Curious about preference's

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brutus51

brutus51

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I'll start by stating mine.
For waterfowl I like a pump and have been shooting the same Remington 870 for 50 years.
Also served as my bread and butter gun for all purposes before I could afford to buy more.
For Pheasant hunting my choice is a 12 gage O/U. Currently using a Beretta lightweight.
For northwoods Grouse hunting I prefer a 20 gage. Used to go with an 870 in that caliber but several years ago I popped for a CZ Ringneck SxS. that I've been very happy with. 26" barrels make it short and light which I appreciate going up and down hills and thick brush in my old age.:D

The reason I prefer doubles for upland game is because I feel they are a safer option when working with dogs in the field. Break open the action and you've pretty much rendered it inert while dealing with pups, picking up game birds and climbing over obstacles.
That's my story, what's yours?
 
I prefer a pump for most applications... Why? I was never a shotgunner in my more ill-tempered youth. I joined the Army outta high school and went Signal Corps, on my tour overseas I was issued a Mossberg 500 (yes a 500 not a 590), although you cant just shoot whenever you can I would practice dry firing, pumping over and over til I broke the action in smooth, I would watch primitive youtube videos on the shotgun, there was probably a very small chance of me using it at the time but in case I needed to I wanted to be able to run the gun effectively. After I left the service I got a mossberg of my own and continued with it eventually getting an 870 and started clay shooting, alot of ranges hate shotguns so I had to shoot where ever I could. So for waterfowl, deer, hog, and turkey and home defense I prefer the pump. For some odd reason when I take the family camping or fishing at the river I take a singe shot H&R, I do have a sidearm on me but incase other people are out and about as well the single shot doesnt alarm people as much as my all black tactical shotguns do.
 
My upland hunting has pretty well made the full circle:
Beginner-20ga LC Smith sxs (that my dad gave me when I was 9)
Bloodthirsty- 12 ga 1100 skeet for probably 12yrs
Dog trainer- .410 870 express for about 6yrs(killed my limit over points with this one)
Respectful sportsman- 28ga o/u just hunted wknd and holidsys.(tried to get a point and a retrieve before heading back to the jeep)
Has-been- LC Smith 20ga sxs....if it is s nice afternoon, and I'm not too busy....I'll take my pitiful excuse for a bird dog(French britt housedog/princess) and walk from the house to the fence line and down to the creek, and then decide whether to take the overgrown ditch or the fencerow....pretty much the same circle I used to make with my dad's pointer when I was growing up.

Yes, I believe the break open gun is much better suited for upland hunting. I like the easy unloads back at the jeep when you're trying to unload a gun, and load up a dog or two. It seems like I was always shucking a shell out on the ground (snow, water filled ruts) from one of my repeaters.
I also like have two chokes, one open and one pinched down a little for your second shot.
Back in the day, when we were walking 12 miles plus behind the dogs, I only carried 16 shells, my self-imposed limit. I learned that the third shot on birds with a repeater was alllllllllmost always wasted. I have killed three on the covey rise a few times, but it was pretty rare.
Well, that's my story. You asked for it.
 
I'd love to have a nice modern SXS. I have a one that belonged my Great grandfather, but it is a wall hanger. Another WW-2 war trophy my dad actually mailed home shortly after the war ended. It is a pre-war FN shotgun of good quality and is usable. But with 32" full choke barrels is not the best option for any hunting I actually do. I take it out and shoot it occasionally. But I can't justify the cost of a quality modern SXS, and would rather use a pump or semi than a cheap SXS.

Most of my life I've either used an 870, 1100, or 11/87 with a brief fling with a Beretta 390. I respect a pump for its mechanical reliability, but in actual practice find a semi to be more reliable since they are less likely to fail due to human error. It has been 12-15 years ago but I ran across a good deal on a used Benelli M1. I haven't looked back. I sold off all the other semi's and only kept one 870 set up for HD. I hunt everything with the Benelli. It is every bit as reliable as any 870, is lighter and easier to carry and I simply hit with it better.
 
I started with an old, much-abused 1100 that I lovingly rebuilt so I could get 3 shots off in the duck blind-and promptly bought myself an 870 shortly after turning 18. I had a Stevens 311 16 ga for grouse, I still like SxS's for upland, though I don't currently own one. Been eyeing the field grade LC Smiths that I see in Cabelas. A few years down the road yet. For Trap, I just bought a Remington Competition 1100 this spring-it will also be my pheasant gun this year, with handicap loads. I do like single barrel Trap guns, plan on owning a Ljutic Mono Gun before the 2021 target year. My HD shotgun is a pump-an Ithaca 37.
 
