chacotawas Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Hi folks, I'm about to take up shooting after a lay-off of over half a century (!!) Initially, it'll be pigeons but I would like to have the option of geese in the near future- I could decoy them on a friend's farm. I'm guessing I'd need two guns? If it was only one gun to do both pigeons and geese what would be the outline spec? I'm thinking about barrel length, chamber, and so on I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Something in a minimum of 3 inch chamber will do, steel shot proof if you intend on using steel! There are semi autos, pumps, over unders and possibly some side by sides which would do the job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chacotawas Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Thanks Matt. I think that answers my question very neatly! But wait a second, is barrel length significant? I see it quoted on very many adverts of guns for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Barrel length is just down to whatever suits you best, i shoot a 26 inch barreled side by side and a 27 inch barrel semi auto. Other prefer 30 inch guns or 28 inch ones, just down to whatever swings best for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chacotawas Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Thanks Mat. That's me sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 If your after something cheaper I'd stay off the semi autos an pumps. As mentioned a 3" gun will do the job nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Depends how much you would like to spend. Semi auto would be best webley and Scott 810 3"or if you have more money a winchester sx3 3.5". Barrel length is upto you my auto is 26" and all the rest are 28". If autos arnt your cup of tea a o/u 3" steel proof will do most things you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tadorna Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 32" barrels, gets me closer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chacotawas Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 32" barrels, gets me closer! Yeah, but what do you do for excuses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Yeah, but what do you do for excuses? I blame the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 (edited) As said ( where are you?) any gun that fits you will be fine I would suggest multi choke, 3" or 3.5" chambers and steel proof there are SxS, over under as well as single barrel guns in those specs ( perhaps not a 3.5" SxS) 12 bore is probably the best all round choice. Most important is that the gun fits and you can shoot well with it! Cart choice is the other factor. I strongly recommend a few lessons to nip any bad habbits in the bud. Also I suggest a trip to the opticians for some suitable eyewear ( think Dennis Taylor!) Edited March 2, 2013 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Welcome back to the sport, loads of lads are going for 10 bores and will use a cheaper Pigeon gun. A true wildfowler will have more than one gun and take the one for the job he is going to do. I would talk to a gun dealer and tell him what you want your gun for and he will keep you right. Don't be put off if he says I have a nice Hatsan for you (not my choice but others love them) Give Wabbitbosher off here a PM, honest bloke and you will be stunned at how little you will spend. I can't see many on PW saying get this or that gun.....geese are a little bit bigger than a Pigeon and using 'a same gun' would be not easy to pick. I don't want to be the first to say "get a Hatsan Escort" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Ghost you don't half talk a load of old rubbish. There are tons of guns that will do the job for geese and pigeons, just look at the range of suitable semi autos, over unders, pumps that are 3" chambered. I don't know where you get the bit about true wildfowlers having more than one gun either, i certainly know quite a few "true" wildfowlers who use the same gun for geese and pigeons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 I have 1 gun that does all my wildfowling and that is my SX3, i can put 32g 2 3/4" of 5 steels through it for teal over splashes or 42g 3 1/2" of BB's for flighting geese, and it is then used for pigeons/crows/rabbits and even sometimes clays in the summer! But in reality as already mentioned a 3" chambered steel proofed gun will do everything you want, for taller geese you might want to move away from steel and towards hevishot/tungsten, as 3" steels might just be a little lacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Ghost you don't half talk a load of old rubbish. There are tons of guns that will do the job for geese and pigeons, just look at the range of suitable semi autos, over unders, pumps that are 3" chambered. I don't know where you get the bit about true wildfowlers having more than one gun either, i certainly know quite a few "true" wildfowlers who use the same gun for geese and pigeons! I use a Winchester SX2 3 1/2" chambered 30" Semi-Auto on the marsh. It's multi-choke but I stick to quarter for Wildfowling and use only steel. I do a lot of Pigeon Shooting and when I go to the cabinet you can guess which gun I choose most of the time...yes the SX2. I will stick to the 1/4 choke for over decoys and use Eley Firsts (28g 7.5 shot). If I roost in taller trees I may just swap to half or threequarter choke and go up to 29g 6's in Hull Superspeed. If I was going to start all over again and had not shot for years and was going to have just one gun I would go for a 3" steel proofed over and under. The choice is based on the fact that they are practical, no jamming, chokes can be changed to suit. Acceptable on game shoots if you get the invite, and parts etc are maybe more available due to the mass market. You would need to look after it on the marsh but thats not a bad thing in my eyes. I would look for something 28" barrels. You can have one gun for one thing IMO, if you had a gun for every occasion you would not know what to take when. Just be ready to change cartridges pretty quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 I use a Winchester SX2 3 1/2" chambered 30" Semi-Auto on the marsh. It's multi-choke but I stick to quarter for Wildfowling and use only steel. I do a lot of Pigeon Shooting and when I go to the cabinet you can guess which gun I choose most of the time...yes the SX2. I will stick to the 1/4 choke for over decoys and use Eley Firsts (28g 7.5 shot). If I roost in taller trees I may just swap to half or threequarter choke and go up to 29g 6's in