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My first dove-hunt ever,with my single-shot 10ga,my thoughts

13K views 25 replies 18 participants last post by  Grouse Getter 
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#1 ·
O.K, so I wanted to go out dove hunting with a friend, but all I had was some old P.O.S 10ga single-shot gun. No prob, I thought, it will work fine.

Well, apparently, 10 gauge ammo is insanely hard to find here in Arizona. You see, the problem is out here we have no water. Which means we have none of those big birds that like to live near water (we can see them on T.V, or read about them, but I don't remember their names). So we have no need for a shotgun whose only real use is to kill these "big birds" (for lack of a real name).

So after trying 3 different sporting good stores, 2 different Wallmarts, and 2 gun stores, I finally come across a Big-5 Sports that actually had one dusty old box of 10ga ammo in the clearance "please_buy_me_because_no_one_else_will" section. It was a 3 1/2" 2-shot, steel-shot ammo, originally 21 bucks, but CLEARANCED for 19. 19 bucks for 25 shots. Wooooooooo.

Now, I people were laughing at me at these gun stores because, apparently, a single shot P.O.S. 10ga like mine with 3 1/2" high-brass shot like I had bought is gonna kick like a demon mule from hell.

But that's assuming it doesn't just go ahead and blow up first. Because, apparently, shooting a relatively large steel shot through a full choke barrel like mine is "bad" and "not recommended". I've heard varying reasons why it got this "not recommended" label. They vary from things like erratic patterns, to scratched barrels, to bulged barrels, to SPLIT barrels throwing burning powder in your face and melting your eyes. Well screw you, you little "not recommended" label. The guys that made you didn't have to go to 7 different stores just to spend 20 bucks on a single box of ammo. I'M GONNA SHOOT WHAT I CAN FIND!!

So here's me walking alone ahead of my friends to test out the first shot. I am wearing 2 recoil shields, an extra tough acid-proof pair of chem-lab safety goggles, and carrying my P.O.S single shot 10ga with it's *two* butt-pads ("Extreme Force" recoil, yknow). It's loaded with steel shot.

I point the gun at a can on the ground, pull the stock as hard as I can into my shoulder, turn my head, close my eyes, begin to scream, and jerk the trigger.

And nothing happens.

Well, I mean the gun does go off, but my shoulder isn't broken or dislocated, and the barrel hasn't exploded or even bulged, and the can is gone. I was so joyous that I almost peed all over myself.

Anyway, I bagged 5 birds with my crappy gun. Even after taking both recoil shields off, it felt no worse than my friend's 12-gauge. The barrel even didn't get messed up (I was so paranoid I checked after each of the 25 shots I took). What was fun was letting my friend shoot at a dove with his 12, then after he blew his 3 shots and the dove was getting out of range, I'd let go with my cannon for a long distance hail-mary shot. I figured this was the only time the pattern would actually spread out enough for me to have a chance of hitting with my steel shot through a full choke. I was pretty successful with these shots, I guess, I did get 5 killz. And the birds weren't "totally gone"(well most weren't, heheheh) like some of the gun store owner's had said they would be.

All in all it was a blast, and my shoulder wasn't even bruised when it was over. So there's my first hunting trip. Don't give up on the 10 gauges! They aren't as bad as they seem.
 
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#3 ·
Nice writeup there, Hero. A very informative post written with some humor. Can't beat it. :!: :D
 
#5 ·
Great Story Hero,
Nothing like anti-aircraft guns for upland fighters.
Now just run out and buy you a reloader and find a recipe for 1200fps, #7.5 shot and you're good to go.

I looked all over the net and the smallest shot for 10guage I could find was #4 shot in Remington Hevi-Shot.
 
#8 ·
Ya, like JLP said, you need a reloader. Also, get the choke opened up a bit. Recoil's partly physical, partly psychological. One man's "demon kicking mule" is another's gentle push. You might find she kicks a bit more with lead shot--you'll be pushing more weight against inertia.

I enjoyed your writing and your funny tone :lol: Doves, of course, have long deserved to face the 10-gauge. So more power to ya!

Jeff23
 
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#9 ·
Thanx for the replies guys but I gots problems now.

Problem is that I have no more ammo. This is bad because no ammo means no fun.

