What gun y'all planning on breaking out for the opening day of dove season this year?

Beretta A391, 12ga. semi-auto. Dove season opened Sept. 1 in Calif. Imperial Valley. Lots of birds and limits (10) for most of our group by an hour after sunrise. Lots of eurasian doves this year and, since there is no limit on them, most of us had between 15 and 20 birds. When things slow down a little and there's time for loading I then shoot a SxS 10ga muzzle loader. Later in the season I use a 20ga Ruger Red Label for quick "jump" shots in brushy areas.

Model 12 16ga. Mod choke

It depends, if I'm playing and there are lots of doves, I use a 28 ga Parker Repro or a .410 Francotte but most of the time for doves and anything else I use my PG 101 Winchester with IC and IM chokes screwed in, early season I use skeet load 9s in IC and heavy load trap 7 1/2s in IM, later both 7 1/2s. Late season when the birds are fewer and often much farther, or hunting big cut over grain fields by myself I usually work with 1 3/8 ounce hard 6s.

Well...In less than 2 hrs I'll be after'em with my Rem M1100 28 gauge skeet T.

I have about 75 acres in sunflowers in the South Zone. The fields are boiling with doves as I type. Hope they're still here in a week. Oh, Remington 31 20 gauge solid rib.

Man those 31s are really ball bearing guns. Great feel.

I probably won't be dove shooting over here for a few months yet but will be using my 1926 John Dickson & Son sidelock ejector.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I probably won't be dove shooting over here for a few months yet but will be using my 1926 John Dickson & Son sidelock ejector.

That sounds like a very nice choice !

For our neck of the woods for me - Winchester Super X Model 1 .

The Dickson is fairly new to me but I took it to Uganda recently and it shot brilliantly.

I enjoyed the wingshooting as much as I enjoyed the buffalo hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:

I enjoyed the wingshooting as much as I enjoyed the buffalo hunting.

That's saying something right there!

I grew up with shotguns but then the big game hunting took over and I'd forgotten how much fun wingshooting was .........until I rescued the Dickson and now I'm getting back into it and loving every minute of it.

I think I've mentioned it before here but the Dickson had spent 30 years in a cupboard and the previous owner was just about to hand it into the cops for destruction. He bought it to my house on his way to the cop shop and when I saw it, I simply couldn't bear to see it melted down so bought it from him instead.

I've used a 12ga Remington 1100 for the last 20 years but always wanted to try a SXS for birds. Last week I bought a CZ 20ga Bobwhite and shot doves with it for the first time yesterday. I really enjoyed it. Mine is the model with the double triggers and screw in chokes. I read Gatogordo's post about the IM/IC choke choice and tried that. I thought it was an excellent choice. It was nice to be able to pick the barrel depending on the shot distance.

Now my real time experience with this shotgun is one day but I really like it so far. I think the 1100 will be stuck in the safe until turkey season.

Terry

Terry:

Glad you liked the choke combo. It's a very good all around choice that usually I leave in because a) it works and b) the shooter can be too obsessive about chokes. I don't want to spend time keeping track of (and losing) choke tubes instead of enjoying the hunt. Usually I carry one extra into the field, either more open or tighter, depending on what I'm hunting, and that's it. For instance, if I was going after waterfowl over decoys on big water, I'd take a tighter choke, and if I was hunting doves on a waterhole, I would take a more open choke, both as an option depending on conditions when you're actually on sight. But you have to be reasonable, if you're hunting quail over dogs, before I left home, I'd open it up a notch and go to something like skeet and IC or skeet and Mod, or the old standby of IC/M, all depending on cover, wind, quality of dogs, etc and especially how fast a shooter one is.

Citori 28 ga, grade VII, with briley light mod in both barrels

Winchester Super X Model 1 with IC barrel.
Also have a Smith & Wesson 3000 12ga with interchangeable choke tubes. I would use modified or improved modified in it. I also have a extra ported barrel that I use for skeet. It is a 26" IC that is good for close birds.

Also use a S&W 1000 Skeet gun (nicer wood and a steel receiver) 20ga auto loader with a skeet or a full barrel.
Another 20 ga is a S&W 3000 20ga pump with a IC barrel.

Why all the Smith & Wesson guns? I bought them at close out prices when they quit marketing Howa manufactured shotguns in the early 1980.
Excellent guns at bargain prices.

quote:

Originally posted by RaySendero:
Well...In less than 2 hrs I'll be after'em with my Rem M1100 28 gauge skeet T.

Got 10.

I've posted this photo before, but I don't know if I've told the whole story. My fragile ego can't handle missing clays so I shoot a K-80 in competition, but I don't mind missing birds as much so I use old family guns for hunting.



