I am looking for recommendations for a sxs goose gun. Can't spend more than $2000. Should have 3" chambers, at least 30" barrels, would prefer double triggers,and will probably shoot bismuth in it so could be an older gun. This gun will be used in a blind so weight not a factor. What about a Winchester Model 23? Miroku Charles Daly? Would love to have a model 21 but too rich for me. Thanks for your thoughts.

Winchester 24, but it doesn't have 3in chambers. And I happen to have an extra. 1/10 the price of my 21 thats for sale. JW

Look for a Neaumann or an AyA. By careful shopping, you might find a Brit BLNE 3" that is useable.

Ritme,

Well, since I too am shameless, you might check out the 1911 Prussian Sauer I'm listing in the bbs. 'for sale' section. A bit more than you are looking to spend, but a whole lot more gun than a Win. 23. It has the longer chambers...

It's long ago but didn't the AyA Matador 10 and 12 have trouble with doubling? I know for sure the 12 did but the 20's were wonderful.

Shooting from a blind at geese, you're not handicapped with a three-inch 20 if you've set the decoys properly.

I'd recommend not buying a single trigger AYA. Don't know if they all doubled, but mine did about every 6-8 shots. Upside was the durned thing weighed like 9#, recoil wasn't that severe, even with two 1 5/8 oz. BB's cranking out at the same time! Should you win the lottery this week Bass Pro Denver has my dream gun, Purdey, two sets of bbls, 12 ga 3" and 10 ga 3". They're only asking something like $35k. Checked my lottery ticket and didn't win so it's still available.

If I were you, and shooting premium shot, I'd look at 2 3/4", the geese really can't tell the differnce. For $2K there are lots of nice Foxes, LC's and Ithaca doubles out there. Buy one and spend the rest of your $2k on good ammuntion. I shoot a Sterlingworth and fold 'em with Hevishot Classics.

Steve

I also use 2 3/4 ammo for geese. I have not seen any significant difference on decoyed birds.

You might think about the Browning BSS.

Look at the Manufrance Robust 3" 12gauge on my website http://www.dismalriverarmory.com

Don't buy a Win. 24, you will be a junior member forever.

The lightweight AYA magnum ten with case colored receiver is a double trigger gun. I don't know if they made a twelve gauge gun in the same configuration. Mine has case colored triggers as well as receiver and is a nice, light, 9 1/4 pound ten. I would love to have a twelve just like it when I run out of ten gauge ammunition.

Good suggestions from everybody but I don't agree that a 20 gauge or even a 2 3/4 12 bore will do the work. (Sorry King)

Geese are big birds and require some killing, you can't rely on having them over the decoys at 20 yards every time.

I shoot a 3 1/2 inch 10 gauge at them and would shoot an 8 gauge if it was legal. Get a long chambered gun and you'll have something to where you won't have to pick your shots like you would with a lighter fowling piece.

A place to start might be an LC Smith Wildfowl, you see them sometimes in the $2000 range. Send it off to somebody and have the head of the stock glassed to make it stronger then fire away.


Destry

I have a Parker that is perfect for your job and priced right. If you want details shoot me a note and if we make a deal Dave get's 10.
bill

I have used nothing but 2 3/4" shells for Canada Goose hunting for the last 5 yrs. This past year I adopted a Smith Long Range Gun that performed flawlessly- I carried it every day I went out. My load(s)= 1 1/8oz Nice Shot #2's @ 1200fps/ 1 1/4oz Bismuth #2's @ 1200fps. Even though it has 3" chambers I stick with 2 3/4" shells. Kills were from 20yds. to 50+ yds. and everywhere in between. Clean kills, no fooling around. They aren't Super Birds.

Some of the guys in our group are re-thinking the heavy magnum approach and downsizing themselves after seeing the success I have with the "old girls" and light loads. The only downside I can see is the horrendous cost of the premium non-tox shot, but that can be abrogated to a degree by using less of it in a load.

This is the time of year when we switch from Pheasants to geese. This year, shooting in Nebraska, about 18 miles from the house, I have been doing all of the above. I take 2 guns to the blind, a Lefever "E" Grade 10, shooting "nice shot" from RST and a Zabala 3 1/2" 10 shooting whatever is on sale in steel. Thats a cop out, aint it? I tend to agree with market hunter tho, they need a lot of shot put into them. Last year I shot a CZ 3" 12 bore with Hevishot and steel most of the time.....Dunno... CZ with steel is probably the most cost effective..But like I have said before, if we were interested in cost, we'd all buy Safeway chickens and stay home... Good Luck..

