Which type of shotgun

[benny]

Hey all

Just about to make the decision on what type of shotgun to get.

Will def be double barrel land 12 gauge.

Not sure whether to get coach gun though or regular length??

Will mainly shoot rabbits and foxes and potentially pigs with it

Love to her your thoughts!

[Chronos]

why not both?

Akkar churchill O/U 20" and 30" barrels, 7 chokes $1080 at Abelas for March 2014,

I pick mine up in the morning but you'd have to have it shipped obviously

Chronos

[benny]

Well that would be best of both worlds!!

[Warrigul]

Personally I reckon coach guns are next to useless for anything but very very tight scrub, you need at least 28" for things with wings or distance(sighting plane- you don't actually use the barrels to sight but they are in your vision and play a part).

Unless you can get multiple barrels you possibly would be better off leaving the coach gun alone.

FWIW I grew up shooting driven wallaby over dogs in scrub and never had any issue with an old 30" SXS full and modified, it doesn't get faster or closer shooting than that.

Just my opinions.

[Chronos]

Personally I reckon coach guns are next to useless for anything but very very tight scrub, you need at least 28" for things with wings or distance(sighting plane- you don't actually use the barrels to sight but they are in your vision and play a part).

Unless you can get multiple barrels you possibly would be better off leaving the coach gun alone.

FWIW I grew up shooting driven wallaby over dogs in scrub and never had any issue with an old 30" SXS full and modified, it doesn't get faster or closer shooting than that.

Just my opinions.

i have no experience hunting with shot guns as yet but i chose the 20" 30" combo for two reasons,

firstly the store didn't have the 30" in stock, only combo's and for a couple of hundred i went for the combo

secondly i hope to keep the 20" barrels choked for SG or SSG shells for shooting out of the back of the ute or in heavier scrub on foot and the 30" set up for sporting clays and other airborne targets as well as rabbits and foxes.

i hope the 20" O/U barrels are far from useless but i see them sitting in the case more than in hand when i'm hunting.

Chronos

[Ade]

What are SG and SSG loads?

[Apollo]

They are the size of the Buckshot (lead shot) in a Shotgun Cartridge. SG is the same as 00 and SSG the same as #2 shot.

[benny]

thats makes sense, I have only ever shot rabbits (twice) with a coach gun and then the yesterday used a full length and found it a little harder to aim (I am very new to using shotguns) not sure if they had a tighter choke on the longer shotgun keeping the shot tighter??

also chronos i was told the recoil for a coach would be horrible using sg? has anyone heard this

[Chronos]

thats makes sense, I have only ever shot rabbits (twice) with a coach gun and then the yesterday used a full length and found it a little harder to aim (I am very new to using shotguns) not sure if they had a tighter choke on the longer shotgun keeping the shot tighter??

also chronos i was told the recoil for a coach would be horrible using sg? has anyone heard this

As with rifles the recoil you feel is a factor of the load (how heavy it is) and the weight of the gun and how it's choked.

I have a single barrel beretta shotgun which is very light. It also has a choke that's listed as full but measures closer to extra full. Shooting light (28gr) trap loads it recoils a bit but is fine to shoot. I put over 200 shells through it at the last Mudgee meet up shoot put a heavy game load like no 4 shot and it can hurt some people. Without the skip in recoil pad I fitted

A coach gun might be the same. Light weight and tight chokes. They also kick a bit if you happen to take a mates advice and pull both triggers at the same time

A 30" over and under might be double the weight and choked for trap with more open chokes recoil would be greatly reduced.

Chronos

[wrenchman]

I have both a coach and a savage 311 the coach gun is short and imp and mod and is great for rabbits and grouse my 311 savage is mod and full and is longer I think about 26'' I shoot buck shot from both but if I am hunting deer or big game the 311 holds a tighter pattern and is what I take.
The only guns I have with screw in chokes are pumps or semi auto I don't know how the sxs guns would do if they both had screw in chokes.
I think if the choice is a gun with screw in chokes or one not I would like the one with because you can tailer the gun and loads to what you are hunting

[1290]

I like the idea of the combo with 20" plus 28 or 30" barrels, I like O/U, but SxS I find can be quicker due to the less brake required to eject, and I like ejectors - the right model WITH ejectors can be hard to find!