My favorite is this old sxs 1889 Remington hammer gun in 12ga with 30" barrels. My grandfather moved to this area in 1930 straight out of college as a teacher and married into an established ranching family. He didn't have a gun to hunt with his in-laws so he kept checking the newspaper to find something used and cheap. The ad said that this gentleman wanted to trade lumber for this old (at that time!) sxs with a broken stock. My grandfather had no lumber, but visited the man and asked if he'd take cash. They settled on $3.50. Since my grandfather was a shop teacher by trade, he took the shotgun to school to let the students try to figure out how to repair the stock (oh, how times have changed!!!). As a kid I only saw him hunt with the gun one time and then he decided it was unsafe (because of the age he assumed the barrels were Damascus). With that history I always wondered if I could figure out a way to safely hunt with it. A friend who reps for Briley said I should send it to them to see if it could be sleeved or something to make it safe. They looked at it and said it actually wasn't Damascus and when tightened up (it was badly off-face) would be fine with modern ammo. So they removed the pits in the bore, opened up the chokes a bit (to M & IM) and tightened the action. Briley charged a bit more than the original $3.50 (actually more than the value of the gun), but I made them promise that it be safe internally yet left "UGLY" externally as I always remembered it leaning in the corner at my grandfathers house. Typically I'll shoot a few clays to warm-up with it each year before dove season and inevitably someone at the range will try to stop me from shooting it, assuming I just found it at a yard sale. After I tell them the story and show them the polished internal parts with Briley's blessing they understand.

It still has the copper plating along the pistol grip and huge (hideous) brazed on tang extension, etc. that the students did in 1930. But it's worked fine and been reliable. My dad really enjoys that I still hunt with it. Its a ton of fun to shoot and a terrific adrenaline rush when you've got an empty gun with more birds coming in. Grabbing out the empty hulls, reloading and cocking the hammers really adds to the experience (I'm sure the birds appreciate it too).

This season I also worked in a few birds with the old family winchester model 12. Twelve gauge, 30", FULL (!!!) choke. Its used and abused, but I've left it exactly like I inherited it. Best of all it was purchased new in 1919 locally and has been hunting on the family ranch ever since.

I don't shoot either of these guns well so I miss a lot of birds, but when using these old guns I'm grinning like an idiot the whole time.

When I shot doves, my favorite shotgun was a Remington 11-48 in 16 ga, full choke and high brass 1&1/8th oz. of #9 shot. Made for a good dense pattern that would reach out.

It fit me perfectly and most of the birds we shot were long range and passing over. I could really drag 'em down with that gun. And ducks too. Merg

I shot my little H&H .410 Sidelock...An A&F gun built back in 1969...Kinda a bummer that it has a single trigger, but, with only a few dozen of these having been built, beggers can't be choosers!

We shoot almost exclusively .410 / 28 gauges and of course our beloved muzzloloaders...

And on that subject, y'all need to try this sport: Muzzleloader percussion shotgunning! What a ball! You can pick up really nice percussion doubles for under 2K at the main auctions...I shoot 11 bores and have become somewhat addicted to this sport - perfect for dove shooting as you generally remain in one sport for the duration of the hunt and can stage your gear accordingly.

The nostalgia is cool, but that thunderous boom and all that smoke makes for a really unique and rewarding experience...Plus it is always funny to hear the guys that were hunting a few windmills away commenting after the hunt about who was lighting off fireworks over yonder!!!

Try it!

JW

I think you could close your eyes and pick at random any gun you have for close range doves. They all work fine.

But I go for whatever has the reach, meaning shot string and pattern density, for high and long shots. That means a 12 gauge with full choke and 1 1/8 oz of #7 1/2 shot at around 1,250 fps. The Winchester Texas Heavy factory loads are just what the doctor ordered for this along with what shoots them.

Barrel length? Totally unimportant. When younger I preferred a longer barrel, but experience has proven a 26" is just fine.

Double or 3 shot? The third shot's usually wasted and the second shot from a double is just like an autoloader anyway, and it's just a split second faster than many pumps. So I prefer a double.

SxS or O/U? Totally irrelevant. I use them both.

So, the choices are in this order -

Browning Citori
Browning SxS
Winchester Model 12 heavy duck gun
Remington 11-87

Now all I gotta do is get myself invited to a good hunt...that's the hard part..picking the gun's easy..

Despite having several nice 20's and enough 20 gauge shells to have turned the tide at the Alamo, I just can't bring myself to shoot anything but a 28 gauge at doves these days. I usually end up with my Beretta BL-3 O/U, while my son shoots the Winchester 101 28 he inherited from his grandfather, and my grandson shoots a Baby Frame Charles Daly 28 that I chanced into at a gun show with the stock already cut and enough field use to knock the price down to the "affordable" range for a kid gun. By the way, the grandson is eight years old and hit a genuine first barrel-second barrel double on Saturday.

For a change of pace, I'll pick up the CZ Ringneck 28 gauge SxS with its proportioned 28 gauge frame. Not an expesive gun, but very nice for the price.

