Bigger isn't always better

[twomoons]

When i got my Husky shotgun I checked the barrel alignment before I shot it. This is a simple proceedure and can be done in yor basement. You simply prime an empty shogun hull and slide in a plastic one piece wad. Make a mark on a cardboard box and shooot at the mark, If everything is kosher you should get a perfect figure eight cut out like this 8 only laid over on it's side. The right barrel will cut the LEFT hole and vice versa. In case you are wondering the cross over is because with just a primer and wad there is no recoil to puush the barrels off center.

Now when i did this with the husky the barrels were perfect and when i shot the standard 1 Oz. loads the patterning at 40 yards was dead on. Then I got to thnking that i really should have a heavier load so I could really mange those turkeys. I took a 2 1/2" brass case and loaded up some man killlers with 85 grains of FFg and 1 1/4 Oz of shot. Boy these would bee GOOOD, not!

What happened is that with the heavier load and the full chokes the Husky shot each barrel off from POA ay 40 yards. The right barrel was 10" to the right and same for the left. The gun was REGULATED for 1 oz loads and the extra weight of shot and recoil was throwing the patterns off. Live and learn, I have found this to a lesser extent with older American doubles that were made prior to 3" shells and for the most part the cheaper NEW doubles pattern somewhat close at 40 yards and are rarely dead on. I usually have to regulate the cheaper doubles.

[jmarriott]

I though you were going to talk about guages bigger than 10 guage.

At my dad's is grandpa's old PUNT gun a 2 guage that mounted on a boat and looks like a morter. He and my great grandfather used to market hunt and used it for ducks and geese.

[twomoons]

There bigger is better! I have a 4 gauge barrel in the shop now waiting to be made into a flintlock wall gun. You can ambush a LOT of ducks with a 1/2 pound of shot!

[jimiowa]

And I suspect guages larger than 10ga are not legal to hunt with in many states now. I know 10 ga is the limit in Iowa.

Two Moons, I think 1 oz should be fine for Turkey.

[klsm54]

Maybe you could work up a 1-1/8 oz load, with a little less FFg, that would work.

Or, as Jim said, I'm sure the 1 oz load will suffice. A good pattern, hitting where you're looking, is always better than more shot hitting where ya ain't lookin'.... ;D

[dovehunter]

Bill:

You missed your calling. You should have been a philosopher!

[bounce]

[jmarriott]

Imagine having to aim a shotgun by moving the boat. I think thats why it is just a spray and pray shotgun. I think they were outlawed before my dad was old enough to hunt and he was born in 1943. Market hunting was also outlawed

I can remember as a kid walking into a corn field in the morning where granddad lived and watching enough geese leave the field that the sky darkend and you could just shoot (without aiming) and theye would fall down like manna from heaven.

I often miss living in the New York Finger Lakes region as the hunting and fishing is far better than in Indiana.

[Jack]

Jmarriott, you should see the geese there now! There's more geese in the area than there used to be.
Hunting in general is still good in the Finger Lakes area.

[twomoons]

Well my 1 oz turkey load will put 19 #6 pellets in a turkey head at 30 yards so I figure I am good to go.

[deputydon]

Feb 5, 2009 17:12:46 GMT -5 twomoons said:

Well my 1 oz turkey load will put 19 #6 pellets in a turkey head at 30 yards so I figure I am good to go.

I would hope soooooooo.......

[klsm54]

Feb 5, 2009 17:12:46 GMT -5 twomoons said:

Well my 1 oz turkey load will put 19 #6 pellets in a turkey head at 30 yards so I figure I am good to go.

Hell, that would even kill a Missouri turkey.... ;D ;D

[bounce]

Think if red showes up for turkey hunting I will just have to get out my special ZULU Turkey blaster!! or the one named after the bird old Long Tom, both have 40 inch barrels. lol Not that they do any better than my 20" barrels but I want to give red Image LOL.