Grouse gun

[Ridgerunner]

If you were just getting into grouse hunting(mainly with my kids) what kind of gun would you recommend?  I'm thinking something pretty lightweight that would be easy to pack while walking the trails or rambling the high country.  Throw out some ideas, I'm listening.

[Tjkride]

Any good 22lr for the kids or an savage with 22 on top and 410 or 20 gauge on the bottom. Model 24 I believe.

[screedler]

I've been wanting to get a 20ga over under for small game,  for a while cabelas had a bunch of 410 over and unders that were really light weight!

But then again I haven't bagged any game ever so far in my few years of hunting now so I don't know much!

[bobcat]

Ruger 10/22 would be a good choice. Or for a lighter option, just a youth model single shot 22 rifle like the Savage Rascal. Double barrel 410 as others have mentioned would be pretty sweet if you can find one. If your kids are bigger, maybe a pump or semi auto 20 gauge with a short barrel (26 max).

[Stein]

I bought a break action single shot.  Super cheap, short and light.  Maximum safety and ease of operation.  My son’s has interchangeable barrels with a .22.


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[Special T]

I own a savage model 24 22lr 20 gauge and it is an awesome small game gun. They are now producing a model 42 but is only available in 22lr or 22mag and 410.  I personally think they are ugly. The old model 24 variants sell for decent cash. the most common caliber combo ive seen is 22mag\410 and ill bet they go for near new cost by the time shipping and FFl are added into the mix.

@AWS has a lot of experience with combo guns he may be able to enlighten the conversation about nicer double trigger imported guns. 

I have a rossi single shot with 2 barrels. 22lr and 20gauge for my daughters use. I thought the same thing as Stein.

[blackpowderhunter]

i picked up a cheap savage break action 20 gauge.
light to carry too

[Skyvalhunter]

So you talking hiking around and you stumble upon a grouse and want to shoot him? Or are you talking about going out and targeting grouse.? I don't mess around I use a 12 gage and am quite successful

[jackelope]

I have an Ithaca featherweight over/under 20 gauge I always migrate to.

[slowhand]

I say with the size He can shoot.
Youngster 410 all the way
preteen 20G
age 16+ 12G
For Me I like to use a 12G works the best in My opinion. 

[Westside88]

My Dad bought me a mint break action 410 for $35 as my first gun that I'll always keep. I still take it along for incidental grouse once in awhile, but with the cost of shells I'd probably go with a 20 gauge. I like the break action singles for new hunters

[Henrydog]

20ga is much more versatile gun than a .410.  Not trying to start a fight, the.410 has its niche, a 20 just fills more of them.
 
This gun is one both my dad, myself and both my kids learned how to shotgun with.  A old Lafever that was professionally cut in the 50's.  In this picture she was not 85lbs and shot 4 rounds of trap with it.  No issues

My son shot his 1st Grouse, Duck (tungsten), Pheasant, and turkey with the same gun.

 Only thing that matters with a shotgun is fit.  It the stock fits it will not "kick"  This is even more the case with Women and kids in my opinion. 

[AWS]

It depends on how you look at grouse, a sporting bird, or meat on the table. 

As a sporting bird(my mind set) over a good pointer or close working spaniel a light weight sxs in the 6 lb. range with 3/4-1 oz of 7 1/2's is the cats meow, I have 12's, 16's and 20's that come in within an ounce of 6 lb all are nice grouse guns.

12ga sxs 25" barrels all steel and walnut 5 lb 15 oz, Sorry no pics of the grouse and woodcock taken with it


If it is meat on the table it would be hard to find a nicer NEW combo gun than the Chiapa Badger, with two triggers and a safety, instant selection of barrels allowing you to pot one with the 22, ground sluice the with the 20ga or take them on the wing..  I've owned a 24 and you have to cock the hammer for each shot and select the barrel you want to use(most of them had the selector on the nose of the hammer), very cumbersome.  Another thing nice about the 20ga over the 410 you can carry a slug in the 20ga barrel and if you have a bear or cougar tag, fill it on your grouse hunt.

Chiapa Badger 20ga/22lr
https://www.chiappafirearms.com/p/id/58/product/Double-Badger-Folding-Shotgun/Rifle.php

I filled the pot with grouse and rabbits while running traplines in MN and WI with a little Llama 22lr semi auto.  I trapped out of a tent in the bush for weeks at a time and a grouse or rabbit was a nice change of pace from Beaver liver and onions for breakfast, Beaver jerky while running the line for lunch and Beaver stew for supper.  I only needed one for the pot so could wait for the perfect shot.  A little 22 rifle would have been more effective but a pain to haul around with a pack, in the canoe or on skis.

Another option for those with deeper pockets is drilling, two shotgun barrels on the top and a rifle underneath.  It's like hunting grouse with a fine sxs and the option of taking coyote/deer/cougar/bear with the rifle barrel.

16ga/16ga/7x57R around 7 lb 25" barrels  the scope uses return to zero claw mounts that just remove by pushing a button and can be carried in the game bag until needed also.  What looks like a safety is actually the rifle barrel selector, when pushed forward to select the rifle barrel it automatically flips up the rear rifle sight and the front trigger  becomes the the rifle trigger with a single set option.

 

I do have some combo guns that I carry lightly loaded .224 cartridges for taking small game at longer ranges than the shotgun barrel

My O/U combo gun 12ga/5.6x50 R Mag 1-3 scope.  This scope isn't quickly removable but with the large FOV, on 1x upto 100'  it is not too difficult to take bird on the wing, so far no grouse but ducks and pheasant.  I load 33gr HP's over a light load of 800x for small game and finisher loads.

[The Marquis]

So you talking hiking around and you stumble upon a grouse and want to shoot him? Or are you talking about going out and targeting grouse.? I don't mess around I use a 12 gage and am quite successful

I use a 12 gauge as well, open choke with 7 1/2.  I've had good success when I'm targeting them.  It's strange how I end up with neck shots more often than not.  I'm sure now that I've gone out and said that I'll be hitting the suckers in the breast for the next 5 years.

[KFhunter]

I prefer a Bowtech Realm X


lot's of fun popping heads off