Whats your favorite shotgun for upland hunting?

Remington 1100 LT-20 Upland special, 21" Rem choke.
Remington 1100 12g Upland special, 21" rem choke.
Remington 11-87 12g Upland special, 23" rem choke
All have the straight English stock
 
Brutus said:
One of the best hunting spots I ever seen for ruffed grouse was also literally teaming with black bears. Surprizingly close to Edmonton.
There are moments when the bigger gauges can deliver to you a warm & fuzzy sense of personal security.
Magnified if you hunt alone.
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We'll usually see 1 or 2 bears a year, while hunting for ruffed grouse... Used to carry a few slugs in the pocket for such events, have yet to use one as the bears all ran away.
- In recent years, started to use a combination gun. 12g for the grouse, 7.62x54r for whatever else might want to "hunt" us :p
 
SKB M100 20ga. 28" re-choked to IC/M. My only beef with it is that it's single trigger.

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My ATV gun is a Cooey single shot 20ga. Full choke for head shots.

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sillymike said:
We'll usually see 1 or 2 bears a year, while hunting for ruffed grouse... Used to carry a few slugs in the pocket for such events, have yet to use one as the bears all ran away.
- In recent years, started to use a combination gun. 12g for the grouse, 7.62x54r for whatever else might want to "hunt" us :p
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Seems like a very wise choice. Especially for exploring brand new hunting grounds.
 
My old beater FEG on what was Chip's last hunt ( he's still here but unable to hunt anymore), a perfect day with my best buds and an old gun I shot well that day.

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I guess it's about time I weighed in on this, upland hunting is my preferred form of hunting as I age, moose are just getting too heavy and the mountains where the real prizes live are just too high and steep now. I admit to being fickle on the subject of a favourite upland gun because every year seems to bring a new favourite. In general, always a double, preferably side by side but occasionally an over/under. Often a different gun for different species. Always with different amounts of choke in each barrel appropriate to the particular hunt and usually with double triggers to take best advantage of the choice of chokes. Sometimes a black powder gun just for variety. Lighter quicker guns are more attractive now, the sub gauges see more and more use although a perfectly balanced lightweight English 12 ((6-6 1/2 pounds) works fine as well.
 
scott_r said:
Kinda stepped away from upland for a number of years but just got myself a German Shorthair pup and plan on getting out again. My favorite upland gun was my Benelli Ultralight in 12 guage but sadly none seem to be around for purchase. I may consider something else while I wait. Whats your go to shotgun? Im tossing around the idea of a Browning Cynergy Field 20 g....was fondling it at Prairie guntraders..very nice!!

Cheers!!
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Cheers to you, Scott, and best wishes with your GSP pup. Exciting to have pup development and days over a dog afield ahead of you.
To the gun question, so many options and personal preferences, style of hunting, all come to play. I'm curious too, what experience people have with the Cynergy field. I've shot the synthetic-stocked Cynergy and the handling/balance was honestly pretty horrible. I was keen to buy one at one time but am coming to think of the Cynergy as a marketing idea that may not stand the test of time. Just me and have not shot the field. Can't agree with the unconventional recoil pad and butt shape on the "inflex" models. Seems to address a problem for recoil-sensitive shooters though.
 
Seems to be one of the recurring threads on CGN - I started with a borrowed .410 (an old Savage - .22 LR barrel over a .410 barrel). Bought a 26" barrel high ribbed Browning Pump in 3" chamber 12 gauge. Now have a CZ Redhead 28 O/U, a Ruger Red Label 20 O/U and a Boito 20 SxS, but have not personally used a 16 gauge. All that I used worked fine. Got prairie chickens (Sharptail Grouse) with each. At the time, I would have said the one that I had then, was the best. Today, I would go with my 28 O/U for sharptail, or huns, or ruffed, or pheasant. I haven't shot at migratory game birds in 25 years or more, so "also suitable for use on ducks and geese" is not an issue for me.
 
I've got quite an assortment of shotguns but the one I grab when heading out for upland birds is my Franchi Falconet. When you are out hiking all day it sure is nice to have a gun that weighs under 6 lbs.
 
For the dirt I walk, if you made me pick only one from the stable it’d be the 12ga A400 Xplor Action loaded with 1 1/4 oz #5 Remington nitro pheasant. I’m always amazed how this gun preforms beyond its characteristics, its receiver is quite bulky in order to house the blink system and it is extremely light, but it still manages to feel somewhat svelte and swings like a heavier gun. It also eats recoil like Randy eats cheeseburgers.
 
I like a o/u or sxs for starters when hunting with or training dogs its really easy to just break it open if and when you need to work with a dog. after that the sky's the limit for options. I've recently switched to a 20ga Beretta 686 or Browning 725 ultra feather for most of my upland.
 
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