shotgun-centrefire combo options?

D

dreamwaters

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This year I stumbled on a few deer while bird hunting. I never used to care about deer hunting much, but harvested my first two deer in 2009, 2010 and kinda got the bug. Problem is, I didn't get the bug badly enough to leave my shotgun at home many days, so I'm thinking that I'd like a combo shotty-rifle to take on my after work walks for birds. I'm a little worried about making good wingshots with the iron sights on there, but I figure that I could still ground-swat a few grouse (the dog can't come on after work "sneaky-bastard" hunts because I go right from the office). With a bit of practice I'm sure I could still knock down the odd one on the wing - I'm mostly an instictive wingshot anyways. Anyhow, just wondering what you guys might suggest in term of options. Deer shots are likely to be less than 100 yards, and Nova Scotian deer are not particularly big (although they can be). Calibers? Guages (I'm a 12 fan, but fire away with suggestions anyways)? Brands? Prices?
Also, where do folks usually post them in the EE? Shotty's or Huntins/Sporting?
Thanks in advance
-DW
 
Keep your trusty old 12 gauge. Buy some slugs for it. Practice enough to hit a paper plate at 100 yards.
If you can instintively wingshoot birds, then you can obviously shoot.
As far as chokes go, you'll probably run with fairly open choke (mod or bigger, and slugs are accurate out of open style chokes). I would say to stick with the slugs, and not buckshot, because buckshot has a very limited range for patterning (#2 is better).
I've shot a lot of 12 gauge, not just studied the internet on them. i've also shot alot of animals with my 12ga.
I tried the dual gun set-up with a savage 223/12ga and wasn't impressed at all. This was for raven and coyote hunting. The barell selection little lever is crappy, the scope was a waste of a good mount, and I was very un-impressed. Practice with your old 12 gauge, I don't care what it is, run some slugs (the cheapest you can find) and you'll be more effective in hunting both birds and deer.

THE TRICK IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE RIGHT LOAD IN THE PIPE.... PRACTICE
 
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dreamwaters said:
... I ... harvested my first two deer in 2009, 2010 ...
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Welcome back from the future. How's things generally in 2010? :)

I disagree with Gerich about the Savage 24, which is no longer made. My F model in .223/12ga works well enough. The .223 isn't legal for big game here, but maybe it is there, and they made lots in .30-30 and that should certainly work for the ranges you are talking about. I have heard some people with Baikal combination guns speak well of those. Site sponsor Tradex has some Tikka combinations on their website, and Tikkas are well made.

But I don't disagree with Gerich about just using a pure shotgun. Single or double barrel, 12 or 20ga. Buckshot will do if you are going to be close enough, but a slug hits harder, and if you are close enough for buckshot, getting a slug on target should be easy enough.
 
Gerich said:
I tried the dual gun set-up with a savage 223/12ga and wasn't impressed at all. This was for raven and coyote hunting. The barell selection little lever is crappy, the scope was a waste of a good mount, and I was very un-impressed.
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Any rifle/shotgun combo like that is going to be a compromise at best, but it does lend itself very well for the intended purpose.

I bought a Savage 24 30-30 over 20ga this fall. I thought it might be handy for blasting the odd grouse while deer hunting. It's not going to be a great rifle and handles no where near as well as my 20ga SxS, but I think it will be ok to use. I mounted an old Redfield 1x4 scope on it, so I don't have alot of $$ invested into it. One good thing about the single shot 30-30 is that I can use pointy bullets in it.

.
 
I use a baikal 12/3006 for hunting and seems to be built well. They are a heavy gun for all day carry but for short trips they work great. I have a 23/4 scope mouted on mine and this also adds to the weight. Look on the ee as there was a 12/223 listed there this week.

Keith


Keith
 
I had a savage 24 for a number of years that was handed down to me from my grandfather. I tried very hard to like that rifle, and even with the sentimental value attached to I sold it on the EE with nary a regret.
 
The BRNO 300 series are a robust combo ussually you find them in 7x57 rimmed or 6.5x56 rimmed they are vey well suited for grouse and deer, but the better examples are the BRNO 500 series they come in American and Euro calibres with 12 ga shot barrell ,are more pleasing to the eye and lighter ,and more expensives. I have both and like them for differrent reasons. I have shot alot of grouse with these guns but have not connected with big game yet it seems I have my bolt 300 win mag in my hands when I shot my big game. If you have any ? please PM me, I also know where a BRNO 300 series in 7mm is for a reasonable price, best regards Dale in T-Bay:)
 
Sorry to the Savage fans out there.

On mine I wished there was a barrel select lever instead of a little thing on the hammer to flip for selection. I also realize that a barrel selection lever could result in shooting the wrong barrel.
Also on mine it was better with no scope than it was with one.

Cheers Tooner, good points
 
I have a Savage 24 and I love the versatility of the gun. I do hear you, however, about the small barrel selector on the hammer. If you're wearing gloves, it can be a bit tricky. Other than that, it's one of the guns I enjoy taking out the most.
 
there was a recent thread on this topic. "Over Unders: The Good, The Bad, and some Pics Please." I will repeat what i wrote there. A GOOD combination gun is very useful and effective for both birds and big game. A drilling is even better, But you will need to spend real money to get that efficiency. It just can't be done with cheap mass market combo guns. Prices for decent combination guns start at $3000 or so.
 
SuperCub said:
Any rifle/shotgun combo like that is going to be a compromise at best, but it does lend itself very well for the intended purpose.

I bought a Savage 24 30-30 over 20ga this fall. I thought it might be handy for blasting the odd grouse while deer hunting. It's not going to be a great rifle and handles no where near as well as my 20ga SxS, but I think it will be ok to use. I mounted an old Redfield 1x4 scope on it, so I don't have alot of $$ invested into it. One good thing about the single shot 30-30 is that I can use pointy bullets in it.
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I also bought one this fall from a CGN member. Took it to the range once, and it works just fine. Four inch groups at 100 yd with the iron sights and 170 gr Speer FN.

For me though, it will be the other way around, handy for the odd moose, caribou or bear that might show up while hunting grouse and ptarmigan. :)

Ted
 
Thanks for all the comments - plenty to ponder... 3000$ is out of the question, but a bit of time at the range with some rifled slugs and my upland gun might be a very cost-effective option... I run IC/M chokes for pheasant and C/IC for grouse, so slugs should go OK. I don't like shooting them out of my upland gun though (Berettea 686 Ultralight) but as long as I shoot enough to be convinced that I can make an ethical and lethal shot at a given distance then I'm happy enough to carry them around in my best "just in case". Can't use buckshot for deer in Nova Scotia anyways, so that's not on the table.
Thanks again,
-DW
 
cz combo

I have a cz-brno combination in 12 ga over 7x57 A.I. it is a great shooter 1.25" at 100 yards for the rifle and good groups as well for the shot gun, one of the most balanced gun I have very handled. They are getting harder to find but if you ever handle one you will purchase it hands down, take some time and put and ad on here someone will know where to get their hands on one for you good luck Jim.
 
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