New to duck hunting

[mossbergman11]

I have never been duck hunintg before but i would like to go. I have a 1940 era winchester model 12 12 gauge shotgun with a full choke barrel. When my grandpa lived in massachuchits he used it all the time for duck hunting and i was wondering if this would be suitable for ducks?

[cjwink]

A 12 gauge is plenty for duck hunting.. The only issue you may have is shooting steel shot out of a gun that old.. It could put some wear on that barrell which you may not want to do just because of the age and history of the gun.. Your sig says you have a Mossberg 500... I would use that instead, just becauseI wouldn't want to go trouncing thru the mud and muck with a gun that has been in my family that long..

If you want to get involved with Duck hunting.. Contact your local DU chapter and get to know some of the guys there. They will provided you with a wealth of knowledge and will likely take you under thier wing and take you hunting..

Looks like they have a couple of DU events in the near future..

http://www.ducks.org/states/56/events/index.html


Here is how you can get in contact with the DU chapter in Ohio

http://www.ducks.org/states/56/volunteer/index.html

[superstrutter]

No, your gun is not designed to shoot steel. Steel shot comes out tighter than lead, so it would probably be better for you to shoot a gun with a 26'' or shorter barrel with an improved cylinder choke. Full chokes are great for lead shot, but with steel you are going to have a really tight pattern. This means you are going to have more misses.

[Alsatian]

mossbergman11:

I didn't read anyone deliver this message or not emphatically enough . . .

SHOOTING STEEL SHOT IN YOUR MODEL 12 WILL DAMAGE YOUR SHOTGUN!!!!

If you have a modern post-lead shot ban shotgun, use that. If you don't have such a late model shotgun, buy one. A new Remington 870 synthetic magnum cshotgun an be bought for around $300 new; probably less used.

I own a Winchester Model 12, a Browning automatic humpback shotgun (A-5 model??? I can never remember), and an Ithica model 37 that are all designed to shoot lead and are unsuitable for steel shot. I remedied that problem by getting my wife to buy me a Remington 870 for my birthday three years ago for about $280. It looks and shoots like new even today (I keep it clean and lightly oil the metal after I use it -- I've heard these models are prone to rust easily).

[mossbergman11]

so the mossberg would work for ducks and i can shoot steel shot out of it?
back in the 40's and 50's could you shoot lead shot for duck hunting?

[cjwink]

Yes.. and Yes

[mossbergman11]

my grandpa yesterday gave me some shells yesteray that are from the 1940's they are remington 6 shot pheasant/duck loads? are these lead? is it safe to still shoot shells this old?

[Crowkilla]

ORIGINAL: mossbergman11

my grandpa yesterday gave me some shells yesteray that are from the 1940's they are remington 6 shot pheasant/duck loads? are these lead? is it safe to still shoot shells this old?

DO NOT shoot those shells. They are likely lead, which is illegal for waterfowl andtheyare likely made of cardboard, which may not do well in cycle well in your gun - if they shoot at all.

But another bigreason not to shoot them is that they are collector's items. Especially if they are in the box. Some boxes by old ammo manufacturers, such as Peters,are worthsome moneyespecially if they have any special decoration on the box. My dad had boxes and boxes of old 16 guage shells that I found one day on the way to go hunting with him. I made himretire them, but he madebuy him some more to replace them, ha.

[kingvjack]

They are lead.... I have some out of my dads gun cabinet I use blowing stuff away...

[mossbergman11]

so lead was legal for waterfoel back in the day?
i shot some a while ago they kicked like a mule with my gun
i only have like 15 shells left in it