Non small gauge users reactions and opinions to small gauges on driven

[Suffolkngood]

Hi Guys

 

Just wondered what reactions, comments and experiences you have from non small gauge users on driven game days.

 

All too often I hear someone say "john shot bloody well on peg 4" or "he middled those partridges " etc only to change theirs opinion to "he pricked loads, had plenty of runners or bloody girls gun etc etc" when they realise that he was using small gauge.

 

Had someone come and stand behind me with his three dogs last time out and knowing that I shot a 28 bore quipped "thought I'd stand behind you so that I can get all your runners". Little did he know that I'd sneaked my new 410 into the gunslip for its maiden voyage instead. Unfortunately, I only had one shot on the end peg but the hen bird was dead before it hit the ground and his dogs got not exercise chasing anything.

[Underdog]

Yeah been there and just ignored them. Downed plenty much to their dismay. Snobbery. You crack on. 28g are everywhere now but I would shake you hand with a fourten.

If you think you have it bad, try turning up with a front loader!!

 

U.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Underdog

[silver pigeon 3]

I am yet to shoot driven with a small gauge, but on a shoot we pick up on one gun uses a .410 very effectively.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

As long as the shooter is competent they are great fun, light to carry and can make memorable days.

[mick miller]

Bloody girls guns, you'll get loads of runners...

 

 

Sorry, just couldn't help myself!

[Guest cookoff013]

20gauge is quite a gauge indeed,

imho for a driven partridge, or "tesco everyday value pheasant shoot" its ideal.

[hawkfanz]

i don't shoot driven game,but use a 20g and 28g as well as 12g,,my preferred gun on our rough shoot is o/u 20g,including flight ponds when i use 24gram steel i don't find it a handicap and i hold my own against the 12g users.

[Suffolkngood]

Yeah been there and just ignored them. Downed plenty much to their dismay. Snobbery. You crack on. 28g are everywhere now but I would shake you hand with a fourten.

If you think you have it bad, try turning up with a front loader!!

U.

Oh that's what I do....smile and carry on and preferably kill the bird that they've just missed with both 12 bore barrels lol

 

Funny how not one of them that says it's cruel to shoot with a small gauge as they're not 'powerful enough' to kill a pheasant cleanly has ever been prepared to run past me at 30 yards whilst being chased by a few Grammes of #7.

 

Only used the 410 for the first time on the after lunch drives and only got to shoot at 5 birds (killed 3). It was the first time I'd even fired a 410 so although id liked to have pulled the trigger more, I was chuffed with its first outing.

 

That front loader sounds fun though!

[Suffolkngood]

20gauge is quite a gauge indeed,

imho for a driven partridge, or "tesco everyday value pheasant shoot" its ideal.

20guage is a cracking all rounder. I used to have 20gauge EELL but sold it after I bought a 28gauge SP 1.

 

Although the EELL was beautiful to look at and got more than a few complimentary comments, I just preferred shooting the 28 gauge.

[Blackpowder]

Beware of the Gun using a 20 bore, he or she usually knows where to place the shot.

 

Blackpowder

[Ttfjlc]

I was on a shoot recently where the rule was to only shoot at one hen pheasant per drive, I duly missed one straight over my head with both barrels of my 12. Next hen pheasant came straight over my head at the same height and my 9 year old son who was standing 30-40 yards to my right dropped it stone dead with my dads 20 bore! Should of seen the look on his face! All I could do was turn and say "shot son" 😊

[Ttfjlc]

Beware of the Gun using a 20 bore, he or she usually knows where to place the shot.

 

Blackpowder

Never a truer word spoken, my dad once witnessed a duck missed by 5 guns using 12s then flew over a bloke with a 20 who dropped it from 50 yards with 1 shot. I also witnessed the same guy drop pheasant after pheasant all 1st barrel dead in the air. When my dad asked how many he'd shot he simply took out 6 empty yellow cases from his pocket and said "6, no wait here's another, so 7" 😃

[welshwarrior]

I used a 20 until my wife stole it, I now use a 28 bore I get the normal comments who cares I let the birds do the talking.

[dougall]

I don't want to dampen too many fireworks but a .410 is difficult to shoot well with...for partridge,mediocre pheasants in the right hands it can work but I for one would not want to see more in a line of guns..and on a cracking day with birds flying strongly they are verging on an insult to the keeper & estate.20/28s no problem.....A screaming tall pheasant @ 40 yards deserves a tool capable of being consistently able to kill it and I do not believe a .410 can or will...it would be luck. Occasionally we have a young son/daughter stand with an adult and they have a shot or two with a .410,but only at @25 yards but as a trend...and more folk are talking @ 410s I would like it to go away!

I agree with many above that the 20 g is now v popular and to all intents & purposes kills as well as anything and is often selected by the better shots. 410's on driven days...no thanks.

Merry Xmas

Mr A Scrooge of Sussex

[Ttfjlc]

I used a 20 until my wife stole it, I now use a 28 bore I get the normal comments who cares I let the birds do the talking.

I know you do I read it the first time 😊

[Westley]

I don't want to dampen too many fireworks but a .410 is difficult to shoot well with...for partridge,mediocre pheasants in the right hands it can work but I for one would not want to see more in a line of guns..and on a cracking day with birds flying strongly they are verging on an insult to the keeper & estate.20/28s no problem.....A screaming tall pheasant @ 40 yards deserves a tool capable of being consistently able to kill it and I do not believe a .410 can or will...it would be luck. Occasionally we have a young son/daughter stand with an adult and they have a shot or two with a .410,but only at @25 yards but as a trend...and more folk are talking @ 410s I would like it to go away!

