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1stgun
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 9:53 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 10 Jul 2010
Posts: 356
Location: Ponchatoula, Louisiana

skeettx wrote:
For doves, I use a different gun each outing

Last three years, not many doves the last three years

01 Sept 20 08 doves, Tristar 410 3” #6 Herter’s Rained out
02 Sept 20 15 doves, Remington 3200 16 gauge, no Herter’s ammo
03 Sept 20 15 doves, Browning Superpose RKLT 20 IC/Mod
04 Sept 20 15 doves, Browning Superpose RKLT 12 Mod/Full
05 Sept 20 15 doves, Browning Citori 16 gauge Sk & Sk
07 Sept 20 14 doves, Remington 3200 12 ga Mod/Full 40+ Wind
08 Sept 20 NO HUNT 46 degrees, raining and windy
09 Sept 20 NO HUNT Rain
10 Sept 20 NO HUNT 38 degrees and rain
11 Sept 20 15 doves,American Arms Brittany 20 gauge
12 Sept 20 15 doves, L.C.Smith Q3 (1893) with Briley 20 ga tubes
14 Sept 20 15 doves Liegeous D’Arms A Fue 16 O/U, Herter’s #6
15 Sept 20 15 doves GECO 16 ga SXS & Citori
16 Sept 20 15 doves Krieghoff Drilling 16ga & Citori 2 ½ ammo
17 Sept 20 15 doves, Helice French 12ga 2 ½ ammo
18 Sept 20 15 doves, Zamacola 12 Ga. SXS
19 Sept 20 5 doves Daly Superior 20ga. Sk&Sk Others in our spot
21 Sept 20 15 doves, Superposed IC/MOD Carved 20 gauge
22 Sept 20 15 doves, Rem 11-87 #6 Mags also lots of pigeons
28 Sept 20 4 doves, Remington 1900, few doves, colder
29 Sept 20 2 doves, Browning A-5 16 3-Shot, almost no doves
05 Oct 20 3 doves, Remington 3200 20 gauge ported barrels

01 Sept 21 03 doves, Tristar 410 3” #7 ½ Federal HOT, Windy
02 Sept 21 08 doves, Superposed 20 Ga IC/MOD RNLT
03 Sept 21 09 doves, Remington 3200 with 20 gauge barrels, rained
04 Sept 21 02 doves, Brittany 20 ga Sat before Labor day, people
06 Sept 21 00 doves, 20 Superposed, HOT!! No birds at all
07 Sept till 12 Sept covid quarantine
13 Sept 21 02 doves,Miroku 20 gauge still HOT!!
14 Sept 21 03 doves, Miroku Superior 20 gauge still HOT!!
18 Sept 21 06 doves, Rem 1100 Factory 20 ga cutts. Still no doves
20 Sept 21 03 doves, 20 Superposed Skeet 4 digit, cooler
21 Sept 21 Lots of Collards and Pigeons
27 Sept 21 02 doves, Rem 1100 Factory 20 ga MOD
11 Oct 21 02 doves, Superposed 20 ga IC/MOD RNLT
18 Oct 21 00 doves, Minke NADA ZIP NOTHING
19 Oct 21 06 doves, Remington 11-87 #6 shot worm digger

01 Sept 22 15 Doves, Daly 410 3” 7 ½ reloads
02 Sept 22 15 Doves, Browning Superposed Chisled 20 IC/Mod
03 Sept 22 15 Doves, Browning Superposed 20 IC/Mod
05 Sept 22 15 Doves, Daly Superior Grade Skeet 20 gauge
08 Sept 22 15 Doves, Remington 3200 16 gauge Federal #8 ammo
12 Sept 22 15 Doves, Browning Citori 16 gauge
13 Sept 22 15 Doves, Geco Belgium SXS 1923 16 gauge
14 Sept 22 No Hunt RAIN and getting ready for garage sale
24 Sept 22 02 doves Liegeous D’Arms A Fue 16 O/U, Federal GL
26 Sept 22 09 doves American Arms Royal 20 gauge barrels
27 Sept 22 01 doves, American Arms Brittany 20 gauge
03 Oct 22 03 doves, Zamacola 12 Ga. SXS
Rain, muddy roads


Now THAT'S VARIETY!!!!

