doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com AYA 10 gauge Magnum

If you carry a lightweight AYA in the field, you will never carry your Ithaca again. I never hunted one day with my Ithaca once I bought the AYA.

Totally understand, I took the NID pheasant hunting ONCE
Now it is a sit in the blind duck/goose gun
Mike

I had planned to use the gun last weekend. After waiting a month for some special 10 gauge magnum copper plated BB to come in and it did not show up I settled on using my LC Smith. It did the trick. Pardon the pumps; just have not convinced my brother and other hunting partner to hunt with a respectable gun. LOL. I would have loved to have used the 10. It has taken a few years to figure out this crane hunting, they have sharp eyes, fly faster than you can imagine unless you have ever tried to hit them, and are a heck of a lot higher than they look. A good pair of Binoculars and rangefinder makes a huge difference in your success. Decoys and the right calls also put the odds in your favor.

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I have had one of the AYA Lightweight 10ga 3-1/2" for a few years now. I corresponded with eightbore about his and if I should worry about shooting steel out of it. At the time I measured wrong, I told him the gun was choked 0.025 in both barrels. Turns out I was wrong, both bores are 0.772 with .045 choke. The rib is marked Full & Full, they weren't kidding. 32" bbls. and weighs 9-10.

I took it out last week for the first time and used 3-1/2" Black Cloud Steel BB's and Canada geese fell like stones. I'm either going to have to open them up or shoot further....birds were pretty torn up at 30 yds. And I have to admit, less felt recoil than some of my 12's.

Maybe adjust the chokes and put swivels on it.

Nice pictures, Phillip. Didn't know cranes were available in the Tucson area. Thanks for posting them. Do they eat as good as I hear they do?



If you're used to using those 3 1/2" roman candle 12s, it's not surprising you felt less recoil with the 10. You can get the same load in the 3 1/2" - 12 that you can in the 3 1/2" - 10, and with a gun that is probably 1# - 1 1/2# heavier, the AYA would be much more pleasant.

SRH

I don't think you would lose much performance if you took the chokes out to .030 or .035, but screw ins installed after cutting the barrels to 29" would be my choice as long as I'm writing checks. I don't know if the stock is drilled, but drilling the stock would save a few ounces. Installing swivels would be my last defiant act. I have the itch to find another one now that we have discussed it. My Field Grade NID Mag Ten does have swivels, apparently factory installed.

Stan Cranes are good eating, not much meat for such a large looking bird. We have over 30,000 Cranes that winter in the Wilcox area, 90 miles southeast of Tucson. Growing up as a kid they were never there in any numbers that I noticed.

Eightbore, I have been shooting an AYA 10 such as you described for the last 15 years. Mine was shortened to 28" and Briley steel choke tubes installed. Four tubes from .015 -.030 constriction. I have fired all manner of heavy factory steel loads through it and taken a serious number of Canadas and Snow geese with it.It handles and balances well. Much quicker than with the 32" barrels,which was my intent.Still balances an inch ahead of the hinge pin.The action is tight with the top lever still right of center. I just put it on my scales and it weighs exactly 8 lbs, 12 oz. unloaded.Took it out this morning and lowered 4 Canadas pass shooting on a local farm with my 10 year old chocolate Lab Tolley.I had a couple with 32" barrels previously but found them too slow and heavy for all round shooting.It is my go to 10 for hard use goose
shooting. Will attach a pic of the mornings efforts below.

The AYA might be your "go to" 10 gauge for hard use goose shooting, but your 1886 Greener single-shot 10 ga. is better eye-candy and a heckuva gun as well. Missed seeing your posts the last half-year or so. Gil

Hi Gil, still vertical and kicking. Your comment re my Greener single 10 was very timely as I spotted a field this morning with about 5000 wintering snow geese feeding and had decided to take the Greener out for an airing tomorrow. It's great for pass shooting as the 40" barrel gives you at least a foot more range...
Terry