All-time favorite Sub Gauge Upland Bird hunting Gun?

1940's Beretta 16 ga. side x side. Belonged to my Dad, he brought it back in 1952 from europe after a stint in the USN.
 
All gauges are inferior to the all might 10 gauge.🤘

Honestly though, with enough money there is a great shotgun in every gauge. For modest amounts of money you have to be a lot more selective. I like my 16 gauges, but there is a long list of cheaper ones that are one step above trash. Many are just 12 gauges with a 16 gauge barrel on them. There are two 16 gauges I really like. An Ithaca 37 featherlight in 16 gauge is an amazing shotgun. The other is a real sleeper, a Remington 11-48 is surprisingly small and light. Fantastic shotgun, one of my favorites. Notice I did not say Browning A5, and while a sweet 16 is great, they are over priced in my opinion.

20 gauge has the widest variety of options by far. Plenty of good ones have been mentioned. Honestly a Mossberg 500 is a phenomenal 20 gauge. It is a common gun, especially for kids, but I think a lot of adults do not realize how good of a shotgun this really is. I have kind of lost my love for Benelli, but if I were to want a semi-auto 20 gauge, the Benelli M2 would be the top of my list.

I have never been a fan of 28 gauge, not even a slight curiosity.

.410 is more for experts, and does not offer any real advantage to anyone. Plenty of kids have used them, but in most cases it is a worse choice than a light 20 gauge load. I do like that .410 can come in some more oddball guns. One that has my interest, although I probably wont buy it, is Henry has a lever action .410 I think would be great.
 
I have a 28 and I will say it took me awhile to learn how to shoot it. I use it for dove and quail nice and light easy on the shoulder. Shells are pricey though.
 
Some of my favorites we have:

Beretta A400 Xplor 28 ga with 28” barrel. Great upland gun that I shot a ruffed grouse with as recent as yesterday afternoon. 5-1/2 #s but not whippy like many ultra-light guns (for me).

AYA SxS #2 Round Body side locks, 28” barrels, twin triggers, English grip stock. We actually have two in 16 ga and a one in 20 ga between my wife and I. Great handling classic game guns that have been totally reliable for 20 years. 16 ga weigh about 6-1/4#s and the 20 ga about 6#s. Like the 20 ga fro quail and grouse and the 16 ga for roosters.

Beretta 686 O/U 20 ga w/28” barrels and a Cole’s English grip stock. Been a great upland gun. Has a set of 28 ga 26” long barrels too. Don’t like the shorter barrel set as they are too whippy for me despite being 2 oz heavier than the 6# 20 ga.

Last, I really like a Winchester Model 12 16 ga pump with a 28” barrel. My favorite out of several I’ve owned is a 1947 with a mod choke and an an aftermarket vent rib and aftermarket High Plains English grip stock. It weighs around 6# 10 oz, not a lightweight but is a great rooster gun. Steel receiver, all machined parts, cheap to buy and fun to shoot. 16 ga target ammo is not available so you have to reload to make light loads these days. Avoid the old ones with a short chamber (2-9/16”) and the old style stock (in my opinion).
 
Blockcaver said:
Some of my favorites we have:

Beretta A400 Xplor 28 ga with 28” barrel. Great upland gun that I shot a ruffed grouse with as recent as yesterday afternoon. 5-1/2 #s but not whippy like many ultra-light guns (for me).

AYA SxS #2 Round Body side locks, 28” barrels, twin triggers, English grip stock. We actually have two in 16 ga and a one in 20 ga between my wife and I. Great handling classic game guns that have been totally reliable for 20 years. 16 ga weigh about 6-1/4#s and the 20 ga about 6#s. Like the 20 ga fro quail and grouse and the 16 ga for roosters.

Beretta 686 O/U 20 ga w/28” barrels and a Cole’s English grip stock. Been a great upland gun. Has a set of 28 ga 26” long barrels too. Don’t like the shorter barrel set as they are too whippy for me despite being 2 oz heavier than the 6# 20 ga.

