Do you have a dedicated upland shotgun?

I have three 20ga SKB Model 100's, two SKB 20ga O/U's, A Weatherby Orion in 20ga, a Ruger Gold Label SxS, 3 Merkel 16ga, Browning Lightning 16ga, Browning Sweet 16, New Browning Sweet 16 on order, Isadora Rizzini in 28ga and a Weatherby SA-08 in 28ga.
Problem is which to take (Decisions - decisions) -- the 100's & the SA-08 are my go to GROUSE/woodcock guns with the remainder dedicated to mostly pheasants.
 
heronfish said:
I've been pondering selling off a few rifles in order to buy a dedicated sharptail/hun shotgun. (check the ee, hint hint nudge nudge)
I currently have 3 shotguns, all 12s. An ithaca 37 waterfowl, a5 light 12 and a b2000.
Is it really worth investing in another shotgun or better to use the ones I already Own?
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Without a doubt my favorite shotguns are dedicated upland guns even though I am an avid water fowler and spend much more time in the swamp than afield.

I like a 30 inch barrel 12 gauge auto loader for water fowl that is balanced slightly towards the barrel end to keep the swing smooth and follow through consistent. I also like a little weight to a duck gun to aid in the above and soften recoil.

I like a 26-28 inch barrelled O/U or SXS 20 gauge for grouse that is neutral balance or even a wee bit butt heavy. I hunt mostly bush for Ruffies over dogs. Quick snap shots to where the bird is going to be with open chokes are required. The bird would be long gone before I could swing on it with a heavy 12 gauge. I do a lot of hiking so 5-6 pounds only and decent wood is a must.

By design O/Us and SXS are 3-4 inches shorter even without shorter barrels and the field models are much livelier in hand.

Proper fit is a must but once you find "the one" you will never lug a duck gun through the field again. I have a FAIR 20 O/U that I really like but have a soft spot for the SKBs. I have owned many over the years including the first shotgun I ever owned. If you are quick on the key board the odd one comes up on the EE for a reasonable price. I scored a model 100 20 gauge SKB over the winter that I am very excited about getting out this fall.
 
Yes, for Upland game, a 12 ga. 28" Union Armera (Grulla) SxS bored 0.005" & 0.015".
I also have a dedicated Waterfowl gun, Trap gun, Skeet gun & Sporting Clays gun.

If you liken shooting to golf, where most pros carry the maximum 14 clubs, why would you try to shoot a whole round of gold with just a 5 iron ?
You can do it, but you will more than likely do much better with the various clubs dedicated for the typical shots you may encounter.

Sure you can shoot the target games with your field gun or take your Trap gun waterfowling, ut you will do better with guns designed for the purpose.
 
AyA Model 106 16 gauge, AyA No. 2 in 20 gauge, Beretta 687 20 gauge, Italian hammer 12 gauge side by sides ( 2 of), Citori 12 gauge, Model 12 Winchester that I seem to be able to shoot better than most, lots to choose from. Yes, an upland gun that appeals to you is a good thing.
 
Always have dedicated upland guns... they change fairly often... for this year a pair of BSS Sporter's in 12 and 20 gauge.

My favorite pair were a Ruger Red Label 20 and Gold Label 12... in a moment of insanity I sold the pair to a fellow hunter after a South Dakota pheasant hunt.
 
Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon O/U in 20ga, a 6 pound 4 ounce Belgian Guild SxS 12Ga and a Spanish Armas EGO 12ga sidelock are on tap for this year. Beretta 409 SxS 12Ga, Savage Milano O/U 12ga and CZ Grouse 20ga SxS might see some use. No matter the gun, I can't wait for the season to start!!!
 
I have an Ugartechea 20ga SxS for woodcock and grouse in thick cover, a 16ga Winchester model 12 for everything else, and a 16ga and 12ga Tobin SxS when I am feeling nostalgic. I also have an Extrema for waterfowl/turkey/coyotes/deer, a rifled 870, and a 391 custom clays gun. The one gun solution is boring.
 
Potshot21 said:
This may be a bit of a hijack, but can be answered fairly quickly. Why do I see a trend of guys saying 20 gauges are the best for upland? I'm just curious why you'd want one over a 12 gauge.
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Lighter, slimmer, quicker (IMO), with more than enough payload... just my opinion, I also shoot 12 gauge but if I was forced to choose only one gun for all upland game, it would be a 20 gauge SXS with 28" barrels... sprightly, trim, and good balance.
 
From a perspective of double barrel shotguns (let's think field models) - regardless of bore size, how one may carry (read weigh) and handle during use will be highly dependent on how that was built (read scaled) and balanced in the first place.

For example - generally speaking, a 20 (or 16) built on a 12 frame, a 28 or 410 built perhaps on a 12 or even on a 20 frame will lack the proper handling properties sought for in a breechloading double gun. Loosely translated, such type of 20 or 28ga guns will weigh the same as a 12 and handle quite awkwardly from a view point of performance and thus defeats the overall purpose of the smaller gauges.

The choice of gauge could be mainly driven by hunting scenarios and the species of game bird being pursued. In other words, A 20 may not do as well where the need actually calls for a 12. Alternately, a 12 may be overkill in scenarios that could adequately be met with a 20 or 28.

Bottomline, a properly built/balanced game gun, even if that is a 12, will handle gracefully and be equally pleasant to carry in the field.
 
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