Some shot-gun questions

Deerspotter

Some shot-gun questions;

1. Why would one choose a side-by-side or an over-under, is it anything to do with snobbery?

2. What do the numbers on the shells mean? I fired a shot gun and the number 4's did more damage than the number 7's. Does it mean the amount of BB's per X amount of space?

3. What would the best all-rounder shell be? If you wanted it for pigeon, rabbit, the odd fox and clays?


4. What would the best shell be for all of the above, but with economy in mind?

5. What is the effective killing range of that shell on a bunny, on flat ground (with safe backstop) and no wind?

6. Is it just special shot-guns for shooting clay’s that have the auto shell ejector when you open them?

7. Would this be a good or bad feature if your main use was vermin control?

8. If it is better to have as many shells in the gun as possible, why don’t you all have pump actions, or semi-auto’s that can legally hold three, but could hold more?

rowa

Side by sides were designed with game shooting alone in mind , where as the over and unders were made for clays or dual use, the sxs is lighter , quicker to swing and doesn't need to open over such a wide arc to get the empty cartridges out of the chambers, which is important if you're shooting in a hide.
Number on the side of the cartridge is the shot size , the bigger the number the smaller the shot.
You match the cartridge to the game or clay you're shooting, eg 5 or 6 for pheasant , or 7, 8 or 9 for clays.
The pumps and semis aren't as demonstrably safe as break open shotguns, if you come to a fence or gate you want to cross with a sxs or ou you simply open it and its safe and people with you can also see its safe , its not so simple with a semi/pump.

Deerspotter

Thank you.

fodda

Range of a shotgun is very limited no more than 40 yards on anything.

Foxes would require larger shot No2 even larger for clean kill.

Cheap workhorse like a Baikel is a good solid workhorse and is as good as any expensive gun as it is where the gun is pointing that makes the difference between hitting and missing the target and the snobbery comes in to have a more expensive or the most expensive gun, but of course as with anything there are good and bad makes/models of guns.

The lower the shot size the larger the shot and it has more energy on contact but a shorter range.

Arcto

I shoot with size 6's and 4's in 32 and 34 gram loads. Great all rounders.

I also bought two boxes of 42 gram size 2's to try get higher. Have had intermediate luck with them, but pheasant season is over now so they are idle. Also, never ever ever fire a magnum shell with no ear plugs in. I done it one day because I was in a hurry and deafened myself for about 12 hours in my left ear

fodda

Arcto wrote: »

I shoot with size 6's and 4's in 32 and 34 gram loads. Great all rounders.

I also bought two boxes of 42 gram size 2's to try get higher. Have had intermediate luck with them, but pheasant season is over now so they are idle. Also, never ever ever fire a magnum shell with no ear plugs in. I done it one day because I was in a hurry and deafened myself for about 12 hours in my left ear

You shoot pheasants with No2's?:eek:

If you fire into the air with heavier shot it will not get higher in fact quite the opposite as it will be travelling at a slower speed.

Mr.Flibble

1. A double barreled gun is one of the best ways of quickly and reliably delivering two shots, particularly with different chokes (degree of spread of shot) and even different loads. Because shotgun barrels are fairly light such a gun can be made well balanced so as to be good for shooting fast-moving targets. Double guns tend to be more expensive and traditional, so yes, there is sometimes snobbery against other types.

2. There can be several numbers on shotgun cartridges, e.g.:

> 12, 16, 20 - calibre, e.g. 12 bore

> 24, 28, 32 - weight of shot in grammes

> 76 - length of chamber required, in mm

> AAA, BB, SSG, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7 1/2, 8 - shot size. Letters signify very coarse shot for larger animals. In the numbers the larger the number the finer the shot. The finer the shot the smaller each pellet is, but the more of them you have (for a given weight).

3. Calibre-wise, 12 bore. As regards shot size, in a practical sense there's no such thing, because it's so easy to get the size you need for each application, and because a decent size for the applications at the ends of the range you've specified would be so unsuitable at the other end. E.g. a good fox cartridge would be useless for clays.

4. Are you still looking for one do-it-all cartridge, or four? So far as pricing is concerned, do your own legwork.

5. You don't specify height above sea level.

6. No.

7. Most likely good.

8. It isn't. Otherwise belt-fed shotguns would be more popular.

Arcto

fodda wrote: »

You shoot pheasants with No2's?:eek:

If you fire into the air with heavier shot it will not get higher in fact quite the opposite as it will be travelling at a slower speed.

I was told the extra powder would make up the distance....(ahhhh the learning curve) while the heavier shot would keep it tighter. Whoops



EDIT:

8. It isn't. Otherwise belt-fed shotguns would be more popular.

Images of Irish hunters walking around with dual AA-12's springs to mind, heh.

fodda

Arcto wrote: »

I was told the extra 10 gram of shot would make up the distance....ahhhh the learning curve while the heavier shot would keep it tighter. Whoops

The powder charge is the same unless magnum cartridges and the heavier the shot load the slower the velocity so the shorter the range but the more pieces of shot in the cartridge. A lighter shot load will have a faster velocity and further range but less shot at that range to hit the target.

The lower the number shot the heavier each piece of individual shot is so the slower the velocity and the shorter the range but when hitting the target it will usually have more energy in to the target.

Deerspotter

Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

Arcto

fodda wrote: »

The powder charge is the same unless magnum cartridges and the heavier the shot load the slower the velocity so the shorter the range but the more pieces of shot in the cartridge. A lighter shot load will have a faster velocity and further range but less shot at that range to hit the target.

The lower the number shot the heavier each piece of individual shot is so the slower the velocity and the shorter the range but when hitting the target it will usually have more energy in to the target.

That's ok, they are magnum. Phew

Tackleberrywho

My observtions

A good No6 shell does most jobs
A SXS is more point and shoot (game lifting up from under your feet like birds,bunnies)
An O/U generally has better beads for aiming, great for clays and as it is heavier than SXS absorbs recoil better

A semi is a great Hunters gun IMHO, some ranges don't like them because

1. They spit shells 2-4 feet which can annoy other shooters
2. They need a breach flag to show they are clear when in clay shoots

Pumps were never really popular here as they are not as fast to get two shots off than a semi or dbl barrel.
And some do not like the feel of the foreend as it is not as solid as other guns because of how it works.

My pref for an all round game/vermin gun is a semi.