Shotgun gauge and type of action?

jonnyringo · Post by **jonnyringo** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:10 pm

Some places I hunt you don't get many shots and you have to shoot through multiflora rose and heavy thickets so I like my ole Rem 870 12 gauge. I cut the barrel down to 21 inches, re-beeded it and it throws a nice pattern. I put a Ramline synthetic advantage camo stock and sling on it and it is real comfortable to hunt with. My 1100 is 20 gauge in a fixed IC configuration and it does real nice as well. I am thinking about buying a .410 but many of them are fixed full choke and it destroys a rabbit at close range. I shattered the bones in one as a 12 year old kid. My first rabbit ever. Dad left it for the buzzards. I got him on a running hop at about 20 yards away. The .410 is a great squirrel gun with a full choke. Really reaches out in those high trees and holds a nice tight pattern.

tdog · Post by **tdog** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:50 pm

I just bought a 20 ga tristar o/u. It is 5.4 pounds and is only $439. It is super nice and I think it is made off of the beneli patten. Cabelas and fin fur and feathers had them earlier. tristarsportingarms.com I think.

BJK · Post by **BJK** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:55 pm

The guage difinitely a 28 or 20, type of action, O/U doube or a single shot for a beginner.

jt&z's dad · Post by **jt&z's dad** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:13 pm

Stoeger makes the uplander as mentioned earlier, the Uplander is a great little shotgun and the interchangable chokes makes it that much better. Usually you can find one for around $400. I have a Thompson Center Contender in .410 with a 10" barrel that I use most of the time. But early season and when we head to the big swamps where there are plenty of coyotes I carry my Savage Fox 20ga. S/S with 24" barrels with mod and full chokes, I use a #6 in the mod barrel and a 3" #4 in the full just in case ole While "E" coyote makes an apperance. Early season I carry a 20ga. Berreta model 390 youth model auto with a 24" barrel. Light fast and deadly on early season rabbits and partridge.

I have seen .28's in over and unders and autos but can't recal a pump version. The .28 falls in between the .410 and the .20 ga. Shells are just as expensive as .410's and a lot harder to find shells for here in Michigan, especially at the local Mom and Pop's stores. Hope my two cents help. I'd go with the single .410 or a 20ga. multi shot action of your choosing.

ANTHONY KERR · Post by **ANTHONY KERR** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:21 pm

.410 is a caliber it would translate to a 67.5 guage. Don't know why it is the only shotgun called by it's caliber. One of my buddies seldom misses with his and he can work a pump faster than I can work an auto.
Anthony

shotgunner · Post by **shotgunner** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:33 pm

i use a 12 ga(auto) bretta mod cyl with low brass # 6 shots. very light ,26'' barrel.does a very nice job for me.

gap · Post by **gap** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:21 pm

i use a benelli nova pump and haven't missed with it yet.
it has akick but it's been the best gun i have hunted with

beaglehandler · Post by **beaglehandler** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 3:14 am

Ithaca 66 410. Lightweight, lever action. I don't shoot many rabbits. I shoot about and inch or two in front of them. One bb to a rabbits head is all it takes. I shoot #4's.

Chaffin Crank · Post by **Chaffin Crank** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:06 am

I like a semi-auto 20 gauge. I like the semi-auto because I miss alot and usually need to get in a couple quick shots. But this year I will be doing alot of hunting with my .410 Super Camanche pistol.

Big Daddy · Post by **Big Daddy** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:13 am

Stoeger has a new over/under combo. You get a set of 12 and a set of 20 Gauge barrels for about $450-500. I saw them at Dick's and Gander Mountain

Briarhoppers · Post by **Briarhoppers** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:18 am

Anthony,

You are correct that the .410 cal tranlated to ga. according to the original method of measurement would equal a 67 - 68 ga. However, a better way to think about it may be to call it a 36 ga. In Europe, I believe they still call the .410 a 36 ga.

Others,

I've heard a lot of people saying that a 12 ga. is WAY too much gun for rabbits.....and that it will blow them to pieces, etc. However, if you compare the shotshells for field loads 12 ga. and 20 ga. their is actually very little difference. For example....Remington Field Load #6.

12 ga. 1 ounce of shot and velocity of 1290 fps.
20 ga. 7/8 ounce of shot and velocity of 1225 fps.

There is not enough difference there for me to say one is ideal and one is way overkill. Many 28 ga. shells also shoot 7/8 ounce of shot.

Its not until the shotgun shells start getting up to the mag. loads, that the 12 ga. becomes signifanctly stronger than the 20. I say if you carry a 12 ga. and shoot low brass #6 shot, don't feel like you have to get a 20 ga. just simply b/c you have too much gun. I think the most important factor in gun selection is what do you want to carry in the field.

-Pete

beaglehandler · Post by **beaglehandler** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:04 am

there are 179 more shot in a #6 than in a #4. now how many of those are in the kill zone. that would be determined by the choke of the gun. a gun 12, 16, 20 are shot 40 yards and the 28 and 410 are shot 30yards. the percentage of shot in a 30 inch circle determines the choke of the gun. so if i were shooting a 410 full choke using #6 and you were using a 12 mod choke using #4's i would have more shot in the kill zone then you would.

two great reference points for this subject would be the MEC reloading guide on their website and www. 800shotgun.com concerning the choke pattern of a gun.

and one last monkey wrench for the equation. there is also a vast difference if you are using chill shot or steel shot. almost all game loads sold in stores is chill shot. and you will pay alot more for steel shot.

SilverZuk · Post by **SilverZuk** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:01 pm

Gauge was oringally measured by taking a lead balls the diameter of the bore and seeing how many it took to make a pound.

Examples:
1 ga would shoot a 1 pound ball
12 ga means that 12 balls of lead of that diameter weigh 1 pound.
20 ga means that 20 balls of lead of that diameter weigh 1 pound.

Before this was standardized in modern times, a 12 ga made by one gunsmith would have a different diameter bore than one made by another gunsmith. This is because the lead alloys they used had different densities and the scales were not always accurate. In antique guns, there is a notable difference between guns made in France and England.
Some will measure as 10, 11, 12, or 13 ga and all be called 12 bore.
It wasn't critical back then, because they were muzzleloading shotguns and the wadding was generally paper or cloth stuffed on top of the powder and shot charge.
It really doesn't matter in todays muzzle loading shotguns unless you are ordering wads. I ma one of the few that are trying to reduce the global population of rabbits with a charcoal burner.

My cousin and I are the only ones I know that are off in the head enough to shoot front stuffers for rabbit. His is an original civil war era gun, mine is more modern, but doesn't have chokes. The only down side is carrying around all the stuff and listening to wife complain that the kitchen smells like rotten eggs when I am cleaning it.

Big Boy Patch · Post by **Big Boy Patch** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:18 pm

Remington 870 or 410 with #4 shot is my choose.

jonnyringo · Post by **jonnyringo** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:51 pm

The 12 gauge will pattern better than 20 or 410 gauge shotgun. I have a nice article on this subject and will try to find it and scan it. It is called square loads or something like that and talks about the diameter of barrel verses the shot string.
I am buying a .410 pump on Monday so I will have all the gauges in various type shotguns - pump, auto, O/U. The .410 was the only one I didn't have. I have 6 .12 gauges, one .20 and soon one .410. I kick myself in the butt for selling an old Winchester Model 37 in .410 a couple years ago. The guy won't sell it back for nothing. I don't blame him.