There are also many European 9mms out there--it was very popular until recently for killing garden pests and for hunting birds that are protected here.
I met a party of hunters while hiking in Sardinia a few years ago who were hunting for "tordos". I was mystified by the word until I remembered that "tordo" in Spanish means "thrush." Looked in a couple of game bags and saw birds that looked like black robins but a little larger, and remembered my Italian-American neighbors scandalizing us Anglo ranchers by shooting robins in the spring when they returned from wherever (it was illegal even in the '50s).
Turns out that Italians of all areas are used to shooting songbirds and making them into (I'm sure delicious!) meat sauces for pastas and risottos, especially for stuffing ravioli. These guys mainly had single shot folding shotguns like Beretta used to market in the US, but in 9mmRF instead of our usual guages (I once had a Beretta "folding" .410--it actually kicked with 3" shells). One guy had a nice Spanish double, also "folding," and another had a semi-auto made by Bernardelli. All 9mms. Some carried extra shells loaded with a single round ball for shooting hares and foxes, too.
I've read that most songbird shooting is now illegal in Italy. (But then, it's Italy.....).
Last edited by Mesa; 08/15/21.
Was Mike Armstrong. Got logged off; couldn't log back on. RE-registered my old call sign, Mesa. FNG. Again. Mike Armstrong
I have a Voere garden gun in 9mm Flobert. It's great for shooting pigeons inside the barn. Quiet and no damage. It's got a 26" smoothbore barrel with excellent open sights and will take out any small game out to about 50 yards. Crows, magpies, squirrels, ferrel cats, rabbits, and skunks have all been dispatched out of the back yard. Handy if you have neighbors close by and don't want to disturb them.
I have a gun like you have but from Anschütz. The days are over when the gun could be used in now overcrowded Germany in your own backyard. Even an air rifle is illegal to shoot in your garden unless you can asure that the bullets can't leave the premisses. The 9 mm Flobert guns can only be purchased with a licence.
What shot size are you using? I have a nice Winchester 36 I keep forgetting I own and haven’t ever used to hunt with. It’s time to buy some ammo and give it legs again. Thanks
Good to hear that ammo is still available. I bought some from Midway a few months ago for a side by side 22lr/9mm Flobert that I found at Amoskeag Auctions. It’s a very dainty little German hammer gun. The 9mm Flobert is definitely for short range use. If I recall correctly, the quarter ounce of shot has a mv of about 800 fps. Mine patterned reasonably well at about 50 feet and was about centered on the 22lr poi.
That sounds about right eblake. Good deal. I saw that Flobert at Amoskeag and was thinking along the same lines as you. Didn't need another 9 mm so I perused on. Congrats.
HS 58
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