Pheasant gun specific

Hello everyone! Interesting choices!

I generally use one of two, and in no particular order, just whatever tickles my fancy when I open the gun safe:

(1) a 1952 Merkel 201e 20 gauge o/u with 28" barrels; or

(2) a 1912 Husqvarna 310AS 12 gauge sxs with 30" barrels.

About once per season I bring out my first ever shotgun, a Browning 20 gauge Auto 5, for sentimental sake. But honestly, I enjoy shooting the other ones way too much, and they are both very light and easy to carry. Merkel weighs 6 lbs 5.6 oz; and the Husqvarna weighs 6 lbs. 10.0 oz.

Hope everyone continues to enjoy the rest of the season!

Tom
 
wow what a list of guns so far

Mine is a CZ Redhead Deluxe -12/26" O/U. I havent changed out the IC/M chokes in years.
Cause its the only bird gun I have and I dont miss too often with it.

Serious question - My CZ is full of scratches, etc. Dont some of you with the nice wood worry about that? Do you carry Pledge with you while hunting?
Seems everyone has fancy guns that I'd be terrified to carry.
 
#1 Winchester 1200 12Ga. with winchokes
#2 Remington 11-87 SP 12Ga. with Briley chokes installed and cone lengthen
#3 Remington 1100 20Ga. 28" barrel Mod.
#4 Browning Citori 12Ga. invector chokes
#5 Stevens single 20Ga. Mod.
I use all, at anytime and love it! Better than going to work!
I put them in the order I got them first to last, also have rifles and handguns
 
Grandpa's Wingmaster he bought in 1953 only comes out for pheasant hunting because have you ever tried to hit a quail with a 30" full choke? It's not easy. Plus grandpa bought specifically as a pheasant gun and I know he's smiling when he sees me carrying it.
 
UplandHntr said:
wow what a list of guns so far

Mine is a CZ Redhead Deluxe -12/26" O/U. I havent changed out the IC/M chokes in years.
Cause its the only bird gun I have and I dont miss too often with it.

Serious question - My CZ is full of scratches, etc. Dont some of you with the nice wood worry about that? Do you carry Pledge with you while hunting?
Seems everyone has fancy guns that I'd be terrified to carry.
Click to expand...

I don't worry about it, but I do take some care with it of course. I had the varnish removed from my stock, and replaced that with hand-rubbed oil. Now scratches can be buffed out more easily, should I ever get one that bothers me enough. For now though, each one is a memory, a badge of honour (and each successive one makes me wince just a little bit less than the one before!).
-Croc
 
I just use the Citori upland shooting and yes it has some light scratches. The Rem SP is my do all weapon of brush busting and mud. The others are for fun...Skeet, clays etc...
 
quail hound said:
Grandpa's Wingmaster he bought in 1953 only comes out for pheasant hunting because have you ever tried to hit a quail with a 30" full choke? It's not easy. Plus grandpa bought specifically as a pheasant gun and I know he's smiling when he sees me carrying it.
Click to expand...

Now that's the kind of story I like to hear. I have a SxS with exposed hammers and London Fluid Steel barrel's. I bought from my father inlaw. It was my wife's Great Grandfathers. He bought it in the early 1880's. It lived it's life on the prairies of central South Dakota it's whole life. I bought some vintage #6 loads from Polywad to use in the gun. I have taken a Ruff Grouse or two with the gun but my aim is to carry it on a few Pheasant hunts and make my wife's Grandfather/Great Grandfather proud up there in heaven. Her Grandmother is still alive to tell bits and pieces about the gun. She will be 101 this March. Her dad really gets a kick out of seeing me with a bird and the gun. I would like nothing more then to claim a limit of nice roosters with it and well document it with plenty of pictures. My sons have shot the gun as well. That makes four generations that have fired the gun. It also has tight choked 30" barrels. I need to get it out and take it on a little walk before season closes.
 
UplandHntr said:
Serious question - My CZ is full of scratches, etc. Dont some of you with the nice wood worry about that? Do you carry Pledge with you while hunting?
Seems everyone has fancy guns that I'd be terrified to carry.
Click to expand...

I have a 12 ga. Benelli Montefeltro that I bought in 1998. I've used the gun hard for most of the years I've owned it, but I take very good care of my guns both in the field and after I get home. My Monte only has 2-3 very small scratches in the stock, otherwise it looks like the day I took it out of the box. One of the marks on the stock occurred while shooting sporting clays. At one station the birds were coming straight at us. When I broke the clay a piece came back and hit the stock. Bottom line, you can carry a wood stocked gun in the field without it getting beat up. Just depends on the care and attention you give it. All my guns are cased in a padded case while in the vehicle.
 
while pushing through thick stuff I tend to use it to push ahead - I didnt mean anyone didnt take care of their guns. Mine are well cleaned and oiled frequently.
Just normal wear and tear I guess...
 
Dakotazeb said:
I have a 12 ga. Benelli Montefeltro that I bought in 1998. I've used the gun hard for most of the years I've owned it, but I take very good care of my guns both in the field and after I get home. My Monte only has 2-3 very small scratches in the stock, otherwise it looks like the day I took it out of the box. One of the marks on the stock occurred while shooting sporting clays. At one station the birds were coming straight at us. When I broke the clay a piece came back and hit the stock. Bottom line, you can carry a wood stocked gun in the field without it getting beat up. Just depends on the care and attention you give it. All my guns are cased in a padded case while in the vehicle.
Click to expand...

Zeb, we are cut from the same cloth when it comes to guns. I tend to stay away from metal zippers, exposed buttons, shell loops and other things that lead to scratching and dinging up my guns. I like to hunt with a nice pair of soft cotton Jersey gloves also. I put a ding in the finish of one of my Belgian Browning magnum 20's when I dropped a shell and it bounced off the stock. Really chapped my hide.
 
There are 3 guns used in rotation, but when the weather gets nasty, the "Primary" bird gun is a Browning composite stock Maxus 12.

Pretty wood is nice to look at, but no matter how careful you are, it WILL get dings and scratches in the field. After spending several hours fixing scratches every fall, the Citori Classic Lightning 20 and Gran Lightning 16 only get used sparingly, and only in warm/dry weather.
 
onpoint, and Dakotazeb, you guys said it best! you can use it or just look at it. If it had diamonds in it then you probably would not take it in the field, but I wouldn't want a gun I can enjoy a do what this forum is all about...
 
Once i learned how to use it, I love it. operating system is not like Brownings of old. I am used to the original A5's and Golds, this is a different animal. It works very much like a Beneli as to the loading and unloading. Takes alittle getting used to. I had it out on a recent trip to ND and once I understood the "workings" of it I really enjoyed it. It seems to carry much lighter than my Gold and it shoulders well and just swings so nice. I would recommend this gun to others in a heart-beat.:cheers:
 
Awesome, thanks for the report.
:10sign:
 
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