Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game Thinking about a new grouse gun

With a grouse gun - Balance is king.

You have about a half second to get the gun up and lined up, you have another half second to full second to kill the bird before it’s through that small clearing in the trees.

I use a Benelli M2 which balances correctly for me and with it I’m lightning fast, some guns are front light, others are front heavy… I miss a lot more with those.

got to fit, no time to aim, when you mount the gun it has to be pointed where you are looking.

Subconsciously knowing how to point correctly comes before fit. Most don’t do well at it.

Ruger Red Label, 26" bbl. Like a wand for me.

I would disagree. Fit is most important, other wise your constantly trying to adjust fit to point properly. In grouse cover, you don`t have the time to do both at the flush.
Lots of talk about shooting and owning multiple guns. IMHO, that`s a mistake. Had a good friend like that. Was always cycling through guns, and dogs, to find the "right" one. Never did. I own many rifles, but only one shotgun, a Winchester 101, IC and Mod. It fits me.
OTOH, if you just like to buy shotguns..get as many as you can.

The best quail and grouse gun I ever owned was a Ithaca SKB model 200 20 bore with 25" barrels. I had it opened up a bit on the modified barrel and left the IC alone. It was quick pointing and fit me well. I had a few more expensive side by sides like a Merkel 16 and a Model 23 Winchester 12 but none were quite the shooters that little Ithaca-SKB was.

Technique comes before fit, and for many an off the rack correct fit is hard to find. Technique encompasses everything from how you mount to how you use vision.

Little different than golf…one can have a perfectly fitted set of clubs….but without knowing how to use them, scores will be nothing to get excited about.

In any sport, skills development comes before equipment.

And many discover, as their skills advance, as they refine how they use the equipment, what used to “fit” has changed.

Winchester Model 59…

I've had a couple of those 25" M-200s over the years. They are superb field guns but finally settled on the 28" M100 with the chokes opened up to IC/M.

I like the longer 28" bbls of the M100 for handling. Also prefer extractors and the splinter forend on the 100. The 200s have a big beavertail forend and ejectors.

Of the 11 shotguns I own I find myself taking a smith and Wesson 1000 with IC for grouse more and more every year

Great quail gun too. Light weight and fits me right. Replaced my sxs

Churchill 28 gauge 21" I/C modified.

One of my old hunting buddies back in WI used a Franchi AL-48 20ga with 24" barrels he was hard on birds, not many got away. My X-FinL used a Rem. Model 31 Skeet 12ga again a superb shot on grouse. Sorry no pics of grouse, my little Bernardelli Elos 12ga 25" IC/IM is the king of the woods for me, it is lightning fast and with an oz of 6's or 7's B&P High Pheasant rounds is my favorite.

Bernardelli at work in MT on Pheasants.

I have Dickinson Plantation 16 ga. I did some research and took a chance. Whether I was lucky, I don’t know, but I would grade the wood, fit and finish as AAA, equal or surpassing some Italian and Spanish $3k guns. In fact, it far surpasses one Beretta 470 Silver Hawk I had and equals another one in wood grade.

Mechanically, all is tight and I have hit very well with it after a year’s experience.

My two complaints which might not be for someone else are it’s weight and the chokes. It’s 6-12 which, for me is at least a good 8 oz heavier than a 16 need be IMO. But, yet, with 28” barrels, it swings and balances very well.

The chokes are not notched like most screw-ins are. They are screwed in like normal, but removal requires inserting a metal cone-shaped tool often requiring a piece of leather over the top to create enough friction to break the grip of the threads. For whatever reasons, they went with this alternative to notched chokes; I find it less convenient.

Overall, I’d grade my sample at a B+, instead of an “A” because of these two “cons” but yet I am quite pleased.

Wow the dogs in this thread are as good as the guns, maybe better.

Nice shotgun.

You could always have those chokes notched to fit another makers choke wrench.

My pick would be a Wingmaster 870 20ga with fixed Skeet Choke.

I like 12s and 20s at different times of the season.

Fav SxS is a 28” Browning English straight grip, chokes loosened up to Light IC, and Tight IC ( .008 “ / .012 “) ( if IC = 1/4. 3/16 & 5/16 )
This BSS is a tank for weight, but smooth swinging. but not using it for duck shooting. Seriously thinking about extending the forcing cones and some back-boring for lightening a bit. The cones are quite abrupt.

I also shoot a 26” Red Label 20 ga. On grouse, It’s heavy enough that I’ve thought about converting it to 16 ga for this kind of hunting. On Skeet, it soaks up recoil, but could’ve been a 28” more better for smoother swing through. At 26” it’s more an instinctive point & shoot, No real complaints hunting other than total weight.

Maybe a 28” 16ga barrel set to fit this 20 ga Rcvr

I’m back to 12 ga for later season, 26” V3 is my new pet, edging out the 870 with 21” and 26” bbls

Weight of course is critical for long days afield.

Good choice 👍

Bingo!! I use both a Standard and LW model. Both are pre 1975 guns. I use AA Supersport #8's, Use the AA SS #7.5 Full for Pheasant.

I just bought a 20ga Citori CSX.

Right handy. Not Kimber Montana handy but handy.