Question for pheasant hunters

[ilcop22]

Afternoon,

I had a quick question for you pheasant hunters out there. I'm planning on taking my younger brother hunting with me this season; he's never been before. My question regards the feasibility of shooting with his SxS cylinder bore 12 gauge. It's 20", dual hammer. Nothing fancy, but a hell of a shooter. I have other shotguns he could use, but he seems pretty keen to use his. Just wondering what your thoughts are on using a shorter barelled CB on pheasant. Thanks.

[300winmag]

20" barrels I would leave it home beside the bed loaded for the just in case. After 20 yards you would probably just add a little air to the feathers on that bird.

[southpaw]

First I would pattern it to see what the max range is. Then explain to him that he will have to refrain from shooting at birds further than that or risk missing them or worse injurying them. I don't know how you will be hunting the birds or how close they will be but if they are flushing close his cyl bore will be better than a mod or full choked barrel.

I wouldn't go any bigger than #6 shot for his gun. He won't have the range to make #4 or #5 shot a benefit.

If you are loading shells for the hunt remington sp12 wads would be worth a try. I find that they give me a little tighter patterns. I blame this on the slit only going 2/3 the way down the petals.

Good luck on your hunt!

Jerry Jr.

[280Ackley]

I do almost all my pheasant hunting with a 20ga o/u with skeet in the under and either improved cylinder or modified in the over. Never felt undergunned. Usually kill twenty to thirty roosters a year. 20" barrels would feel funny to me, but just a personal preference. I would recommend buying shells with plated shot. I have noticed a big difference in terminal performance between hard plated shot and cheaper softer shot. Restrict shots to under 35 yrds and you'll have no problems.

[redneckdan]

If it is his first time going he probably won't have the skill to hit the longer shots anyway. Have him use what he is comfortable with.

[elk hunter]

For what it's worth, I've killed a lot of birds with cylinder bore muzzle loading shotguns and breech loaders for that matter. I wouldn't feel handicapped with that shotgun. I do prefer #5 shot for pheasants, I had fewer lost than when using #6's.

[ilcop22]

Thanks for the feedback, gents. He's surprisingly skilled with the shotgun, so I'm fairly confident in his ability to hit bird. I'll pattern it with some plated shot that I use on turkey and see how it looks. If it's not good, I'll just use it as an excuse to buy a new choke for my turkey gun and let him use my bird gun. :D

[Hardcast416taylor]

As long as he is within 10 - 15 yds. from a flushing bird and he is quick in mounting the gun and cocking a hammer and is using #6 shot he`ll probably get a bird or so. I`d still warn him about the number of times he`ll miss by being slow in shouldering the gun or mis-judging the amount of lead on an angle shot.Robert

[tomme boy]

1 1/8oz #4 steel at 1550fps. Will hold a little tighter pattern and the speed will flat out kill.

[smoked turkey]

Interesting thread. I have only been once and I used a modified choke in an 870. I didn't get the hang of it until the second day. I imagine he will do better than I did as I am not a good wing shot. I do know it was a blast. Let us know how it comes out.

[bowfin]

I agree with elk hunter and 280 Ackley that more open chokes (or none at all) aren't that great of handicap for pheasants. I had an old Ted Williams semiauto that the gunsmith had lopped off the polychoke. My uncle and I swapped back and forth using it for puddle jumping ducks, pheasants, prairie chickens and jackrabbits and never felt we were lacking.

If and when your brother thinks he needs tighter patterns, consider buffered loads with plated shot and especially Federal loads with the FliteControl wads. They will help hold a pattern together longer, but for most beginners, a more open pattern will be more forgiving and bring him more success.

[161]

I hunt with an old Stevens 311 SXS imp. cyl. and mod. 20 ga. over a German Short-hair and a Jack Russel.