Hand Gun for Grouse???

[tbreuhl]

I want to try something different this year. I think it would be fun to take grouse with a pistol but am getting conflicting answers from people. Even Gander Mt tried to sell me a new shotgun even though I was in looking at handguns?????

I have seen 9mm bird shot before but..... The most info I can find is on the Judge 410. Anything else? Maybe even a semi would be fun?

Any recommendations?

Thanks!!!!!

[goblueM]

i can't give you the number, but my uncle had some .22 shells with birdshot in them, i think it was #12

works great on red squirrels

[Archerysniper]

If you are going to usde a handgun for birds I would go with a .22 anyone that you can be accurate with your shots will be under 20 yards. The bird shot loads don't hold up over 12 feet from my testing.

[Neighbor_guy]

From Page 39 of last years (09) regs book......

Partridge and Pheasant

• A person may not shoot pheasants or Hungarian partridge with a

rifle or handgun other than a .22 caliber rimfire using short, long,

or long rifle ammunition.

.....

So, the way I understand it and have had it explained to me, you can use a shotgun of the usual guages .410 , 20, 16, 12, 10, yada, yada, yada. Or a .22cal in either rifle or handgun.

So if you intend to use a handgun to shoot grouse, it better be a .22cal, a Judge, or a Contender with a shotgun barrel.

[BobT]

Are there risks using .22 shot in a rifled barrel?

[jparrucci]

Hungarian Partrige and Ruffled/Spruce/Sharptail Grouse are not the same bird, and it does not implicity state that there are required firearms or calibers for the grouse. A well placed .22 or a .45acp or even a 9mm with birdshot are legal and ethical to take ruffled grouse. A previous poster is correct in saying a .22 with birdshot is only lethal a very short distance, and I would not recommend using the birdshot with a .22 pistol. Using standard rimfire cartriges and well places shots on sitting birds is very effective however. A 9mm or .45 with birdshot is effective, again the distance is not what you would get from a shotgun, but 20-30 yard shots can be made. I would recommend never attempt to hit a flying grouse with a pistol with bird shot, and never ever without the bird shot (DANGEROUS)!!!

[Tom7227]

Sitting birds only I would hope. I'd hate to be in the woods with someone trying to down a flying bird with a rifle.

[Dave S]

Sitting birds only I would hope. I'd hate to be in the woods with someone trying to down a flying bird with a rifle.

+1

[spoonbender]

Here in Wisconsin we can only use a shotgun "discharged from the shoulder", but I suspect for you Minnesota folks a good choice would be the Taurus Judge, especially the 6" barreled model. I consider .410 to be pretty much a minimum for grouse, pretty tough bird to kill.

[KG243]

+1 for the taurus judge, a nice 6 shot gun for grouse.

[jigginjim]

I have an old 410 thought of opening the full choke just for grouse hunting, Or i could use a 12ga. but trying to cut down on the weight.

[Nate McVey]

My dad has a .38 that he has a taken a couple birds with over the years (bird shot of course). Works pretty good.

[Tim_Anderson]

If you had come to our Gander Mt. Store up here in Baxter, most any of our dozen guys would have been happy to show and sell you the Judge. With the .410 round, it should be both fun and adequate for the closer up shots on ruffies. The longer barrel and 3" version are very hard to find, so if you get the chance you might want to jump on that. The contenders just never seemed to be that popular, but we sell alot of Judges, even in the 2 1/2 inch model and I haven't heard any complaints about the gun yet.