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MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 10:30 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida

Never met a gun I didn't want to shoot, nor a shell I didn't want to re-load, therefore, in shotguns I shoot and reload (so far Wink):

10
12
16
20
24
28
.410

I'm not interested in curbing the variety just yet, but I'm sure it's around the corner, so-to-speak.

Cheers!
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bigblue
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 12:09 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 30 Sep 2020
Posts: 181
Location: ont canada

MaximumSmoke wrote:
Never met a gun I didn't want to shoot, nor a shell I didn't want to re-load, therefore, in shotguns I shoot and reload (so far Wink):

10
12
16
20
24
28
.410

I'm not interested in curbing the variety just yet, but I'm sure it's around the corner, so-to-speak.
tjavascript:emoticon('Smile')
Cheers!
My sentiments also minus the 24 but not for trying can't find a gun.Smile Smile Smile
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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 8:05 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

case1775,

I am not adverse to any nice American Classic double gun no matter the gauge.
I happen to like 16 gauge guns better than most all others because they are fantastic Grouse guns. Down thru the generations our family has owned some very high quality SXS side lock double guns, from many different countries. Most all the 16 gauge guns were passed down thru the family, the men & ladies in our family have been Grouse & Woodcock hunters for many generations. In reality we have been taught to use different gauge double guns for shooting different Birds including Turkey. Because of the Nitro type modern shells, the lighter gauge guns can now be used for almost all kinds of bird shooting, not so in the late 1800's. The guns get used most every year especially for bird hunting, barrel length and chokes are usually a big deciding factor when choosing a bird gun to walk out the door with on a hunt in modern times.. We still use our 16 gauge guns the most however, it covers a wide spectrum of different bird gunning.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

16 gauge pre 13 L.C. Smith double guns some of the finest guns ever made.

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Hootch
PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:09 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1460
Location: Eagle, Nebraska

10ga's for turkey, cranes, geese, ducks
12ga's for above and for pheasant and clays
16's for upland and doves and clays (clays for practice for hunting so use the 16's when I can)
20ga for clays mostly,
24ga doves and quail
28ga's for quail and doves, preserve birds some upland
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Byron Whitlock
PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 4:16 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 27 Jan 2016
Posts: 488
Location: Oswego, Kansas

I sold the last 12ga guns that I owned a couple years back because I could use my 16's for most everything I do. I actually use my 16's for a lot of sporting clay shooting and trap along with pheasant and some duck hunting.
For skeet shooting these days I use my 28ga more than anything else and have been using it almost exclusively this year for quail and dove hunting as well as preserve work for dog training.
When I get some bismuth to load for my 10ga I will be using it for duck and goose hunting along with the turkey hunting it does now,
My 20ga is used for some quail and pheasant hunting along with some doves as well.

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Jagdhund
PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:53 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 29 Jan 2010
Posts: 687
Location: McPherson, KS

I tend to rotate between my three 16s, three 20's and four 12s during the bird seasons. The reason I have more 12s is because I came to the 16 ga. somewhat late and all my 12s (and 20s) are pre my involvement with the 16. I also shoot trap almost exclusively with a 12 and one of 20 is my go-to dove gun, so they don't see a lot of other use.

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Old colonel2
PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 6:27 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Jun 2020
Posts: 224

Have one 410, have not used it in over two decades,

Have one 20, not used in more than seven years, not sure when I last used it

Have one 24, not used this season, used several times last year on preserve shooting

Have three 12, used one a boss SLE five times this year. Last year only used a 12 once on opening day of dove.

Have twelve 16’s, used at least than 25 times this season, with most of the work going to my Purdey & Alex Martin SLE’s, a little to my Reilly on wet days
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Dave in Maine
PostPosted: Sun Jan 01, 2023 10:19 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1972
Location: Maine

I try to rotate among the guns, to keep them all from telling me this "you never take me anywhere" line.... I'm in 12, 16 and 20.

The last couple years have been generous in sending me interesting shotguns to caretake and use. That, in addition to the interesting guns in my safe before.

This year, hunted pheasant with my Simson 12, French 16 and I think English Baker 12.
Grouse with my 16x16 over 8x57 drilling while up at deer camp in Aroostook, locally with the French 16 and 20 ga Parker.

