grouse hunting gun?

[K-Roc]

Give me your opinion on the best grouse hunting gun and ammo? Single shot 410? 12 gauge , short barrel with bird shot? 22 with a scope? How do you pros do it? Thanks in advance!

 

[looch]

Depends on where, when, and how you are hunting. Pressured birds - fast, light double with one cylinder and one modified bore. Up north while moose hunting - 22 or air rifle. Later in the season - leaves down, semi-auto with a modified bore. These are, of course, only my opinions.

 

[Suther]

Just get a 12ga pump like a Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. That way you can easily and affordably experiment to find what you like best for your preferred choke(s) and barrel length.

I think the Remington is slightly heavier because it has a steel receiver vs the alloy receiver of a mossy.

 

[guntech]

I am not hunting specifically for grouse, we often come across them on logging roads while scouting for moose. If it does not disrupt our moose hunt we shoot them in the head with scoped 22 rifles sighted in for about 15 yards. I use 22 LR Sub Sonic ammo. It is way more accurate than any of the quieter 22 cb ammunition made.

If I were to use a shotgun it would be my 20 gauge lightweight 870 with improved cylinder tube and a light load of #6 shot. (easier to pick out of meat than finer shot is)

 

[Goldenlakepete]

A light weight 20 ga shotgun (I prefer doubles) with an open choke or adjustable choke.

My favourite is my Davide Pedersoli (Navy Arms) 12 ga SxS muzzle loader,

 

[two-dogs]

we prefer #6 shot, seem to get more kills than 7 1/2, use a 410 and a 20 and a 12 ga. If someone misses, they get razzzzzzed, you got out smarted by that grouse!

 

[NL-Hunter]

.22 lr

 

[K-Roc]

I was camping this wkend and saw a lot of grouse... Newer to hunting but would like to give it a go. Think I could just use my 870 clone with 12.5" barrel ? Regular bird shot? I have a 22 as well but would prob need a scope to get a good head shot on a small target like that.

 

[altaberg]

Last year I got a Savage m42 410/22lr.

The thing now lives in my truck during hunting season.
It is nice for grouse.

I end up using mostly 410 for grouse though.

 

[GMC403]

Single shot 20ga, or 22lr in a short bolt or lever action.

 

[HeadDamage]

I'm using a Double Badger 22lr over .410.

 

[Mount Sweetness]

I just got back from a grouse hunt and used a 20ga sxs with I/C and Mod, #7.5 1st shot, #6 2nd shot. Next time I will be going up with my 28ga Wingmaster with Skeet choke and #7.5's. These grouse are spooky and extremely fast, lots of woodcock around right now too. Nothing tighter than I/C for sure as I hunt over a Pointer.

 

[did_b]

Also using a double badger 22lr/410. Have a 1x scope on it with see though rings

 

[kamlooky]

Hmmmmmmm dawgie..........A-5 in 20 gaugie.
Knee same as moi......

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[AP]

If I were to use a shotgun it would be my 20 gauge lightweight 870 with improved cylinder tube and a light load of #6 shot. (easier to pick out of meat than finer shot is)

x2 mines a 20g 870 LW with mahogany stock, IC and no vent rib - was the lightest I could find at the time.. even so sometimes it throws a pretty tight pattern at 20 yds that can be unnecessarily "disruptive". It points pretty quick though. Would love to try an old 1100 20g LW

My 12g 1100 is about 35 years old and is redundant ... but would probably be the last firearm I will sell. Something special about the older Remington shotguns.

 

[Mumbles Marble Mouth]

I use a 20 gauge over/under. IC top barrel, modified bottom barrel. Its about 7lbs in weight. Most people get a lightweight shotgun but then hunt from their truck or a quad. Makes no sense to me. I do not promote that style of hunting unless you're incapable of long walks due to old age or leg injury or both. Most people are just lazy though.

 

[Hotwheels81]

My arsenal consists of a .410 H&R, a mossberg 20ga, a baikal 12ga SxS, a savage mk2 .22 and my ruger 10-22...
All of them put birds down it just depends what you want to do on the given day, for trips to my hunting spots I keep the .410 on the back seat so I can shoot from the road, for walking field edges I take the pump or SxS with full/mod chokes so when they flush I can reach out a bit further... The .22's only get used as camp guns for random birds that are foolish enough to ring there dinner bell within earshot or the odd rabbit...

I have used #4-#7 shot with great success in all of them but I reserve shots to 25 yards + and aim 4" over the target on stationary birds...

My next bird gun will be a nice O/U .410 with screw in chokes or the same in a 28ga...

 

[hoytcanon]

We have killed grouse with everything from thrown rocks, blowguns, slingshots, bows, air rifles and pistols, .22 LR, .17 HM2, & other rimfire, head shots with centerfire rifles, and shotguns of every ilk... your best all round bet would be a 20 gauge with an I/C choke and light 7 1/2 game loads... IMO.

 

[blasted_saber]

20g with number 6 shot. Ideally not a single shot.

 

[Norma]

20 gauge with 7-1/2 Rem Heavy Dove