ideal shotgun round for grouse?

... ruger 22:

Why not spend part of the "off-season" this winter doing a little research ?

Read a little from the many sportitmg titles available on grouse & grouse hunting; authors shuch as Burt Spiller, H.G. Tapply, George Bird Evans, Gene Hill, Dr. Charles C.Norris, Charley Waterman, Frank Woolner and others ... granted, there may be a liitle difference between east & west, but it shouldn't be hard to see what some very experianced gunners use.

... silly mike:

Yup, that AyA No. 2 would do just fine for me. Make mine a 7/8 oz. load of 8's (never needed any more) out of 28" barrels - about .005" and .015" choke. Like the straight stock & double triggers ! A 20 or 28 A.H. Fox, Lefever, Parker, or something similar out of London, Birmingham, Brescia or Eibar would also work quite nicely !

Now, a nice Llewelyn blue belton with a full-choked nose who liked to work close-in and a re-run of those fine October days ... all a fella could ask for.
 
hvmetalhead said:
.12 gauge 3" 1/2" Magnum slug. It will pluck, skin, gut and cook the bird all at the same time.
Click to expand...

You're probably kidding, but not that far from the truth, just the same. As a youngster, I once went on a moose hunt with my Dad and my Uncle. I didn't own a rifle (too young), so my uncle lent me his Weatherby in 300 MAG. I carried that gun for 3 days and then got to thinking "What if I see a moose and miss because the rifle isn't sighted in as I expect?". So, later in the day when I saw a Sruce Grouse, I decided to take a shot and see if the gun was shooting where I expected it to. Well, once I scraped my butt off the ground, I went up the cut line to see if I had hit the bird. I found the bird, minus it's head, with most of the skin and feathers in a pile 10 feet further up the trail.:eek:

PeakXV said:
Ironically with all the expense, prepartion & tactical decisions that one makes to prepare - an unorthodox shot 'from the hip' through a very narrow corridor is often your only chance at bringing those winged wizards back to earth in those protypical brambly-dense ruffed grouse coverts.
Click to expand...

So true!! It ain't called snap-shooting for nothing.:D
 
I have used a 20 gauge since I first went out with my father I was 5 at that time
My now "much more expensive" 20 gauge o/u is well balanced,easy to handle and bring about,using #6 shoot leaves the game in tact
 
kimmer82 said:
if you want to save cost for shells and rifle.. long stick to smack grouse on the head will also works well.
Click to expand...

It's funny because these guys talking about sooting grouse on the wing, and flushing them must not be anywhere close to where I hunt em.

I have only ever seen 2 grouse fly up at my cottage, 1 was after I shot it, and the other was after I took several shots at/around it with a busted scope.

Literally they just scurry around on the ground and under trees, and let you get close enough you could hit them with a stick around my parts. Usually they are just sitting out in the open sunning on the trails, or in clearings.

For my experience a short light .22 with irons is ideal for when I have to chase them into the bush, which is about half the time.

Headshots are the name of the game, as these buggers can be tough. As I said I have shot 1 with a Hi-Vel hollowpoint blowing it's back right out leaving a fist sized hole, and it still flew 20m.
 
If I'm on the trails, I prefer my single shot .410 for grouse. If I'm in the fields and I'm pushing up birds with a springer spaniel, I prefer my Beretta o/u in 12 or 20 gauge. For grouse I like to use #7 or target shot and for pheasants I use something heavier like #5 or #6.

Each to their own, everyone hunts different for different birds.
 
Remington 870 Express youth in 20 gauge.

IMG_0283.jpg
 
.410 #7.5 3". been working well for me. i just got my .410 press in so i will load up some hot 3/4oz loads and see how they pattern. .410 has the power no problem. its the pellet count. if you get the right combo and have consistant pattering in a .410 its great. i shoot 25 yrds no problem.
 
regulate34 said:
.410 #7.5 3". been working well for me. i just got my .410 press in so i will load up some hot 3/4oz loads and see how they pattern. .410 has the power no problem. its the pellet count. if you get the right combo and have consistant pattering in a .410 its great. i shoot 25 yrds no problem.
Click to expand...

Try to locate a bag of magnum 8 1/2 shot. Any shot larger than # 7 1/2 gives futile patterns with a 410 if wing shooting birds is your intent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom