What type of gun do you prefer, auto, double barrel, pump, etc?
- Thread starter Bearded Beast
- Start date
onpoint
Active member
I prefer O/U's but do hunt with all types of actions.
Just wondering, where do you have to have your plug in when hunting Pheasants. I know waterfowl and dove require it but as far as I knew Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom was legal when it come to Pheasants.
onpoint
cheesy
Well-known member
Started out shooting my dads SxS 20, Churchhill was the brand, cheap spanish import, I killed a lot of birds with that my first couple of years. Then it was an 870 20 guage youth, used that for the next 4 or 5 years, along with a Mossberg 500 and Winchester Model 12 when I thought a 12 was required, then was an 870 12 guage, used that for 5 or 6 years. Finally moved onto a Beretta 391 12 guage about 6 years ago. Dad, myself, brother in law, uncle, and a handful of buddies all bought then in about a year period. Just this weekend we were commenting that we couldn't think of a better pheasant gun, light, point well, function perfectly, great gun, ymmv. Once in a while I'll throw in my 60 year old 20 guage Ithaca 37 thats choked super duper extra double full for a change of pace though.
onpoint
Active member
In Wyoming?
Boy sounds like that Alaska HP show. They kick the door in on peoples homes for drinking in their own house. Sometimes the places you think would be full of freedom..you find out are more regulated than some cities places.
Carry on
Yup in Wyoming, although it is really not that bad though. If you can't hit a bird in three shots a fourth is not going to make much difference. I mainly use my O/U so it does not matter, I get two bangs before I have to reload. When it comes to the 2nd Amendment though Wyoming is one of the best states to live in.
FCSpringer
Moderator
OU now, I gota Cortona Grande sporting and like it. Mainly this one because of the fit. I tried several others I liked but they did not fit. Ceasars And Cortona were the only ones I could get to fit nice. had a benelli auto too that was fun to blast with but I now like the OU's better. And with the gun fitting good I shoot better with it as well.
onpoint
Active member
cheesy
Well-known member
First time I hunted in Northern Missouri this year for pheasants, the guys I was with said I had to have a plug. I called them liars, but put one in anyways. This thread reminded me to check the regs, sure am glad they told me to put a plug in. Only used to that for migratory birds in Kansas.
I'll agree with the SxS or OU if you'll guarantee single flushes! I've hunted with doubles several times over the years and done well on the singles. Where the magazine repeater shines is when another bird flushes to the shot at the first, and another, and another! Too many times I've been empty and marking my bird down when more birds flush, with 4 or 5 shots available where legal, I can drop another bird instead of hoping to see more birds later in the hunt. Just this last weekend I got into one of those ragged flushes where they just keep getting up, had 3 birds down when the dust cleared and one of them took 2 shots. Try that with the double. I prefer the SxS for both feel and tradition, but we work too hard to get birds up in range to be able to just salute them with a grin while they fly off cussing me. I guess at 57 and 40 some years bird hunting I've still not graduated into the mentality to just enjoy the time afield. I'm too competitive and result oriented, I want birds in the bag when opportunity knocks. Not that I can't enjoy a good hunt where I only get a bird or two, but when the birds are in range and I'm not limited out they better be ducking!
onpoint
Active member
I felt much like you with the extra mag capacity of a auto. I was raised with auto's. At first, after switching to a O/U, I thought of switching back right away. I wanted to make use of every opportunity of a chance at game. I get sick just knowing I could have bagged the bird if, well there's a lot of if's. If I think of all the malfunctions I had with auto's that caused me to miss opportunities to bag birds. IMO, I have shot more birds with the o/u. I have had "Zero" malfunctions with the o/u's in the past 3 years since switching totally over to them. Now, I wouldn't go back for nothing. Reliability is everything to me and no matter the auto I never could find that and I had them all, some several times over.
onpoint
onpoint
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I'm sold on the O/U. I've hunted my 870, but since I started hunting with an O/U I've been pretty loyal to it. I'm shooting a new Beretta White Onyx in 20 gauge and I like it too many! Also, hunting in the field with an O/U you don't have to chase shells, I like that too many too.