[tlhelmer]

Does anyone still make them?

What is their use?

[Dave McCracken]

Other than a very few dedicated turkey guns, most 10s are waterfowlers. Correct weight on these runs over 10 lbs. Improvements in ammo,chokes and pads have made the 12 gauge Mag capable of delivering very heavy loads similar to those the 10 was used for in days of yore.

Since few shotgunners ever pattern their shotguns, the bad patterns from the 3 1/2" and more insane 3" loads with their overlong shot strings are not noted. The kick is, and there's plenty of folks out there scared half to death of their shoulder busters.

Current 10 gauges include the Remington and Browning autos, and a BPS pump. Recoil is well past that of a 375 H&H,more like a 458 Winchester.

NEF makes a 10 gauge single, suitable for masochists only.

The old 2 7/8" 10 gauge Super load was a fine duck load, and with lead shot sufficed for geese nicely. A load duplicating these in the big 3 1/2" case would be outstanding without the kick, blast and expense of the Magnum overloads.


The fact is, such shot loads and pain is not oft required.

[HSMITH]

People discovered the 3.5" 12 gauge. It does everything the 10 does, within 10% or less anyway, and does it in a package that will take care of most other shotgun chores as well. Trap, skeet and sporting are not easily or economically shot with a 10, but a 3.5 12 does it well. The 12 can go hunting for grouse and other upland birds that the 10 is just too big and heavy for. The 3.5" 12 will do everything you want to do with a shotgun, and with the exception of waterfowl and turkeys it will do it better than the 10.

The only real downside to the 12 is recoil, these things are MUCH lighter than the 10 yet pack the same punch and can be quite nasty. Downside to the 10 is a lack of utility and weight, they average over 11 pounds for autos and 13 for pumps . Upside is the recoil is quite soft even with the 3.5" mags.

[GI Joe]

I have one of the NEF 10 gauge single shots. It does recoil much like a big safari rifle cartridge. I have no real use for it, but the holes it makes dwarfs a 458 Winchester Magnum. I just got a few boxes of 3 1/2" 1 3/4" slugs for my bruising pleasure!

Just out of curiosity, how would a 10 gauge slug on a large animal like a Cape Buffalo or elephant compare to a 416 Rigby or 458 Win Mag/Lott for stopping power?

[Mr. Black]

So it wasn't just me who was a wuss when we were kids and I said that NEF 10 ga. sucked to shoot?

[SteelyDan]

I've shot at least five different 10s while goose hunting, and I just don't think the recoil is that bad, especially as compared to a big rifle. Three reasons: (1) they tend to be pretty heavy, long-barrelled guns, (2) at least in this part of the country, you're usually wearing heavy clothes when shooting them, and (3) the recoil is more of the heavy push variety than the jolt variety you get with a big rifle. When I was younger we would do some skybusting on geese on the last day of the season (I'm kind of ashamed of it now, but it happened so I won't pretend otherwise), and even after going through two boxes of ammo my shoulder didn't hurt. The hardest recoiling shotgun I ever shot was a 16 gauge, come to think of it.

[Dave McCracken]

GI Joe, Capstick wrote of taking Inyati with 12 gauge Brennekes. Big game rifle cartridges would be better choices, IMO.

Mr Black, it wasn't just you.

The limited shooting I've done with modern 10s have been with autos for the most part. Kick was stout but tolerable for short sessions.

In days gone by, a standard load in the Super 10 with its 2 7/8" case was 1 3/8 oz. These would be great acclimation loads for those just getting into new 10s.