Post your dedicated rabbit gun!

vpsalin

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I'm in the process of restoring an old semi-auto french gun, from the town of St-Etienne France, probably from the 1960s. It's a Manufrance Perfex 12GA 2.75 chamber. I'm sure not many people know much about this gun. Seems very rare for north america. In quebec in those days, this was used as a dedicated waterfowl gun. With the introduction of steel shot, those days are long gone now.

The only use I can see now for this gun in my collection is as a rabbit gun. It's VERY light weight with aluminum receiver and thin barrel. Space age stuff for 1960s I think. Also being semi auto the follow up shots should come very quickly in the field. The full choke is going to hold it back somewhat but I might do something about that soon.

It looks like the one in this picture;
maxresdefault.jpg


I'm looking to see other people's dedicated rabbit guns, the one you only take out for rabbits. Please post pictures, I'm looking for inspiration.

Thanks
 
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Hmmm, I don't hunt rabbits but I do hunt for Manufrance shotguns. Typically though, I'm after the SxS models like my 12 gauge pictured below. The Manufrance Ideal is a totally unique design, not a copy of anything else and was in production continuously (except for during the wars) from 1888 to 1985. This one is circa 1921. It's a round action with no top lever, with coil, not leaf springs and is likely the strongest break action ever designed. BTW, while St Etienne may be a small town, it is absolutely the centre of French gunmaking, as Suhl is to Germany, Liege is to Belgium, Ferlach is to Austria and Birmingham is to England.

 
I'm in the process of restoring an old semi-auto french gun, from the town of St-Etienne France, probably from the 1960s. It's a Manufrance Perfex 12GA 2.75 chamber. I'm sure not many people know much about this gun. Seems very rare for north america. In quebec in those days, this was used as a dedicated waterfowl gun. With the introduction of steel shot, those days are long gone now.

The only use I can see now for this gun in my collection is as a rabbit gun. It's VERY light weight with aluminum receiver and thin barrel. Space age stuff for 1960s I think. Also being semi auto the follow up shots should come very quickly in the field. The full choke is going to hold it back somewhat but I might do something about that soon.

It looks like the one in this picture;
maxresdefault.jpg


I'm looking to see other people's dedicated rabbit guns, the one you only take out for rabbits. Please post pictures, I'm looking for inspiration.

Thanks

Well, if I was to pursue rabbits as dedicated game it would be the 1100 - 20 gauge and if that wasnt handy the 870 28 loaded with game shot #5 Federal's would be the answer to their plight.
Canvasback, thats a very nice looking piece of wood attached to that sxs.
I will have to do some research on the manufacture of Manfrance when I get home from work tonight and investigate the action you mention.
Interesting bunnies you posted vpsalin ;)
Rob
 
Henry lever in 410, though it is a little bit disingenuous to call it 'dedicated'. Definitely my rabbit gun though (and squirrels, or just clays, or plinking - pretty much always looking for excuses to grab it). I've had nothing but fun with it since I bought that thing.
 
Last few seasons have found me grabbing my Benelli legacy 28ga when heading out the door for rabbits. At 5lbs it’s easy to carry on long walks and fast handling in the thick stuff. 3/4 of #6 shot does the trick without causing to much meat damage.
 
Now Canvasback has got me dreaming of Manufrance Ideals again :rolleyes: thought I could jus pop in and see what guys are shooting rabbits with. Back down the “rabbit hole” if you don’t mind the pun. :cool:
 
Henry lever in 410, though it is a little bit disingenuous to call it 'dedicated'. Definitely my rabbit gun though (and squirrels, or just clays, or plinking - pretty much always looking for excuses to grab it). I've had nothing but fun with it since I bought that thing.


I just picked up a Henry 410 lever myself and look forward to taking it rabbit hunting this season.
 
I have fine results with my 870 using 3 dram, loads of #6 shot. Barrel is a Carlson's 26" using a Comp-N-Choke I/M tube. Fookin' evil on tree rats & birds etc.;)

REMMY 870.jpg
 

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I'm completely new to hunting, but I have a Savage MKII G with a Nikon scope (soon to be mounted) that I will be attempting to use for rabbit hunting this coming season.

Depending on how it goes, might use my Marlin 795 with Tech Sights if I feel the range is appropriate.

We'll see what kind of success is to be had!
 
I used to use my IGA Stoeger 410 side x side with 20” barrel but since I built this modified Crosman Mark1 in 25 cal, it’s all I want to use now. In Ontario it’s legal to handgun hunt with a pellet gun under 500fps and this one does 475-490 FPS on CO2@ 15 shots with 16gr predator pellets which is just under 14 ft/lb. so no problem with squirrels and rabbits.
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early 1900s WW Greener 25-20 (Rook cal. rechambered). It rawks, accurate like crazy with 85gr LFPs at about 1450fps. 3 folding leaf rear sights 50/100/300, I just use the 50, been smoking rabbits! My Yellow Lab loves me
 
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