[Guest]

Hello! My topic title about says it all. I've been hunting partirdges with a .22 for the last little while, and decided I wanted a shot gun. An aquaintance of mine, and avid gun collector, sold me an old, well conditoned Ideal single shot 12 gauge for fifty bucks, and now I'm looking to try it out. It has no choke. Would this be too messy for rabbit or partrdige? What does a different gauge hunt better?

 

[Dalee100]

Hi,

Welcome to ShotgunWorld!! Stick around and register! You've just found the one stop answer to all your questions.

What can you hunt with a singleshot 12ga.? Anything you can hunt with a $50,000 custom made double. You will just get only one shot instead of two or more.

Many, many people here started out with a single shot. And many people still do. They are generally inexpensive (as you just found out) and tend to be simple to operate and are pretty rugged.

If the gun has no choke, that's called a cylinderbore choke. There's no taper at the muzzle to constrict the shotcharge. I would think for partidge and rabbits that should a fine choke to use. Your effective pattern should be good to about 20yds maybe a bit more. As for being too hard on your game, that's more a function of shot size rather than what choke you use. Me, I would use a 2 3/4" shell with an 1 1/8oz or 1 1/4oz shot charge of #6's for rabbits, and maybe #7 1/2's or 8's for partridge. They are pretty soft targets and it doesn't take much to kill either.

Your 12ga is generally considered an all around gauge. It will work of everthing you might want to hunt. The other guages, i.e. - 20ga, 16ga, 10ga, 28ga, and the .410 all have advantages/disadvantages for shooting/hunting. But the 12ga. can pretty much do everything you will ever need.

HTH,

Dale

 

[Guest]

............ Hello Matthew ... If you have only experience shooting a .22 caliber rifle then perhaps you might want to take it easy loading up that old 12 bore. ... The recoil can be quite overwhelming in a lightweight 12 gauge single shot. ... Try some light upland field loads like Remington sur shot or another brand in target loadings. ... Restrict your shots to 25 yards or less due to the fact of you having no chock on the barrel. ... My first shotgun was a single shot 12 gauge and once I learned it's limitations I used it for several years to great satisfaction.

With Kindest Regards ... Norm

 

[Matthew Eldon Verge]

Thanks a lot for the info. Tomorrow I'll go get some lighter loads to shoot, at the moment all I have is number four, then I'll try her out and see if it knocks my arm off or not.

 

[clayshooter25/25]

Here are some really nice low recoiling loads:

http://www.winchester.com/ammunition/st ... N0K0FEMC0z

 

[Matthew Eldon Verge]

Well, despite the wise advice of those more experienced than I, I took the shotgun out to try it today, even though I only had number 4 birdshot. What a lot of fun! My first time ever using a shot gun. Kicked like a mule, but hell, that was just fine, I barely noticed. I think there are going to be some very endangered types of partridge soon

 

[Papadoodles]

Matthew,

Don't let all the talk about 'kicking' bother you!

"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction".

Shotguns recoil - it goes with the territory - get over it. Just tuck it in tight and keep your eye on the target and you will never even notice the recoil.

 

[Guest]

............ Matthew ... I am glad that you enjoyed your very first shotgun experience yesterday. ... To be most practical it is best to use that shotshell that does the job best for whatever game animal you are pursuing. ... You made mention of Ruffed Grouse in your last post. ... In my over 40 years (1962) of hunting them I have found that for shots at or under 35 yards that number 7.5 shot seems to work best. ... Also since you don't have any chock on your shotgun you are limited (25-30 yards) as to your effective range. ... Cottontail rabbits are often taken at 5-15 yards and are perhaps best taken with a number 6 shot. ... Others here may disagree with me and offer up their own suggestions as to their best shot selection. ... Try different shot sizes in your "12 gauge cannon " and see what it likes best. ... Not all shotguns will pattern alike. ... Just remember, it doesn't take a lot to bring down a Grouse or to stop a Cottontail rabbit. ... I still recommend that you stay away from the express and magnum loadings as they are more expensive to buy and unnecessary'ly harsh to shoot as well as totally unnecessary to the game animal being persued. ... Just my personal opinion.

... With Kindest regards ... Norm

 

[Rattler-21]

I have a 20 gauge, full choke, single shot New England Firearms that my grandad gave my Dad and my dad gave me. I still use it whn I go home. There's something about just having one shot that gives you some kind of pride and satisfaction. Have fun with your new to you 12'er. It's all purpose man. It'll do anything you want. My grandad used his 20 for deer hunting and squirells, versatility; I think so. Once again have fun.

 

[Salmoneye]

Fully agree with Rattler-21!

My Wife received an NEF SB-1 20ga from my Dad for Christmas about 10 years ago...I liked it so much I went and bought my own in 12ga...

They are reliable and will do anything and you do not have to worry about it hurting them...

Use it and have fun...

 

[J Teezy]

My dad started me with a 20 gauge single shot New England shotgun 10 years ago when i was 12 years old. I just recently got my first pump (browning bps 12 gauge). I still love my single shot because it is gun to shoot and because it was my very first shotgun. I keep as good as care of it as i would a gun that cost over 1000 dollars. I plan on passing it down to my first child when i get to that stage in my life.

PS. take care of your gun and it will last forever.