Shotgun advise...

[socal_aviatrix]

Question:

I own a Browning 12 gauge O/U Citori 725 Sporting in 30" (7lbs - 8oz.) that I purchased for Sporting Clays and I am in love with it.

I am thinking of trying out actual hunting starting with Upland Birds (Pheasant). Am I better off using my 30" Citori 725 or purchasing a shorter/lighter shotgun, thinking a 12 gauge semiautomatic with a 26" barrel like a Browning A5 Hunter (6 lbs 11oz) or Bonelli Montefeltro (6.9 lbs), both Inertial Driven Systems. Price is secondary to quality and the having the right tool for the job... Am I better off staying with 12 gauge or moving to 20 gauge? Not crazy about what I am reading with 16 gauge availability/price.

I don't see myself at the moment shooting water fowl but who knows what the future holds.

I appreciate your opinions...

[Thefeeder]

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Hunt with what you shoot well. You will be happier carrying birds and your shotgun back to the truck than carrying a shotgun

[NATEWA]

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1353096

Similar situation

[olhunter]

If you shoot the Citori well, start with that.

You may find you hate hunting! Many times it's nothing more than 'hiking with guns'.

If you like it and think the Citori is not suited for what you do, THEN think about something else.

The nice thing about a semi when hunting is you get 3 shots.

If you're good enough to harvest everything on the 1st or 2nd shots, then no big deal.

But I've used that 3rd shot many times to FINALLY hit that bird. Not so much with pheasants, but doves are like trying to shoot down a dodging and jinking fighter jet.

An A5 is a great gun and so are Remington 1100's/11-87s as well as Beretta A300/A400's.

The most important thing is hunting with something you shoot well and are willing to carry for many hours for many miles.

Do you have a dog? Where are you hunting pheasants in your area?

[JagerDog]

Question:

I own a Browning 12 gauge O/U Citori 725 Sporting in 30" (7lbs - 8oz.) that I purchased for Sporting Clays and I am in love with it.

I am thinking of trying out actual hunting starting with Upland Birds (Pheasant). Am I better off using my 30" Citori 725 or purchasing a shorter/lighter shotgun, thinking a 12 gauge semiautomatic with a 26" barrel like a Browning A5 Hunter (6 lbs 11oz) or Bonelli Montefeltro (6.9 lbs), both Inertial Driven Systems. Price is secondary to quality and the having the right tool for the job... Am I better off staying with 12 gauge or moving to 20 gauge? Not crazy about what I am reading with 16 gauge availability/price.

I don't see myself at the moment shooting water fowl but who knows what the future holds.

I appreciate your opinions...

I mostly shoot pheasant with 20g, but I'm the odd one. With the lead ban, 12g becomes more superior. I used 12g handloaded bismuth this last year. I need to get back to developing my 3" 20g ITX rounds.

If you're talking club birds down there, then just use your 725. Less walking and target rich environment. Can still use lead on club birds. Wild birds are rare anymore in CA period.

[socal_aviatrix]

Thanks for the input olhunter. That is always a possibility and thought the same when I wanted to try Sporting Clays (I may not even like it). But after one time, I found I enjoyed it far more than Skeet which seemed a bit boring to me. So after that one time, I rented the 725 on the second time out and then plopped down $2600 and never regretted it. Its still the most expensive firearm I have. I do shoot well with it but that is just standing in one place shooting. Not sure I would want to hike with it for an hour or two and then who knows, its only a pound or two heavier than the others and about 4" longer. I am trying to avoid duplication (minimizing overlap) considering I tend to buy quality that will I will keep a long time vs. soothing that will due for now. so I am thinking semi-auto vs. another over/under to avoid that otherwise the 26" 725 Field would be on my radar.

The place I am thinking about going for a first time hunt is Raahauge's . They are just minutes from my house. They are pricy but I can rent a dog and a handler there. Hoping to find someone to go with as well to learn from.

FYI, I lean towards traditional wood vs. plastic/composite at the moment. If I decide to try hunting waterfowl, that may change with more exposure to water.

If you shoot the Citori well, start with that.

You may find you hate hunting! Many times it's nothing more than 'hiking with guns'.

If you like it and think the Citori is not suited for what you do, THEN think about something else.

