Does anyone do it? I have a Remington 870 with 18.5 barrel and cylinder bore and am thinking about using it for grouse this weekend if the opportunity arises, however I have only ever used field barrels with full or modified chokes and have no idea how well cylinder bore will work. I never have a chance to shoot at birds on the fly due to the terrain and vegetation if that matters and almost all shots are inside 20 yards.
Hunting With Cylinder Bore
- Thread starter Joe549
- Start date
Most of the grouse I've ever shot, and it has been a lot, have been taken down with an improved cylinder 20 gauge. I've been very satisfied. A couple years ago I picked up a Mossberg 930HS (12 gauge semi, 18.5") with a cylinder bore. For the sake of variety I've taken it out a few times and it has worked perfectly. Out to 20 yards cylinder bore seems like a really good idea.
I was thinking the spread migh be too wide, usually I go for head shots and rarely get any pellets in the breast and if I do it is no more than a couple.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Pattern density is as important as pattern spread, pattern your gun to discover what the maximum range is. Once there are holes in the pattern large enough that the bird could be missed, regardless of how wide the pattern is, you need to get closer . . . or put in a modified tube.
Not as easy as it sounds.
Opening day my buddy dusted a couple of chickens with his SxS 20guage.
Imp mod. and Mod. using Federal 6 lead at 25yrds.
The bird was hit both times and managed to get up and fly away into the bushes, but with some due diligence he was able to find and grab them .
These birds where to dam dumb to not keep going while the going is good.
Early birds are not well educated, but give them another week and they will be pretty dam gun shy.
Either way, they are tasty when done.
Tight Chokes,
Rob
Wait for the deer to stand still.... wait for the bird to fly..... so many rules to follow!!
OP- at that range your cylinder choke will be fine. Patterning your gun is smart no matter what though. It can be quite surprising and is the only true way to answer your own question.
OP- at that range your cylinder choke will be fine. Patterning your gun is smart no matter what though. It can be quite surprising and is the only true way to answer your own question.
I would concur that you should pattern on paper to see how your shotgun and your chosen hunting load performs. You'll be fine.
I remember being 12 and my dad handing me a 12 gauge shotgun with a cylinder bore and pointing at a grouse. I missed my shot, dust flew up and we couldn't see anything. Once the dust settled the little chicken was still there and hadn't even flinched. I didn't miss the second shot.
I remember being 12 and my dad handing me a 12 gauge shotgun with a cylinder bore and pointing at a grouse. I missed my shot, dust flew up and we couldn't see anything. Once the dust settled the little chicken was still there and hadn't even flinched. I didn't miss the second shot.
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I've shot scads of them with skeet chokes and cylinder bore barrels with everything from 28's to 12's, and smokeless to black powder.
Never had an issue!:>)
Cat
Never had an issue!:>)
Cat
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Shooting them on the fly where I hunt is near impossible. Unless you see them flush and have the gun on your shoulder and pointed in the right direction, you might get a shot, otherwise when you flush a bird by the time you figure out where it is and the direction it is going it is already gone. The area we are in, WMU 58, is very hilly, if you are walking you are either going up or down and there will be guts on all sides of you. The vegetation is thick enough that a wing shot will mostly impact brush. There are about three spots where wing shooting is possible, but no guarantee there will be birds there.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
Joe don't feel offended, Grouse hunting in Southern Ontario has nothing in common with the rest of the country. Here in the Maritimes you take a Grouse anyway offered a shot, ground, tree or air. Cyl or Imp.Cyl are best for close range work on Grouse or Hares. That having been said only 2 of my last 5 grouse guns have been anything but Modified or Mod/Full, put 18 in the freezer last fall, about half on the wing.
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I've hunted partridge and pheasants in four provinces- one of them Ontario, and had no problems.
The difference for me I think is that Ii was using a dog?
We also hut some very close cover up here in Northern Alberta, but the dog is invaluable when it comes to very tight bush.
Cat
Joe549 - I'm not being judgemental, people are free to hunt as they please. I hunt grouse in the same type of bush. After so many years of bird hunting, the "thrill is gone" regarding ground shots. So, I try to wing shoot regardless. I've changed my stalking technique accordingly. Its quite gratifying to hit one after having flushed it several times, having to shoot through the trees, etc.
ninepointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Central Ontario
My go-to bunny, woodcock and grouse gun is a my SxS 20 ga. choked cyl/cyl. The shooting is 20 yards or less.
However, if I'm hunting southern Ontario grouse (which don't let you approach as close as northern ruffies), I'll carry an IC/Mod gun.
However, if I'm hunting southern Ontario grouse (which don't let you approach as close as northern ruffies), I'll carry an IC/Mod gun.
Ahsan Ahmed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I have hunted both 57 and 58. Trouble is, early Fall, regardless of any WMU being hunted, the foliage is very dense and the only option left for wingshooting is to shoot through/at
trees. Follow through is essential, nevertheless. Obviously, use of a gun dog offers the best advantage for being prepared for a shot. Retrieval, without dog assist is a challenge in thick bush.I have hunted both 57 and 58. Trouble is, early Fall, regardless of any WMU being hunted, the foliage is very dense and the only option left for wingshooting is to shoot through/at
Yes this time of year is the worst due to the foliage still being on the trees. I flushed up one bird on Saturday, about 15 feet away from me and couldn't even see it on the ground due to the low growth crap and I was looking pretty much right at it. It flew over the embankment and went maybe 30 yards at the most from where it was originally but I couldn't find it and I have no desire to go stompin around in 4 foot low growth and dead fall on the a hill. The under growth and dead fall is so thick in some areas that you can't see 10 feet on either side of the trails.
