The last few years my pheasant gun has been a nice Dickinson SxS 16 ga. It just seems to fit what I want in an upland gun. If supper depends on it though, out will come the AL 391 12 ga. That one seems to be a pheasant magnet and the birds view it as sure death.
I'm not much of a shotgun guy. If I lived somewhere with pheasants in abundance, I probably would be.
But I once had a serious craving for a CZ Bobwhite 20 gauge. Bud had one at his shop years ago and I stopped by and fondled it a few times. They're made in Turkey and are scaled down to 20 gauge size,....a very sleek little straight gripped English style double with a color case hardened receiver. I probably would have bought it if it didn't have screw in chokes. I just couldn't get past a traditional English style double gun with screw in chokes.
They stopped making them for a few years,...but I've found out that they've released them again. Apparently, they've started using CNC machining to produce them and they're offering them for even less than they were 15 years ago. They were about $800+ back then. They're $600+ these days,....maybe less. The $600+ is MSRP. They've given up the case hardened receivers and gone with black chrome this time, however.
If they would give up the screw in chokes and offer them IC/ modified,....or even modified/full,..I might buy one just to hold in my lap here and there.
I'm not much of a shotgun guy. If I lived somewhere with pheasants in abundance, I probably would be.
But I once had a serious craving for a CZ Bobwhite 20 gauge. Bud had one at his shop years ago and I stopped by and fondled it a few times. They're made in Turkey and scaled down to 20 gauge size,....a very sleek little straight gripped English style double with a color case hardened receiver. I probably would have bought it if it didn't have screw in chokes. I just couldn't get past a traditional English style double gun with screw in chokes.
They stopped making them for a few years,...but I've found out that they've released them again. Apparently, they've started using CNC machining to produce them and they're offering them for even less than they were 15 years ago. They were about $800+ back then. They're $600+ these days,....maybe less. The $600+ is MSRP. They've given up the case hardened receivers and gone with black chrome this time, however.
If they would give up the screw in chokes and offer them IC/ modified,....or even modified/full,..I might buy one just to hold in my lap here and there.
Here's the gen 1.
The old ones are very nice guns. I’ve owned several in 20 ga, 28 ga, and .410. They handle and shoot very well too. Haven’t seen the newer versions. But nearly EVERY shotgun made nowadays has screw in chokes. Get over it and buy one. Life is too damn short to sweat the small stuff.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
One that fits and patterns well for the application.
Might be any gauge or style. Currently have 20/16/12 ga guns, SxS/OU/Pump/Auto; phase of the moon can influence me some days. If I had to get rid of all but one I'd hang with the Ithaca 37 20 ga.
Same here. Depends on what mood I’m in or what I’m hunting. But if only keep one it would be between the Ithaca 37 or Rem 870.
If I could only shoot dove or quail the rest of my life and nothing else, though, it would probably be my Benelli Montefeltro Deluxe 20 ga 🤠
Last edited by chlinstructor; 09/27/19.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
Viking, over the past 60 years of bagging wild turkey, dove, quail, chukar, grouse, pheasant, geese and ducks of all sorts (not to mention rabbits) I have vacillated among doubles, semi-autos and pumps - and one single They all have been well-made and some rather pricey and highly regarded - and they all have done a good job when I do my part. But, I tired of the semi-auto aspects and most doubles seemed to get heavy for me. Finally I simplified and have gone with a not expensive or high class but very dependable and excellent shooting pump gun in 12 ga.3 inch - a nice Mossberg in camo dress with 4 chokes and probably should have done such quite a while ago. I do also have a Savage O/U light double in 20.ga and ,223. And I'm quite satisfied.
I'm down to basically 3 shotguns now - a pump, a Mossberg 500 in 20 ga., a semi-auto, a Mossberg 9200 in 12 ga. and a single shot, a H&R topper in 16 ga. I used to use the 16 ga. all the time but it's tough to find 16 ga.shells out there on the store shelves nowadays. The 20 ga. is used the most now but if I'm an area that has both pheasants and ducks I try to use the 12 ga. since I have to use steel shot there. I bought a 3 pack set of Carlson extended chokes for both the 12 and 20 ga. this year so will be trying them out soon. They've got to be easier to change in the field than those flush factory chokes.
When you can get the last word with an echo, you may have the last word with your wife. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce If goose was the only meat, there would be a lot more vegetarians. - Lloyd Adams, waterfowl hunter
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