I'm off to argentina for doves and duck next month. I will be talking my pair of side by side shotguns with me.
Does anyone know of anything I can put on the barrels to stop from burning my hands!?
I'm sure they will get very hot, so I have been looking for some sort of guard.

Thanks,

John

I shoot an O/U down there. Best thing is a pair of goatskin gloves. They are very light.

If taking two guns, as I did, switch off from one to the other. I would shoot a box of 25 and trade guns; let one cool while shooting the other.

To help prevent your hands from burning I would suggest good shooting gloves. Here are the ones I use in Argentina everytime I go.

http://www.thegunglove.com/



And here is the barrel guard made by Galco.
http://www.usgalco.com/Holster...ID=1273&CatalogID=12

are your forends beavertail or splinter?
If splinter there are leather guards that will slip over the front of the forend and the barrels.
Galco is one maker.
Or check with Galazan.

This isn't going to exactly answer your question, but just an alert to what you're looking at because I've done the same thing on a smaller scale. My experience was with a Browning BSS in 20 ga at a really hot fast dove shoot in the states. It was on opening day so you can add 100 degree temps to start with.

Of course this is not 1000s of rounds like in Argentina but I got a taste of how hot one gun can get. First, remember an S/S pretty much requires you to touch the barrels and not just the forearm. And I'm talking full beavertail and not just a splinter, which is even worse. Others like O/U are not that way; you don't have to touch the barrels.

Anyway, it got where I could physically not even touch the barrels. Way too hot. I tried a handkerchief but that didn't work. Finally it got so hot the action didn't want to open easily. I had to start opening it by pulling on the muzzle ends to avoid the heat and for the leverage.

Eventually I got enough of this plus the fact that a 20 just doesn't put out the shot string of a 12 ga, and I returned to my vehicle and left the S/S to cool off and got out my 1950s heavy full choked recoil pad equipped weighted stock 30" barrel Win Model 12 pump 3" magnum duck gun.

I went on to have an excellent shoot with no more hot barrel problems whatsoever and no sore shoulder because there's little recoil the big M-12 can't soak up.

I know you won't be taking a pump, but I enthusiastically endorse switching to O/U guns if you have them or at the least take one O/U along as an alternative to the S/S if things get "too warm".

Good luck. Shoot a few for us please who wish we were going too.

Having shot dove in Argentina. With a 28 gauge O/U, I can tell you that shooting an O/U dies not do away with the need for hand protection. What ever you shoot be it pump, auto or double you need gloves of some sort. Just loading pump or auto will wear out your thumb, used tape and leather shooting gloves eventually wearing through the leather on the thumb shooting an auto shooting in Mexico.
Also it is awkward trying to open a double of any sort without coming in contact with the barrels. So beaver tail S/S or O/U you need gloves. S/S with splinter forend the hand guard is very nice to have.

@jcorry

For volume dove shoot in Argentina (if volume shooting is what you are going for) nothing beats a 20gauge semi-auto. Very easy on the shoulder.

But say you are a diehard SxS fanatic and just want to enjoy the experience with your pair of SxS then here is a strategy for you.

- Do not shoot one gun only continuously and then switch over to the second gun. Instead shoot 2 shots with one gun, then use the other gun, then back to the first gun and so on. The break in between will cool both guns off a bit. Instead of one gun taking a lot of beating.

- Also, do not load the guns yourself. You will have a bird boy at your disposal. Shoot both barrels, hand over the empty gun to the bird boy, he will hand over the loaded gun #2 to you, then while you shoot, he relaods gun #1 for you.

- If the SxS are expensive you may want to give your bird boy a lesson on opening, loading , and closing the guns gently for you.

- You did not mention what gauge SxS you are taking with you. 20ga SxS kick quite a bit even when they are nicely fitted. So shooting couple of thousand rounds in a day will probably bruise your shoulder. Please take a shoulder pad with you, and save yourself from any shoulder injury down the road. Past makes a good one, you can order it from Cabelas.

Shooting Gloves, Ear Protection, Eye Protection are a must for Argentina Dove Shooting.


Let the bird boy load the gun(s) for you. That is his job, not yours and he will be thrilled to do it. Our lodge has competent and responsible bird boys and they take very good care of your equipment.



I insist on a shoulder pad for all of my shooters. None of these gentlemen complained of any shoulder aches or pains. Notice the "PAST" pad on the gentleman on left...they are the best in my opinion.