Now I found out about this outdoor sporting good store that carries 10ga, so I give them a call. They even have a couple boxes of 3 1/2" 7-shot lead shells!!

I thought "rock on!". Then they hit me with the price. 30 dollars a box!!

30 dollars for 25 shots????? It goes against everything I've ever been taught about supply and demand! First off, there is absolutely no demand whatsoever. And second off, isn't lead supposed to be less costly to make than steel?? So they should cost less to supply! Why are they so much more?

So what's the deal? And what am I gonna do? That was my last unchecked shop.

Isn't 10ga lead shells suppossed to be like 8-10 bucks a box or something? Or am I just totally clueless here about pricing?
 
#10 ·
Jeff23 said:
Recoil's partly physical, partly psychological. One man's "demon kicking mule" is another's gentle push. You might find she kicks a bit more with lead shot--you'll be pushing more weight against inertia.

Jeff23
Jeff,

You're right about that!

I went goose hunting this past Saturday using both steel and heavy shot 3-1/2" 12 gauge shells out of my 1187. I can see where steel won't kick as much as lead or heavy shot. A few shots failed to completely eject using steel and the kick was noticibly softer. I had the same cycle problem shooting 2-3/4" lead field loads out of this gun. With 3" or 3-1/2" heavy shot, or for that matter lead buck shot, this gun has never failed to cycle.
 
#11 ·
Cabela's sells Federal 10 ga steel for 12.95 a box. Give me some time and I'll web around and find someone who'll deliver it to your door. Ammo can be sold thru the mail.

Jeff23
 
#12 ·
It is still supply and demand....there is a small demand on a limited supply.....prices stay high. I have a 10ga BPS that I bought ONE box of #6 lead for shooting at whatever I wanted that didnt need non tox.....about $28 a box. The store ordered a case of the stuff because they couldn't buy just a box, I was hoping to come back to get the others marked down but they had sold it all. If you consider that the 10ga or 12 ga turkey loads run $8-12 a box for 10 shells they aren't far off the mark at the $30 price.

The big 10 is always a hoot on a dove field, the pop pop of the 12's followed by the authoritative BOOM as you set one off.....hee hee.

The only stickler would be that you should check the local regs on gauge and shot size, seems to me in AL that #2 or smaller is ok for dove, but you never know about those things as they can vary from state to state. From the AL regs:

MIGRATORY BIRDS: Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller, plugged or otherwise incapable of holding more than 3 shells using standard No. 2 shot or smaller, except waterfowl must be hunted with steel shot only, T-size or smaller and waterfowl hunters shall not possess any other size steel shot or any size lead shot; or long bows or compound bows. Waterfowl may also be hunted with other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved shot and sizes.
 
#14 ·
I surfed around the web, couldn't do any better than JLPTexashunter. Wow, it is hard to find 10 ga stuff! Hang in there--maybe if you find a good price you can buy a case and be in ammo for awhile. Good luck :lol:
 
#16 ·
Lol, hero I loved the humor of the post...it was like "Nation lampoons hunting trip" I had the oppertunity to shoot a 10ga once, except we shot 3 1/2 slugs!! We tried shooting clay with some old lead shot my friend had...it was pretty funny...anyway good luck finding ammo!!
 
#17 ·
Loved the write up. Would love to see some of that first timer action our site.

There were a bunch of myths perpetuated here by friends and dealers alike.

A. All 10gauges kick (Not true kick has more to do with the shape of the stock relative to the barrel than the load your shooting)

B. Full Chokes blow up if using steel ( This just depends on how old the gun really is. A Steel Full choke is more like a Lead Modified. Usually 1 size up for steel. Fixed chokes guns usually(keyword usually) will be quoting the steel choke for liablity purposes. Exceptions are High-End Skeet ad Trap guns with fix chokes they are "Lead Only" quotes but I have yet to see a full choke on one of those anyway.

C. Little Birds go bang with big guns ( Again I have blown doves to pieces with a twenty gauge because they were too close. All of that is relative to the shooter and the bird )

Great learning post.

Thanks for taking the time.
 
#18 ·
clayshooter25/25 said:
Too bad you can't use the big 10ga for clays :D :lol: .
You can and you can't. It's not legal for organized competitions. Many ranges I seen have a shot size restriction, which can quickly eliminate using a 10 ga. since the smallest size is typically #6 shot for turkey. Since the 10 gauge is marketed as a waterfowling and turkey gun it's very difficult to find shells in #7 1/2 or 8 shot. If you handload though, it opens up the doors to the small shot sizes to meet range requirements.

