Grouse- 20 gauge or .410

[Benelli1]

The most versatile would be the 20 gauge, 28in barrel, good for grouse,pheasants, ducks, geese, big game, and clay target shooting. The 410
very limited use and expensive to shoot.

[Mossyoak]

12's are the only way to go
Number 6 shot
Turkey or full/ super full chokes
Head shots and long range wing shooting

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Mossyoak

12's are the only way to go
Number 6 shot
Turkey or full/ super full chokes
Head shots and long range wing shooting

So what do you do when they flush into the woods, where you have to shoot them inside of 25 yards, or they are lost in the trees?

[newfiegod]

I ended up getting the best of both worlds I guess. A friend of mine had some old guns lying around so he decided to sell them to me. I think I got a good deal, I got a Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge, a Winchester "Cooey" 20 gauge, and a Harrington & Richardson .410 "Topper" Model 88. I did some research on the Wingmaster and based on the letters in the serial it was made in 1968, it is in amazing shape. I am in the process of doing a little research on the other two guns to see when they were made. All the guns are in very good shape, need a little cleaning but great shape overall.

[.257Weatherby]

Likely been mentioned before, but if they are the ground a 410 wil suffice, but if your shooting on the twenty will put more meat on the table.
You have a few months to get it all sorted out is the upside to all the opinions too.
Rob

[IBEX]

Some of the my most hilarious hunting moments are made of people trying to take head shots on a sitting grouse and missing them completely! This one time, I sent two buddies to my favorite deer spot, they hunted all morning with no luck and then finally came across a nice fat roughie at 20 yds, buddy misses completely while trying to take a "head shot" with a 12 ga.
I think a .22 lr is perfect for anyone interested in shooting the head off of a sitting grouse.
I personally prefer to take them with a shotgun on the wing. There have been days where we have ruined some awesome deer spots for the sake of some wingshooting.
Shot plenty with a 12 gauge, recently turned to a 20 ga. I prefer to use no.8's regular field loads with IC or more open choke. I am a picture taker and I hate it when people turn their bird into a hamburger while shooting a full choke.

[Bergerboy]

20 for the price. 410 are expensive. That being said, my hunting group has a "no ground swat rule" only birds are shot in the air. Last year I used a SXS 410 and it worked well.

[partsman]

I have had a savage 24 22/410 for over 40 years, really like it for grouse, have had 16 and a 20 gauge, still have a couple 12 gauge, but usually carry the 22/410, did actually get a pump 410 from one brother, it is another good one.

[58thecat]

20 gauge over 410 but you did ask what was the most versatile 12 gauge then.

[58thecat]

20 gauge over 410 but you did ask what was the most popular 12 gauge then.

[wheeler]

I myself was pondering this idea.. To purchase a .410 for grouse/rabbits ect...

BUT.... I did some thinking and to spend more $$ on another gun, or just use my Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag with a modified choke and head shots as best as possible. I can carry buck shot for yotes/deer & bear if need be...

[densa44]

On behalf of the other .410 aficionados, we never shoot birds on the ground, and contrary to popular belief you don't need to be a great shot. Just swing on the bird and shoot.

A #4 lead pellet from a .410 hits as hard as one from a 10 ga. One or two is usually enough. Once the bird is on the ground, the dogs will bring it back.

Elk shoots a 28 ga. and very well, his birds are dead, mine not so much but it has nothing to do with the ga.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by densa44

On behalf of the other .410 aficionados, we never shoot birds on the ground, and contrary to popular belief you don't need to be a great shot. Just swing on the bird and shoot.

A #4 lead pellet from a .410 hits as hard as one from a 10 ga. One or two is usually enough. Once the bird is on the ground, the dogs will bring it back.

Elk shoots a 28 ga. and very well, his birds are dead, mine not so much but it has nothing to do with the ga.

My very first shotgun was a Winchester 370 in 410 with a full choke. I shot a lot of ruffed grouse and sharptailed grouse with that little gun, using #7-1/2 loads, but when a sharptail flushed, you needed to be quick, as the pattern gets pretty sparse as the distance increases. On the other hand, when I am using a 28 gauge, it's much easier to make consistent hits to the head/neck area, on a flying bird. As Densa posted, most birds are dead when they hit the ground. The 28 is my favorite gauge for pheasant/upland birds, but ammunition costs as much as for the 410, and both guns and ammunition are not as common at most dealers.

[Daka]

If you are still shopping and will use gun for grouse mostly then 28 GA is perfect.
20GA is good as well but can use for bunnies and bird gun over dog.
410 IMO is good for" dirt road "grouse when big game hunting...

[petew]

410 ammo is stupid expensive, while 20 ga upland is cheaper to buy than to reload if you watch for sales.
I have a sweet 410 double , imp cyl x mod, that is nice to carry, but lacks in range compared to the 20 ga's with Imp Cyl. and Skeet#1 bores , or the 12 with Imp Cyl.
If I was buying mainly for grouse ,I would pick a 20 with one of the open chokes,like imp cyl , and # 6 or 71/2 shot . The perfect grouse gun for me would be a shorter barrel sxs 20 ga ,20-22" barrels with Imp Cyl. / Mod chokes.

