Pheasant guns

[pence]

I hunt pheasants in southern Minn looking to buy a new shotgun any suggestions short barrel auto pump ????

[riverrat56]

Depending on what you hunt mostly, CRP or sloughs or thick brush, I would let that dictate barrel lenght. For the thick stuff it is nice to have the shorter barrel, but the more open country a long barrel is nice, because it helps you to shoot more accurately, and gives you a better sight plane. If your used to an auto stick with it, thats what I shoot pheasant hunting, but for value and reliabilty, a pump gun is tough to beat. I shoot a Remington 1100 for pheasant hunting (and for most other hunting for that matter) I mostly stick to my 16 ga for pheasants, really an over looked gauge, packs the punch and pellet counts of a 12 ga, but is only a little heavier than a 20 ga and doesn't kick much more either. But thats just my choice, my guess is you are looking for a 12 ga, and then I would go with the 870 Express, more versitle, cheap, and reliable.

[lawdog]

I have always wanted a 16 guage over/under for pheasant hunting. I think its the ideal pheasant gun.

I now hunt pheasants MOSTLY with my 20 guage 870 LW magnum. Almost like carrying nothing. I do shoot my Beretta A303 12 guage later in the year though too.

I think the thing to think about is comfort and shootability. Buy whatever gun fits you well so you can shoot it properly and one that doesn't weigh too much to carry all day on a long pheasant hunt.

I was VERY dissapointed that Remington put the 870 16 guage on the larger heavier 12 guage frame. I was thinking that may be the ticket, but there is no reason for that weight and if I am going to carry that weight, I will shoot the twelve. That gun deserved its own frame/platform. As it is now, its worthless in my opinion.

[riverrat56]

Ya, putting the 16 on the 12 frame was a total joke, dad was looking at buying an 870 16 ga for duck hunting, but when they were put on the 12 ga frame it didn't pay. Lawdog, is the new 1100 16ga on a true 16 frame?

[gspman]

It depends on alot of factors but for me it basically boils down to the distance from the gun that you normally shoot your birds at. Think about that for a minute. Doesn't it make sense to optimize your gun to work best at the distance that you normally kill your birds at? I see far too many people set up their gun to work best at ultra long ranges. They always say "just in case they get up at 40 yds I can take'em". So 10 birds flush from 20-25 yds out and 2 flush at 45 and they set up for 45 yd birds. To me that makes no sense. You should set up to give yourself the best chance to kill those 10 birds that flushed at 20-25 yds. Also don't buy into the line that you can always let the bird fly out a ways before starting to shoot if you have a tight choked gun. I have yet to see a person do that and consistently hit birds.

You could also look at it this way...

What kind of cover do you normally hunt? Tighter cover might mean a short barrel with an open choke. More open and sparse may mean long barrel with tighter chokes. How do you hunt? Blocker/driver, over flushers, over pointers. Blocker/driver and over flushers would call for longer barrel tighter choke whereas hunting over a pointer "properly" will enable shorter barrel and more open choke.

Also are you a good long range shooter? If you suck at long range shooting (like I do ) don't set your gun up for that. Go with your strength. Maximize your killing ability for the shorter ranges.

I think you can achieve a reasonably good happy medium though. Get a 12ga gun that weighs around 7 lbs. with 28" barrel(s) and one that takes choke tubes. For a 20ga just lower the weight to 6.5 lbs.

I could write a whole article on shot size and chokes too.

gspman

[pence]

thanks for the info fellows I hunt crp land mostly with my trusty springer

[lawdog]

Quote:

---

Ya, putting the 16 on the 12 frame was a total joke, dad was looking at buying an 870 16 ga for duck hunting, but when they were put on the 12 ga frame it didn't pay. Lawdog, is the new 1100 16ga on a true 16 frame?

---

I am assuming that, like the 870, that the 16 ga. 1100 is built on the 12 gauge frame since the weights listed for it on the Remington HSOforum information are IDENTICAL to the weights of the 12 gauge 1100's. Doesn't make much sense to me. If I carry the same weight, why wouldn't I shoot the 12?

[Jackpine Rob]

I am really partial to the 20 gauge. Loaded up with 3" mags it can take down even the hardiest swamp cuckoo. Personally I like a double - mine is a Stoeger uplander side by side, but I shot my son's 870 youth model a few times just for kicks and that is a quick and sweet little number. If I didn't already have the double, I would seriously consider a youth 20.

