Forgot how beautiful pintails are...

[fethrduster]

All birds are beautiful in their own way, but I am especially partial to pintails.  They are so lithe and graceful, even when posing for the camera:

[Hilltop123]

I agree, the Bull Sprig is the purdiest of them all. It's the only bird, that I have had mounted.

[boneaddict]

I mounted one too.   

That's an outstanding photo.  Beautiful bird.

[Mfowl]

Great bird! I had a full plumage drake mixed in with a flock of mallards circling my decoys this morning. Could've took a shot but waited for a better one and got none. Always a favorite in the bag!

[huntingfool7]

Nice picture, what flavor is that classy double?

[fethrduster]

Nice picture, what flavor is that classy double?

Thanks.  I usually take pics out in the field but didn't want to get my cell phone dunked.  That's a Lefever GE 12ga, 30" damascus choked m/f, made a year or two before the Wright Bros. launched their famous flight.   Really does the job on quackers out to 45-50 yds with ITX or Nice shot loads. 

[h2ofowlr]

 

[Hilltop123]

A neophyte question, here. What,s ITX and Nice shot? Are these hand rolled?

[270Shooter]

Some nice mature drakes around right now

[huntingfool7]

A neophyte question, here. What,s ITX and Nice shot? Are these hand rolled?

Nice shot and ITX10 are soft non toxics that are barrel friendly.  Most loads using these are hand loaded.  RST makes some factory rounds with those shot types.   http://www.rstshells.com/

[Hilltop123]

You rolling your own? Looks like Eley hulls, with a roll crimp. As I can tell from the photo......

[AWS]

Both the shotgun and the bird are beautiful.

I've been loading ITX shot for a couple of years to hunt waterfowl with my old hammer guns.  I load in factory or cut down 2.5" plastic hulls, saving my paper Cheddites for BP loads.

Cut down Rio target hulls for waterfowl hunting with 7/8oz #6 ITX



Mine isn't as fancy but a good hardworking Scandinavian hammer sxs

[Cougar125]

Always beautiful and elegant.

[fethrduster]

Yes, I roll my own, and purchase them commercially as well.   I use both roll crimps and fold crimps.  Most of the loads are in the 1200-1300 fps range, and are deadly effective.  For the neophytes out there, ITX and Nice shot are both denser and heavier than steel, making them a much more efficient alternative.  More expensive, yes, but you shoot less and cripple less, and you can use them in older guns if you want to, which can really add to the experience.

[Hilltop123]

That's pretty cool, you gentlemen have found ways to keep them old iron's going!