Best Guns

[bucks better beagles]

Bart: Do you think a man can learn to be a good shot? When I was young I couldn't shoot a pistol worth a hoot. Got over to Vietnam and started carrying a 45 auto. Learned real quick how to shoot it and shoot it good. Now, I can shoot a pretty mean .22 revolver and love to do so. The last rabbit I killed which was 5 years ago, I got it with the revolver.

Buck

[BLACKBART]

B.B.B.
YES A MAN CAN LEARN TO BE A BETTER SHOT.
I SAW A MAN SHOOT A 22 RIFLE THAT SHOT HIGH RIGHT AT 20 YRDS ABOUT A 1/4 INCH. AFTER TWO SHOTS HE'D KNOCK THE BULLS EYE OUT ALMOST EVERY SHOT,
THAS MAN WAS A GOOD SHOT.
BUT ALL MEN, SUCH AS MYSELF, ARE NOT THIS GIFTED.
YOU ARE A VERY GOOD SHOT, SOME FROM PRACTICE AND SOME FROM NATURAL ABILITY.
IN BASIC TRAINING, I SAW MEN THAT COULD NOT SHOOT WELL AT THE BEGINNING OF TRAINING AND STILL COULD NOT SHOOT WELL AT THE END.
LITTLE STORY;
LAST RABBIT SEASON ME AND MY NEPHEW, WENT HUNTING. HE TOOK A 870, 30 IN FULL CHOKE. ME THE OLD 410 SINGLE BARREL. HE SHOT THE HILLS
DOWN, PROBABLLY 15 TO 17 TIMES, NO RABBIT. I SHOT 3 TIMES,THREE DEAD RABBITS. HE SAID I KNOW MY GUN SHOOTS GOOD SO I'M SHOOTING OUT OF RANGE. ONE RABBIT RAN OUT IN THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM AND DONE THE ROAD, 2 SHOTS LATER, NO RABBIT. I WALKED TO HIM AND SAID WHERE DID YOU SHOOT AND HE SAID
RIGHT DOWN THERE. I WALKED DOWN THE ROAD AND THERE LAY THE PLASTIC WAD. I SAID WHERE DID YOU SHOOT, HE SCHWALED,QUITE MAD, RIGHT THERE. I SAID
YOU JUST MISSED, RABBIT WAS NOT OUT OF RANGE, HERE LAYS YOUR WAD AND SHOWED IT TO HIM.
SO SOMETIMES IT IS THE GUN AND SOMETIMES THE MAN. TO DEFEND HIM HE IS A GOOD SHOT, AS I HAVE SEEN HIM BUST AS HIGH AS 50 CLAY PIGEONS WITHOUT A MISS.
PROBLEM TRUSTING THE BIG 12 GUAGE, HE WAS JUST THROWING UP AND SHOOTING OR THE GUN DID NOT FIT HIM RIGHT. SHOOTING CLAY PIGEONS YOU SET YOUR
GUN AND LINE UP AND THEN SAY PULL. RABBIT HUNTING YOU BRING IT FROM YOUR SIDE OR HIP OR OFF YOUR SHOULDER FAST. NO TIME TO LINE, SO IT BETTER FALL IN
LINE FAST OR MOST OF THE TIME, THIS GUN IS NO GOOD,MY SHELLS ARE OLD, IT WAS OUT OF RANGE, TO MUCH COVER, DOGS TO CLOSE, I WAS TRYING FOR A HEAD
SHOT, DIDN'T HAVE TIME IT ONLY CROSSED A 25 YARD CLEARING. UNLIMITED EXCUSES AND BELIEVE ME I'VE HEARD MOST OF THEM BUT I'M SURE NOT ALL.
WITH RESPECT FIND A GUN THAT FITS YOU AND THEN PRACTICE WITH IT, AND WHEN YOU MISS JUST SAY I MISSED.
BY THE WAY, OFF SUBJECT, WOULD LOVE TO PUT MY PACK WITH YOURS AND LISTEN TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS SOME OF THE SWEETEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD, NOT COUNTING THE GREAT FELLOWSHIP, AND THE SWEET MEMORIES WE BOTH HAVE OF HUNTS, DOGS AND MEN THAT HAVE GONE ON AND LEFT US. HOPE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

[steve w]

Blackbart when I read your story I could not help but wonder if your nephew busted 50 clays with the same gun he missed 15 to 17 times with rabbit hunting. The reason I ask is I bought a brand new 870 and could not hit a rabbit with it with any consistency. I had no problem with with the other gun I owned and I could hit clays with this gun. Winter set in and I decided one day to try the 870 again and low and behold I hit what I shot at.I came to the conclusion that the only difference was the amount of clothes I had on changed the length of pull, I added a slip on recoil pad and have had better shooting ever since. And as far as the original question goes the best gun I ever had for rabbit hunting was a SKB XL 900 in 20 gauge, light and fit like a glove could not miss it seemed with this gun. Then one day the dogs got the better of me and I was mad and loaded them up in a hurry and left for home, made a stop at a butcher shop and ran my mouth for a while then headed for home, as soon as I pulled in it hit like a ton of bricks that I left my gun at the place I parked. I went back but it was gone, felt like I lost my best friend and have not been able replace my best gun.

[bucks better beagles]

Bart: I can't think of nobody I would rather hunt with. Just throw them in the truck and come on. But, could we leave A-head and C-low at home playing marbles? Or maybe telling each other what great dogs they have but they can't run them because it is too hot.