[Warrigul]

Ejectors are good but unfortunately when I shoot orchards I need to pick up the cases so use a SXS specifically for the short break, I usually have two cartridges held inbetween the fingers of my left hand and it is a simple matter to flick the two cases out with my little fingers and slip two new ones in, only takes a couple of seconds. A couple of hour session(early morning or late in the evening) during the peak of the season is 1-200 shots a day for about three weeks, you get pretty good at reloading.

Hammer guns are simply a pain in the arse.

A under and over is definately a superior firearm especially if shooting clays(I did for 15 years but can't be bothered anymore) but I like the SXS.

[Browning]

Mate I've got the Churchill 20" and 30" combo as well and its perfect for what I do.. In fact, I use the 20" barrel a lot more than the 30"..

It gets used mostly for walking through thick scrub (lignum and timber stands between crops) flushing out pigs. Its swings well and carrying it around all day, u def notice the weight difference as well.. I run Winchester 00SG and it works a treat.

At nights, if we can be assed, I'll swap to the 30" off the back of the ute.. Swapping takes about 30 seconds... Have even got a redring scope to sit on it for that fast acquisition.. Great gun and with chokes and ejectors it covers all bases..

The only time I won't use this is when one of my mates brings his SLR and Pump action shotty (yes, he's licensed)... Then the choice is easy..

So for me, the "coach" length barrel works a treat! Feels great in hand and when you're walking all day, for the first time, you'll be glad to not be lugging an extra 10" around hahaha

And recoil.... Pfffft you'll be having to much fun to notice.. You may end up with a bruise after a long day but if that's a concern, you're in the wrong hobbie

[1290]

I like hammer guns from a visual perspective, I have some old examples but never use them, always the 'modern' hammerless...

I like ejector so that I can 'surprise' the bystander to the left rear of me.. .

[defau]

Everyone always bangs on about classic hammers being "bad" because you can get the hammer caught on things or accidentally cock it etc.

Can't imagine that happens often if your at least half paying attention though?

[Warrigul]

Everyone always bangs on about classic hammers being "bad" because you can get the hammer caught on things or accidentally cock it etc.

Can't imagine that happens often if your at least half paying attention though?

A lot of people get shot by things that seem unlikely or wouldn't have happened if you pay attention.

Look I like the look that hammer guns have(I have one just for use in cowboy action and my pump .22 is also an exposed hammer) but when all is said and done when hunting hammered guns have no advantages over hammerless that I can think of..

[defau]

Fair enough Warrigul.

Wasn't suggesting they need to have an advantage. Just that there not as much of a potential mishap waiting to happen like some people carry on about.

Not really speaking from experience here though, just observations so I could be wrong.

[VICHunter]

...wouldn't have happened if you pay attention.

That's the problem right there.

People get cocky and/or comfortable and do something stupid.

I had a go at some bloke at the range a few weeks ago because he was so caught up in having a laugh with his mate he was completely oblivious to the fact he was muzzle sweeping half the guys at the range.

He didn't do it with anything in the mag. He emptied it the few times before reloading etc. and sweeping everyone. Not paying attention in the slightest though during the whole process... No respect for it... Easy for something to go bad then.

[Vati]

Bugger that.

Get one of the RO's to kick his stupid ass out.

[VICHunter]

Fortunately the guy was receptive to getting told of and put his attention where it belonged for the rest of the day.

Didn't come to anything more than that.

[lole]

Surprised they didn't boot him regardless if he's sweeping people.

They didn't notice I guess...

[VICHunter]

Nah we were down the far end.

No RO's involved.

Some of those guys don't muck about at Little River. No doubt he'd be out on his ass if they'd seen the start of it.

[Westy]

Everyone always bangs on about classic hammers being "bad" because you can get the hammer caught on things or accidentally cock it etc.

Can't imagine that happens often if your at least half paying attention though?

A lot of people get shot by things that seem unlikely or wouldn't have happened if you pay attention.

Look I like the look that hammer guns have(I have one just for use in cowboy action and my pump .22 is also an exposed hammer) but when all is said and done when hunting hammered guns have no advantages over hammerless that I can think of..

Obviously you don't hunt with a shotgun on a motorbike???? yer us old blokes used to have pumps on the bars but since 96 we use nothing other than hammer guns for safty's sake!!!!LOL