The light weight and shorter length can equal a lot less fatigue if you're pounding through the sloughs.

[metrojoe]

Say Jackpine Rob, How do you like that Uplander? I've only used pumps myself and have been seriously considering a side by side. I've been looking at the Stoegers and Tri Stars. Everything else is to rich for my blood. Besides as much as I shoot I don't need a premo gun. Just looking for some input, I may not actually buy until next year.

[magnumthunder]

12 gauge shells are unlimited if use plan or need to use it for something else. you can find lighter ones outthere. bought the kid 11-87 and she loves it. a little heavy for her but she'll get stong. 12 is cheaper to shoot too. my $.02

[Jackpine Rob]

Well Metro, I'd have to rate the gun as "acceptable". The joy of it is that I can lay it down, get mud on it and not really give a rip. It is fixed choke (IC & Mod) and while the patterns it gives me are OK, I've seen better. During pattern testing it became apparent that the gun points low, the first shotgun I've ever had that does that (many are intentionally designed to shoot high). Once I figured out that little quirk, a bunch of pheasants tumbled down.

Another option for those of us somewhat limited in budget is the Spartan series from Remington. They have several models available, and my limited playing with them in Gander has me seriously considering another modestly priced double gun for general purpose beating. The Rems are actually IZH, imported and stamped with Remington's Spartan brand. You can get them with choke tubes, single-selective trigger, and the fit and finish is not at all repulsive.

Just another option for you to consider!

[metrojoe]

Thanks for the info Jackpine. I'm strictly looking for a field gun myself. I believe I had one of those Spartans in my hands awhile back at Gander, but I was there to see if they had any Stoegers.

I found Spartans web site and I should definitely take another look at these guns.

Thanks again,

joe

[carpshooterdeluxe]

if your looking to get a higher end gun at a reasonable price, you should watch for local estate auctions...i bought my browning citori at an auction that carried mostly household and antique items; only one other guy bidding on it and i got it for around 450 bucks. it was in very nice condition; manufactured in 1989 and had all chokes and the box and even the recipt. great deal in my opinion.

[riverrat56]

I don't think great begins to describe that deal.....

[lawdog]

Quote:

---

I don't think great begins to describe that deal.....

---

Sssshhhheeeeeeeeeesh, NO KIDDING. What a steal!!!!

[CodyDawg]

I would highly recommend a Beretta if you are gonna go auto. My whole group of 7 shoots them with no problems whatsoever. I am a fan of the 26 inch barrel. It is plenty long enough for a good site plane. I heard they are giving away a nice jacket for purchasing a 391, if you are gonna do it anyway, might as well take advantage of that. My 390 is gonna flip over the 10,000 round number without a jam.

[Springerguy1]

A Remington 870 is always a good choice, I have a few of them- the most recent purchase was a 3 1/2 12 gauge. However, shoot the 3 1/2 in this gun and you really take a pounding- at least I do. I also owned a Browning Gold Hunter and found it to be the most well designed single shot automatic ever made. Maybe others have had good luck with the Browning Gold but the one I owned was a lemon to the nth degree. Traded the gun for a youth model 870 20 ga. for my son. What a super little gun- great for pheasants. My 12 yr. old also shot 5 ducks and two honkers with this gun during the youth hunt in ND last year. It's on the small side for geese but he did bring some down with the gun.

[grab the net]

What is your budget look like? I recently purchased my first O/U after shooting a REmington 870 12 ga. for about 35 years. I also went with a sweet sixteen, in a browning Citori, gran lightning. This is IMHO the ultimate rooster gun. Light, smooth handling, perfect punch even for the late season roosters in the cattails. I also have my late fathers, Remington 870 16 as a backup. I use it once in awhile when I am hunting alone and want to share another hunt with him.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'd say head out to your local sporting goods store and "Try some on for size." There are a lot of good guns for decent price out there but what good are they to you if they just don't feel right.

I went out a few years back with every intention of buying a new 870 wingmaster. Ended up coming home with a Winchester 1300 synthetic. Gun feels great to me, oldest boy hates it, youngest boy likes it.

Get what feels good.

[Ely Lake Expert]

My personal preference is a 12 guage with a 28" barrel. It works well for pheasants and if you want to go duck hunting it will work for that too. I use a browning bps 12 guage, but when picking a gun out I would reccomend holding a few and seeing what you are comfortable with.

