Shotgun advice


Guest kracey

Recommended Posts

Guest kracey

I am interested in doing a little dove or crow hunting or something I could use for squirrel. I want a semi-automatic in a small caliber like the .410 or 28 guage. Any ideas or suggestion on what guage to use etc.? also, something fairly cheap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

[ QUOTE ]

.410 or a 28 might be too small for crow, unless you can get them really close.

I'd suggest a 20 gauge. I use a 20 almost exclusively for dove, rabbit, and pheasant.

Good, cheap 20 gauge, I'd recommend the Remington 1100.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree that a .410 or 28 gauge might be too small for hunting Crows. I like using a .410 3" for Squirrels, but a 20 gauge would be better for Crows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

I would stick with 20 ga and up for the greater payload capacity for crows. The small gauges are harder to reliably connect with. Its not that there is more power in a 20, 12, or even a 10 ga, its about amount of payload. Each pellet in the pattern of a .410 has the same power as a pellet in a 10 ga pattern when they exit the bore at the same speed. Its just that there are so many more of them in the 10 ga's pattern.

The 410 bore or the 28 ga will be fine for dove and quail.

If you want something cheap, get a 12 ga. Small autoloaders are anything but cheap. Most of them are skeet or sporting clay guns and are over $900. Charles Daly has a 28 ga semi for $459 (MSRP). You can get a pump chambered for either one. Remington and Mossberg make pumps in 410 and Remington has the 28 ga 870.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

You are very welcome. Yep, I saw that. I was out your way scouting in the GWNF. You will have to join us in the Sporting Clay Shoot. It was going to happen tomorrow but we may need a boat to get from station to station.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

[ QUOTE ]

I was just think that would be a little bit big for something like a dove.

[/ QUOTE ]

Feed it some 7/8 oz loads. They have very little recoil and are super deadly on doves when the shooter does their thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest kracey

Re: Shotgun advice

Alright, I'll give that a try. What size shot? and also which choke tube? I have: A turkey choke (but not that one obvisouly), Imp., Mod., or full?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

[ QUOTE ]

What size shot? and also which choke tube?

[/ QUOTE ]

For doves, I use #7.5 or #8 shot. Choke tube selection is determined by how far you are shooting. If they are only giving you 30 to 40 yard shots, I like modified, improved modified, or even full choke. If they are flying under 35 yards, I like improved cylinder or modified. That's one of hte biggest benefits of a o/u or sxs shotgun, you can use different chokes. One of my favorite combos is improved cylinder for the first shot and improved modified for the second shot. If I miss on the first shot the second shot will be farther away.

choke tubes range from most open to tightest:

cylinder

skeet

imroved cylinder

light modified

modified

improved modified

full

extra full

super full

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

Kracey, if you are buying a new shotgun, you usually get at least 3 different chokes with it. Imp. Mod. and full. You can get along with these by changing your shells. When I bought my Beretta I got 5. Imp. mod. and cylinder, along the with usual 3. You can always add these if you think you need them. You might very know this already, but some don't LOL.

too_pointer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

All my buddies shoot doves with a 12. One guy uses an 1100 with a fixed full choke, (I literally watched a dove vaporize when he my buddy let it get too close) another guy uses a 1100 with a fixed modified. My other buddy uses a Winchester, another buddy uses a Beretta 391.....All sissy 12 gauges. lol. j/k.

I get teased a lot because I'm the only guy that uses a 20 in our group. They call my Benelli a "popgun."

Anyway, a 12 guage does fine on doves with little 7/8 oz loads of 8's or 7's. If you can get your doves within 30 yards, go with an Improved Cylinder choke, if your doves are passing shots out further than 30 yards, I'd go with a modified.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

[ QUOTE ]

Go with the 20 the ammo for the 410 or the 28 is outrageous. If you check Wal Mart enough you'll find a beretta 20 on sale.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll disagree with this one....I have owned several 28's the ammo has never costed more than the "other" stuff.

Reload your own and its even better I have agreat little 11/16 load if anyone wants grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

[ QUOTE ]

I'll disagree with this one....I have owned several 28's the ammo has never costed more than the "other" stuff.

Reload your own and its even better I have agreat little 11/16 load if anyone wants grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, reloading will save a lot in costs in the 28 and 410. But for factory ammo, its not the same price.

Actually, 12 ga has the cheapest factory ammo. If you are looking at target ammo, 12 and 20 are about the same. You can find 12 ga and 20 ga ammo cheaper in some "promotional ammo". Remington Gun Club ammo is $3.60/box. Look at 28 ga and 410 bore from Winchester or Remington (AA or STS) they are $6.45 per box. Field loads are even higher difference, Federal Premiums Hi-Brass field loads in 12 ga are $9.99 and in 28 ga they are $12.99. Thats 33% higher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Shotgun advice

To be honest Chris I have NO idea...havnt bought target loads in so long. It sounds like a good one to me though, depending on how much shooting your gonna due this summer I'd look at a case Dicks/galyans is norm. about a buck higher than else where. On sale though Im not so shure. I bet I havnt shot a box of factory loaded shells at targets in two years(except for matches).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.