Meat guns....

D

Dave McC

Staff In Memoriam
What shotgun do YOU reach for when it's time to put meat on the table?

IOW,what's your Go-To shotgun when it's food rather than clays or trouble you're trying to stop?

Is it a family heirloom, handed down from one generation to another, or a Walmart special you bought with that last tax refund?

Is it the single bbl of great age you spent a lot of time with when growing up, easing through the hardwoods in October and a pocket full of high brass 6s?

Is it a long barreled goose killer, choked "Down like a rifle" and fed heavy loads of shot?

Is it your Grandad's Model 12, with hundreds of hunts behind it and hundreds more left to do?

You've all been bored spitless hearing about my 870s, let's find out what you folks use, what you like, and why.

Thanks, and the pulpit's now open...
 
Although I am not the hunter I would like to be, I would take either of my two shotguns to the killing fields.

Upland hunting would be taken care of by my ancient side by side 12 gauge.

Deer would be dispatched by my Beretta riot gun with rifle sights.

High flying ducks and geese would be immune to my chokeless wonders...
 
I'm not trying to kiss up Dave....but it would have to be the 870. A year ago I would have said my Ithaca 37... but it's long gone. The 870 has helped me put two deer and a few rabbits in the freezer, and in the oven, so far this fall. I'm going to try it out on some ducks in a couple of weeks. With the right barrel/choke combo, it is a do-it-all kind of SG....at least for for someone like me who spends most of my gun money on pistolas.
 
J.C.Higgens Model 20, 22"bbl, no choke (lost it thirty years ago)

Reliably feeds anything 2 3/4" or shorter including minishells.

Stock has been shortned then re-lengthened a few times. Kids grow, then come the grand kids. It has been mule, horse, canoe, snowmobile, airplane, jeep packed. Has a soft cheekpiece glued on it from the last time a little gal learned trap with it. She went straight a few times with it.

Since I shoot heads up, height of cheek piece doesn't matter to me and it gets left alone till fitted to somebody new.

Was a beater gun when bought new, the one you take when you don't want to scratch a thousand dollar stock etc.

Since it has been the pot huntin gun and generally treated like a tool......tis in 95% or better condition on the metal. If I had treated it nice would have dings n scratches.

Sam.....and I don't even like pumps:D
 
meat gun

for the last 20 years my field gun has been a double (sxs & o/u).
Right now it's a BSS 12 ga. second choice is my Winchester m50.

The last 5 or 6 years I've been carrying a muzzle loader in both shotgun and primitive seasons , but if I wanted a deer shotgun it would be one of our 870's.
 
Mine's an 870, too.

Had a Mossy 835, but a series of trades turned it into a SXS. Trying to get that all tuned up nice now.

The SXS is the "right" tool for mixed upland game.

For anything else, its the 870.
 
1956 Browning A-5. It was my father's until the Massachewsh**s Gun Control act of 1998. It has been used to put a great deal of chow on the table. With Brenneke slugs in it, anything within 100 yds. that needs to be dead, is. My dad's go-to was his Parker, I have that one now too, thanks to Scott Harshbarger. May he rot in hell. :mad:
 
Thanks, folks. I note an incredible variety of guns, which is what I wanted to know when I started this thread. That 870s are mentioned a lot comes as no surprise, 8 million 870s are a lot of good shotguns.

But there are others, even for me.

First,I've probably taken more small game with that old H&R single bbl 16 gauge as with my repeaters. It was my go to gun for woods roaming and taking targets of opportunity for decades. I still think a single like this is a great choice for upland hunting. They carry like a dream and while the light weight exascerbates the kick, these are carried much, shot little. When shooting at game, kick is hardly ever felt. And one shot is usually enough.

And, few critters this side of turkeys will not succumb PDQ to 1 1/8 oz of 6s or 7 1/2s. Go for head shots up close for Woodchucks and Fox.

Another excellent meat gun is the various Model 24 combos from Savage. With 22LR or Mag capability and 20 gauge, these make outstanding guns for woods running, backpacking, or heading out the door for an hour before dinner to get tomorrow's dinner.The one I had long ago had the same POI for Brennekes as the 22 ammo I used then at 40 yards. 22 groups were tiny, the extra metal from the 20 ga tube stiffens the bbl, and vice versa.

The most underestimated shotgun in the US is the bolt action. These are low priced, durable as heck and ugly. They keep on working, and make great slug guns with some judicious mods.

But still,the best meat guns are repeaters, mostly pumps. A good pump like the 870, the right ammo,and a handful of choke tubes means one is prepared for hunting ANYTHING in North America, from big bears to little birds.

I may go to the Deep South next year and back up a buddy as he bowhunts hogs. Gun of choice, an 870 with Brennekes. These swine run up to 600 lbs,are feral/Russian crosses,and are not inclined to tolerate human proximity.

Before the seasons end, the freezer should/will have venison, goose, pheasant, ground game, and maybe quail, and/or preserve partridge. All taken with divers 870s.Meat guns indeed....
 
Mossberg 500c in 20 ga for my deer gun, shot my first deer with it this year, a nice sized doe. I have taken numerous small game critters with it also, it never fails me.

Oh and 3" Magnum slugs on possum from about 3yds is really icky.:D
 
Can you say, "Overkill"?....

Next time use a 22, fly tiers love untanned possum fur for tying nymphs and wets...
 
410's rule.

Remington 870 Wingmaster in 410 guage or Stevens model 311a in 410 guage.

I've killed more Pheasants - Rabbits - Quail - with a 410 than any gun i've ever owned. [or ever will own]

For Ducks = Berreta A390 [Three inch chambered] - Silver mallard edition.

12-34hom.
 
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