Ryan

[carpshooterdeluxe]

besides the citori (which my brother conveniently always grabs out of the gun safe first) here are some of the other guns i enjoy shooting pheasants with:

winchester super x2 3.5 inch....one gun ducks in the morn, pheasants afternoon

rem 870 express: ive beat the dump out of this gun but it still drops birds like expensive ones

winchester 1400 20 guage auto: another "auction" gun that i like early in the season behind my pointers

remington wingmaster 16 guage: light weight and with number 5 lead or bismuth (its older and therefore cannnot accept steal shot) this gun puts birds down just like a 12 guage

i think that what you will find is that you dont need the best gun off the shelf to enjoy the hunt; just something that fits comefortably, is easy to carry, patterns nice and is a joy to shoot. heck this year im going to carry a black powder muzzle-loading double barrel shotgun one weekend!!!!!

[Jarrod32]

I wanted to bring this thread back up…I am looking at purchasing a new shotgun this fall for pheasant hunting. I recently moved back to South Dakota, and am going to be getting back into pheasant hunting after a four-year or so hiatus.

A couple of the guns that I have been looking at were mentioned in this year-old thread (I went looking to see if the topic had been discussed). I have my ol’ trusty 870...very good gun, and I‘m not about to get rid of it. But I wanted to get an over/under, and after spending quite a lot of time in the local sporting goods shop had narrowed it down to a few options (though I can certainly open it back up to more).

One option is the Browning Citori…this is out of my price range new, but the local shop has a couple of used ones in the 800-999 price range. That is probably the second leading option.

The leading option is a Stoeger Uplander side-by-side. I didn’t think I’d like a side-by-side, but after holding this gun, I really like the feel of it. And the price is very reasonable, in the neighborhood of half the cost of the other guns I’m looking at.

Another option is the Winchester Select…they have a Select 101, that is a bit out of my price range…but they have a Select Field on sale for 999. That one is an option.

All are 12-gauge, and while there are some good options in 16- and 20-gauge there, I think I want to stick with the 12.

I would welcome any input you guys have…

[picksbigwagon]

Jarrod, I am currently looking at an Stoeger Uplander combo, comes with two sets out barrels, comes in 12and 20 ga. and 20 and 28 ga. sets. It is basically 2 side by sides for 500. This model comes with a straight stock english style, a single trigger, and a selector.....I have an over and under 12 berreta, but have been thinking about a side by side for a few years. 2 guns for the price of one, look into it

[Cobra]

Where you hunt and how you hunt doesn't mean anything other than personal preference on barrel length. Many years ago, extra barrel length was needed with the old style gun powders to build up enough pressure to propel heavy loads. That's not needed anymore with the new powders. That's why you can buy a BPS 10ga goose gun with a 24 or 26 inch barrel. I use both 24 and 26 inch barrels because of gun weight and quicker swings.

As far as pumps versus autos:

Pumps are cheaper, normally lighter and less to go wrong.

I shoot autos because it allows me to fully concentrate on the bird and my swing without the distraction of having to think about pumping. Some people are just more coordinated than others.

I have over and unders but when I'm into a covey of grouse up north or a group of late season pheasants in the Dakotas (or good spots in Minne) where you have a number of roosters jumping up, I like to have the multiple shots. Nothing frustrates me more than hitting a bird and he's still flying wounded and you've already shot your second shot so you can't pop em' with another to finish him off. I used to use nothing but Remingtons, but found them to be much heavier than Benelli's and so I shifted to the Benelli. It's lighter, easier to clean and the safety, etc. are in the same location.

I hope this helps

[JDM]

I am a pump guy. I own 870's, a BPS, and 2 Benelli Nova's. My current gun of choice for pheasants is a Benelli Nova 12 guage with a 26 inch barrel. That gun has never jammed, I shoot it well, and you can beat the you know what out of it and not hurt it. For the money, it is a great gun. I like the 26" barrel for hunting in cover or tight quarters for ducks. If you buy a new gun, make sure it fits you. That is half the battle.

I have seen a lot of auto loaders, including many of those listed on this thread, have problems after several days (sometimes even hours) of Dakota dust. I like O/U's, but they are out of my price range.

Buy what you like and what feels good. Confidence is key.