Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns I need a new shotgun tax returns around the bend

My favorite upland gun is a 20 gauge Ithaca 37. The gun is light and points better than anything else I have shouldered. Not to mention that I am left handed and it loads and ejects from the bottom.

If it isn't too tiring try reading the original posting along with the next several comment posts and the OP's follow up reply.

Not tiring at all and I missed it that he has an 870.

However they do make them in the smaller gauges and he mentioned that he could be persuaded to stick with a pump.

Still say that before he buys what someone else likes, to try others-as in actually shoot them more than a little-and discover what he likes. Simple really, but this stuff is only as hard as you want to make it. Campfire consensus is usually all over the board as has already been shown.

I like the Kimber Montana, but I bought one because it works for me, not because of what someone else thinks. Nothing wrong with asking, but using gives answers where others opinions may fall short.

We are in a great era of shotgunning with the availability of both older and new guns to choose from. Battue has the right idea in shooting a few before making a purchase. That said, I would be taking a look at the Ithica 37, Franchi AL 48, Beretta 391, or maybe a Winchester model 12. You really have a lot of good options. Good luck and have fun looking.

There haven't been any bad answers in this thread I don't think. And I appreciate them all....


Like I said in my OP. I do not have to have an auto... Fact is I can't get back in target any faster with an auto than I can with a pump. I should look at the Ithaca 37. It really seems to be getting good remarks.

A guy I know local has a Browning upland Special in a 20
He would be willing to sell. It's kind of an interesting piece. 22" barrel with an English style stock...not sure if that is a gun worth looking at or not.

I know these queations get beat to death, but UPS makes sure I earn my $$$ lol. I hate to waste it on junk. So while I don't need to be told which exact model to buy I do like knowing what models get high praises. That way I can narrow it down to 3-4 and start there

You could make a worse choice than a 22in upland special for an all around shotgun, but I don't know what it would be.

He stated in his OP that he is interested in an upland gun for quail, grouse and an occasional pheasant not an all around shotgun. Personally, I prefer longer barrels than 22 inches but if he handles this used shotgun and if it fits him well, it could be a good upland shotgun as the name "Upland Special" would imply it was intended to be. I'm just not clear as to whether he is talking about the BPS Upland Special or the Citori Upland Special.

Sorry bout that. It's the BPS pump gun.....

I'm not sure how I feel about a 22"
Barrel. But at the same time. I thought it may be handy in the grouse woods

Perhaps if every opportunity was a snap shot. Facts are they are not.
That particular shotgun has almost no built in follow thru character. Easy to start and just as easy to stop.

You are not sure, well another reason to shoot a different variety of offerings.

Extra short barrels are also not much of an advantage in the Grouse woods. There are pure crossers, there are Birds that are out a bit, there are Birds that are up high, coming and going; some extra barrel that aids in keeping the gun moving is faaaaarr from a bad thing. They all don't jump up at your feet. Neither do Pheasants or Quail.

You asked, I told you and I ain't wrong.

Wouldn't be my first choice. Or second ... or third......... or thirty third.

Battue
GC.

when companies do stuff like this it just makes me wonder...." Who is behind it"?

I'm not a bird hunter at all .....yet anyways and I didn't think that a 22" barrel sounded very wise.... So whe you guys obviously In the know have very valid reasons as to why it's not a wise choice. I cannot seem to understand why they can't figure out that hey. This isn't what an upland gun should be. Seems like a lot of companies have specialty models that really are not suited to what they say they are at all.

Marketing is behind it. They already have the basic action and want to find another way to sell it. So they chop the barrel, add a straight stock and call it an "Upland Special". Sounds nice and looks kinda cool.

Years ago some upland outdoor writers wrote articles where they said extra short barrels are the cat's azz for the uplands. Entitled to their opinion, but they happen to be wrong and most accomplished upland shotgunners know it. However, it caught on more than a little with the masses. On top of that most American made shotguns are designed on the heavy side from the frame size in the beginning. For the barrels to fit flush with the frame they have to start out thick. Then they don't taper them down right and you end up with a pig on a fork balance, along with a heavier shotgun. How do we fix that? The easy way is to chop them off. You could taper them, as they did with the Rem 1100 LT Wt barrels which was a great idea but most don't go that route. Think pre 64 Model 70 Standard barrel weight vs the FWT contour. Makes a big difference in how that rifle carries and handles.

Choping them off for the most part is the wrong answer, but many American buyers have bought into the idea that short barrels are upland utopia, so they cut them short. Thinking of it that way they are giving us what we want.

Over in some of the European countries where they take their shotgunning seriously, longer and leaner is what the shooters use.

The newer sem-auto small gauges from the likes of Beretta, Benelli and Franchi are dang good shotguns. They are LW, well balanced with longer barrels and reliable. Nothing classic about their looks, but they handle better than most of the American Classics.

You guys need to listen to battue, he's spot on. A 26 inch tube is a sound choice for an all arounder. 22 inch tube is a mistake, period.

I'm not always right when it comes to this stuff and certainly not the best shotgunner on the campfire. However, I've probably spent enough trying to learn, it would allow a slow child to eventually get thru Harvard.

And truthfully the best advice I could give the OP is to use the shotguns he now has and spend the money for a new one on lessons from someone who knows how to shoot shotguns. Get that down first, then you will rather quickly arrive at what is best for a given type of shotgunning.

And I ain't wrong about that either.

Pm sent battue

I may have found what I need.

battue, is quite right about the 22" barreled shotgun.. I have a Rem. 12 g. upland special.. I seldom shoot it much any more except maybe at turkey.. I have gone mostly back to my old 870 12 or an 870 28" 20 ga..

Ah jeez. So much schit being spewed it's not even funny. ;-)

If your going to hunt upland, and you want a gun for under, or close to $1k, by a Miroku! You can thank me later! DO NOt by a semi-auto! No respectable upland hunter would be caught dead with a semi-auto in their hand.

You can thank me later!

http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...uperior-grade-20-ga.cfm?gun_id=100543276

Oh... You're a Brit? Tweed, bow tie and knickers kinda guy. Have a crumpet and relax, no partridge were molested in the making of this thread.

Gay.