I think that Destry is on the mark. Steven Cobb and Cabelas currently have Long Range Wildfowl Elsie's. Steve Cobbs is in your price range. He has had it for awhile and may work with you on the price. It is a field grade. fxe that posts on guns international has or had a really nice long range in either ideal of specialty grade but you would need to streatch your budget significantly. It is hard to find the A.H. Fox HE long range gun. I have a 12ga Parker VH straight stock 32" bbl IM/F that is ideal for ducks or geese and Desrty shoots a similar configured DH for mostly ducks. You can pick up a damascus barreled Parker 10ga pretty easily in your price range in the GH or PH grades (there is usually a few on gunbroker). I do use a DH 10 damascus on geese in f/f chokes and it is definately a goose killer and has been for 118 years. I shoot pretty much the same payload out of the 10 and 12 gauges. The 10 gets 1 1/8oz of bismuth,ITX or Nice shot and the 12ga gets 1oz or 1 1/8oz of the same. If you reload I would recommend checking out the ITX shot and components from BPI. Good luck and enjoy whatever you choose.

This is a great board and thank you for all the useful information. The Smith Wildfowler is something I had not thought of and will pursue that route. Thandks again.

Check for a PM that I sent you - L C Smith Wildfowl in excellent condition for sale, $ 1500. Thanks, John

For similar use I found a Berretta 625 with a beavertail and had the chokes opened up to pattern IM with 1 1/4 oz. of Hevi-Shot 2s. I use it extensively for geese and ducks. I wanted double triggers as well but have found that the single trigger works well with gloves on.

DH

There is not much like a good LC Smith Long Range/Waterfowl except maybe a Fox HE! I foolishly missed the opportunity to buy an HE a few years ago.... I do however have a Long Range that drops a couple geese each year with Kent Impact. My problem is I had the gun refreshed to new condition and now it's too nice to drag into the duck boat!

My everyday fowling piece is a Winchester M23 Heavy Duck with Briley Chokes. With it I also shoot clays in the summer. It's a great gun. I also have an RBL-12 on order. With a BTFE and delivery the price was less than $3k.

There are many good buys in a SxS it you look. If you are willing to buy or relaod Non-Toxic ammo then find an old American SxS for $800 to $2000 and you won't look back. If you think you need to shoot Hevi Shot or steel then save for another year an buy an RBL, M23, or Beretta. You should be able to buy a nice Beretta for <$2k. While not specifically made for steel shot I've shot much Hevi Shot through a Merkel M8 with no problems. They are available at less than $1000. Have the forcing cones lengthened and it will handle 3" shells with only a slight pressure increase. Oh, better open the chokes or have Briley or Seminole chokes installed. One problem with the M8's is that 30" or longer barrels are hard to find.

Please note that once you have a good SxS fowler one will not be enough...

Question to those in the know.... I have a nice Bernardelli Gamecock Delux, 28" 12 bore, ejector, straight grip. It really is a nice handling gun. It has been on some jump shooting for ducks with some much treasured Kent TM. It may see some time in the goose fields and possibly Steel loads. Are these guns able to handle steel if the chokes are opened up to Mod or Light Mod? I assume the gun may have been made in the 60's, but that is just a WAG. Randy

with 3" chamber i would add couple of parameters: weight of > or = 8lbs and articulated front trigger or there will be .

here is clunker made of birmingham components it's about equal to american-made superfox......
who knows it may "clean up" nicely.

Randy,

With modern plastic shot cups and steel shot less likey to rust into a single slug a barrel bulge is unlikely. That stated, any gun not made for steel shot could suffer a loose rib even if the chokes are opened to IC or Skeet. Will it happen if one shoots a box or two a year of #2 or smaller shot? Probably not, but it could. We would use a gun such as a Bernardelli or even a Model 21 with steel shot at our own risk.

Now, I recently saw a LC Smith Field Grade with cut barrels (little or no remaining chokes) for sale. I thought about buying it to see how long the ribs would hold with steel shot. I opted not to waste the $600 asking price (a bit high) on an experiment.

Mark