Buying the Best Gun For Upland Bird Hunting: Part 2
Welcome back for the second and final part of the article where we will continue to discuss about the best guns for upland bird hunting.
We've left off the first part on the gauges aspect of the guns. The 20-gauge runs a close third to the 12 and 16 and it is very well possible to load a 3-inch 20 with up to 11/4 ounces of shot but you need to understand that it patterns best with 7/8 to 1-ounce payloads. In most cases, the 20 is enough for everything up to pheasants (including) at medium ranges and the good thing is that on the market there are plenty of light and slim 20s to choose from. The 28-gauge is lethal inside 30 yards although it packs only 3/4 ounce of shot.
Moving on to the weight and barrel length. You shouldn't pick a gun that has a curb weight of more than 7 pounds. More than that, there are lots of hunters out there that have problems shooting with guns that weigh below the 6 pounds mark. Thanks to their low weight, they carry divinely and mount pretty fast. However, you need to understand that they lose momentum very fast and it is too easy to overcontrol a wisp of a gun. This means that the ideal weight of an upland bird gun is 53/4 to 7 pounds.
Despite the fact that a regular gun for upland hunting needn't have the muzzle-heavy feel of a target gun, you should know that a smidgen of weight up front will help smooth your swing. The minimum length for barrels is 26 inches but most experienced hunters prefer 28-inch barrels. Although the muzzle-light, short-barreled guns are quick to the target, follow-through is very important in upland hunting as this is what kills the birds. Taking into consideration the fact that double guns are already compact, there is no need to pick super short barrels for the brush.
Lastly, you need to think about the chokes. Despite the fact that the screw-in types will allow you to fiddle with various constrictions, we recommend that you should leave the fast choke changes to the clay-target shooters. You must learn that most of the upland birds usually fall within 30 yards of the gun. Improved Cylinder or even Skeet in the first barrel and IC or Modified in the second covers the majority of upland situations.
Upland bird hunting should be done with a gun that is capable of shooting rounds very fast. If you still have not made up your mind and do not know which sort of gun to pick, it is highly recommended to talk to a professional hunter or a gunsmith that can point you into the right direction about which gun and ammunition you should buy for your next upland bird hunting expedition. After buying it, don't take it immediately out to the hunting field, practice for a little while until you get the hang of it.
As they say, practice makes perfect so spend some time improving your shots.
Article written by Adrian Padeanu. Find out useful details about shotguns by accessing the following website: http://www.huntingriflesreviews.com - your best source for information regarding the best hunting rifles in the world.
Guns For Upland Bird Hunting - PART 2