THE GRIFF Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Apart from zabala, what other options in there is a 3 1/2" Side by side with either a 30" or 32" barrel, not bothered if its single or double trigger. I want this mainly as a goose gun for shooting heavy loads, last week I was shooting heavy 3" lead loads through my 3" sxs and I am sick of rattling my knuckles so thought a 3 1/2 " gun would handle heavy lead loads better and would also give me the option of 3 1/2" steel loads rather than 3". Just before anyone mentions the heavy lead loads, they were used legally inland in Scotland(not over water). I don't like o/u shotguns or semi auto's so it must be a sxs, the recoil in the shoulder isn't a problem it's just my knuckles with the lighter 3" gun and the heavy loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 just bear in mind before you lash the cash the weight of the gun to shoot 3 1/2" correctly is going to be equivelent to a 10 bore in the weight parameters anyway. why not just buy a second hand 10 s/s? 10 bore and 12 bore 3 1/2" nitro steel factory are about the same cost and from my own findings owning both 12 and 10 3 1/2" firing equivelent payloads the ten outperforms the super magnum 12 by some margin. my ten weighs 10 1/2 lb with 32" barrels and still kicks a bit mind, compared to my gas op auto My friend shoot the Zabala super magnum 12 and it seems to do its job, is the gun recoiling the trigger guard into your trigger hand? perhaps stiking you middle finger? tried an add on protector yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE GRIFF Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the reply, yes its the trigger guard that is smacking my knuckles, I know the heavy loads I am occasionally using are more of a 10 bore load but for the amount of geese I shoot and the fact I mainly only shoot geese when out shooting ducks it doesn't justify me buying a 10 bore. If I am out after ducks but think there is a chance that only geese will be flighting then I wouldn't mind carrying a heavyish 12g with me rather than a 10 bore to find the ducks are flying. My uncle, cousin and grandad all use there 3 1/2" guns for everything from pigeons to geese, they have always done this so are used to the weight and think nothing of it. I aren't saying I will use the 3 1/2" all of the time but may try and get used to the weight of it and use it more as a general wildfowling gun and if I really don't like the weight of it then use it as a dedicated goose gun. I was just wondering if there are other 3 1/2" sxs guns available other than the zabala. The trigger guard may be something to look into though. Edited November 21, 2012 by THE GRIFF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Apart from zabala, what other options in there is a 3 1/2" Side by side with either a 30" or 32" barrel, not bothered if its single or double trigger. I want this mainly as a goose gun for shooting heavy loads, last week I was shooting heavy 3" lead loads through my 3" sxs and I am sick of rattling my knuckles so thought a 3 1/2 " gun would handle heavy lead loads better and would also give me the option of 3 1/2" steel loads rather than 3". Just before anyone mentions the heavy lead loads, they were used legally inland in Scotland(not over water). I don't like o/u shotguns or semi auto's so it must be a sxs, the recoil in the shoulder isn't a problem it's just my knuckles with the lighter 3" gun and the heavy loads. You don't say why you don't like an o/u or semi. I personally wouldn't waste my time trying to find an ideal sxs, i would go for one of the many semi autos out there or find a suitable o/u. I wasn't that keen on semis before i got one, now i love them and have both a 3 1/2" 12 and 10 bore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 (edited) I had that problem with a game gun , the recoil causing my knuckles to bruse . The reason was the gun was too short in the stock for my. Brfore buying a new gun try a rubber but extention . I cured my problem with a rubber guard that fits between your finger and the trigger guard. I think it cost me a tenner from my local gun shop. While a lot of people love OUs personaly I cant hit a barn door with one ( despite months of lessons some years ago ). I have always shot best with S\Ss and always use them for pigeon\game shooting and starting to use them more for inland duck shooting as lighter steel loads continue to improve. I suspect you will find the weight of a 3.5 inch s\s will outweigh and advantages of the bigger load. For geese I use a S\A and find it a real advantage for geese when using heavy steel loads of BB or BBB. But then my Browning Gold is a lot lighter than most 3.5 inch S\Ss. I have found the 3.5 inch S\Ss might be great for stopping a T47 tank , but too clumberson for me to shoot straight with. It depends on how much goose shooting you do , but if its just a week or so in Scotland each year I would be tempted to keep with the gun you like and shoot well with at present and use lead inland and splash out on some Tungsten for shooting on the foreshore . After all the price of a few boxes is small compaired with the total coast of a weeks goose shooting in Scotland . Edited November 21, 2012 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I have seen many a dead goose created by a 3" steel load, let alone tungsten or lead. I too like s/s guns a non ejector with 25" barrels is a great gun over deeks for duck and no spraying the empies all over the shop. Likewise when you hear the clammer of approaching geese the change over to something heavier is simple an quick. with my semi auto i have stopped bothering with rapid change overs and just shoot them with the duck shells already in if they come close enough after having one too many mishaps. The ideal s/s does not exist for me it would be multi choked 25" barreled and a sythetic stock with proper modern rust proofing to the action and barrels with quick disassebly of the action should a dunking occur. Double triggers with room for a gloved hand or an easy barrel selector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Yildiz do a wildfowl gun sxs 3&1/2" new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE GRIFF Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 (edited) I have just found a couple of cheap sxs in 3" that are heavier than my current sxs. I was wondering if the heavier guns may not bounce as much with a heavy load. My current gun is old Belgian sxs and says its tested to 1200kg, it fires the heavy cartridges although it bounces and rattles my knuckles, it also fires 35g steel with no problems, it's choked at half and quarter. From what I have researched, although this isn't proofed for the 50g 3" lead or 35g steel the reason behind this is simply because these loads weren't around when the gun was built. One of the cheap heavier 3" sxs I have seen is a heavy zabala choked at half and half, it say magnum on it but only 1000kg rather than 1200kg, the zabala is a much heavier gun than my current sxs, would it still be ok to fire 50g lead and 35g steel through it without getting it reproofed. Edited November 22, 2012 by THE GRIFF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 The yildiz wildfowl is a dedicated widfowling gun 3&1/2" and steel proofed and i dont think its that heavey either,I was looking at getting one a few years back.Also its multi choked,single trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 the importer of the above is Entwistle guns in Preston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 You are always taking a risk when shooting shells through a gun that was not intended to fire them. I push my AYA no3, 3 inch magnum to 34 gr of steel in a 2 3\4 inch case , but would not like to shoot anything more powerful through it. There was a guy on here who sent his AYA 3 inch gun to be reproofed , it passed , but he never came back to say what the recoil was like with 3 inch steel. I have tried a 3 inch Zablia ( in the lead days ) and found them like swinging a heavy gas pipe , compared to the nicely balanced AYA. I would stick with the gun you have at the moment , but talk to a gunsmith and see it he suggests a rubber butt absorber or a rubber triggar guard before buying a new gun. If you do get the Zabla and use it unproffed for the larger steel shells I would at the very least have the chokes taken down further than 1\2. My AYA is I\C both barrels.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 i think the whole subject of proof is a little mute when you consider the state of repair of some wildfowlers guns. It might have been safe when tested but.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE GRIFF Posted November 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 Northallerton shooting have the 3 and 3 1/2" yildiz in stock so I am going to have a look this afternoon. Thanks for the replies What other sxs guns are you using either 3 inch or 3 1/2 inch and how do you find them with heavy lead loads and what are the heaviest loads you would put through them for geese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.