Thinking of buying an O/A shotgun

[rwc101]

I went grouse hunting with some family friends in the UP. Walked all day and only saw one bird right before the end of shooting light. Being good hosts, they set me up for the flush. Bird took off in thick brush and I didn't take a shot because I didn't get a good look at the bird through all the brush. The Yoopers all had a look of disgust on their faces before explaining that you never get a clear shot and that the first shot is to clear out the brush and the second is for the bird.

 

[Guest member 25165]

Many years ago when I was back in college I used to hang out a lot in one of the local gun stores. The store owner had a side by side, double trigger 10 gauge shotgun on his wall. I was fairly new to shotguns back then so I asked him about that gun.

He said he bought it for goose hunting and the first time he took it out a goose flew over, he had a finger on each trigger and when he pulled the front trigger the recoil made him pull the second trigger which then knocked him flat on his back on the ground. He said that gun had been hanging on the wall in his shop ever since.

I can only imagine. My first duck gun was an inertia based 12 gauge and that thing just beat the living day lights out of my cheek and jaw. I quickly sold it and opted for a gas semi-auto...much more comfortable for me. I don't consider myself to be recoil sensitive, but those inertia guns with duck/goose loads...not my cup of tea.

 

[MTLabrador]

My 6 lb 9 oz Browning 12 gauge really slowed me down today.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I can only imagine. My first duck gun was an inertia based 12 gauge and that thing just beat the living day lights out of my cheek and jaw. I quickly sold it and opted for a gas semi-auto...much more comfortable for me. I don't consider myself to be recoil sensitive, but those inertia guns with duck/goose loads...not my cup of tea.

I shot an inertia gun for the first time two months ago. A primer backfired in my A5 and jammed it on the last clays station of the night. I used Jacob's borrowed Benelli auto to finish up. With just trap loads it pounded me! But I still cleaned the station. The long recoil action of my A5 is actually quite soft if adjusted properly but most people don't care for the barrel jumping forward at the end of cycle. I kinda like it.

 

[TheJason]

This thread is golden for entertainment purposes. Especially with the “Sonny” moniker.

 

[OntarioHunter]

My 6 lb 9 oz Browning 12 gauge really slowed me down today.

View attachment 158004

My old 7+ lb Wingmaster fowl weather gun didn't slow me down at all. And my hands stayed warm in pockets during the walk out. A great gun for hunting in typhoons. How well does that fancy Browning tread water?

 

[Nick87]

FFS.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Through it all I've been waiting and no one threw it out, so I will now...

"ok Boomer"

 

[Ben Lamb]

I was going to pick up an sbe in left hand, but now my understanding is the recoil will punish me?

Heaven's to Mergatroyd.

 

[TheJason]

@OntarioHunter I edited this to remove a sarcastic reference to Jesus, which was completely inappropriate given the amount of hubris and arrogance you’ve displayed here. You seem to struggle with recognizing your preferences and opinions quite possibly don’t mean anything to others.

I’m sure you’ll double down and keep digging. That’s a common theme in this thread. You’ll probably toss in some stuff about yourself impress others with your street cred, like how many limits of birds you’ve killed.

It’s no use to debate anything you. Once you played the “listen here Sonny” card you lost me, and I’m sure others too. Now, maybe you should work on being a nice and polite Canadian.

 

[88man]

If your over 6 foot look at a Browning if under 6 feet look at a Beretta

 

[TheJason]

Back to the intent of the thread, as a comparison the Beretta 686 ultralight weighs 5.9 pounds, the Benelli Ultra light semi auto is 6.1.

Personally, I prefer a tang safety. If a sling is important to you, factor that into your choices. The only time I use a sling is waterfowl hunting. From an ergonomic standpoint, I find my SXS far more comfortable to carry all day in the chukar hills than my Beretta 392. It also points faster for me. Comparing the two is like comparing a Ruana knife to a machete you’d buy at Ace Hardware.

Please note, aside from the posted weights these are my opinions and not gospel truths.

 

[OntarioHunter]

@OntarioHunter I edited this to remove a sarcastic reference to Jesus, which was completely inappropriate given the amount of hubris and arrogance you’ve displayed here. You seem to struggle with recognizing your preferences and opinions quite possibly don’t mean anything to others.

