What makes a good dove gun?

Duramax

Senior Member
I would have to recommend to you a Remington 11-87, Remington 1100, Beretta 390. I have used a Remington 11-87 for going on 15yrs. Never had a problem with it. It is 26 in barrel. I just recently won a Beretta 3901 NRA limited edition model. Which is still the 390 model. I have fell in love with the Beretta. It has a 28in barrel. The longer barrel wiil help you out on a dove field. Just my 2 cents. Both of these are in 12 guage.
 

LKennamer

Senior Member
That's a tough one!

What makes a good dove gun will vary from person to person, but by and large I would recommend a 12 gauge, especially after opening day. You can kill them even with a .410, but most people cripple more than they collect with the smaller gauges. Screw-in chokes are great, I often start the season with open chokes and change to tighter ones as the season progresses and birds get more wary and fly a little higher. I don't personally think that extremely short barrels (or extremely long) are much benefit. Dove hunting presents an astonishing variety of shots, from passing to straight up, so something that feels comfortable to you, is natural to your shoulder, and is smooth to swing is what you need. I have personally used two shotguns for the vast majority of my dove hunting since I started. One is a Browning Sweet Sixteen with vented rib barrel and improved cylinder choke, and the other is a Winchester over/under with screw-in chokes and a 28 inch barrel. It's hard to choose, but I probably have a slight preference for the Winchester, it's a stock gun, but it feels made for me.
 

Randy

Senior Member
Tom,
That is a million dollar question. I bet you get a million answers. There are good and bad for each type and guage. Personally I prefer an over/under 12 ga. I just shoot them better. That is really what it boils down to. What fits you best and what action and guage you shoot best. I also find that I waste more shells with an auto.
 

Tom Borck

Banned
OK, How do I know which one is better? Right not I am using a Browning Pump, not sure on the barrel length. But, I do know that I missed a few brids and swatted them out of the sky with the end of the barrel. :bounce: I had trouble getting around on some of the birds with such a long barrel. I have a Mossberg Semi-Auto that I use for deer/turkey. I was using the Imp. Cylinder, should I start with Modified?
 
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LKennamer

Senior Member
Might be a good idea

I've had much better luck using modified or full chokes after opening day. Of course they are harder to hit when they are close because of the tighter choke, but most of the the shots after the first week are long anyway. I hunted Saturday, and I used my over under with a modified choke in one and a full in the other. Collected my limit with 20 shots, would have done better if I hadn't missed a couple of easy ones and had to get a couple with my second shot. TB, if your Mossberg feels comfortable, I'd use that. If you are having trouble swinging a longer barrel, that is not going to get better. A 26 oir 28 inch barrel is probably a good choice for almost anyone. Of course there are exceptions, and I've taken plenty with a 30 inch barrel o/u. It is often a good idea to try shooting some sporting clays with a potential dove gun. Although good sporting clays shooters are not always good dove shots (and vice versa...I'm a good example!), if you can hit clays with it, you can hit doves with it! :bounce:
 

Randy

Senior Member
You were asking gun questions now you have added choke questions. Now it is a 2 million dollar question.

I don't see how anybody can shoot a pump on a dove filed. Just too much movement for accurate wing shooting at least for me.

Chokes? I generally shoot a modified. If the birds are flying real low I switch to an improved. Generally I shoot an improved on quail.

Barrell length? There are those in the know that say you shoot longer barrells for the sight plane and it supposedly keep sthe gun moving. I like and shoot 26" very well. A 26" on an automatic is about the same overall length as 28" tubes on a O/U due to the receiver. However I still shoot the 26" tubes on my O/U better. If you learn to "follow through" the shot, then tube length will not matter.
 

Tom Borck

Banned
Randy said:
You were asking gun questions now you have added choke questions. Now it is a 2 million dollar question.

I don't see how anybody can shoot a pump on a dove filed. Just too much movement for accurate wing shooting at least for me.

.


I don't think I can afford this thread anymore!

Yeh, I know it was very difficult to shoot and that is why I am searching for a new one or used.
 

leadoff

GONetwork Member
I have shot a Remington 870 Wingmaster 20 gauge pump all my life (28"). Definitely a practical and effective dove gun. I have thought about changing to a 12 gauge, but never have.

I agree with Randy about shooting an auto (lots of wasted shots) but not all the way with the pump. I really don't feel that pumping another round is too much movement. The pump just comes naturally with the recoil and swing (IMO).

I shot my dad's Browning Citori 12 gauge (28") on opening day. If I had the cash, that would definitely be my gun of choice!
 

Randy

Senior Member
Yes. Once you shoot a Browning Citori you will want one. It is less than 2 million.
 

leadoff

GONetwork Member
How about Stoeger shotguns? I have a Stoeger Coach Gun that I bought for Cowboy Action Shooting. What about their other guns? They are definitely priced reasonably.

TB, Stoeger makes a good looking O&U (Condor is the model name) that is in your price range, but I don't know a thing about the gun to say anything about the quality. I do, however, enjoy my Stoeger Coach Gun!
 

Meriwether Mike

Senior Member
Get Gun Doccs Remington 1100. Lots of birds been downed with that combination. :bounce:
 

Randy

Senior Member
You can get one (Citori) for around $1200.00. ou can go Ruger Red lable for a little less. I have a Red Lable in 28 ga. for quail and it is sweet. Not as finished as the Browning but shoots sweet.
 

stumpman

Banned
Berretta silver pigeon in 20ga o/u 261/2" barrells mod and full chokes its a sweet shooting gun you can get it in 12ga also i just shoot 20 because it doesnt kick as bad and i cant hit the darn birds anyway so a 10ga wouldnt help shoot the one your comfortable with.
 

Handgunner

Senior Member
What makes a good dove gun?

Easy.

Who's holding it! :D

I can shoot AT doves all day and may take a few. Give that gun to my uncle and he's breasting them out while sipping a coke in about an hour. I think it's more the shooter than the gun. Find one that fits you, comfortable to shoot, and just practice, practice, practice... and when you're done, practice some more.

This past weekend I couldn't hit the ground with a shovel. Maybe this weekend it'll be better! I know the guy that's putting on the shoot sure loves me. I'm paying and still leaving plenty of birds. :eek: They're just a little higher, and a little faster when I leave. :D
 

Tom Borck

Banned
Went to a local pawn shop to check on some prices....the front window says "GUNS" and listed some on the markee for sale. Walked in and asked the man to look at a few of his shotguns and he says, "We don't have guns." ::huh:

Might try to make due with the Browning Pump.
 

Guy

Senior Member
I went to a gun shop in Marietta and was talking to one of the owners. He told me it was "rude" to hunt doves with a 12 gauge. Is that true?

I have never dove hunted but hope to soon.
 

Lumpkin Hunter

Senior Member
over and under

I just bought a 20 guage over/under with screw in chokes. It was an off brand Khan is the name, made in Turkey. It shoots great and seems to be well built. If you can spend more buy a major brand over/ under. My brother shoots a Weatherby 20 ga and loves it. I shot some skeet with it and was busting them very well also. I have several 12 ga shot guns, Rem 11-87 for turkey, Win pump, Mossberg pump, and a pump 20. But I have enjoyed the over/under 20 ga the most when shooting dove or skeet.

Sometimes you don't have to spend alot of money to get a good gun. But most times when you do spend the extra you get a great gun. I look at it as to how much I will use it.

Good luck.
 
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