Preferred Shotgun Actions?

[Ravensview]

Upland hunting mostly ruffed grouse I use a .20 gauge SxS, duck and goose hunting my .12 gauge Ithaca m37 pump, I keep eyeballing an auto loader 12 gauge that takes 31/2” shells but just haven’t gotten around to getting one, probably never will.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Upland hunting mostly ruffed grouse I use a .20 gauge SxS, duck and goose hunting my .12 gauge Ithaca m37 pump, I keep eyeballing an auto loader 12 gauge that takes 31/2” shells but just haven’t gotten around to getting one, probably never will.

I’m very pleased with my 12ga Remington V3 3”. IF I were ever to buy a 3.5”, I would look hard at the Remington Versamax?

 

[BeeMaa]

Upland hunting mostly ruffed grouse I use a .20 gauge SxS, duck and goose hunting my .12 gauge Ithaca m37 pump, I keep eyeballing an auto loader 12 gauge that takes 31/2” shells but just haven’t gotten around to getting one, probably never will.

I bought my Benelli SBE2 with the intention of using 3.5" shells.
I've had it for more than 8 years and never shot a 3.5" shell once.
Loaned it to my friend for a Duck hunt and he used the 3.5's.
He said it was awesome out to 60 yards with the proper choke.
I have yet to find a REALLY good reason to punish myself with them.
3" has gotten it done for me up to this point.

 

[Ravensview]

Ye, I don’t know if I would ever use 31/2 shells but if I was looking at adding a new shotgun I figure why not be able to handle what is available for it, with the way shot restrictions come into play you just never know, like when steel came out it really dropped the versatility of my 2 3/4” m37.

 

[chashardy]

I have a Beretta A400 Extreme plus for waterfowl, but my preferred action is always an O/U double. I have 4 Berettas: SL3 20 bore (my favorite); 693 12 bore; 687 EELL 12bore (another favorite) and a 692 Black 12bore for clays. I also have a Perazzi MX2000 20bore game gun.

 

[Red Leg]

I am a SxS guy (except when I am occasionally shooting an OU). My upland guns are an assortment of English and Continental guns ranging from .410 through a wonderful old 1 1/4 ounce proofed 10 Bore H. A. Lindner hammer gun that has killed piles of geese and ducks in Canada - much to the astonishment of some of the other bubba's in camp with their Duck Dynasty Italiocammocrunchenticker 3 1/2 inch "waterfowl" guns. My normal waterfowl gun is a Connecticut Shotgun 12 with 3-inch 32" barrels. Steel will never pollute the inside of any of them. And I have never understood the need or attraction of the 3 1/2" load - unless one really needs to work on a flinch. If I can't kill it with 1 1/4 or 1 3/8 ounces of bismuth or Hevishot the goose is probably actually an airplane.

For raised quail, I use a .410 or 28, and for wild birds a 28 or 20. For normal pheasant hunting, I use a standard game gun with a 1 1/8 ounce load of no.6's from one of my 12 bore game or pigeon guns.

I have never felt under-gunned.

 

[BeeMaa]

...a wonderful old 1 1/4 ounce proofed 10 Bore H. A. Lindner hammer gun that has killed piles of geese and ducks in Canada - much to the astonishment of some of the other bubba's in camp with their Duck Dynasty Italiocammocrunchenticker 3 1/2 inch "waterfowl" guns.

Amazing that earlier generations were able to knock down anything without a "Italiaocammocrunchenticker".

Beautiful wood on that shotgun.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I only use 3.5 inch shells for steel shot to hold more shot. I can’t afford tungsten, or I would only use 2.75 or 3 inch shells.

