Best Guns

[NoShowBeagles]

Everyone just sells on the gun forum, so what do you people like to hunt with? I want a 20 or 28 gauge but wondering if the 28 is worth it because of the higher shell price.

[yoteslayer]

I shoot a ruger 10/22, or a CZ 20 ga over and under.

[NoShowBeagles]

And also whats the best shells

[bluecollar beagler]

i shot an 1100 20g special field with a 21in barrel for years and to me it was the best rabbit gun you could get!!! last year i purchased an 1187 sportsman in synthetic to beat the brush with and went on midway usa and bought a 21 in vent rib barrel to fit it and and absolutely love it!! if you have never rabbit hunted in the brush with a shortbarreled well balanced semi auto you are missing out!!!

[gwyoung]

NOShowBeagles, Sometime in the last forty years the American Hunter got to the point that he was no longer able to lug anything around in the woods heavier than himself. This gave rise to a lot of light guns and the popularity of small guages. Said all of that to say this . There are plenty of 12 Ga. loads that will duplicate any 20 Ga. loads plus you have the advantage of the firepower afforded by the heavier 12 ga. loads available, when you may need it. Buy a 12 ga. if you can carry the extra 1lb. of weight around. I also like the short barrels. I use a Rem. 1187 12 ga. with a 21 " tube. I use high velocity loads in the 1300 fps range with #6 shot as this will give the pellet energy and pattern density required. This will amount to a 3-3/4 Dram equivalent loading. ( don't want rabbits crawling very far they can find a hole where there ain't one) No discussion of guns and loads would be complete without choke selection, I use improved cylinder, the optimum range for this combination is betwee 25 and 40 yards. just right for my neck of the woods and I suspect that range would work nicely in most areas.

[likeemfast]

NOSHOW, dont listen to GW on this one. Why would you wan to carry around the extra weight just because someone said to. Im not sure its only 1lb of weight difference either. I use a Remington 870 28guage with 6 shot 24"modified barrel and ive shot rabbits, turkey, grouse, dove, pretty much anything thats huntable. Also since im quite a good shot nothing ususally crawls away after i hit it. I know the range of my gun and shoot it accordingly. You can carry around a 12ga all day if you want but give me my little 28 anyday. GW this is JMO of course, which i believe to be correct. Not saying your not, well yeah, i guess i am. Sorry buddy.

[hcaplinger]

i use my t/c contender .410 with a 14 in barrel.use three in shells #6 shot high brass and can kill rabbits all day at 30 yards.best part about is its hands free until you need it.i would recommend one to anyone.

[gwyoung]

Likeemfast, You are entitled to your opinion and you could never offend me. I was quite amused by your little story there though. It appears that the little 28 ga. can do anything the 12 Ga. can do. Thats funny. I've killed deer with a .22 also which proves it is the best gun for game under 200 lbs around according to your logic. I would like to run dogs with you sometime and also maybe do a little shooting. I used to do pretty good at trap and skeet. I would really enjoy seeing you beating me with your 28 ga.

[likeemfast]

Actually, yes the 28 can do all the 12 can do, within its effective range. The 6 shot in a 12 is the same 6 thats in the 28, go figure, lol. Actually tho i shoot skeet with my 20 guage 870 remington. Which actually is the same gun ive shot 2 deer with, with the old punkinballs. I actually have 2 boxes of punkinrollers for my 28guage but if i told ya what those boxes were worth you wouldnt let me shoot them anyway, and i wouldnt either. My 20 modified against your 12 improved, id take that challenge my friend. As far as running together, maybe someday we can arrange that.

[bigdog]

we dont shoot rabbits here where im from. i was told a dead rabbit wont run tomorrow. so there for i dont worry about this kind of thing. although my son and myself do use the remington 1187 12ga for deer hunting..

[Little Indian Creek]

This topic pops up all the time and I am always amazed the amount of people that enjoy skinning a rabbit shot with a 12 gage. (Assuming they are getting ate) I prefer a ruger 10/22. It’s a lot of fun and if you enjoy running dogs you don’t have to kill every rabbit you see.

[likeemfast]

Ya know, if you have a dog worth kenneling it dont have to start the same rabbit every time out, it actually knows how to find different rabbits wherever it goes.

[gwyoung]

Likeemfast, within it's range? . let's expand on your statement a little, that would make a 410 2-1/2 inch is every bit as good as a 10 Ga. within it's range is it not? these are ridiculous comparisons. I am aware of what things are worth , I managed the largest sporting goods store in this area for quite a few years and was one of the few registered hunting guides in this state. I have owned several 28 ga guns in my lifetime and while i generally don't like to put things like this out there for the general public . I currently own a Winchester model 12 in 28 ga. and a winchester model 37 in 28 ga. I am well aware of the capabilities and limitations of the cartridge as I have shot quite a bit of game with them. I currently own several trap and skeet guns but I feel pretty comfortable using my 1187 improved cylinder.
NoShow, If you are only interested in consistent, clean kills out to 27 yards or so the 28 Ga. will do the job. if your interest is consistent clean kills out to about 25 yards the 410 will do. ( It is actually not a guage) If your interest is clean kills out to about 10 yards the 44 mag. shotshell will work, If you are interested in clean kills out to about 4 yards the .22 long rifle shotshell will work, for within it's range it is as good as a 10 ga. If you want a shotshell capable of all around use on anything that flies out to 50 yards or so ( with the exception of Turkey) and all small game and don't mind carrying an extra pound of weight the 12 ga. is your gun. In fact the only reason for selecting a ga. smaller than 12 is for weight purposes, other than that just use shells that will duplicate the other guage's performance. Like Likeemfast pointed out #6 shot is # 6 shot so you can duplicate the performance of the 410, 28 ga,( you will need to load your own to exactly duplicate the performance of these two pipsqueaks) 20 ga, 16 ga, with the 12. You can not duplicate the performance of the 12 ga. with any of the others.

[gwyoung]

Little Indian creek, I used to use a .22 on rabbits and quit for two reasons. Others that started hunting with me wanting to do the same and it was dangerous. The other is that whether you are hunting alone or not the .22 bullets will ricochet. Perhaps if you only shot sitting rabbits you could reduce the ricochets but I never shot sitting rabbits even with a .22 . As far as cleaning rabbits that are shot with a shotgun you have to let the close ones make another circle. If you are hunting with me and shoot a rabbit so close as to blow it up, you will be hunting with someone else on your next trip. Be careful with the .22 my friend.

[TOBY]

Remington 20 gauge 870 pump. Not a real fancy gun with all the bells and whistles but theres a reason the model 870 is the number 1 selling gun in america.
Its a cheap and tuff gun. Never let me down!