doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Combination gun for pheasants/deer?

Frank Hollenbeck had the answer for you 110 years ago --



I have one in 12 x 12 x 32-40, but no Buck has ever presented himself when I've been carrying it.

I found myself in the same dilemma, a few years back, when I wass still spending a month a year in Montana.If I had a shotgun I was seeing deer, when I had a rifle I was up to my a## in upland birds. Being a frugal person of Scots heritage I sprung for a Baikal, 6.5 Swede over 12bore. I put a holographic sight on it. Aside from being butt ugly it did well. I sold it for a lil more than I paid for it last year.

The EAA Baikal IZH-94 O/U combo was my first thought for the solution also. It can be acquired in 12ga/.30-06 12ga/.308 win 12g/.223(all 3" with 3 chokes?), and in 0.22"/20 bore & .22/410(?) for the ever competitive sportsman. Here's one listing: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/51637 . For some reason I want to think that the 0.22" combo have a reverse tube configuration, but that's just from memory(http://www.eaacorp.com/ click "Firearms" on the left side, "+" on "Long Guns" & then "MP94/IZH 94" ). Some barrel block work will make it a tack driver, but out of the box with an assortment of any ammo by any vendor with any bullet weight, hands down it will have better accuracy than about any combo you can put your hands on, especially for the money. I'm pretty confident one could shoot non-tox down the chrome lined tubes.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Be sure to go through your regs....think some states might have some restrictions on possesion of buckshot/solid projectiles while bird hunting?


Best,
Mark

Aren't these kinds of situations why Paradox guns were invented?

I used to hunt birds in the Snake River breaks west of Pullman in Whitman County a lot back in the late '70s and early '80s. Same problem. We "solved" it different ways. One of my buddies carried a slung Model 70 .270 and kept his Model 12 in his hands. He was one physically tough young man. And I can't swing a shotgun properly when carrying a slung rifle. Chris could.

I carried a .30-30 T-C Contender 10" handgun with a scope. And only got one doe with it in almost ten years of hunting. The only nice buck I got when bird hunting was a snapshot at about 15' with the full choke barrel of an Elsie 16 loaded with plated 5s (impulsive, and highly illegal). Blew a rathole in his neck and head (at least I was leading, for once....). I still have the antlers with a couple of scores on them from fliers....

I still think the handgun/scope/shoulder holster "solution" is the one that most can afford. A drilling would be the best solution, but they are pricey, and if you have old eyes, you may need to scope it, problematic for bird shooting for most of us.

At least in EASTERN Washington, buckshot wouldn't be practical: ranges tend to be too long. Slugs, I don't know well.

I tried to carry my Valmet/Savage 2400 12ga/.308 combo when bird hunting in upstate NYS during the deer season, but gave up on that: didn't like the possibility of launching a .308 at a grouse in a moment of passion....(and the balance of the combo wasn't right for grouse). Went back to the handgun; an unscoped (because the ranges there are short) Ruger Bisley .357 7 1/2". Worked well; took two nice whitetail bucks in 19 seasons, a handful of does, and several coyotes.

I've used a Colt/Sauer drilling (30-06x12ga.x12ga.) in Maine during Grouse season, then used it during deer season as well. It makes a very acceptable rifle, but as a shotgun it is heavy and not properly balanced for the task.

Thanks everyone. As Mike alluded to above, I will be hunting the Snake River breaks. I talked to a game warden about it, and he said if I'm not actually hunting deer with my dog, then I'm probably ok, although it's a fine line. I would have to have a friend collar the dog and then go after the deer.

Being of champagne tastes and a beer budget, I suppose slugs or buckshot makes the most practical sense, but my recent experience with slugs left me unimpressed. I tried slugs out of an older full choked 870 16ga and it wouldn't hit a fence post at 25 yds, so I sold it. 00 Buck might just be the ticket, especially since shooting slugs out of one of my older sxs's sounds like a good way to separate a barrel rib or two.

Mark,

A hint - If you're going to use 12 Ga. Buckshot, go with "000" buck.

My experience and those if some fellow hunters, is that it is more effective than "00".

I use a Krieghoff 16x16x8x57R drilling
The 8x57R is a wonderful deer cartridge.
The gun is quite light and the 16 gauge ammo is all that is needed for pheasants/huns/sharptails/etc

Mike