Things you hear in a gun shop

Gil Martin · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 1:55 am Post subject: Things you hear in a gun shop

I was in a gun shop looking over the used shotguns and overhead several other folks talking about shotguns. They assured each other that a 2 3/4 inch or 3 inch 12 gauge shotgun was too anemic for hunting turkeys and small game. I will never own a shotgun with a 3 1/2 chamber, rarely shoot 3 inch shells and prefer 2 3/4 inch loads. It is amazing that some of us have been afield for a half century using 2 3/4 shotguns and never knew that we were under gunned. Here endth the lesson. All the best...
Gil

Aloysius · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:23 am Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

Gil, you're right. When you want to shoot at longer distances, more shot will only help when you increase the diameter of the barrel and keep the height of the shotcup (inside the shell) equal or shorter.
So when you think you could use a heavier load, then take a caliber 10 or 8 (when allowed).

I have a Marlin Goosegun in cal 12 with a very long barrel with a full choke and a 3" chamber. I also have a B-25 Special Chasse double barrel, very short with 1/2 and full choke. When you shoot the same cartridge in both guns using only the full choke, which do you think will give the best pattern? Even the half choke barrel will give a tighter pattern than the Goosegun. And when you think a 3" shell in the Marlin will give you more pellets on target than a 2 3/4" shell in the FN, you think wrong.

A lot of people look for confidence in the word "magnum", but smart people take the time to look for a cartridge that fits the barrel.

Ominivision1 · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 4:28 am Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

That's funny, all the game animals I have taken with the 12g 2 3/4" never told me I was under gunned.

MacD · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:17 am Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

Popular wisdom is seldom wise. Firearms makers have to keep us buying new guns so they make sure their pet rewers and ads all tout the good about the new and the bad about the old. I have an old Cooey 840. It has killed almost everything it is legal to kill with a shotgun. This includes a very large moose. Learning to shoot and when to shoot is what counts not bigger shells and magazines.

Bushmaster · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

Hummm...Me thinks I'll keep my Browning BSS 12 GA. It is chambered for 2 3/4" shells.

It has taken its share of Doves, Quail, Pheasant, Grouse and Ducks. Not had a chance to go for Geese yet. I guess no one ever told it that it was under powered.

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:07 am Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

I've had to bite my tongue at many a gun shop when I heard a clerk tell someone something that was blatantly wrong. After all, who is the unknowning customer going to believe anyway, the store employee or some guy off the street?

I had a gun store owner tell me that firing any FMJ bullets in any rifle will ruin the bore...

I heard a clerk tell a petite woman who knew nothing about guns that she needed "at least a .45 Auto" to carry in her purse...

Elvis · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 1:10 pm Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

well Im the other way inclinded Pumpkin. straight BS doesnt sit well with me and that sort of salesmanship puts people out of/off our sports.
Aloy try a lighter load with the goose gun as my old H&R single loved a 1 1/8 load and threw better patterns with it than 1 1/4oz. maybe the extra shot gets crowded and deforms going through a tight choke?? SOME of those older guns have harsh forcing cones which wont be helping either. as for 2 3/4" not being enough. Ive shot everything up to large 180lb pigs with that sized shell and NEVER felt undergunned.

ElyBoy · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

I shelved my Auto 5 many years ago for a 3" when steel shot was new, and we were forced to use it in the duck blind.
However, for a long time steel shot has progressed to a point where my trusty 2 3/4" Auto 5 as been unretired, and shoots just as good alongside my friends who shoot the extremely expensive 3 1/2" loads.

Like what was said, the manufacturers have produced a great gimmick with their very expensive cannons to the novice shooters.

Eric

Elvis

Eric see if you can find some 1 1/6th oz loads both kent and winchester put them out doing 1550fps and they are a good clean killing load.

SingleShotLover · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:35 am Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

"Experts" abound, and some of the erroneous information isn't innocent BS. I was asked not to return to a gun shop after I couldn't hold my tongue while a clerk told a customer that "they just don't make ammo for your .244 Remington anymore. You'll have to trade it, and I would suggest that 6mm Remington over there." When I pointed out the generous supply of 6mm Remington ammo on the shelves and explained that up to bullets of 90 grains, the 6mm ammo was a perfect match for his .244, the clerk got irate, the customer asked the owner just what kind of store was he running, and I was asked to leave...which I gladly did, not to darken their doorway again.

Aloysius

SSL, I think one should be a 6 mm Rem owner to know what big mistake Remington made when they started offering the .244 Rem using a twist of 1 in 12", while Winchester gave their .243 Win a twist of 1 in 10".
Later on Remington changed the twist in 1 in 9" and renamed it the 6 mm Rem.
I like the 6 mm Rem and I know I don't use it enough, but that's mainly because I rather late learned to know the nice things about .224 bullets and their performances.

gelandangan · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 2:42 pm Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

Next you would hear that a 3030 is not enough gun to hunt deer.
Somehow, the animals are getting tougher everyday must have been one of those mutation thing.
Either that or the 'my gun is bigger than yours' syndrome.
What a load of crocks..

gelandangan · Last edited by gelandangan on Tue Apr 03, 2012 1:17 am; edited 1 time in total

Thick finger syndrome Very Happy

Ominivision1

Yup I agree gelandangan, for the last 20 to 30 years or so it seems that game animals have been getting tougher for some reason. And these new gun writers have been upping the ante as far as what rifle you need to shoot game.

Here is a video showing a moose hunt with the 30/30. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xZsgwPlLM0

I still will state that hunting anything in the lower 48 states can and will be taken by the 30/30, it has proven itself time and time again for me from yotes to black bear and deer, mule deer and feral pigs with aplomb.

Sure there are a lot of better cartridges available but I will still take my lever action 30/30 any day over these newer cartridges, after all, the 30/30 has over a 100 year head start on them.

Fireman_DJ · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 1:47 am Post subject: Re: Things you hear in a gun shop

It's not that animals are getting tougher, it's that less and less shooters actually know how to shoot so they need a bigger pill to ensure when they stuff up and get a gut shot they can still get a kill.