[BLACKBART]

BUCK,
I'VE FOUND THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HAVE SOME HARD RUNNING AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A-HEAD OR C-LOW AS THEY SUDDENLY FIND
THAT THIER DOGS HAVE BEEN POISONED OR HAVE TAKEN A VIRUS. MY BROTHER HAD A DOG NAMED ANDY, AND WHEN HIS BUDDIES FOUND THEY WERE GETTING
OUT RUN, THEY FOUND THERE DOGS TO BE SICK OR SNAKE BITE OR WORMY OR TO HAVE EATEN SOMETHING BAD,( SOUND FAMILIAR). MY BROTHER AGREED AND CALLED THEM ANDY WORMS. ASK T-83 ABOUT IT. AS HE WAS PRESENT AT ONE OF THESE TIMES, WHEN SUDDENLY WE FOUND, THAT C-LOW HAD SOME HOW POISONED HIS AND
A-HEADS DOGS. ENOUGH SAID. MYSTERIOUS-YES. MAYBE THOSE ANDY WORMS HAVE REPRODUCED IN DOGS NAMED GHOST AND MONEY.
WITH LOVE FOR A-HEAD AND C-LOW, IF I HAD MADE MY BRAGS, I WOULD LOOSE MY DOGS IF THEY HAD POLIO. BUT WE MUST ALL SATISFY OURSELVES. THE WORSE I HAVE EVER BEEN BEATEN HAS NOT BEEN IN THE WOODS BUT ON THE COUCH AT HOME.
ANSWER TO PROBLEM------LIQUID NERVE OR A LITTLE TRANFUSION FROM A COUPLE OLD, WORN OUT, NOT FIT TO LISTEN TO, RABBITTTTT HUNTERS!
ALL THIS IN FUN WITH A GRAIN OF TRUTH, IF NOT, LET A-HEAD AND C-LOW PROVE US WRONG!

[bucks better beagles]

Bart: that made my day. Last time A-head came back from Kentucky, he said his dogs didn't perform up to par. Said they had been poisoned. I listened sympathetically, now I know the rest of the story. It was funny, the very evening he got back, his dogs were fine.

[LR Patch]

Well I'll chime in ( said I wouldn't ) but U know the ole saying ''opions R like a$$holes everyone has one" .
Use what ever gun you feel the best is for you , consider the weight , the conditions , the cover and how or with what gun you can make a good quick clean kill, to me this ( quick clean kill ) should be the most important thought behind what you carry or not carry ;-)
Best Reguards

[stavemillbeagles]

i use a o/u 28ga., t/c encore 410, or a 22 what ever i feel like carrying that day and i have fun no matter which gun i use and thats what it is about for me.

GW i have a question for you, you talk about the 12ga being the best all around but you said if the rabbit is to close you let it make another circle so you don't shoot the rabbit up too bad, Then what is the difference if you use a 28ga and the rabbit is too far and letting make another circle and try to get a closer shot? Seems like the same thing to me.

[BunnyBuster12]

I personally can not comment on the 28ga because I do not own one. I do on the other hand own several 20ga shotguns. Due to the current factory produced ammo I feel that the 20ga is the more versatile gun. I own a m1 20ga that fits me like a glove and has killed a little of everything and a lot rabbits. Factory modified choke and Remington #6 long range is one of the deadliest rabbit combinations out there. I feel like stavMill shoot what you like be safe and have fun. I prefer my rabbit gun to be light weight. I have a knack for being in the right spot to kill the bunny so I plan to try my newly acquired cz 410.

As far as best all around shot gun if I could only own one I would go with the 12ga. Factory ammo provides plenty of shell choices and if you have choke tubes even more combinations. The 12ga offers the most effective range and power.

[bigdogpace]

DBL STEVENS 410GA 26 IN. FULL CHOKE BOTH BARRELS IF U HOLD IT ON HIM N RANGE HE 'S N BAG .DONT KNOW HOW MANY I EVER KILLED NOW WOULD RATHER CATCH 1 THAN KILL IT WITH GUN LOT OF TIMES DONT EVEN TAKE GUN OUT NO WAY BREAK UP AGOOD RACE .DONT MISUNDER STAND DONT CATCH ALOT OF RABBITS BUT ON OCASION. MIGHT SCOOP 1 UP

[tdog]

o/u tristar 20 ga. weighs 5.6 lbs or rossi 410 with sling weighs about 3 lbs

[Lone Pine Beagles]

Ruger 10/22 with fiber optic peep sights.
Mossburg 500 in .410ga
Sheridan Bluestreak .20cal pellet rifle

LPB

[deerhost]

I don't shoot many rabbits, only because the population of rabbits up here has not been that great. But I still try to shoot a few over the young pups. When I do, I use the T/C contender in 410 with a 12" barrel I have a True-glo holographic sight on it and it is the cats A**. I put it on the red circle recticle and what ever is in that red circle gets some shot in it.....DH

[likeemfast]

Well GW, can all these guys on here be wrong on their best gun choice, has anyone else mentioned a 12ga other than you? My friend, if we get to hunt together i will bring along a 28ga 870 for ya to borrow. When i started hunting with my dad at 12yrs old he only let me put 1 shell in the gun till 1 was 16yrs old so i learned to make the 1st shot count. Since your a seasoned vet i will let you load up with 3 right away if you need to. Stay cool my friend, its darn hot out there.

[deadeyebeagle]

i really like to take my 20 gauge ithica model 37 feather light. i didnt go out and just by it.it was my dads gun that my grandpa bought for him to rabbit hunt with.he still argues with me that i need slower dogs lol. its tradition...