Defining the attributes of the perfect ruffed grouse gun over generations of grouse hunters and authors from weight to barrel length

[iron cat]

Have no experience with the 9.3x72r but have read it's a fairly light chambering far below what the 9.3x74r cartridge is capable of.
Before I got into doubles I turned down a mint drilling in 16/16/7x57r. Thought to my self why would I want that? Looking back I truely regret it

Nowadays I do enjoy my 16ga sxs but much prefer a 20ga

Yeah the 9.3x72R is more like a 38/55. A 197 grain factory round from RWS with an Mantel bullet is about 1,800 FPS.
Cat

 

[iron cat]

These are all great upland guns in their own rite
The top one is a nice light 20 gauge side lock, by FAIR,
The middle is my Westely Richards BP carytridge 12, and the bottom is a great muzzle loader, a Berreta Tri Centenial in 12. I no longer own this gun, but it is being enjoyed by another hunter!
Cat

 

[kevin9934]

The perfect grouse gun exist. The old 0.410" 3" Miroku/Charles Daily 26" O/U

If you have to shoot a grouse farther than 25 yards then you should revisit your way to approach them or shoot a 12 ga with a full…

 

[iron cat]

The perfect grouse gun exist. The old 0.410" 3" Miroku/Charles Daily 26" O/U

If you have to shoot a grouse farther than 25 yards then you should revisit your way to approach them or shoot a 12 ga with a full…

I can only assume you are shooting your birds on the ground and not over dogs?

Cat

 

[sillymike]

In reading the comments one point was missed. I am 5'7" and longer barrels can be an issue while dragging my sorry butt through the bush. I really prefer shorter barrels for that reason, all other shooting dynamics aside. Currently using a Darne sixteen circa 1914 and having a ball.

Hunting with a short(er)-barrel Darne ? a 68cm barrel?
- I'm not much taller, seems like weight of the gun makes a bigger difference than barrel length

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

Steve, I missed that bit about no season for you. Hope you are feeling better and your recovery goes well. My season is also on hold……I have a relatively sudden significant problem with my right (was the dominant) eye. Have lost a significant amount of vision in it and it’s not coming back. At my age switching to left handed seems a bit daunting. I’m still trying to figure out what to do.

I had the same issue with me shootin' eye starting a few yrs back and have had intraocular lens replacement done on that eye last month &
gettin' me left one done this month. Cataracts suck, but ye get a good clinic and the results can be well worth it. Like night & day for me now.

As for grouse & quail work I've never bonked them with shotguns, only .177 airguns & .22 rimfires.