valued opinions

oldrookie · 02-21-2008, 07:14 PM

I know this is a muzzleloader forum but I have learned so much from you guys and I value your opinions. I have an opportunity to buy a slightly used single shot 12 guage H&R Pardner for a really good price. It comes with screw in turkey choke. Anybody familiar with this gun? Anyone have comments pro or con? Obviously will use for up coming turkey season.

cayugad · 02-21-2008, 08:04 PM

They throw a nice tight pattern but kick like a rented mule. I had one for a while and shot a couple turkey with it.My friend liked it, and I ended up selling it to him. Like I said, it could knock them down at 35 yards easy. BUT when loaded with 3 inch magnum turkey loads, it really lets you know you pulled the trigger.

Indiana SmokePole · 02-21-2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: cayugad

They throw a nice tight pattern but kick like a rented mule. I had one for a while and shot a couple turkey with it.My friend liked it, and I ended up selling it to him. Like I said, it could knock them down at 35 yards easy. BUT when loaded with 3 inch magnum turkey loads, it really lets you know you pulled the trigger.

Very good gun But like Dave said you won't want to practice much but if you are shooting at a bird you will pay no notice to it , I say go for it.
Ron

oldrookie · 02-21-2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: cayugad

They throw a nice tight pattern but kick like a rented mule. I had one for a while and shot a couple turkey with it.My friend liked it, and I ended up selling it to him. Like I said, it could knock them down at 35 yards easy. BUT when loaded with 3 inch magnum turkey loads, it really lets you know you pulled the trigger.

If you were looking for a single shot 12g, is there another you would recommend over the H&R. I am still thinking about buying black powder barrel 12g for my Optima. Found the H&R for same money as black powder barrel. I've got to decide and be ready inside six weeks.

Indiana SmokePole · 02-21-2008, 08:33 PM

O I would get the H&R for shure !

cayugad · 02-21-2008, 08:38 PM

I have a friend that lives for turkey hunting. He has used about every kind of modern shotgun out there. I know he hunted with an autoloader Remington for a long time, and then got a Mossbery Pump, even used his 10 gauge goose shotgun made in Spain. He told me a couple years ago, the best shotgun he has ever found for turkey is a Knight TK2000 black powder shotgun. He claims he can knock one down at over 40 yards with that Knight. I guess that was why the Tomanator made by White and the Knight TK2000 interested me so much. Then I got side tracked.

Maybe a turkey barrel on your Optima might be a way to go. I am going to try with the New Englander 12 gauge this spring. I figure if they will get to 25 yards I will let them have it. Makes for an exciting hunt that way. I used to hunt them with single shot H&R 12 gauge, then changed over to adouble barrel 12 gauge Stevens, and killed a lot of birds with that shooting Magnum #4's. That double barrel was deadly on them birds.

wabi · 02-21-2008, 10:05 PM

The H&R is a good gun for the $$$$. I've owned several over the years, and all of them were very dependable.
As for recoil, any single shot is going to be fairly light weight and will have a bit of punch at both ends.

I did have an H&R 10ga that really "said hello" after I removed the steel bar they add to the stock for weight, shortened the barrel to 28", and had it choked X-Full. (they put a steel bar inside the hole where the tang bolt is for added weight for recoil reduction - about 1 1/2# of extra weight!)

Johnmorris · 02-22-2008, 09:01 AM

If you get it buy a slip in sims recoil pad it really helps on my single HR

oldrookie · 02-22-2008, 09:28 AM

Thanks for info guys! I think I will go with 3" chamber no need to go 3.5" and pick myself up in the next county.