What type of shotgun for upland birds?

[Chopper333]

That is why I love this forum. The community loves to share and help each other out. Thanks for the boat load of recommendations and opinions. I have decided to try a 12 gauge silver hawk I found for cheap up here. Canada has crap for a selection of used guns. I will see how I like it for a sxs and go from there.

Cheers Chopper

 

[Steve300xcw]

Grew up with pump guns and being able to top things off while still having them ready made it hard to get used to one of them two barrel guns.

My 12 gauges got parked as soon as I got a 20. Smaller frame, less recoil, same dead birds. Whats not to like?

SxS's are 10x more classy than an O/U

 

[Jason Snyder]

Plenty of good used guns too.

 

[WRO]

That is why I love this forum. The community loves to share and help each other out. Thanks for the boat load of recommendations and opinions. I have decided to try a 12 gauge silver hawk I found for cheap up here. Canada has crap for a selection of used guns. I will see how I like it for a sxs and go from there.

Cheers Chopper

I love mine and have a new found fondness for double triggers..

 

[KurtR]

I don’t shoot sxs or ou worth a shit. It’s either my franchi affinity or the tried and true wing master. While I was guiding I got the chance to shoot all of them.

 

[WCB]

CZ Bob White or Sharptail...imo

 

[flathead#2]

Been eyeballin a CZ Bobwhite for Wood ducks.
Classic.
MIght need a tweed vest, fedora and a pipe too.

 

[willtim]

A nice engraved 20 ga Citori would be sweet.

 

[Donjuan]

I have a CZ Bobwhite 28 gauge and I love that thing if you're wanting a decent priced SxS

 

[loganwayne]

i bought 2 CZ bobwhites and a sharp tail last year. PSA had them 50% off and CZ had a 100 dollar rebate. Put the bobwhites at 400 each. got one for me and one for my hunting buddy to "Cover my lease". sharp tail i got because i didn't know if id like the double trigger.

I can say the bobwhites have killed their fair share of game. squirrels, quail, chucker, pheasant, woodcock, ducks, tundra swans, rabbits.

Buddy says its the best gun hes ever owned or shot.

 

[Hydr]

Weatherby Orion O/U 20 gauge. First time I shot the sporting clays course it was like reuniting with an old friend. Fit is so important. If you want to learn more, the Birdshot Podcast hosted by Nick Larson has been a wealth of information.

I mostly hunt ruffs and woodcock in northern MN, the point about being willing to scratch and ding the stock is also paramount.

Hope everyone has a great season.

 

[Timothy Taylor]

A smoothbore 12 or 20-gauge is the best gun for upland bird hunting and is well-suited for use either with barrels arranged over and under or side by side or as a pump.

 

[kpk]

I beat the hell out of this decision last year for the same intended purposes. I wanted a 20 for early pheasant and grouse and ended up with a Benelli ultra-light which wasn't even on my radar when I started looking. The ultra-light carries like a feather and has an extra round .A used Browning feather lightening was a very close 2nd and I still wish I would've grabbed that one too.

SxS was my fist choice - because cool. But, the more I read the more I lost interest in them. I have no personal experience with them, but I read repeatedly and was told my several serious trap guys that the SxS are just harder to shoot well. I picked up and handled several, but never fell in love with any of them.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I transitioned from a Beretta 391 semiautomatic to a SxS 16 with double triggers. I love it.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

There's alot of misnomers about turkish guns being "low quality". There can be tremendously made doubles from turkey if you buy correctly. This region of the world has a long history of building shotguns.

CZ packs in alot of bang for the buck. Huglu's have come a LONG ways. There was a guy on a shotgun forum with close to 40k on a "budget" cz before he simply stopped shooting it. Thing he maybe had to replace a firing pin at one point.

I'd probably go with a CZ over Wby simply because huglu is probably thought to have a little (although only slightly) better quality over yildiz. Also the rib is flat with the top of the barrel vs the orions recessed rib which is better for my eyes anyway.

Used can be a dice roll, even on nicer guns. You can find Fox's for a few hundred or a few thousand and usually the price reflects the condition. In the double barrel world theres not very often "bargains". Price generally reflects condition. There are also plenty of barrels on nice guns that weren't true to center, it doesn't just happen with economy doubles.

Most of the turkish doubles (even sxs) are coming with choke tubes which would be handy if switching between steel and lead or different species.

I have expensive doubles and cheap ones. Althoug there is some nostalgia with italian doubles, pheasants and grouse don't seem to mind if theyre shot with one vs the other.

 

[loganwayne]

I do like my cz sxs but the franchi instinct sl I have is my favorite gun to carry and hunt with. It isn't cheap but definitely not the most expensive out there.

 

[flathead#2]

I'm really liking the looks of that Tristar Bristol with single trigger.
I like the Wby Orion too but I dont know how i feel about double triggers.

 

[shooterrdy]

Benelli 28 Guage the new ones are so nice

 

[Loper]

i bought 2 CZ bobwhites and a sharp tail last year. PSA had them 50% off and CZ had a 100 dollar rebate. Put the bobwhites at 400 each. got one for me and one for my hunting buddy to "Cover my lease". sharp tail i got because i didn't know if id like the double trigger.

I can say the bobwhites have killed their fair share of game. squirrels, quail, chucker, pheasant, woodcock, ducks, tundra swans, rabbits.

Buddy says its the best gun hes ever owned or shot.

I remember this sale and rebate. I was very tempted to buy one but didn’t. Now your making me wish I had.

 

[MTElkChaser]

Beretta ASEL boxlock 20 gauge O/U with double triggers - weighs 5lbs 4oz. Choked IC/IM, 26” barrels, and built in 1950.

My Grandad bought it new and hunted quail with it for 30+ years. He passed it down to me in the mid-90’s and I’ve hunted quail, pheasant, grouse, etc… with it ever since then. I’ll pass it down to one of my Grandchildren when the time comes. Points like a wand and is a pleasure to carry. It’s absolutely priceless to me and reminds me of so many good memories with family, friends, and great dogs!

Whatever you choose, make memories and have fun! Good luck this season!