Still needing a trip are the Baltimore Arms 12, Belgian 16 ga sxs, and the latest addition. I recently bought for the proverbial song am early-20s 12 ga French gun by A. Maisonnial a Paris. My gunsmith tells me they're a top-end maker, "about the same level as Verney Carron". He relates my gun is a "full custom order supplied directly by Maisonnial to the customer", in other words a bespoke gun that happens to fit me without modification.

Good thing our season on snowshoe hare runs through 3/31. All the other small game closed last night at sundown.

The one thing which has held me back from hunting more with the short-chambered guns is the continuing shortage (and consequently high prices) for 2.5 inch shells from RST (and anyone else, for that matter). I came into a bunch of paper-hulled Polish 12 ga shells for short money, but they are 2.75 inchers and get run through the Simson exclusively. But for the French, Belgian and English guns and the Parker it's got to be 2.5 inchers. Made me leery on to take the French 16ga for a recent pheasant hunt - I am down to my last box of #6 shot RSTs for the 16.

Things will work out....

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Citori16
PostPosted: Sun Jan 01, 2023 11:41 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 19 May 2006
Posts: 309
Location: Too far south in New England

16 ga:
Grade 6 Citori for Skeet & some trap
WL Citori for grouse, woodcock, ducks, water decoying geese and most anything else like the odd quail/doved/etc shoot - also the back-up clay gun (it will be primary again once I get the stock fixed)
Stevens 311 for heavy rainy days, back-up hunter

12 ga:
Mossberg 935 for layout geese, pass shoot geese & hunting the salt, slug barrel for deer

I’ve stopped shooting the M37 20 ga, sold the 20 ga sxs…bought the daughter a 20 ga Beretta 401 so she uses that, but if I get a desire I would grab it for a fun hunt. The 12 ga 835 is my home defense gun & sits by the bed. Another 16ga Stevens sxs rests under the bed near a box of shells, just in case. The 16 ga Flues, Crescent & the Sarasqueta see very occasional use…for now. The Stoeger M3000 12 ga is my guest gun.

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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Sun Jan 01, 2023 1:14 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

Gentlemen,

There is no doubt that 2 1/2" shells are hard to find right now. It is one of the reasons I gifted a Special Order 00 Grade L.C. Smith to my brother for Christmas, the 2 3/4" Chambers were ordered with the gun, for Pheasant and Duck hunting in Texas.
I am concerned about RST & Polywad not being able to make 2 1/2"shells for my classic double guns, RST not being able to purchase the components to make their 2 1/2" SpredR shells is really starting to worry me.
I have a couple cases of 2 1/2" RST shells for my 16 and 20 gauge double guns, and I am only using them now to bird hunt, no clay shooting with them at all until RST or Poly start supplying 2 1/2" shells again

The cost is about equal to the other shells now, and it probably will go up.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

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Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers
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Sporting Days
PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 9:39 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 03 Aug 2009
Posts: 203
Location: Northern California

I hear you Pine Creek Dave. I really wish the British cartridge companies — Hull Cartridge, Gamebore — would start sending their 2 1/2” shells over here for sale. Huge variety in gauge options, etc. I am a huge fan of RST and will always support them if I can but we are going on three years with almost no production? The ammo shelves are full again in the retail shops — yet still nothing from RST.
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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 3:41 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

case1775,

In reality I use all my guns 28 thru 12 gauge for bird hunting every year, the .410 I use for gun dog training most of the time. If I had a good L.C. Smith .410 I would use it to Grouse and Woodcock hunt for sure.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

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Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers
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fullchoke37
PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:06 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Oct 2020
Posts: 7
Location: east Tennessee

Wait a minute. Do you all mean to tell me there are gauges other than 16? I did not even know there was anything else!....Just kidding of course! I like using the 16s & 12s the most then 20s. I use the 410 the least.
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UncleDanFan
PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 8:33 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3370
Location: The Great Northwet

12 and 16 for me, 12's mostly for targets and ammo availability reasons when I don't want to reload. I recently picked up a couple original straight grip Lefevers, a chain damascus 8.5lb m/f heavy 12 GE for ducks (that I can shoot stout loads in), and this really nice CE 12 with shamrock fences. It was a parts gun I took in on trade with 28" cut barrels and no forend, but I used a forend from another parts gun, and put Briley tubes in it. Very versatile gun now. I might re-work the grain on the wood down the road though. Kind of boring for a C grade gun.


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