Speaking of 28s I just came from a shop where I got to handle a nice looking old SxS. It's a Beesley. I've never heard of that brand. It carried a London barrel address, splinter forearm, English straight stock and was said to be 1920ish. It had what appeared to be the original case with accessories. I was told it's $9K.

The stock was short for my taste, but so are most 28s I've seen. I've never owned one personally, but have shot a friend's Belgium Browning Superposed and it's certainly a fine little piece..

My favorite dove gun is an early 50's Browning Superposed 20 gauge with 28" bbls choked M/F and a solid rib. I like 1oz loads of 7-1/2s.

quote:

Originally posted by HUNTER10:
What gun y'all planning on breaking out for the opening day of dove season this year?

Citori 20 Ga feather lightning......a sweetie!

Oh.....choked full and full!

Citori Super Lightning. 28" barrels I.C.
12 ga. 1 oz. 7 1/2 shot handloads. For those with M-31's, I had a 20 ga. M-31 for a number of years, and they are slick little pump guns.

My "go to" dove gun is a Cynergy 12 ga, it fits good & swings well. IC on top & LM on bottom, w/ a spare skeet & modified choke. My favorite feature on a double is the ability to run 2 different chokes and the benefit of a selective trigger according to the situation. The other benefit that I enjoy, is the convenience of not having bend down to pick up your hulls.

My favorite dove gun is the same as my favorite deer gun - 12ga H&H Royal Hammerless Paradox.

Franchi 720. I like the semi for doves.

I have a stable of 28 gauges that I love to use on doves. The 12's 16's and 20's all sit idly by while dove season is in full swing!

Parker reproduction 28 gauge and a Browning superposed 20.

I used a 1987 mfg Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen. I had a great time even though I hadn't picked up a shotgun in over 5 years. The only thing I didn't like was chasing shells in tall rattler infested grass!

Andy

When I was younger I used an old Browning A-5 16ga that I inherited from my grandfather when he passed away. Grandaddy was a short man and had cut about an inch or so off the stock and as a kid, it fit me perfect. I quit using it when it got too short for me. A few years back, I called Browning to see about getting a replacement stock and after giving them the serial number, they told me the gun was made in 1937! Though I put a new stock on it, it hasn't been shot in I dont know how many years. Think I am going to take it out when the second season rolls around.

Something special about those old Belgian humpbacks...

You should. It would make your grandpa proud! I shoot my grandpa's Remington Model 11 occasionally while pheasant hunting (Browning Auto-5 replica as produced by Remington-minus a few items like the magazine cut-off, etc.)and I swear I still hear his voice when I do!

Isn't a "sweet sixteen" a little girl's birthday celebration?

I'm just kidding...the A5 is a classic that will always be respected & loved. Mine has been sitting on the bottom of the Arkansas River for 18 years; Thanks Grandma for getting mad at Grandpa!

Speaking of the 16 bore, I had ready to use my Rizzini Aurum Light EL O/U but the doves aren't cooperating, perhaps due to the droughty conditions. Whatever the cause, they're not moving in my neck of the woods. The only time I see some is in the forenoon when it's illegal to hunt them.

What's up with that? Morning doves cannot be hunted before noon! At least this part of the migratory season.

quote:

they told me the gun was made in 1937

Adamhunter: your gun has a mfg date close to my other 16. I have two and love them. Yours probably has a 2-9/16 chamber. 2-1/2 inch shells are available from Midway and shoot great in these guns. I tried many brands and like the Gamebore shells the best.

Andy

Adamhunter: your gun has a mfg date close to my other 16. I have two and love them. Yours probably has a 2-9/16 chamber. 2-1/2 inch shells are available from Midway and shoot great in these guns. I tried many brands and like the Gamebore shells the best.

Andy[/QUOTE]

Andy,
It has a 2-3/4 chamber as that as what I always shot out of it. As far as it being made in 1937, that is just what the man at Browning told me when he ran the serial number. I dont know if that is fact or not. My father was born in 1940 and he said Grandaddy had the gun ever since he can remember, so the timeline works out give or take a few years.

Adam,

Check that barrel again. If your Browning 16 A-5 was infact made in '37 it would have had a 2-9/16 chamber. The pre WWII Belgium Brownings had short chambers. If your barrel says 2-3/4 it is most likely not original. I'll try to get a picture of my barrel information posted.

Adam,

FWIW, I don't know much about the 16s but you might like to check the end of the fired 2 3/4" cases and see if they're tattered. If they are, then your gun probably has the shorter chambering and the end of the cases are hitting the ends of your forcing/firing cones and breaking up.

If I'm right, I'd suggest you check with someone like Eley but I think you'll find that you should be using the longer case with the rolled crimp rather than longer star crimped cartridges.

That's certainly the case with my 12 gauge, 2 1/2 inch chambered Dickson.