Last, I really like a Winchester Model 12 16 ga pump with a 28” barrel. My favorite out of several I’ve owned is a 1947 with a mod choke and an an aftermarket vent rib and aftermarket High Plains English grip stock. It weighs around 6# 10 oz, not a lightweight but is a great rooster gun. Steel receiver, all machined parts, cheap to buy and fun to shoot. 16 ga target ammo is not available so you have to reload to make light loads these days. Avoid the old ones with a short chamber (2-9/16”) and the old style stock (in my opinion).
Click to expand...
Grew up with 16 ga mdl.12.
 
Blockcaver said:
Some of my favorites we have:

Beretta A400 Xplor 28 ga with 28” barrel. Great upland gun that I shot a ruffed grouse with as recent as yesterday afternoon. 5-1/2 #s but not whippy like many ultra-light guns (for me).

AYA SxS #2 Round Body side locks, 28” barrels, twin triggers, English grip stock. We actually have two in 16 ga and a one in 20 ga between my wife and I. Great handling classic game guns that have been totally reliable for 20 years. 16 ga weigh about 6-1/4#s and the 20 ga about 6#s. Like the 20 ga fro quail and grouse and the 16 ga for roosters.

Beretta 686 O/U 20 ga w/28” barrels and a Cole’s English grip stock. Been a great upland gun. Has a set of 28 ga 26” long barrels too. Don’t like the shorter barrel set as they are too whippy for me despite being 2 oz heavier than the 6# 20 ga.

Last, I really like a Winchester Model 12 16 ga pump with a 28” barrel. My favorite out of several I’ve owned is a 1947 with a mod choke and an an aftermarket vent rib and aftermarket High Plains English grip stock. It weighs around 6# 10 oz, not a lightweight but is a great rooster gun. Steel receiver, all machined parts, cheap to buy and fun to shoot. 16 ga target ammo is not available so you have to reload to make light loads these days. Avoid the old ones with a short chamber (2-9/16”) and the old style stock (in my opinion).
Click to expand...

I have a Model 12 in 16 Ga. It is a bit short for me, but your post makes me want to dig it out of the safe. I bought it 20 years ago out of an estate for $350. Maybe I'll order a lace on pad for it, and take it out this year.
 
My fox sterlingworth 20 gauge is my most prized firearm possession and my favorite gun for ruffed grouse in the Northwoods. But my model 12 16 gauge has been hell on dusky grouse this season.
 
Dos XX said:
How much does that gun weigh? If I decide to upgrade my current 28, that one is on the radar.

I bought a CZ Bobwhite 28 to play around with and see if I liked or could even shoot a double trigger. The trigger guard kind of ate my index finger up, but I think I now know how to correct that when setting up. I am going to hunt it again some this year and see what happens.
Click to expand...
Sorry just now seeing this! Mine is just a hair over 5 pounds, think they're advertised at 5.2 or so. I like the gun a lot. Double triggers are a no-go for me, even with English stocks. The trigger on the Bristol is ridiculously good...like better than my Franchi and Benellis good!
 
My prettiest 20 is a Citori 20 upland straight grip stock with 24” barrels and a silver receiver but I shoot a Remington 1100 youth with a 21” barrel better, has an adult stock. The former is a very light gun to carry but slightly butt heavy which alters my swing and lead. The latter is very well balanced.
 
ive never and probably never will own a 12 ga (until i inherit my dads guns that is). got a 20ga 870 wingmaster almost 30 years ago that is still one of my faves. also have a sx3 in 20ga and 1100 in 20ga and 410. i would like to get a nice 28ga one of these days
 
My favorite grouse getter while walking the woods up north is a humble H&R 20ga.
Nothing fancy, light weight, one shot is just fine, I don't have a dog.
Sure I'd like a nicer double, but that just hasn't been a priority over time.
Do have a pump 20 if I ever thought I wanted to use it. And we have, my son and I when hunting together.
 
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