ideal small game shotgun?

[Goose25]

I'm thinking of getting a new shotgun for upland bird and small game hunting.

what's your ideal set-up for hunting grouse and bunnies?

what shotgun, gauge, action, barrel lenght, choke, ect...????

 

[Jay]

12 gauge pump... Currently have a Benelli Nova, great gun!

Cheers
Jay

 

[sealhunter]

I think the best you could do for an upland setup, would be O/U or SXS 16 gauge. That is my personal setup.

You could go to 20 gauge, nothing wrong with it, I just prefer the 16.

12 gauge for me, would not be the choice in a dedicated upland shotgun.
Pump action would be my last choice of action as well,...

For me, there is a three way tie for upland, ...Semi, O/U or SXS in 16 gauge.
I like a 28 inch barrel in modified. For the double,..M/M or M/IM or M/F
M/IC is good, but a little limiting..for me.

 

[browninggold]

Just had the perfect upland gun delivered last week. Browning Gold Upland in 20g with a 26" bbl, and under 7lbs. More than enough for grouse or rabbit, easy to carry around, super reliable, and very soft shooting. I had the standard Hunter version, but i just HAD to have this English stocked Upland model. Can't wait til fall!

 

[Brutus]

SKB/Ithaca model 600 O/U 20 gauge, weight about 7 lbs.
It's 3 inch capable, modified & ic fixed chokes, 26 inch barrels.

 

[Moose Masher]

.410 , side by side, 26 inch barrels, number 6 shot.

 

[loogie33]

12 gauge improved cyl pump, with #6

 

[Why not?]

Mine is a lovely little 16 ga side by side. Ammo is expensive, but the gun swings and points like an extension of your arm.

Ted

 

[Thinking]

I have a few, but my favorite for upland/bunnies is an Ithica 37 Featherlight in 12ga, with a 2 3/4" chamber, nice and light to carry, and reliable.

 

[8ball]

Mine is a Browning Citori Upland Special in 20 gauge 2¾" with 24" barrels. At only 6 pounds it swings incredibly fast.

 

[jaydog]

Grouse and bunnies?? Here's the ticket:

Timberdoodles quake in their muddy boots when I take my little 20ga Ithaca flues out for a walk......

 

[Pickupman]

I have a stoeger p 350 with 5 choke tubes,and I hunt everything with it that I legally can, birds,deer,coyote.

some people dont like them but I have never had an issue with mine 2000 rounds in

 

[Lock Stock n barrel]

mine is an 870 wingmaster pump 12g modified choke in a 20in barrel with #5 or#6 shot

12g has much more variety of available ammo. Mix that up with a few chokes and you can do anything from trap and bunnies to moose

LSB

 

[Claybuster]

A light gun, no more than 7lbs, a twin-trigger, straight-gripped sxs or o/u with 28" barrels choked Skeet and Light Modified if hunting in heavy cover or improved improved cylinder and improved modified in open fields.

The gauge can be 12 or 20. Light loads of #6 in 12 and one ounce loads in 20.

 

[Boomer]

A nice light and short 20 would be perfect.

 

[sherlockbonez]

I use a 20ga BPS or my buddies 20ga Aya.

 

[firejim]

Gotta throw in a vote for a combo gun. My Savage .22mag over .20g is ideal for grouse, rabbits or etc. Longer distance, still shots with the .22; select the .20g when they're on the move. I've had good success and a ton of fun with this approach.

 

[looch]

My grouse gun is a 12 ga sXs which has its stock bent to fit me. I also had the chokes reamed out to cylinder and modified because the first shot is usually a "poke and hope" and by the time I'm on for the 2nd, assuming there's still something there to shoot at, the modified is more appropriate. I shoot 1oz of #8 early on and switch to #6 once the doodles are gone.

 

[strangerqc]

I have a nice Beretta 20g Semi AL-2, very light and robust, perfect for small game

 

[Longwalker]

exactly what Claybuster said.... except I'd personally vote for the 16 ga. instead of 12 or 20, why compromise on either end when you can have the perfect upland gauge?