I was given a Remington 1100 LT20 for an early Christmas present when I was 14. Killed my first deer with that gun in a shotgun only deer hunting state. First ducks back when lead was still legal for waterfowl. Started shooting skeet when I was 18-19 years old with the same gun, had a fixed Mod choke in the gun, but ran my first 25 and 50 straight with that gun within 6 months of skeet shooting. Bought a Ruger Red Label and had it Kolar tubed for Registered Skeet Competition. Wore it out with only 45-50K rounds, converted to a Beretta 682 Supersport with full Kolar tube set. Got out of registered targets and just shoot for fun now.

Like Remington 870's for fun and hunting, generally use a 28ga for doves when I hunt anymore. Had a Ruger Red Label in 28 gauge for a while and loved that gun, but it had factory problems like so many others did and I traded it off. I play with some SxS's ,got a .410 and a 20 Huglu/CZ. Use an Ithaca Mag10 for geese and ducks on the rare occasion that I decide to go waterfowl hunting. I never had the opportunity or friends that had dogs to do much upland hunting over dogs, but hunted some grouse and woodcock in the UP, used a 12ga 11-87 with a 26" barrel for that and it was still too long, if I went back, it would be with my 870 special field with the 24" barrels or the 20ga SxS.

I have the choice of over 30+ shotguns in my safe, so it just depends on the mood I am in on the day I go hunting, hell, I might grab a single shot in .410 or 20ga.
 
O/Us and SxSs for me. They typically handle much better, are lighter, and - as mentioned above - easier to make truly safe by simply breaking the action open. Besides, hunting birds with a SxS with 2 triggers is where it's at! I stopped waterfowl somewhere in the early/mid 80s when they outlawed lead and have never missed it since.
 
First gun I could shoot good with was an 1100, in 1963. Used it for everything including skeet. When I started goose hunting seriously mid 70s I got a Wingmaster Magnum. Shot that gun better than anything else I have ever owned. I switched from a Wingmaster to an 1100 Magnum when I started hunting out of a cramped floating blind. Still shoot the Wingmaster better. Sometimes I like to shoot a 20 or 28 SxS for doves or other upland birds.
 
Wow over 30 shotguns, I only have 4 :confused:. You hear that dear, this fellow has half as many shotguns as you have pairs of shoes! :(

jmr40 the little 20 gage CZ Ringneck made by Huglu out of Turkey cost me a little south of $900 a few years back. It's become my number one for Grouse hunting in the U.P. short light and handy, unlike the Stevens 311 I owned many years ago. Thing must have weighed 15lbs.
Sold it right after I accidently let off both triggers at the same time. Ouch that hurt! :oops:
 
my two 20 ga SXS,s, a browning BSS sporter browning and a beretta 409 light weight. I have hunted the browning for years , but the beretta has yet to be hunter, this small game season for sure.
 

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brutus51 said:
Wow over 30 shotguns, I only have 4 :confused:. You hear that dear, this fellow has half as many shotguns as you have pairs of shoes! :(

jmr40 the little 20 gage CZ Ringneck made by Huglu out of Turkey cost me a little south of $900 a few years back. It's become my number one for Grouse hunting in the U.P. short light and handy, unlike the Stevens 311 I owned many years ago. Thing must have weighed 15lbs.
Sold it right after I accidently let off both triggers at the same time. Ouch that hurt! :oops:
Click to expand...
You mean your Ringneck is half built with only one trigger????? SHOCKED I tell ya........
I prefer my AKUS made S&W Elite Gold - two triggers, instant choke selection. If I can master it being LH, anyone can.
 
I prefer side by sides for my general shotgunning. Since waterfowling isn't big here, most of that consists of small game and bird hunting. For that, having two triggers and two chokes comes in mighty handy. I occasionally will carry one of the pump guns, but only when hunting crows or deer driving.

Mac
 
My first was a Legacy Sports Pointer made by Artemis Khan. A fairly decent over and under.

My second is a VR80.

Evidently I like inexpensive "Turkish Delights".:)

The O/U has bagged many a rabbit. I hope the scary black one will do the same this year...:D
 
I prefer semi-autos. I like Remington, Browning, and Beretta. I don't like Benelli's. I have never met anyone who used a Benelli that didnt strike me as a poser.
 
Merkel Model 147 EL, 20 gauge (3"), sxs, for woodcock and grouse.
Browning DoubleAuto,12 gauge (2 3/4"), semi-auto, for pheasants and chukars.
Browning BPS, 12 gauge (3 1/2"), pump, for turkeys and deer.
Benelli Super Black Eagle II, 12 gauge (3 1/2"), semi-auto, for waterfowl.

If I had to pick one of these shotguns for everything, it'd probably be the Benelli.
 
Started out with a borrowed Ithaca Model 37 20 gauge, mostly used on upland game and rabbits. When it came time to bu my own shotguns I went with a Model 870 with two barrels: 28" vent rib for waterfowl and a 20" with rifle sights for home defense and deer hunting. Some time later I got a 20 gauge Wingmaster with a 26" vent rib barrel for upland game and was set this way for many years.

Came a time though when I wasn't doing much hunting anymore so I sold the Remingtons and eventually I picked up a Beretta S685 O/U as my all-around shotgun. Great handling shotgun and balanced perfectly for me. But had to sell it to pay for school. Went for sometime without a shotgun until I bought a Maverick 88 with an 18.5" barrel for home defense and later added a Mossberg Model 9200 set-up for turkey hunting. Also had a Franchi Renaissance O/U for awhile mainly for trap and skeet shooting. Still have a Winchester Model 1300 20 gauge which I received as a gift and found a couple of shorter barrels (18.5" and 24"), for home defense use and maybe upland game hunting again someday after I retire.

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Duck and Geese-FABARM L4S 12 gauge
Turkey and HD-Weatherby SA459 Turkey 20 gauge
Everything else- Winchester SX-3 and Franchi Affinity 20 gauge.
 
George P said:
You mean your Ringneck is half built with only one trigger????
Click to expand...
Just about all my hunting these days is done over my Springer for either pheasant or grouse. 90% of the joy of hunting is watching my pup work the field.
For grouse I generally use the SxS 20 with the same load of #8 shot in both barrels with a modified for the first shot and full for the second.
I use that setup because those grouse are so darn fast they are usually further out by the time I'm ready to pull the trigger.
For Pheasants it's my O/U 12 gage, first shot is a load of #6 shot, improved cylinder choke, second barrel is loaded with #5 shot and a modified choke.
When hunting over a dog the birds always flush in close proximity, never really need to switch choke options and having shotguns in both configurations would add two different disciplines. I don't need to complicate matters because you wouldn't believe the look my pup has when I miss! :p
 
Anymore, I generally buy and shoot semiautomatics. I have low budget but totally reliable CZ’s and Beretta’s. These guns are used a lot and can hold their own busting clay birds if I can aim properly.

I’d love a nice older 1100 or Browning, but not a priority for me. I have seen too many issues with the Mossy autos to buy one, but I do love my Mossberg pumps.

I don’t hunt much these days, so scatterguns fill a sporting and defensive role for me.

My “cruiser ready” scattergun is a old, tried, and true Mossy 500, but it would not be the first gun I’d grab if bad guys were at the door, if only because I’m pretty much out of practice with pumps, and would grab a carbine. Considering building out a CZ-712 Utility model with a mag extension to replace the Mossy.

https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-712-utility-g2-12-gauge-20-barrel/

I’ve found the trick to getting your semi to eat target loads is to run 4-5 boxes of high brass heavy shot through them first, at least it worked for my CZ’s.

YMMV
 
Blue Brick said:
I use simple single shot break open 12 gauge. My reloading time is faster than my pump.
Click to expand...
Maybe if you practiced with the pump, that would no longer be the case; I shot my 870 empty faster than I can my 1100. And can you do it 5 times in a row that same speed? I can do it twice fairly fast by having shells ready on my left hand, like brass knuckles, but 5 is a stretch.
 
Upland I prefer either an O/U or SxS, mostly due to the availability of 2 chokes. For roosters I'll go more open in the early season then tighten up for later season when they've been educated.

Waterfowl, after years of being a pump guy I changed over to semi's after moving back to KS. Started doing way more layout hunting; either in a layout boat, or field layout blinds for geese. Crossing shots were a PITA when sitting and I often short-stroked. So I picked up a Benelli SBE and never looked back.
 
Duck and Geese-FABARM L4S 12 gauge
Turkey-Weatherby SA459 Turkey 20 gauge
Winchester SX3 and Franchi Affinity 20 gauges for everything else.
 
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