doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lightweight Guns

There is no logic in shooting lighter(less shot) at higher velocities. When the velocity is raised and cancels out the recoil reduction gained by the lighter shot charge, the logic flies out the window. Better to have more shot @ less velocity, for the same recoil. The MV increase diminishes very quickly but the recoil is already done. Ditto to Dig's starting post. I, too, have no use for ultra lightweight guns.

Depends on the shooting vs. carrying. I agree with Ken, walking 10 miles through tough brush for 3-4 shots at grouse makes my 5-10 Hellis 2" gun a pleasure to have along, easy to one hand when needed. Wouldn't want to use it for much else though.

Then again have been kown to put 20 rounds of slugs through my deer gun from a a bench and not notice. Not particularly sensitive. Maybe I don't get out as much as I should but firing a gun has not become second nature to me, I rarely notice the recoil.

The rule of 96 works pretty well for me, so long as velocities are 1150 to 1200 fps. But most of my factory ammo for field use runs 1300 fps. Some quick retrospective figuring tells me that a rule of 104 to 112 works better with B&Ps - their claims of recoil mitigation, notwithstanding.

I don't worry too much about gun weight - my field guns run between just over 5# 3oz to 6# 15oz. MOI will influence my field performance alot more than will gun weight.

Sam

Don't drink too much of that NC Kool-Aid, Samuel.

Dig, Dig, Dig,
This is the trouble with you young, fit types. At my advanced age and, given my fast-deteriorating muscular and nervous systems, I find that I need a light gun to keep up with whoever's trying to poach my birds. (To say nothing about poaching his!) I have a pair of 20 bores that weigh in at 6# 2oz and a pair of 12s (2 1/2") at 6# 4oz for driven. These work for me. As for heavier ones, I have sold off my heavier sporting clays guns and now use only 20 and 28 bores. Same reason. I can get them moving sufficiently quickly to have a hope of getting ahead of the bird. I may miss a fair number, but at least I hit some. With my old 12 bore Perazzi, it was getting really depressing!

Sam, better watch out for that B&P Guccimo. You know the Italian motto: "if it doesn't kick it doesn't work!" I'm not even going to try to come up with the German motto! Veeery
Leo, all Dig needs for Woodie ambushing is Winnie Model 21 with 30" tubes and couple cases if Winnie 'Light Target' loads.

Masterhunter:
Our late friend Russ would say that if one wishes to go afield with an ugly gun, your solution would be welcome. I think that Dig has more of an elegant taste.
I wonder???/LOL
Best,
John

Me thinks Dig needs to check what Pete Theobald is using. Last time I checked it was an old Browning vertical gun with 28" tubes. Hardly a ltwt. piece. Yoooo Ole' Samichlaus have you tried Rottweil 'Super Game' 3&1/4dr 1&1/4oz loads. Makes one appreciate Thuringian piece with Purdey double bites und Greener bolt with deep carvings.
Mr. Maaann you make me thirsty for cold Samichlaus beer.

Gentlemen,

Ninety-two (92) wood pigeons is no small feat! Nor is it a small amount of shooting, even if the marksman qualifies well above the average bloke. My hat is off to a well constructed hide, great shooting and an opinion arrived at through the blunt force of reality. I would hope that Dig's memory of the day outlasts any discomfort experienced ;-)

Leo also brings to the fore a perspective that can be shared by many, who for one reason or another, are unable to sustain a day's shooting with the heavier guns. Behind dogs or directly overhead from a butt, 'power' is easily displaced by accuracy, assuming adequate shot size for the intended game is in play.

I suspect that adrenaline often offsets the thump ... up to a point. After that its becomes an aggravation, and in a worse case a flinch or even a balk. The truth is that all of us have certain limits, not all the same, but limits nonetheless. We should appreciate the honest findings and feelings expressed on this site and respect those who have arrived at their opinions through experience. Personally, I find guns below six pounds to be a challenge, and it goes beyond just balance and execution. OTOH, following a dog much of the day for a few shots requiring no more than a handful of cartridges would not cause me to wish an overly heavy gun nor one that bites at the hand that carries it. Many sidelocks are simply not comfortable to the hand when carried for any length of time, probably because they were designed to be handed to the shooter from a butt and shot, their intended function being in the shooting, not the chase as the game was frequently driven or decoyed and not found by man's best friend.

Just some idle thots on my part, not meant to be remotely argumentative, thank you. Many valuable opinions here.

BTW, pigeons, while similar to dove are exponentially at least 2 with others closer to 3 .. they take some killing, aside from simply being hit, and in the wild they are quite deceptive as their wing beat does not translate into their actual speed .. disregarding what my brain is telling me about leads and doubling it provides the desired result more often than not.

I just do not shoot light guns well over a prolong period. Like many I can shoot any gun fairly well for a few shot, more than a few if I am thinking about buying it. Ran more than one straight skeet or trap round with a gun that I was thinking about buying.

My personal choice would be a stable of guns that would run from 7 to 8 pounds for a 12 and 5 1/2 to 6 3/4 pounds for a small bore. Barrels can run from 26" to 32". Stock can be plus or minus a great deal in the drop department but I do not like guns too short. Wait I got that, well I must keep looking for the guns between those full ounce weights. You know a set of 1/4 ounce increments must be worth owning and shooting.