Other than waterfowl, for which I use a modern, 3 1/2" gas-operated repeater for open water divers, the only shotgun I hunt with any more is my Merkel 1620, double triggers, straight grip, VZ and 1/2 choke. I also have a Fox Sterlingworth 16 gauge and had an Ithaca 16 gauge SXS that my brother liked so..... I could get it back but won't. Occasionally, I'll use my 12 gauge Ruger Red Label 12 bore, an early 80's gun that has proven to be bulletproof. I usually use the Ruger when I'm going with a group I've never hunted with before and don't want to look too high-falutin', but also don't want to miss anything.
For the life of me, I don't know why anyone with average means would want anything but a refined, 16 gauge SXS to hunt upland birds with. All this blather about chokes and shot sizes....a 16 gauge sxs choked ic and mod or mod and mod or mod and full with 1 1/8 ounces of 5 shot will do anything anyone wants it to do. Quail maybe? okay, 71/2's.
Go with minimum 28" barrels. The short-barrel shotgun nonsense has been exposed as such for decades. A shotgun is all about smooth, coordinated movement: not herky-jerkey throw the sucker up and let off a blast. Don't give me any bullschitt about "Oh, in the New England fugging jungles where I hunt...." No one has hunted grouse and woodcock in thicker schitt than I have. Those who think chopping a couple inches off the barrel of their shotgun (or rifle for that matter) gives them some great advantage would be better off losing 20 pounds and learning how to shoot.
Man, I'm starting to sound like a curmudgeon, aren't I. About fugging time, I've earned it.
