Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game 3 shot limit

How many times have you ever truly needed that third shot? Thinking about going to an O/U for all my hunting. Could you?

I’ve killed a triple on geese multiple times, pheasants too. Seen an uncle kill 5 bob whites on a covey rise more than once. I shoot a double auto quite a lot. You can get by with a 2 shooter, but there are times where number 3 will be wanted.

I’ll take 3, and more when allowed.

Hunting in old Mex, very common to have a rooster flush, bang 1, and then the whole place explodes with birds. We are allowed to run without plugs there, and I can see even in those circumstances not getting to bang 5 very often, but 3+? Oh heck yes.

Emptied three at a covey flush of Cali Valleys last weekend. Dropped two, missed second shot.

Then, as I was reloading and sending the dog, first two and then another single straggler flushed. Had to hup the dog, and never did quite get another shell in the chamber in time, but, again, give me three please.

Merry Christmas gents.

I used an O/U for many years but now am O/U-less. mostly older Rem. pumps, a model 17 and a model 31 get a lot of play. 12 ga 870 for a lot of general duty, too. But, I do have to stop and think when going after migratory birds, "Is this one plugged?"

I have been watching videos of those Argentina dove hunts. simply amazing numbers of birds, if I ever go I might opt for an O/U just so I could shoot LESS, lol" looks easy to shoot over 1,000 rounds per day there.

You can answer your question better than we can based on your personal experience. I like a light 12 gauge O/U for upland hunting that involves a lot of walking simply because it's easier to carry than a pump or SA. Yes on occasion I do miss the third shot. For waterfowl a SA or pump is my choice.

Most of the situations in Az such as doves, gambels or scaled quail the first two shots usually get a bird. Often too late to shoot more rounds as the birds are gone.

However when mearns quail hunting things are different. I take out the plug and have 5 shots available. While I did get 5 on the rise once, having the third through fifth round has helped. The mushroom explosion of a covey of up to 20 birds going in all directions causes confusion, add trees and brush and misses happen. Then there is the late riser. There usually is no time to load more rounds so we carry the extras in the gun.

It really comes down to on how you judge the hunt, is the number of birds killed or the esthetics of the hunt that determine the quality of the hunt. The loss of one bird because I didn't have a third shot is of no consequences to me, I just get a little more time in the field instead of having to quit having limited out and sometimes I quit for the day when I have enough for dinner. I've gone through the more shots are better phase, I have one pump left for shooting big shot at coyotes but even there my combo guns get called on 95% of the time to shotgun coyotes.

I enjoy shooting the sxs so much that all my O/U are almost gone save for one old friend that hangs out in the back of the safe.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/922/UpN2qD.jpg

Great pic with the birds, companion and shotgun. That's a dandy sxs you have there, Erich. What is it ?

Love my SxS's and O&U , two shots it is. Could I have used a 3rd shot ? of course and a 4th and 5th also.

late season wild pheasant definitely 3 shot. And same for chukar, waterfowl

quail, huns, doves. ou or sxs

It is a Bernardelli Elios 12ga, 25" barrels at 5# 15 oz., lightning fast at the flush and a pleasure to carry. What I like about this picture is the three different colored breast feathers on the roosters. All are wild MT birds. 2 1/2" B&P High Pheasant 1 oz 6's

Husqvarna 51 12ga 2 1/2" 7/8 oz ITX 6's



Manufrance Robust 12ga same ITX load

Well said! I used to even hunt waterfowl with double guns. But have stuck to the Benelli M1 Super 90, not because I get three shots but because I don't care if the gun gets wet, dinged, etc...

I shot O/U's and SXSs for years.. I grew tired of the difficulty of getting both barrels to shoot to the same point of impact.. Also when hunting birds, pheasants, quail some times grouse, I fired the first shot.. Nothing happens.. I break the gun to reload and the world explodes with birds.. I mostly hunt public lands.. The chances at game are not to be wasted.. So I sold most of those shotguns almost a dozen.. Now I shoot pumps.. If I shoot a shot and nothing else happens, I can easily reload and still be ready for a chance at another bird.. Also to me, the pump guns handle smoothly, much nicer than over and unders..

Better quality sxs rarely have problems with regulation, buy with two triggers if your going to shoot unreliable ammo. In 60 years of shooting sxs's I've rarely run into the problems you have. My sxs's go off when I pull the trigger and hit where I aim, I'll admit sometimes I'm not aiming where the bird is but that isn't the guns fault.

erich, When I said I fired and nothing happens, I meant there were no more birds, when I broke the gun to reload, they exploded from cover and I stood there with an open gun... I had good ones, Fox Sterlingworth, Ithaca, Berettas and Browning...

When I had my Shorthair I killed 3 Quail with 2 shots on the rise with my Fox Savage BST in 16 ga.
I sold both of my Remington Special Fields in 12 & 20 ga. after that

When I was Chukar hunting with a SxS. I dropped 2 birds and still had the flock within range, but was empty. Or other times I was empty after shooting at them and a late flusher jumped. Only with Chukars do I think this since if I want a limit I have to then climb another steep mountain. Any other time I would rather have by Merkel 16 ga. or Browning O/U 12 ga. With Chukars I think a 5.5 pound Benelli would be nice loaded with 5 shots.

I once hunted with a guy that only used a single shot. He very seldom missed. Me on the other hand could use a belt fed shotgun. But in reality I use a sxs or over and under. I don’t like to liter my hunting area with empty hulls. I find them easier to find with a 2 shot. Hasbeen

I used to shoot waterfowl exclusively and used a Remington 870. When I started upland hunting I picked up an O/U 20g as it was much lighter to carry on the hikes.

Next step was an O/U 12 to extend my time in the waterfowl blind -- no third shot so I was not dropping as many birds and could spend a bit more time over the decoys. Now my hunting is O/U's for all early season waterfowl and switch back to the 870 when we shoot in sleet / snow as that gun can handle the crappy weather.

I have picked up a 5 1/2 lb 12 g O/U that I use for late season pheasants. Nice to have the choices.

I've used all five shots at times when we had walked for hours to ambush a covey of chuckar. That's when good dogs are gold.