Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Favorite upland gauge?

Last year was the first for me using a 28 and it is starting to impress me more than a little. LW Ithaca 37, and with a Mod choke with 7.5's on Grouse and number 5's on Pheasants it is has been an eye opener on how hard it will dump Birds. Often a good bit out there.

Never would have guessed it would work as well as it does.

What is your favorite?

20 for sure, but impressed with 16 as well.

I have no favorite guage, I have a couple of nice 12ga sxs's that weigh under 6 pounds and that work great on wild pheasants and sharptails with 7/8 ITX or 1 oz lead loads. Both my 16 and 20's come in a few ounces heavier but do just as well with the same weight loads. I shoot them interchangeably, just which one I took that morning although I find the Browning Superposed lightning 20 is spending more and more time in the safe, prefer the doubles with two triggers. I did pick up a little 16ga Marlin 90 26" IC/MOD that needs to go hunting.

I use them all but I'd say the 16 ga in either Belgian Sweet 16 I have or my Jap one are all time favorites. I've spent 30 years building my factory 16 ga. ammo supply to last the rest of my time afield plus a 600 Jr Mec allows me any loads I want. Sharptail grouse and pheasants with a 27.5" barrel choked modified are hard to beat for my use. Non toxic requirements ,I use an M-1 Super 90 in 12ga and get it done, damn gov't regs take the joy out of everything in life. Magnum Man

12ga when the wind is up, 20ga the other 3 days.

28ga mod or Imod for sure.

My favorite has become my Benelli Legacy 28 ga. For pheasant, the Fiocchi 7/8 oz. load of #6 nickel plated shot in their Golden Pheasant round just works, and does so very well. For dove, their load of #8 shot gets it done as well. For both, the IC choke throws very uniform patterns.

The 16 gauge is my favorite.

In CT where a drilling would not be legal I favor my side by side 20's. I have used the Bernadelli on the left the most. My current pet is the Ugartechea to it's right.



The Ugartechea weighs 5#9oz. It's barrels are 24-5/8" long.

Like several, I fool with about all except the 16.. Don't think I ever hunted with one.. Most of my shooting is on the open plains, and I use flushing dogs.. So a 12 gets much use from me, it always has, and I suppose it always will.. That said, this fall I shot a 20 for sage grouse, some ringnecks, and a few blues and ruffs.. I loved it.. If I could just get the faith in it I have in the old 12, things would change..


I also have a little 870 28 ga. I am not sure when I bought it. Probably, more than seven years ago.. For a few seasons, I shot it almost exclusively for forest grouse.. I also shot quite a few sage grouse with it.. I remember dropping two one evening with PMC 3/4 ozs. of #6.. Both were about 40 yards.. It is one little ga. that I feel like Battue, a great upland gun and does a better job than one would think possible.

For upland gunning, I have favorite bird guns and they happen to be three different gauges. Big guns and little guns.

Here at home, I carry a Vincenzio Bernardelli Roma 4 20ga and a Benelli Ultralight 20 most often. I also like 16s in the grouse woods and have an Ugartechea Mdl 40 and CSMC RBL 16 which go for walks in the woods with the dogs each fall and winter.

On trips Out West for roosters and sharpies, I favor 12 GA; a BUL 12 plus a Beretta Ultra Light DLX go on those trips.

I probably could just use any one of them for everything, plus a backup, but what fun would that be !!

I lick all flavors but LOVE me some 16 bore via Citori Gran to cover all bases. 11-87 in 12 and 20 for hard duty in the thick and nasty.

To your point on the 28 battue the 28 is a bird crushing machine

Have been shooting mainly 20 gauge autos and pumps the last few years but acquired a CZ Upland Ultralight recently in 12 gauge that will also see some time afield.

28 gauge for me.

I fell into three Ithaca 37's all built within three years of each other. I fell in love with the 16ga Ithaca the first day I carried it. I made several really good shots and hardly carry anything else for pheasant. The 20ga goes with me for doves and the 12ga I use for ducks. Personally, I think the 16ga is the coolest thing going for upland birds.

Drilling are legal in CT. Besides your imagination what have you used your side by sides on here in CT?

Sweet Sixteen all the way.

This 16.

I, like you like the 28. I have a Baikal over/under in 28, IC & Mod, with a fiddleback walnut stock that is a joy to carry for grouse(or pheasants).

The 28 does dump the birds very well. Winchester makes a Super X load for the 28 that has a 1 ounce payload of shot, putting it right up there with a 20 gauge. I use 6's, works great for either grouse or pheasants.
Winchester 28 gauge Super X load

That Winchester 28ga Super X load works great for me on pheasants also.