Well, I finally got a chance to shoot my new-to-me BPS 10ga turkey/goose gun. My local trap range just closed and they wouldn't let me shoot anything larger than 7 1/2 shot anyway, so I had to take it out to my friendly rifle / pistol range. They let me set up some targets on the berm and blast away a few times.

The first thing that I noticed is that the slide is fairly far forward. I'm fortunate enough to have a 35/36 sleeve length so it isn't an issue for me, but those of you with shorter arms should make sure that you can work the slide before you buy one of these things.

I took two kinds of loads to the range. The first loads were Federal Premium 2 1/4 oz #6 turkey loads. The second loads were 1 3/4 oz steel TxBB Remington goose loads. The steel goose loads really weren't that bad to shoot, worse than my .300 Win Mag, but not awful. The lead turkey loads were another matter. Those loads are real filling shakers. I think that I fired six or seven of the turkey loads just to make sure that I was getting clubbed as badly as I thought I was.

The shotgun is a very smooth cycling piece and I'm very happy with it. I've finally moved to some place where there is decent goose and turkey hunting; I didn't want to sink $1000+ into a shotgun until I found out for sure that I was going to go after the birds on a regular basis. The next step is to do some serious (more like semi-serious) patterning work and see which loads are best for this particular gun. The shotgun came with an x-full turkey choke, and I've purchased a PatternMaster choke for the goose loads. I'll try to report back on how everything worked once I've got a chance to hammer the patterning board. I also just got in some slugs and buckshot that I ordered from Midway.

I wonder whether I can find a slow hog on which to test those slugs ...



analog_peninsula

quote:

Originally posted by analog_peninsula:
Well, I finally got a chance to shoot my new-to-me BPS 10ga turkey/goose gun. My local trap range just closed and they wouldn't let me shoot anything larger than 7 1/2 shot anyway, so I had to take it out to my friendly rifle / pistol range. They let me set up some targets on the berm and blast away a few times.


I took two kinds of loads to the range. The first loads were Federal Premium 2 1/4 oz #6 turkey loads. The second loads were 1 3/4 oz steel TxBB Remington goose loads. The steel goose loads really weren't that bad to shoot, worse than my .300 Win Mag, but not awful. The lead turkey loads were another matter. Those loads are real filling shakers. I think that I fired six or seven of the turkey loads just to make sure that I was getting clubbed as badly as I thought I was.

I'll try to report back on how everything worked once I've got a chance to hammer the patterning board. I also just got in some slugs and buckshot that I ordered from Midway.

I wonder whether I can find a slow hog on which to test those slugs ...



analog_peninsula

If you think the Turkey loads where rather stiff, you'd better pull your hat down real tight before you light off a slug load 'cause they'er gonna get your attention big time

PS And it would be better use a real open choke like IC or cylinder.

AP.......

For turkeys, get yourself ahold of a Comp-N-Choke XXX-Full tube. Run some Winchester Supreme HV #6 shot(2 oz. load) through it. See if the pattern don't make ya go "WOW!!"

I'm getting right around 60 pellets solidly in the head & neck from 45 yards (no line-cutters counted) from my BPS 10.

P.S.

You WERE getting clubbed as bad as you thought.

A fixed-breech 10 with lead loads just plain SUCKS from a solid rest such as sitting(like you're turkey hunting) or from sandbags.

quote:

A fixed-breech 10 with lead loads just plain SUCKS from a solid rest such as sitting(like you're turkey hunting) or from sandbags.

But you'll never feel it or hear it when you get that big Tom in your sights and squeeze the trigger. I don't use it for waterfowl.

I've had my BPS 10ga Stalker since they came out in '89. First thing I did was to take it to Mark Bansner in Adamstown, PA and had 7" cut off that 30" barrel. He then installed an extra full choke sleave. I've killed a spring gobbler at 65 yards using Federal Premium buffered, copper-plated #4 shot. Which is recommended by Bansners. With a cordura nylon sling, it carries easy in the spring woods.

For what it's worth: that buttstock is hollow; even in the pistol grip area. I broke my original some years ago and it cost $80 to replace. And the recoil pad was solid, not vented. Not nearly as recoil reducing as the original. So it got replaced, too. I have been procrastinating re-doing the camo leaf paint job.

One last thought on this weapon. Spring gobbler hunting is a solitary sport and I am supremely confident that it will protect me from such things as pissed-off black bear sows with cubs to protect, or a pack of hungry coyotes homing in on the turkey hen yelps I make. A little much, perhaps, but from rattlesnakes, too. I have comfort while toting "Betsy."

I have no use for the 3 original screw in choke tubes. They're free to anyone who needs them. Just pay the $4.05 priority mail postage.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:

But you'll never feel it or hear it when you get that big Tom in your sights and squeeze the trigger. I don't use it for waterfowl.

With all due respect, sir...........bullshit!!!

The BPS 10 is the only gun I own that's memorable, even when busting a longbeard over the head. Two times since 1990 (I got mine the second year they were out) the BPS has sanded my face off using my camo headnet. The stock jumps up along my face and grinds the skin right off. The steel waterfowl loads are actually way more liveable to shoot en masse than the lead loads.

quote:

First thing I did was to take it to Mark Bansner in Adamstown, PA and had 7" cut off that 30" barrel. He then installed an extra full choke sleave.

Had mine copped off at the same rib post as yours. That 30" tube when slung over my shoulder stuck up beyond the 7 foot mark. Kept catching & trying to flip me over backwards. I had mine re-threaded with Tru-Choke threads and had the Boswells at Comp-N-Choke cut me a tube.

quote:

One last thought on this weapon. Spring gobbler hunting is a solitary sport and I am supremely confident that it will protect me from such things as pissed-off black bear sows with cubs to protect, or a pack of hungry coyotes homing in on the turkey hen yelps I make. A little much, perhaps, but from rattlesnakes, too. I have comfort while toting "Betsy."

A pump 10 gauge loaded with coarse shot would have to be one of the most frightening weapons to have cut loose at you. "Geraldine" (yep.........loong story) tosses 2 1/4 oz. of buffered copper #2's into a horrifying swarm out to 70-75 yards. At that distance, you can still hear the charge hitting the patterning board through earmuffs!!