The New Englander is really an exceptional rifle and shotgun. Granted I expected a little more range then say 30 yards for my turkey loads, but most of my turkey shots were taken at 25 yards where I set my decoys. So I still do not foresee a problem using the NE for that aspect of the shotgun. As for a grouse shotgun, I had exceptional luck this year. Our grouse population was at a high in their cycle and I managed to score a number of birds. Squirrels and rabbit will be a easy shoot with the shotgun part.

I was testing shot patterns the other day (when I decided to thin the squirrel herd) and found some interesting combinations of wads, hulls, etc to try. I was shooting a; 90 grains APP 2f, over the shot card, a plastic hull with the bottom clipped off so just the cylinder was left, and then two over the shot cards on top of the 90 grains of #5 shot. At 25 yards, it would simply cover a 8x11 piece of paper. There is no way anything could live through that pattern. I was also trying some strange combinations but have not decided what I like best. Still more play time needed in that respect.

As a rifle is where the NE really surprised me. It is not a fancy rifle as many know. Composite stock, standard sights, but for some reason the rifle just plain shoots. It is a very accurate rifle. My rifle is a .54 caliber and I admit I have not shot it as much as I intended to. Hunting season showed up and the range time got messed up there. But with round ball it does real well. I want to test it with a lot more different projectiles and see if I can get it shooting some REAL conicals in the near future.