Grouse gun for my wife to use.

[gerry]

My wife and I were out the other day and she went after a grouse that flew off the logging road into the bush. I bought a nice single shot 28 gauge which she shoots well but I had neglected to think of one important detail. She had only ever shot the gun but had never lowered the hammer carefully on a loaded round so she could open the gun again. In short she hated doing it and doesn't want to do it again which is fair enough.

What we commonly do around here is walk or drive logging roads looking for grouse. There is almost no chance she is ever going to shoot at a flying bird, a 22 lr works but a shotgun is just that much easier especially when the bird is getting spooky, just aim at the head and pull the trigger.

I'm thinking of something:

Left hand friendly
Low recoil
Hinge action single shot, over under or side by side that is easy to open if the bird gets away
Compact, which eliminates most pump action guns
Fairly inexpensive at this stage in our lives.

I would love to find another 28 gauge but will most likely have to find a gun in the much more common .410 or 20 gauge. The .410 should work fine for stationary grouse but I do wonder if a 20 gauge might be getting into a little bit too much recoil.

As for shotguns I am thinking getting her a Baikal IZH 18 single shot in .410 or 20 gauge, I have the older IJ 18 version in a 12 gauge and it works fine. I wonder about the Yildiz TK 36 in a .410 but don't know too much about them to be honest. A double barrel would be nice since a lot of the time there are multiple grouse hanging out together.

Would like to hear your thoughts on which gauge and what shotgun would recommend. Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerry- I generally dislike the .410 for grouse. I've had a couple and ditched them, just not enough lead downrange for me. I've had a couple miserable failures on sharp tails and ptarmigan, even ground sluicing them.

A 28ga. would work, but they're tough to find in my area- guns or shells for that matter. Weatherby has an auto in 28 that would be nice, but I don't know if that's a direction you'd want to go or not.

Any of the Turkish sourced O/Us in 20ga would be pretty nice for that work. Enough heft to dampen the recoil. Relatively inexpensive for an O/U. Pretty well made for the dollars.

I got my son an 870 Compact in 20ga (12.5" LOP, 18" barrel)- it's light, short, cheap, and hell on grouse. The safety is set up for right hand, but is swappable to left hand, he shoots lefty and doesn't have any trouble with the RH setup.

 

[truck driver]

I saw the perfect gun for her today in a local shop, Winchester M24 20ga. two barrels of pure delight. Shame your north of the border.

 

[gerry]

Gerry- I generally dislike the .410 for grouse. I've had a couple and ditched them, just not enough lead downrange for me. I've had a couple miserable failures on sharp tails and ptarmigan, even ground sluicing them.

A 28ga. would work, but they're tough to find in my area- guns or shells for that matter. Weatherby has an auto in 28 that would be nice, but I don't know if that's a direction you'd want to go or not.

Any of the Turkish sourced O/Us in 20ga would be pretty nice for that work. Enough heft to dampen the recoil. Relatively inexpensive for an O/U. Pretty well made for the dollars.

I got my son an 870 Compact in 20ga (12.5" LOP, 18" barrel)- it's light, short, cheap, and hell on grouse. The safety is set up for right hand, but is swappable to left hand, he shoots lefty and doesn't have any trouble with the RH setup.

I have used the .410 before successfully but can remember a couple of animals that it didn't work so well on now that you mention it. I remember a snowshoe hare that got away from my brother after being hit in particular.

The 28 gauge has been impressive so far with Federal #6's in fact I can't tell the difference between it and the 12 gauge on grouse. My old 12 has and improved cylinder choke and the 28 is a full so that may also have something to do with it. Thankfully we have a choice in our one store of Federal, Winchester, Remington and Sellier & Bellot 28 gauge shells so that isn't an issue.

I'll keep an eye out for a double barrel 28 gauge for her I think.........

 

[gerry]

I wonder what the difference in recoil would be between the standard 1295 fps 3/4 oz 28 gauge and the 1225 fps 7/8 oz 20 gauge load. It would be a lot cheaper for shells, might also be a good reason to start loading shot gun shells too something mild like a 3/4 oz 20 gauge load might be perfect.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder what the difference in recoil would be between the standard 1295 fps 3/4 oz 28 gauge and the 1225 fps 7/8 oz 20 gauge load. It would be a lot cheaper for shells, might also be a good reason to start loading shot gun shells too something mild like a 3/4 oz 20 gauge load might be perfect.

My guess is that the recoil difference is going to be minimal and mostly found in gun weight.

A 7 pound 20ga O/U is going to be a lot less whack than a 6 pound 28ga single. That additional 1/8 oz of #7s is going to be fuller patterns... and about 1/2 price.

 

[tim629]

I would check out the Stoger shotguns. My buddy bought one for his wife shooting clays at their house and it seems to do pretty well, I can't recall any complaints from him but also hasn't been abused too much. I've taken it out pheasant hunting with him a couple times but can't give any reports from those as we mainly just took the guns for a walk.

 

[sask boy]

gerry, I have a 20 gauge Cooey single shot and I shoot 2 1/2" #6s for grouse and they work fine. My grandson when he was 12 shot that shotgun in his shirt sleeves and trust me he has always been recoil sensitive & still is at 18 :roll:.
I have a friend that has a Remington 1100 in the 20 guage that I have been trying to buy for a real long time but he will not sell it .
Talking on the Stoeger my son has a 12 gauge in the auto 2000 and I know a couple of guys that have both the O/U and the side by side in the 20 gauge an seem to like them. They are not a real expensive shotgun.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Darkhorse]

I would give that Yldiz a closer look. I've handled a couple of them and I like them. They probably can't compare to my Browning Citori but I think they will do fine. Price is right too.
I have had a lifelong craving for a O/U or SXS .410 but I probably would not choose the .410 for jumping grouse. And they don't offer a 28 gauge.
I would get the 20 gauge and a Limbsaver recoil pad. I personally prefer 28" barrels in a O/U or SXS. The 28" will not be overly long due to the action. An auto or pump has a longer action to start with and a 26" barrel still gives you a good sighting plane. But, for me, a Box action with 26" barrels is just too short for good, consistent shooting.

 

[tjen]

Most of us think of grouse as fast hard flushing birds from 15 to 40 yards. I have seen the grouse in northern Ontario that will let you kill them with a stone.

A 410 would work great as long as it has a MOD choke or less. Look at a CZ Bob White double new for $800 they are choked IC and Mod which covers the useful range of the 410 from 15 to 30 yards. There is some O/U for $400 new and they have screw in chokes. So does the 28ga CZ bob whites.

I hunt alot with either a CZ Ring neck 410, Beretta 687 SP3 410 or 28ga. Wood cock and grouse in MI. Or Quail in FLA. I am usualy choked CYL & IC or SKT and IC in both gauges depending on the leaves. The 410 with 11/16 oz of #8 is a serious 35 yard gun. The 28ga with an extra 1/16 oz of seems to be an over acheiver and handles larger shot better. 43 wood cock and two grouse with the little 410 and 28ga this year they work great.

That $400 o/u would be just right and would last quite awhile as a hunting gun in 28ga or 410.