[ladyjig]

410ga. 6 or 7 1/2 for me works every time.

[william1]

I have a single shot H&R Survivor.
Break open 410/45 Colt.
I reload my 410 with brass shell cases.
444 marlin cases and fire formed 9.3x74R.
Cheap and fun to reload.

[Luckwell]

I like my Boito Hiker for grouse. 410 and super compact.

http://frontierfirearms.ca/boito-hiker-410-ga.html


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[BPman]

If you simply pot-shoot them on the ground or out of the trees then a 410 is adequate. If you shoot flying then go 20 ga. Unless you are a very experienced wing shot you will wound lots of birds with the 410 that will fly away as unhurt only to die later. A 20 ga with skeet or improved cylinder choke will work really well for flying birds and not mess them up badly if you happen to center one in your pattern. And 20 ga ammo is much easier to find and is cheaper as well.

[catnthehat]

These bird were all shot with 7/8oz of shot fr three different gauges,12,16, and 28, some with black powder and some with smokeless powder. Where yo put the shot is far more important than what it is coming out of, but you ca gt a 7/8 oz load for the 20, you can't or the .410, and many people want that.
Most of those birds would have gone down cleanly with a 1/16oz load from a 410 as well, BTW.
Cat

[Lemonz]

I use a .410/22 combo Savage model 42 with 3" 7 1\2 shot & .22 solid subsonic ammo with good results.

The .410 is perfect for me with grouse and if they are a clean shot and not spooked the .22 head shot also puts meat on the table.

https://youtu.be/6TfEs45lQKM

The video was a trip out from last year with a buddy.

Lemonz

[IBEX]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

These bird were all shot with 7/8oz of shot fr three different gauges,12,16, and 28, some with black powder and some with smokeless powder. Where yo put the shot is far more important than what it is coming out of, but you ca gt a 7/8 oz load for the 20, you can't or the .410, and many people want that.
Most of those birds would have gone down cleanly with a 1/16oz load from a 410 as well, BTW.
Cat

awesome pics, love the chukars! Where do you go for all your bird shooting, chukars and pheasants? what are the prices?

[Pioneer2]

The .410 works for pot shooting birds after the leaves are off the trees out to 20-25 yards.I prefer the factory 3/4oz load Federal used to make but you can handload this.Love the 20 ga but the 28ga is my favourite.........Harold

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

The .410 works for pot shooting birds after the leaves are off the trees out to 20-25 yards.I prefer the factory 3/4oz load Federal used to make but you can handload this.Love the 20 ga but the 28ga is my favourite.........Harold

The 28 gauge is my favorite as well,It doesn't look much larger than the 410, but it offers a great deal more performance on birds. After taking a pattern of nickel plated shot from my 28 gauge, most pheasants are dead when they hit the ground.
I also use a 28 gauge for most of my skeet shooting, and I haven't had any trouble finding either target loads, or hunting loads.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by IBEX

awesome pics, love the chukars! Where do you go for all your bird shooting, chukars and pheasants? what are the prices?

We do s yearly bird hunt down south to Calgary and Nedicine hat .
The closest pheasant release program areas to here are by Stettker or buffalo Lake.
Cat

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by IBEX

awesome pics, love the chukars! Where do you go for all your bird shooting, chukars and pheasants? what are the prices?

AO member wwbirds has a hunting preserve that has pheasants and chukars available, and Wessex by Cartstairs also has both available.

[Teagan]

Learned to shot as a kid with a 410. I Use a Benelli semi 20 gauge now for everything love... love it. I do a great deal of Pheasant hunting got tired hauling my 12 gauge. The 20 is so light and quick. Might be a sign of getting old....

[CMichaud]

I traded a buddy for a Brescia SA 20g that had a bulge near the muzzle. Cut it back and put a new bead on - open choke but light and swings on quick. It will be my grouse bush wacker!

Last grouse I shot was with buddies 410 Cooey. Made the grouse dead quick and no pellets to pick out of that one.

[Gunfever]

410 is a great starter but lacks the range for those fleeing flicks or single. 12 gauge is a great all around and the way they are made these days next to no recoil. Close up shots be sure to take head shots

[dbllung]

[QUOTE=densa44;3146835]On behalf of the other .410 aficionados, we never shoot birds on the ground, and contrary to popular belief you don't need to be a great shot.

You prefer to flush a sitting bird and shoot his legs ,feet , and breast he flys away?

I shoot em if they flush, but prefer my grouse breast with less feather and lead and more gravy and taters

Never understood the mentality that you aren't truly hunting if you shoot em off the ground .. I don't like to lose cripples and feed the yotes on account of trying to be more "sporting"

Dead is dead ...shoot em in the head .. Sitting if you can

if he flushes , in my experience , a 20 gauge will result in less wasted birds on the forest floor


My 2 cents