Today's small game hunt.

[kemart17]

Naturally I picked my 45 smoothrifle for this afternoon hunt, why? Because it's brilliant that's why.
Something like fifty grain of powder and near 3/4oz of shot and it gets the job done with little fuss.
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It was a cold wind but get out of it and in the sun I felt hot.
Rabbits are breeding, the bucks are in top condition, mine is a perfect specimen.
The rooster is my 22nd pheasant this season so far.
Happy hunting everyone.

B.

always enjoy your pics and stories, thanks for sharing. seeing your pheasant brings back fond memories of pheasant hunting with my dad when i was young.....

 

[Britsmoothy]

Yeah, sure beats the scrub brush bunnies here in the Midwest. They say a camera adds 10 pounds, but my eyes went directly to the rabbit, or do they call them hares across the pond? Every thing else looks right.

No sir thems rabbit. Hares are larger still.

 

[hanshi]

You continue to make us (me at least) jealous, Nate. You are a hunter's hunter for sure. You've made a .45 smoothbore sound very tempting.

 

[good ole boy]

Congrats.Sounds like a great time.

 

[SDSmlf]

You could easily think .45 is to small for a shotgun but no....it never ceases to amaze me. Whether it be with shot or balls it delivers the goods.

First shotgun was a 410. It was a game getter. After taking some rabbits and pheasants I was ‘upgraded’ to 12 gauge by my uncle. Still preferred and successfully used the 410 until I grew enough to handle the 12 gauge. But got hold of a lightweight 20 and used it instead of the 12. A 45 smoothbore is basically the same as a 410, just with more custom loading options. Would never feel under gunned with one. Rock on my British friend.

 

[Britsmoothy]

First shotgun was a 410. It was a game getter. After taking some rabbits and pheasants I was ‘upgraded’ to 12 gauge by my uncle. Still preferred and successfully used the 410 until I grew enough to handle the 12 gauge. But got hold of a lightweight 20 and used it instead of the 12. A 45 smoothbore is basically the same as a 410, just with more custom loading options. Would never feel under gunned with one. Rock on my British friend.

Personally I think 12g of any kind is a little over rated. Sounds daft I know and yes 12 g in any format works. I mean it seems to be the go to only sensible option nowadays when in reality a 20g breach or muzzleloader will suffice or less. 14g was popular a couple hundred years ago. I honestly think bigger is better syndrome is apparent with the popularity of 12g, in fact it would be 10g if it was not for the added weight of which naturally limits it's popularity....in my opinion based on bigger is better syndrome.
I also don't subscribe to this square load thingie and long shot strings are bad thingie you hear banded about.
If it were true 410 3" would be extinct by now and my .45 simply would not work!

What the experts overlook in this matter (beside many more oversights) when they force their "square" load through a must have choke these days they are in fact....wait for it....lengthening the shot column! Kaboom and their theory is dead

 

[Stony Broke]

Fried pheasant or rabbit stew....what a nice decision to make. I grew up always excited to see the start of pheasant season. I could shoot some early in the morning, drop them off at home and head to school. My mom was always great about cleaning and cooking them for us. She drew the line at cleaning ducks as she didn't like the smell of the internals on them, but everything else was put to use.