 

[Ray B]

The Browning A5 was Long Recoil operated, which meant that the barrel came completely back into the action, then on its way forward the empty ejected and fresh round popped up and into the chamber (as compared to the Short Recoil system such as the 1911 colt auto pistol). Operation with full power or light loads was determined by the position of the Friction Ring, a brass ring that fit between the main spring and the barrel ring, It was beveled on one side and flat on the other. For full loads the bevel was against the barrel so that when the barrel came back it caused the ring to tighten against the magazine tube, thus increasing friction to offset the recoil force. for light loads the flat side was against the barrel so that it didn't tighten as the barrel pushed against it, thus allowing the force to be sufficient to operate the action. I much prefer the system to the newer gas or delayed recoil systems, but then that was what I started shooting several years ago so didn't know any better.

 

[Nevada Mike]

I prefer side by side shotguns, but also like the O/U guns for some applications. I have SxS guns in 12, 16, and 20 gauge, and O/U guns in 12 and 20 gauge.

I shoot a lot over pointing dogs and for that the SxS can't be beat.

 

[Philip Glass]

My preferred action type in a shotgun is a gas operated semi auto. The main reason is reduced recoil when shooting heavier loads and/or several boxes of shells at a time. My first was a 12ga Remington 1100 (2.75” chamber) in the early ‘70s. I bought a Remington Lightweight 1100 20ga for dove and quail hunting in the early ‘80s. When the use of steel shot for waterfowl became mandatory, I wanted a 3” chamber and found a used 12ga Remington 11-87. Great shotgun, but heavy (8.2lbs) for carrying hunting pheasants all day. But, I used it for many years, until two years ago I bought a 12ga Remington V3 (7.2lbs) and use that for pheasants. Of course, these are all lower end guns. But, I’ve shot my father in law’s fairly new higher end inertia actioned Benelli Super Black Eagle a number of times and frankly, I don’t care for the action? It’s not as smooth as my gas operated and has a kind of “klunk, klunk” feel when the bolt cycles? I’ve shot pump actioned and several O/U shotguns. I really like the O/U style, but when I think back on how many birds (especially doves) I would have lost by not having that third shot, I’ve stayed with my semi autos. I’ve seen many beautiful doubles and O/Us in photos here on AH, and was curious as to what shotgun actions are preferred? Maybe it depends on the bird species hunted?

Beretta 12g auto. No question

 

[fourfive8]

Grew up hunting with an old single shot, hammer, break 16ga. I found it behind our farm in a small wooded area when I was 9 yrs old. Then had an old Savage Fox two trigger 16 ga SxS... as plain Jane as they get! Then various O/Us and pumps 20s and 12s. Single triggers, double triggers, ejectors or not. Various choke configurations. I think my favorite was the simple and cheap Savage Fox SxS 16ga. The best, high % shooting I had was early season dove with that SxS 16. My best shooting of really difficult birds was pass shooting late season doves with a light 20 ga O/U with 3" #6 steel thru mod and full chokes. To say they were a tad speedy is an understatement! I think under those circumstances they come the closest in difficulty to pass shooting sand grouse coming in to water, jump shooting educated prairie chickens and wild passing pheasants with a 40 mph tail wind!

I still have the old single, break, hammer 16. All the rest down the road long ago. The only one I wish I still had was the Fox SxS 16. A shotguns must fit and point to work, simple as that. I've had four (or five?) really nice O/Us. Sorry to all those who spend the big $ on them because they are cool, but to me they are more cumbersome to break and load- the geometry and mechanics cannot be altered. And the single, narrow sight picture down the rib advantage in shooting....is not in my experience. The wide flat of the SxS is just a "sight picture lower boundary" for instinctive shooitng. No matter if narrow single or wider double, shotguns are not aimed unless sighted for something like precise slug shooting. Shotgun shooting shot is a fit and instinctive shooting game.

I wore out a Browning BPS... prematurely. So learned my lesson with those. I never owned a Rem 1100 but had one intermittently slam fire next to my ear in a duck blind a few times one day. They do feel good in handling, but that broke me of ever wanting one.

To me simple is good. What works with a shotgun works and may have little to do with the price of the toy.