The range near me has a restriction of #7 1/2 shot or smaller because of their proximity to the rest of the community. There is no gauge restriction as in their view #7 1/2 shot at 1200 fps is #7 1/2 shot at 1200 fps. It doesn't matter if it's a 2 1/4 oz payload from a 10 gauge or a 1 1/8 oz. payload from a 12 gauge.

I recently purchased a 10 gauge Ithaca Mag 10 recently because I wanted one for 4 legged predator hunting--coyote, fox, bobcat, mountain lions. I'm still waiting on an order for some #4 buck to arrive, but in the mean time went out and blasted some water jugs and other junk with some factory Winchester steel 1 5/8 oz. T shot loads. The recoil wasn't much more than my 12 gauge Model 11 shooting 1 1/8oz Federal value pack shells. The 10 lb heft and gas operation of the Ithaca really helps to tame the recoil. In addition, the lighter weight of the steel shot reduces recoil quite a bit.

Of course now that I have a nice waterfowl gun, I think I might have to give waterfowling a try. :D

As for using the steel in the full choke, I didn't blow up anything other than the waterjugs I was shooting at. Having two barrels for it, a full and a modified, I pattern tested both barrels with the steel T-shot shells at around 25-30 yards. The modified choke made for a cleaner pattern with less holes in it than the full choke did. Examination of the wads showed that the full choke was really constricting down on the shot as was evident by the deep shot markings in the wad. The wad fired from the modified barrel had a more uniform look to it with slight dimpling and dark spots from the shot.

I'm guessing that because the steel shot is less maleable than the lead shot, it resists being sent through the choke more than the lead would. My theory is that when it comes out the other end of the choke, the steel shot wants to unconstrict itself and basically unsprings faster than lead shot does since the pellets don't conform to their neighbors as much. In addition, becuase The steel pellets retain shape better than the lead, they are more likely to stay in their pattern. Inspection of some pellets taken from water jugs revealed near perfectly rounded pellets. They looked good enough to simply toss into a machine needing ball bearings of that size.

Now then, I've chased dove and quail with 12 gauges before, but I'm hesitant to use a 10 gauge. Not because of appropriate shot size availablity as I'm working on setting up for reloading. The big reason is that the gun is flat heavy. I really dont want to be chasing birds up hills (they can never go down it seems) and lugging around a 10 lb. shotgun plus ammo that is almost twice as heavy as 12 gauge shells, just isn't too appealing to me. But I will have to try it once or twice. ;)
 
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#20 ·
It won't take too long before a set of gauge reducers pay for themselves. I like the gauge-mate 10/12 converters. 12 gauge ammo is CHEAP and should shoot like a little powder puff loads in a ten.
 
#23 ·
Hmmmmmm , maybe a 10ga Dove tournament comming in the future. Can see it now kinda like a pro bass tournament. Racing across the Arazona wilderness to our vavorite cactus patch and dragging out the cannons :shock:
Wonder if the feds would capitulate and allow us to use the real biggies. Have a friend in the UK with a 4 bore.

tom
 
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#25 ·
Thanks, Rick 618, for posting the fed regs for waterfowl hunting, in particular:
waterfowl hunters shall not possess any other size steel shot or any size lead shot
.

Now I was thinking of jump shooting ducks this fall as I upland game bird hunted here in Michigan (yes, you can find plenty of water in our Michigan uplands). I knew that I had to carry steel shot for ducks, and had planned on changing shells in my O/U as I approached likely water for surprising ducks. But the part cited above about not even having lead shot in possession has me flumoxed (I'm easily flumoxed lately, that is, when my ox is not busy being gored).

How do other folks handle this challenge to making duck hunting anything other than a dedicated activity?
 
#26 ·
Good story Hero. I also shoot a 10 gauge and it's not the recoil monster that some people think it is. Actually I think due to the gun weight, I find it somewhat of a pussycat with steel loads. The lead 2 1/4 oz. loads can get your attention though if you don't have a good recoil pad on the gun. My BPS had a rock hard pad from the factory and once I replaced it with a Decelerator no problem, even with lead.
 
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