What's your preferred caliber to hunt upland game birds?
- Thread starter Rhythm & Soul
- Start date
If using a rifle, have mostly used a 22LR.
For grouse at 100 yards have tried my 17 Mach II, but if hit in the breast there is nothing left to eat.I don't do head shots, as most grouse can duck a 22 bullet when the light is right, so I aim for the base of the neck/craw.
grew up using the .410 and it worked well. Have a Remington Model 1100 Sporting 28 now and am really loving it! Wife is telling me it should be hers, so I ordered a Benelli Ultralight in 28 ga.
For grouse at 100 yards have tried my 17 Mach II, but if hit in the breast there is nothing left to eat.I don't do head shots, as most grouse can duck a 22 bullet when the light is right, so I aim for the base of the neck/craw.
grew up using the .410 and it worked well. Have a Remington Model 1100 Sporting 28 now and am really loving it! Wife is telling me it should be hers, so I ordered a Benelli Ultralight in 28 ga.
Honestly I have only ever headshotted grouse with 7.62x39.... I seem to scare them away when I go out with the 12ga which is what I'd rather use....same goes for deer, my cz in 7.62x39 scares them away too.....but it does attract moose....funny how that works.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Ditto. Thoroughly adequate pattern for most upland game tasks. And slugs easily available just about anywhere for just in case, or rare opportunity close range harvest of deer. Gosh most newer three inch magnums have okay non toxic shot if you need it.
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
I prefer a shotgun 9/10.
Usually a 20ga. Nice balance of payload, gun weight and recoil.
Brutus if you or anyone else likes or would like to use a 20ga with non tox for migratory etc. You gotta check out Boss Shotshells. Their loads are as close to lead as I’ve ever seen. Hoping to see em up here soon!
Usually a 20ga. Nice balance of payload, gun weight and recoil.
Brutus if you or anyone else likes or would like to use a 20ga with non tox for migratory etc. You gotta check out Boss Shotshells. Their loads are as close to lead as I’ve ever seen. Hoping to see em up here soon!
Shotguns come in gauges rifles in calibers. Use whatever you happen to be holding at the time if it won't disturb a big game hunt. I've clipped off grouse heads with a 44-40,30-30,.270,250-3000 and .308 Norma magnum.In a shotgun the 28ga is about as good as it gets.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
12g is my go to, it does the job as far as I’m concerned.
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17 mach2 and 9mmx19 are my personal favorites. I do use a 22lr as well.
For grouse in my home area shotguns are the only way to go. Down hear they actually have something to live for and fly fast and hard. Northern birds well theyre just dumb.
Woodcock are fun with a 410 or 28ga
Pheasants i generally use 12ga
Turkey i use 10 or 12a
For grouse in my home area shotguns are the only way to go. Down hear they actually have something to live for and fly fast and hard. Northern birds well theyre just dumb.
Woodcock are fun with a 410 or 28ga
Pheasants i generally use 12ga
Turkey i use 10 or 12a
Hmmm... I use my 20's for early teal and woodies, and have been completely unhappy with 20 gauge steel... it is so underwhelming and completely unlike lead... never heard of "Boss" shotshells... will Google and give them a try, they can't be worse than the 20 gauge steel Rem and Win stuff that I have tried.
Edit; went to the boss website, terrible info, limited products and poor availability... I will check with the local dealer to see if he can get a couple boxes to try. Which 20 gauge load exactly were you impressed by?
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someone told me steel did not change anything at all up to the time he shot and did not kill some ducks .... i love 12 ga for upland or 22lr as you it is hit or miss ....
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
I have to apologize somewhat Hoyt as I haven’t personally used Boss Shotshells. They’re literally just now becoming available to the public down in the USA, the company is just getting going. I’ve messaged back and forth with them on Instagram and they are trying to get their products up here. In US they sell direct to consumers vs box stores to save $ on middle men. So we’ll have to see how long till they’re up here.
The impressive part to me is two fold. First is the loading available now are some of the most sensible non tox I’ve seen. They focus on pattern density and performance over high speed light charges. And they’re using appropriate sized Bismuth shot. For instance 1&1/8oz of #5’@ 1250 or 1&1/4oz of#6 @1200. They’ve even got a 20gauge 1&1/2oz load of 6.5’s @ 1150 for turkeys.
The other part which I came upon them through was some of the social media stuff on Instagram, videos and posts by guys like Ramsey Russell of getducks.com all talking about feeling like they’re back shooting lead at ducks and the impressive patterns they’re getting.
Guess I might be guilty of drinking a bit of the Kool Aid but I’m a non tox fan, and a pattern density fan also and dislike the low oz high speed shells the big manufacturers keep stuffing our way.
Sorry to get so OT
- Location
- Ford Nation
My old Cooey Single Model 75 put hundreds of grouse on the table back when my eyes were younger. As of late I have been using a Scoped Benjamin 22 caliber air rifle with great success.
