Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: GrampasGuns on November 13, 2013, 01:51:53 AM
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Anyone have some suggestions on a 10? Been having dreams about dropping big geese from altitude. Is a 3.5" 12 of heavy metal enough? Just poking around
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Your 3.5" is basically a 10 with a lightweight option (3"). The 10's I have shot I liked better than any 3.5" 12 I've ever pulled the trigger on. Although to be honest I haven't shot any of these new fancy 3.5" 12 autos as I quit killing geese once they decided that a dna abnormality was something special. My favorite 10 was the old Ithaca Mag10 as it loved being dirty and wet. I had a BPS 10 that was interesting and fun too. But, I have enjoyed just about every 10 I've ever shot. Finding good ammo for them is another story though. Down here the shell options are usually quite limited.
Warning: I've seen some nasty brawls on crowded goose grounds when guys decided to shoot high altitude birds. Those shots are best taken when you have the hunting grounds all to yourself. As a lot of waterfowlers, like my oldest brother, take things a little too dang serious!
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The 12 gauge 3-1/2" had surpassed the 10 gauge with speed. Obviously less shot, but controllable speed is a huge factor with steel. Gun weight is a large factor in felt recoil. My Remington SP-10 feels like a 10 lb gun and I don't feel much recoil. My Browning Auto-10 is lighter than the SP-10 and more felt recoil. In the past 3 years they have started working on faster 10 gauge loads. Now you have the Remington Hypersonic 10, Hevi-Metal 10, Black Cloud 10 gauge. All great loads and flat dump birds. If your shooting honker just past the decoys their is nothing like the 10, you swing onto the bird and pull the trigger and the big boys just flat crumple effortlessly. I will bring out both gun in many cases and load BB-T shot in the 10 and #2 in the 12 gauge.
My dad uses and older Spanish side by side 10 with double triggers and 32" barrel. He had both barrels drilled out to mod.
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12ga 3.5 has surpassed the 10 gauge. I searched this a year ago and found some real answers as to why, however I have no clue where to find the page again.
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The 10 will have a better pattern shooting similar loads. That said I have had 6 different 3 1/2" 12 gauges and still have 3. I do well with them.
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I had a BPS 10ga, use to knock the crud out of ducks and geese with that shotgun. I loved it! These days, I shoot a 3" 11-87, and do fine. If you want a 10ga, go for it, you will like the results. The BPS was a good choice.
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Have the browning auto 10 and love it to death. No better gun for killing big geese. Sure the 12 in 3" will work but not as good.Glad I bought it and hunt geese with it every time over my twelve.