Hull Superspeed. If I was going to start all over again and had not shot for years and was going to have just one gun I would go for a 3" steel proofed over and under. The choice is based on the fact that they are practical, no jamming, chokes can be changed to suit. Acceptable on game shoots if you get the invite, and parts etc are maybe more available due to the mass market. You would need to look after it on the marsh but thats not a bad thing in my eyes. I would look for something 28" barrels. You can have one gun for one thing IMO, if you had a gun for every occasion you would not know what to take when. Just be ready to change cartridges pretty quick. I think that's pretty sound advice. Chopping and changing guns is not good practice. Find something that fits and stick with it. Welcome back to the fold Chacotawas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 I have three dedicated wildfowling guns. 1. a very short barrelled SBS BLNE 3" 12 (never been proofed for steel but I use it, choke is skeet and skeet) its a rough old ZABA I bought for a song but it get the job done over flashes. 2. Winchester SX3 bought new multi choked and fires any 12 bore shell up to 3 1/2" super mag. my do it all gun 3. Another ZABA SBS BLNE this time in a ten and bored 1/2 and 1/2 and again I will use steel, my dedicated goose gun, though I hope to do more duck tide flights with it next season. Starting out I should buy a Baikal / zabala etc in 3" good condition and have it put to something like 1/4 and 1/2. stuff the proof thing and just get on and shoot some fowl, if you break it throw it away (though you might struggle to do that)If it don't fit too good take the tools out and sort it. When the tide makes your hole or when you end up taking a dunking with your gun you might thank me for that advice. Cost? £100 quid max or so including choke changes these are not guns for the display racks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Second hand Beneli super black eagle like mine will do everything you want it to. 3.5" 'anti-tank' goose stoppers down to light pigeon loads. With a range of chokes - five supplied with the gun - and a couple of externals like Patternmaster you have a gun for all quarry and clays except standing on a peg at a driven game day. If you don't like the Beneli there are many others like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samyw Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 I use beretra xtrema .3 and half inch chamber 28 inch barrell five chokes can do pigeons and wildfowling with that one gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 (edited) Ghost you don't half talk a load of old rubbish. There are tons of guns that will do the job for geese and pigeons, just look at the range of suitable semi autos, over unders, pumps that are 3" chambered. I don't know where you get the bit about true wildfowlers having more than one gun either, i certainly know quite a few "true" wildfowlers who use the same gun for geese and pigeons! What I should have said was, those wanting to shoot geese are tending to use 10 bore & will also have a 12 bore for shooting Pigeon.Sorry if it came across as "A gun is not available that would do both" as we all know this is not a fact. I did say Hatsan would be posted loads....Not my cup of tea, I will stick to 10 bore & my Pump for Pigeon What gun did you say he should get? Edited March 3, 2013 by The Ghost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbox Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Second hand Beneli super black eagle like mine will do everything you want it to. 3.5" 'anti-tank' goose stoppers down to light pigeon loads. With a range of chokes - five supplied with the gun - and a couple of externals like Patternmaster you have a gun for all quarry and clays except standing on a peg at a driven game day. If you don't like the Beneli there are many others like it. Same for me. I have a pretty gun for the clays. SBE2 for everything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chacotawas Posted March 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 (edited) Thanks fellas, great stuff. So, what ABOUT that Hatsan Escort? In the distant past I had an ancient English hammer gun, bought it for £7 and 10 shillings, my very first wage packet, all of it! Used it for pigeons and ducks. I've already noted Wabbitbosher (and Flazz) Thanks Ghost. That Yeoman he's currently selling is very tempting for pigeons. I wouldn't mind getting another for the steel shot jobs. I think I'll just go to these two and trust them to sell me the right thing/s. I've learned a lot from these posts. Thanks to all. Hatsan?? Normally, I'd rather buy an old quality thing than a cheapo new one. Strikes me there could be quite a bit to go wrong in a semi-automatic shotgun. Had a semi-auto rimfire once that was a sod for jamming, etc. Edited March 3, 2013 by chacotawas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 What I should have said was, those wanting to shoot geese are tending to use 10 bore & will also have a 12 bore for shooting Pigeon. Sorry if it came across as "A gun is not available that would do both" as we all know this is not a fact. I did say Hatsan would be posted loads....Not my cup of tea, I will stick to 10 bore & my Pump for Pigeon What gun did you say he should get? I think there is more people tending towards 12 bore than 10 bore for geese! I didn't say what gun he should get, i outlined the spec of the gun as he asked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 The yeoman is a good budget priced gun. Very little to go wrong and reliable. If you want something a bit more upmarket the no4 is my choice. G would have said the no3 magnum for the marsh until the lead ban. They are not steel proof for the high speed steel but its questionable if they will take the pressures. I know mine used to take eley 3 inch loaded to 1 3/4 of bb in lead with no trouble. I even had the cheek to take mine to a well known clay pigeon ground and to be told its no good and I wouldn't be able to shoot clays with it...I told the guy to do his job...operate the trap...while I shot. 24 out of 25 down the line with a gun that wasn't suitable ...end of story. If you are not used to auto's stick to something simple although mine has never missed a beat and I find easy to strip and clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 My Remington is not proofed for steel and i've used the biggest 3" steel loads available through it without any problems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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