[oldguy870]

For the the bird hunters, do you take a backup shotgun on your trips? Have you ever had your gun break in the middle of a dove, quail, duck hunt?

[T Bran]

I always toss an old H&R singleshot 12ga in the truck along with my gun of the week. Even if I dont need it often another in my party will.
So short answer YES !

[Ruezim]

Always I have two shotguns with and never had an issue, but would not want to miss hunting because of a broken or dirty gun. I have a cousin that always misses one or two days because he never seems to clean his guns.

[rcmodel]

I did when I used to drive 250 miles one way to hunt pheasants in western Kansas.

Never had to use one, because the Browning A5 never ever failed me in 40 years.

Closer to home, it's just a waste of time & energy if you can drive back home and get another gun.
Or go another day.

Instead of an extra gun, a good jointed cleaning rod in your hunting vest will serve you better to unclog a barrel you stick in the mud, or knock a stuck case out, etc.

rc

[MCgunner]

Yes, I take two shotguns on dove hunts to my buddy's in Waco. I shoot my 12 gauge M1400 gas operated Winchester if they're long passing shots between fields. If I've hunting a tank where shots can be close and fast, I'll usually use my 20 gauge Spartan coach gun. I use it as default, too, if I'm unsure how the birds are flying. I can make long range hits with it, just that the longer, heavier, smoother swinging Winchester is better for those long passing shots.

I have never had a shotgun break on a hunting trip. I've had trouble with my Mossberg not eating 3" Winchester Xpert and having to pull the barrel to get a stuck case out. That's not breakage, though, and I quit using that cheap ammo in the gun. I've never had a gun go down and stop my hunt, though. I've been hunting a lot of years and never owned a high end gun. Call me lucky I guess. Some folks on here will tell you cheap guns guarantee failure. I've not seen that, personally, as a general truism or anything.

[Liberty1776]

First question - yes. Because second question - yes. Twice. Once with a Remington 1100 and once with a (gasp!) Mossberg 500.

[esheato]

I'm an O/U guy...not much to break. Additionally, most of my hunting was within an hour or two of my house. Gun breaks, go home and call it a day. Take another gun the next day. On the other hand, if I ever took a trip to South America for dove, I'd definitely bring two.

[T Bran]

If you are only taking one gun be sure to have a range rod with you as most problems I see involve a stuck hull in the chamber.

[oldguy870]

I had my Benelli M1S90 sheer the barrel retaining ring clean off during a duck hunt a year and a half ago. I got lucky. It was after I already had quite a few ducks before sundown. That was the only catastrophic failure in 20 years.

I figure a backup gun would be a good idea for high volume shoots like multi day dove hunting or duck trips that are long drives and a lot of effort invested. I won't bring a backup on quail trips because I tend not to shoot a lot of shells and I hate to leave a gun in the car that could get stolen.

P.S. Benelli fixed my 10 year old M1S90 for free. Great company.

[interlock]

i shoot a miroku o/u. I dont take a back up. It has never broken. It i was going on a one in a lifetime hunt... like argentina dove hunting then i would take a back up... well actually i would take a pair of hand made belgium brownings.

[jmorris]

Almost always, I don't bird hunt alone very often and have on more than one occasion had a buddy shoot mine. Once a fellow even forgot his shotgun at the house, so nothing has to break to need one.

[Blue68f100]

Never needed too with my Citori, not much to go wrong with it. Sometimes I'd throw in my Rem 1100 just in case someone else had problems or brought a guest. But never needed it.

[buck460XVR]

I did when I used to drive 250 miles one way to hunt pheasants in western Kansas.

Closer to home, it's just a waste of time & energy if you can drive back home and get another gun.
Or go another day.
rc


Same here.

[303tom]

You always take a back-up.....................

[NAK]

Leaving the house with only one gun ??? :what:

If it's more than a casual hunt near home, I generally take two guns. But my shooting bag always includes an old metal Band-aid box with a set of springs, pins, and a firing pin.

If I'm flying, with a single gun case, I take an extra gas piston and complete trigger assembly. (I have two Beretta 391s, so it easy to pop those out of the gun that's staying home.)

[scramasax]

Always have a backup. Usually lend it to some Jo hock that couldn't maintain his own. When I get to hunt now I usually shoot a 28. Take a 12 just in case I run out of shells. I've used A5s,870s,Superpossed,Red labels. Never had a well maintained shotgun go down on me. Just always prepared.

Cheers,

Ts

[sas]

I always take a backup sometimes three when I go
dove hunting. Usually just because If I feel like
shooting a different gun I have it. Did have an ejector
snap on a SKB/Ithaca 500 before. And had Winchester
1200 that would jam and empty shell in the barrel
occasionally.

[gordy]

Only when dove hunting. It can be hard on a shotgun going threw 200 rounds in a few hours. Doves are the best eating game bird out there.

[kbbailey]

be sure to have a range rod with you

around here you can usually cut a stick that will work for that, or carry a pocketknife small enough to fit in the bore, or a penlite.

[shiftyer1]

Sometimes I can't hit the broadside of the barn with my 12 ga so i'll go to the 20. Or vice versa. It's a problem in my head:) I do the same thing with pool cues.

Doesn't hurt to have a spare anyway! If yours breaks you have another, if you are hunting with a friend....you still have a backup.

[MtnCreek]

I had a 391 take a crap on me in the hottest pheasant field I dad ever been in. Browning citori was backup. Missed out on that field, but it didn't ruin the whole day.

[Gunnerboy]

I use an 870... there is NO need for back up.

[MCgunner]

Doves are the best eating game bird out there.

Of topic, I like dove, but you must never have eaten quail or pheasant? :D

[T Bran]

I started taking an extra when a friend called me one evening to shed tears over a paid hunt during which he stuck a hull badly enough that a sapling wouldnt drive it out. His cousin did well on that hunt and he was pretty down.
A short piece of brass rod dropped down the muzzle cured the problem but taught me a valuable lesson.
My old single is a great spare even when deer and hog hunting you dont have to bring your best but something versatile is nice.
I would also worry about leaving an expensive gun in the truck but if the old single goes AWOL it wont hurt to badly as it costs less than the window to replace.

[Hunterdad]

I bring a back-up gun no matter what I'm hunting.

[Dr.Rob]

Had a grouse hunt RUINED by a broken shotgun when I was a kid. I usually take 2 shouguns dove hunting.. I to shoot and one to loan out if anyone is lacking.

[murf]

sometimes. when i'm using the old side-by, i'll keep the 870 in the truck, just in case.

i don't bother when the ithica, or the sitori goes hunting.

murf

[nachogrande]

yes, usualy a mosberg 500 beater/spare/loaner, and sometimes something nice of a diff guage (3 guns). had a mossberg tang safety (plastic) break once, not in the field. had a s/s old 16 ga discharge without touching double triggers when I brought it into shooting position and my left hand hit the forend it went off. removed the firing pin and practiced/learned stock refinishing with it and hung it on the wall as art.

[45crittergitter]

Yes, and yes. Usually the B/U is left in the truck, but if I'm going off in a boat, it'll be in the boat. Also dependent on how reliable the primary gun is perceived to be. When 2 or more of us are hunting together, we will commonly bring one B/U for the group.