 

[Firebird]

I grew up with a single shot break and hammer 20 by Harrington and Richardson. It kicks.
my dad told me a story once about mom belly crawling up on a trio of ducks and jumping them. Then killed all three loading and reloading like John Wayne. A guy out fishing was so impressed that he retrieved them for her. I called BS on the story until I met the guy who had retrieved the ducks for her. He tells the story with a bit more flash and dazzle. Apparently my mom was the catch of the town way back in the day. I still have the 20-it still kicks.

 

[yhc]

I am an equal opportunity kind of guy, specially when it comes to shotguns.

For upland games I prefer SxS.

For waterfowl I prefer semi.

And for clay sports I use O/U. I recently special ordered one with my hunting buddy’s image engraved on the receiver to remember her. She has gotten older and can’t hunt with me anymore due to hip dysplasia.

 

[Red Leg]

I am an equal opportunity kind of guy, specially when it comes to shotguns.

For upland games I prefer SxS.
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For waterfowl I prefer semi.
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And for clay sports I use O/U. I recently special ordered one with my hunting buddy’s image engraved on the receiver to remember her. She has gotten older and can’t hunt with me anymore due to hip dysplasia.
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View attachment 389058

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Extraordinary K-Gun and I assume a really lovely Griffon. Have had two over the years. No smarter or better companion on the planet. Cora would shag ducks in the morning, have a nap, and point woodcock behind the camp in the afternoon. Many, many years and numerous dogs later, I can still miss her.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I have never owned a shotgun, our hunting group were and still are heavily into air rifles and we killed so many doves, guineafowl and francolin it almose became old hat. So we spiced it up a bit and introduced bird on the wing with the air rifles. My buddy and I each have a white faced whistling duck to our credit and his son Alex got an Egyptian goose. Yes, I know, you arent going to believe it, but true it is.
Anyway, the guys are talking about getting shot guns mainly for doves and occasional francolin and whistlers. Although I have looked at a Beretta Silver Pigeon in 20 gauge, I really like the idea of a finesseful sxs shotgun. So do you think a 28 gauge would fit the bill?

 

[Red Leg]

I have never owned a shotgun, our hunting group were and still are heavily into air rifles and we killed so many doves, guineafowl and francolin it almose became old hat. So we spiced it up a bit and introduced bird on the wing with the air rifles. My buddy and I each have a white faced whistling duck to our credit and his son Alex got an Egyptian goose. Yes, I know, you arent going to believe it, but true it is.
Anyway, the guys are talking about getting shot guns mainly for doves and occasional francolin and whistlers. Although I have looked at a Beretta Silver Pigeon in 20 gauge, I really like the idea of a finesseful sxs shotgun. So do you think a 28 gauge would fit the bill?

"I have never owned a shotgun"

My God man, you have missed half of a hunting lifetime!

Though I should warn you that feather and fine guns are every bit as addictive as fur and fine rifles.

 

[yhc]

Extraordinary K-Gun and I assume a really lovely Griffon. Have had two over the years. No smarter or better companion on the planet. Cora would shag ducks in the morning, have a nap, and point woodcock behind the camp in the afternoon. Many, many years and numerous dogs later, I can still miss her.

Thank you Red Leg. She is indeed a Griffon...good eye!! Oftentimes people will mistake her for a German Wirehaired or Longhaired Pointer.

I agree with your assessment of Wirehaired Pointing Griffons' temperament. She is such a sweet family dog at home but once afield, she becomes a hunting machine!! Despite her age, she still wants to hunt so when I take her out for walks, I need to leash her so she doesn't over do it and hurt herself.

Regards,

 

[VertigoBE]

I prefer side by side shotguns, but also like the O/U guns for some applications. I have SxS guns in 12, 16, and 20 gauge, and O/U guns in 12 and 20 gauge.

I shoot a lot over pointing dogs and for that the SxS can't be beat.

Hello Mike,

Could you elaborate on why shooting over pointers is better with an SxS? I have an O/U and never questioned about it. Better field of vision?

thanks,
V.

 

[BeeMaa]

Though I should warn you that feather and fine guns are every bit as addictive as fur and fine rifles.

...or fine Single Malt Whisky for that matter.