I agree with many above that the 20 g is now v popular and to all intents & purposes kills as well as anything and is often selected by the better shots. 410's on driven days...no thanks.

Merry Xmas

Mr A Scrooge of Sussex

 

+1

Edited December 19, 2014 by Westley

[al4x]

Ultimately it's down to how well you can shoot, I've seen some exceptional shots with them and if you are good enough then fine. If not though you will look more of a plum than missing with a 12b

[dessyb]

i use a 410 for pigeon decoying because of shoulder injury only gripe i have with the 410 is the cost of ammo

[Suffolkngood]

I don't want to dampen too many fireworks but a .410 is difficult to shoot well with...for partridge,mediocre pheasants in the right hands it can work but I for one would not want to see more in a line of guns..and on a cracking day with birds flying strongly they are verging on an insult to the keeper & estate.20/28s no problem.....A screaming tall pheasant @ 40 yards deserves a tool capable of being consistently able to kill it and I do not believe a .410 can or will...it would be luck. Occasionally we have a young son/daughter stand with an adult and they have a shot or two with a .410,but only at @25 yards but as a trend...and more folk are talking @ 410s I would like it to go away!

I agree with many above that the 20 g is now v popular and to all intents & purposes kills as well as anything and is often selected by the better shots. 410's on driven days...no thanks.

Merry Xmas

Mr A Scrooge of Sussex

Nothing wrong with anything you've said. I know my regular local shoot well and know the extremes the birds are likely to fly. It was bright sunshine with little to no wind. As mentioned in earlier post, I only took the 410 out for the afternoon drives and only fired at 5 birds that were killable and used the 28 bore in the morning. The reason being is that I'd asked before we started to see the order of the drives and I had already drawn my peg so I knew which peg I'd be standing on at each drive and so could make an educated decision on wether morning or afternoon would best suit the 410.

 

I shot in Wales earlier in the season and gave my 12 bore its first of probably 2 outings it was likely to get this season. The second will be 'Cock Day'. Every gun has its purpose and I for one having shot driven game for over 10 years with a 28 bore knows it limitations well enough not to stretch its capabilities. There's a time and a place for everything...........you just have to choose the time and place.

[Suffolkngood]

I don't want to dampen too many fireworks but a .410 is difficult to shoot well with...for partridge,mediocre pheasants in the right hands it can work but I for one would not want to see more in a line of guns..and on a cracking day with birds flying strongly they are verging on an insult to the keeper & estate.20/28s no problem.....A screaming tall pheasant @ 40 yards deserves a tool capable of being consistently able to kill it and I do not believe a .410 can or will...it would be luck. Occasionally we have a young son/daughter stand with an adult and they have a shot or two with a .410,but only at @25 yards but as a trend...and more folk are talking @ 410s I would like it to go away!

I agree with many above that the 20 g is now v popular and to all intents & purposes kills as well as anything and is often selected by the better shots. 410's on driven days...no thanks.

Merry Xmas

Mr A Scrooge of Sussex

Equally insulting to responsible keepers/estate owners and fellow shooters are those that choose to shoot larger gauge guns with over heavy loads and yet refuse to shoot the presented birds that match their gun/cartridge combination capabilities. Instead they ignore these better birds for the easier low birds which are turned to game pate before they've even hit the floor. I rarely visit commercial shoots so the amount killed is not important to me. It's all about being sporting and responsible whatever your weapon of choice.

[Underdog]

Equally insulting to responsible keepers/estate owners and fellow shooters are those that choose to shoot larger gauge guns with over heavy loads and yet refuse to shoot the presented birds that match their gun/cartridge combination capabilities. Instead they ignore these better birds for the easier low birds which are turned to game pate before they've even hit the floor. I rarely visit commercial shoots so the amount killed is not important to me. It's all about being sporting and responsible whatever your weapon of choice.

Absolutely :-)

[Alycidon]

Anybody using a 20 or 28 on half decent pheasants will be a good shot. Chances are he/she moved to the caliber as a challenge. Most 20s are loaded with 28gr of 5s, through 1/2 choke that hits plenty hard. I have had my eye wiped with 20s and 28s at distances I would find remarkable with a 12 let alone a small caliber.

 

A

[Arley]

I shot with my 20 s/s yesterday and to be honest I killed as many birds as I would with my 12 s/s. I think half the battle is forgetting what calibre you are using and enjoy your day. I was using 28gm no6 and 25gm no5 Bismuth on the ducks. Only had one runner all day.

[Suffolkngood]

Anybody using a 20 or 28 on half decent pheasants will be a good shot. Chances are he/she moved to the caliber as a challenge. Most 20s are loaded with 28gr of 5s, through 1/2 choke that hits plenty hard. I have had my eye wiped with 20s and 28s at distances I would find remarkable with a 12 let alone a small caliber.

 

A

I really don't like shooting with my 12 bore any more compared to my 28 bore or 410 as it seems for too heavy and clumsy. But if I'm lucky enough to visit a high bird shoot or the end of season cock day then it reluctantly comes out of the cabinet.

[BrowningDJC]

Ive killed as many good birds with a 20 bore as i have a 12, but im still sceptical when it comes to 28 bores and 410's. Most 28 bore users ive seen use loads as high as 28 grams, so they might aswell be using a 20 bore.