doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How much shooting can a game gun take?

Thanks, Buzz. Something to think about, for sure.

This weekend, I will be spending some time with a family friend and his wife, after his daughter and her family get into town. My friends wife is in the end stages of bone cancer, and this will likely be gut wrenching. The shooting has to wait for a bit.

But, I promise to give that some thought. Shooting the A5 was a hoot, a bit clanky, but a hoot all the same.

Best,
Ted

Ted, I've been shooting 1150ish 7/8 oz loads at clays for 20 years. They are simply ideal for light 12's and 16's. They pattern well and smash clays just fine. I couldn't do it any other way.

Ted, over 30 years ago I handloaded AA Win. 12 ga. hulls with 3/4 oz. for a 12 year-old shooting an old Beretta gas operated shotgun I had cut down to fit him. To show him he wasn't being handicapped with the puny load, I shot it out of tub o'lard Rem. 3200. I was amazed at the soft recoil and we killed plenty of dove with the same load. Gil

The 7/8 oz. loads sound like a good plan in your case, Ted. I agree with the suggestion of learning with a gas gun. They can be light years less in felt recoil than your light 12 SLE.

Heck, you could find even a 390 or 391 for little money. And, unless it was the everyday gun of a very serious clays shooter it won't be worn out, I promise.

Best to you, SRH

Shooting 7/8 ounce loads at 1150 fps in an 8 1/4 pound side by side should not be a recoil problem for anyone, adult, kid, wife, whatever. There is really no reason for any side by side shooter to go to a gas gun or to send his progeny to gas gun purgatory. Gas guns today sell for Parker prices and have absolutely no collector or resale value. And they are ugly and have no character. Why does a new gas gun sell for $2700 when my $200 1100 will do the same job?

I had no recoil issues with the A5, using a fairly standard Herter�s 1 1/8th oz target load from Cabelas. The Browning is not a gas gun, and the gun was loaded one round at a time. It has new springs, bronze ring and a Hasting�s 26� barrel with choke tubes. The stock is from an A5 Stalker. I also own a 32� Hastings barrel for this gun.

I just need lighter loads to practice with my doubles, a motley accumulation of double guns that run light in weight. I don�t actually need any more guns, but, might consider shuffling things a bit.

Best,
Ted

Good idea Ted. How many people in the upper levels of the NSCA, NSSA and ATA do you see shooting a SxS? Not many, unless in the defined SxS competitions. I think to be competitive, in this day and age, one needs a single sighting plane to reach their best. Once skilled at the various shooting disciplines, it�s easy to switch to SxS. But, not to learn and excel, like you Ted, suddenly being forced to go from left to right handed. SxS shooting is harder, no doubt there. If SxS was easier and best, all the Nat�l champs would all shoot SxS guns, which is not the case. I love SxS guns...they are the prettiest guns, but pretty is as pretty does, and they are clearly harder to shoot well. Eightbore, are you in AAA class in skeet, and/or AA and 27 yard trap, and/or Master class in Sporting clays, while shooting your SxS guns? If not, then I suggest you try to be a bit more open minded re autos and other single sighting plane guns for shooting and shooting clays.

It is a bit irrational, but, I want to use an old fashioned double, most of the time. Nothing comes easy. I have been coached to attempt to keep both eyes open, but, the vision is terribly different between both eyes. Every step is new.

As time allows, I�ll run different guns to try to discern a pattern as to which is working best. I hope to build from there, into some semblance of what was. One thing that was, is, an ugly 12 gauge pump with a painted stock was my money gun.
Might still be. Perish that thought.

Something about the A5 tickled my funny bone. A bit like getting an old model A John Deere tractor running, setting the shock absorber to light load, and the thing shuffling and clanking at the shot.

It isn�t all disappointing.

Best,
Ted

I have never been recoil sensitive, and don�t even like pads on my guns. But now I have a torn rotator cuff tendon in my right shoulder. Doc is a hunter and told me to stop shooting. Being pretty stubborn, or maybe just stupid, I started back with a .410 and worked my way back to a 12. Found that 12s and even 20s, with light loads, left me with a sore shoulder. So I bought a couple of gas guns and now I can hunt ducks and geese again with mild steel loads, and minimal pain. I still shoot some of my old doubles a bit with light loads, but the gas guns allow me to hunt seriously. I already had a couple of 1100s, but they were not configured for waterfowling and I couldn�t find a new or used 1100 configured the way I wanted, so I got plastic fantastic Win SX3s. They are just a tool, they work well, and they meet my needs. There are reasons for SxS shooters to go to gas guns.

I understand your challenge. I have had right shoulder issue for years and it continues to worsen. First I went to lighter guns, but that traded carry weight for recoil. I now try to balance 6lb gun�s with 7/8 loads moving at 1100 FPS.

Also I stay away from high volume firings save dove opening and will likely use an auto that day.

I can�t bear the thought of hunting Prairie Chicken without a SXS