterns? ... one bb should do the trick!

Steel's for waterfowl.
I never hunted them. Was always an Upland man.
...and who said anything about easy!
Wait til you're walking around in a field and your foot explodes because you just stepped on a pheasant.
...or you hit the ground and curl into the fetal position the first time a covey of Chukars takes off just below you, because you're SURE that thunder means lightning and YOU are the highest point for as far as you can see!
Yeah, THEN tell me how easy it is to bring one down! HaHaHa!!!!

 

[DeanMk]

...sounds like bbbass, Sniper03 and myself need to walk a field and relive our respective youth's some time (or maybe realize just how many years it really has been since we've done that ).

 

[bbbass]

who said anything about easy!

Line everything up right, drops 'em, every time.

Steel's for waterfowl.

Aaaaaaaand pheasant or quail on the refuge... what you forgot? The last few years all my pheasant hunting was on Ladd Marsh refuge... better NOT get caught with lead shot out there!!! I'm checking your vest pockets when we go for that walk!!

 

[DeanMk]

Steel shot when hunting with bbbass...got it.
Man, I miss the 70's.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Luckily where I hunt grouse and such...Lead still can be used.

I'd say that steel shot is for the birds...but it ain't...it just plain sucks.
Andy