I’m sure you’ll double down and keep digging. That’s a common theme in this thread. You’ll probably toss in some stuff about yourself impress others with your street cred, like how many limits of birds you’ve killed.

It’s no use to debate anything you. Once you played the “listen here Sonny” card you lost me, and I’m sure others too. Now, maybe you should work on being a nice and polite Canadian.

I guess the "nice and polite" is a two way street. Look into the history. I promise to walk a tighter line in the future. But I certainly hope personal opinions are not discouraged hubris or no. There certainly seems to be no shortage of it on either side of this discussion.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I guess the "nice and polite" is a two way street. Look into the history. I promise to walk a tighter line in the future. But I certainly hope personal opinions are not discouraged hubris or no. There certainly seems to be no shortage of it on either side of this discussion.

We'd all be better off if we could laugh at ourselves, which hopefully is what this thread is really about.

But here's a 6.5 pound Greifelt (1936 Vintage) after mile 10 in the sagebrush, along with the pup's first birds. Because I like the photo, and to prove that my O/U is nicer than that pedestrian Citori everybody seems to like. It doesn't beat me up too bad, even 1 3/8's OZ #4's.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I went out this afternoon and covered about a mile of this cover. Flushed one woodcock and took the shot. Blasted a hole about 12" diameter through the tree canopy. The branches deflected or blocked the shot pattern enough that the bird made a clean get away. This type of cover is what a short O/U action gun is all about. View attachment 157985
View attachment 157986

Looks familiar. Today I checked the end slough for the last time. Ducks and geese were almost gone yesterday. Last night's frost and dusting of snow sent the rest on their way south. Checking all the sloughs is several miles walking including at least one through this awful mess at the end. The dogs regularly kick up grouse in there though I can seldom get a shot. But the gun is switched out to #7 steel and skeet choke just in case. When the corn is in the adjacent fields the grouse are safe. Then my gun is loaded with three 3" slugs when in the timber. Lots of bears marauding the corn from this woodlot. The A5 handles the thick stuff remarkably well due to where it's balanced. Gripping the fore end with right hand at the end near the receiver, I can tuck the receiver between my elbow and waist and it stays protected there pretty much on it's own. The muzzle is pointed ahead and down. Left hand is free to fight with brush. But of course this gun is a custom job. Point being that I agree for hunting in thick stuff (or rather, trying to hunt in thick stuff), balance is paramount.

Where there's water and poplar, there will be beaver deadfall. Ugh!

Approaching the hike in to last slough.

The last slough. Fr Brit bringing in a teal last year.

 

[OntarioHunter]

We'd all be better off if we could laugh at ourselves, which hopefully is what this thread is really about.

But here's a 6.5 pound Greifelt (1936 Vintage) after mile 10 in the sagebrush, along with the pup's first birds. Because I like the photo, and to prove that my O/U is nicer than that pedestrian Citori everybody seems to like. It doesn't beat me up too bad, even 1 3/8's OZ #4's.

View attachment 158123

Well, that one is too nice to take hunting. The gun of course. Where did you find it? A Depression era luxury shotgun must be a rare commodity.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Well, that one is too nice to take hunting. The gun of course. Where did you find it? A Depression era luxury shotgun must be a rare commodity.

First hunt I ever took it on, I dropped it and got a nice scar on the right side of the buttstock.

I found it online, at Griffin & Howe. It was originally sold through the NY Abercrombie & Fitch store to a wealthy furrier. I sprang for the G&H historian to go through the recrods and find the owners down through time. Cool piece of history to go with the gun.

And it cost less than a new Citori.

 

[huronmtns]

If you have a ventilated rib you can make sling for an O/U in about ten minutes. I had some strap materials left over from when I used to build and sell fiberglass pack baskets for trappers. This one is 1 1/2" wide strap. I was going to a 1" strap but I would have to look where I put those buckles.

Slide it through any vent rib location along the barrel you like for carry height adjustment.

 

[Guest member 25165]

I'm sorry but a sling on an O/U is like spandex on a sumo wrestler...it just doesn't belong.

 

[mtmiller]

View attachment 158123

But does it kill roosters?