The nice thing about a semi when hunting is you get 3 shots.

If you're good enough to harvest everything on the 1st or 2nd shots, then no big deal.

But I've used that 3rd shot many times to FINALLY hit that bird. Not so much with pheasants, but doves are like trying to shoot down a dodging and jinking fighter jet.

An A5 is a great gun and so are Remington 1100's/11-87s as well as Beretta A300/A400's.

The most important thing is hunting with something you shoot well and are willing to carry for many hours for many miles.

Do you have a dog? Where are you hunting pheasants in your area?

[socal_aviatrix]

Thanks for the reply JagerDog,

I am pretty sure Raahauge's (Corona) counts as a club birds. Having never hunted before, I do not know what to expect except for being careful where I step and on what (rattlesnakes). I would love to stay away from the expense of clubs in the first place but need to learn first before venturing off into a less controlled and more target enriched environment.

I mostly shoot pheasant with 20g, but I'm the odd one. With the lead ban, 12g becomes more superior. I used 12g handloaded bismuth this last year. I need to get back to developing my 3" 20g ITX rounds.

If you're talking club birds down there, then just use your 725. Less walking and target rich environment. Can still use lead on club birds. Wild birds are rare anymore in CA period.

[socal_aviatrix]

LoL... Words from a wise man in deed. Thanks Feeder

Opps, damn, I need a truck now... Will a Subaru do?

Hunt with what you shoot well. You will be happier carrying birds and your shotgun back to the truck than carrying a shotgun

[JagerDog]

Thanks for the reply JagerDog,

I am pretty sure Raahauge's (Corona) counts as a club birds. Having never hunted before, I do not know what to expect except for being careful where I step and on what (rattlesnakes). I would love to stay away from the expense of clubs in the first place but need to learn first before venturing off into a less controlled and more target enriched environment.

You're not going to be in the field all day when shooting club birds, so gun weight is not really a factor. The vast majority are back to their vehicle in a couple hours.

I haven't shot Raahauge's in Socal, but have shot the one up here near Dixon (same family tree, different branch). It's a good way to get introduced and in reality is cheaper than chasing wild birds which largely don't exist. Go with someone with a decent dog, or rent one if they have them.

[BOBGBA]

Hiring a guide & dog at will make the day much more successful and enjoyable.
You will be assigned a field to hunt (at Raahauges) until 10am.
After 10, you can hunt any field and use the guide & dog to go after other birds that people missed.
When you shoot sporting clays, do you shoot low gun or pre-mounted?
Have you shot skeet low gun? If not, you should because this will make you have to react & mount the gun, like you will have to do while hunting.

[JagerDog]

Hiring a guide & dog at will make the day much more successful and enjoyable.
You will be assigned a field to hunt (at Raahauges) until 10am.
After 10, you can hunt any field and use the guide & dog to go after other birds that people missed.
When you shoot sporting clays, do you shoot low gun or pre-mounted?
Have you shot skeet low gun? If not, you should because this will make you have to react & mount the gun, like you will have to do while hunting.

If guides are available and you don't have a buddy familiar, that's a good call to get introduced.

If you're hitting what you're shooting at, you should have the birds you paid for (had planted) by 10 (can't hunt until 8).

Some clubs collect up front, some collect by what you bag. Note that by what you bag, you pay for any "extras" you may flush (your assigned field or "free roam"). Upfront, typically not (as they were already paid for by the guy that missed them). I haven't hunted anywhere where they "double dip".

Also note that clubs (private licensed game bird club) has a MUCH longer season. Typically Sept through Feb or March. You can also shoot either sex (typically roosters are planted earlier in the season and hens/mix planted later in the season. When hunting wild birds, it's roosters only (though I think there is place down there (Salton Sea?) where you can shoot hens...but what that really means is there's no birds).

[BOBGBA]

Haven't hunted Raahauges in a couple of years. When I did, you paid for the birds up front. No charge for any extra birds that you may have come accross and shot.

[pennstater]

There's another thread here on shotgun suggestions that I responded to. I recommended the Remington V3[wood or syn.] with 26" barrel. This would be a superb choice for what you are looking for. It is a semi-auto, btw. These guns are getting very positive reviews.