The Ultimate Guide to Shotgunning; Guns, Gear, and Hunting Tactics for Deer and Big Game, Upland Birds, Waterfowl, and Small Game

by Dave Henderson

• ISBN13: 9781592281626
• ISBN10: 1592281621
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2003-08-01
• Publisher: Lyons Press

Summary

Drawing on forty years of shooting experience, author Dave Henderson takes a comprehensive look at what shotguns are and what they were and what they can do and can't do and why. Henderson, in the elegant prose for which he is famous, starts out by sketching the history of the shotgun, and then clearly dissects every facet of the weapon, completely covering topics like gauges, the relative drawbacks and merits of double-barreled, pump action and autoloaders; how to fit a gun; and how to use chokes. There are also invaluable descriptions of the characteristics of shot, and what the hunter can expect from the varieties available, as well as advice on choosing among them. There's advice on testing the pattern of your gun, as well as tips for beginners on gun handling. Chapters include hunting white-tailed deer, wingshooting, hunting big game, waterfowl, and turkey, shooting sports such as sporting clays, plus valuable practical advice on cleaning guns and reloading shotshells. This is truly the ultimate guide to the shotgun.

Author Biography

Dave Henderson is a former outdoors correspondent for United Press International, and a three-term past president of the National Association of Shooting Sports Writers. A graduate of the American Gunsmithing Institute program, he writes regularly for Buckmasters Whitetail Magazine, Turkey Call and Whitetail Fanatic. He is also the author of Gunsmithing Shotguns. A lifelong hunter, he was born, raised and still resides with his wife in the rolling dairy country of southern New York.

Table of Contents

Dedication	ii
Foreword	vii
Preface	ix
Introduction: A Brief History	1	(4)
Chapter 1: The Shotgun	5	(14)
Gauge Defined	5	(3)
Choose Your Action	8	(11)
The Double Gun	8	(2)
The Pump Action	10	(2)
The Autoloader	12	(1)
The Bolt Action	13	(1)
The Single Shot	14	(15)
Sidebar: True American Doubles Survive	15	(4)
Chapter 2: Gunfit and Choosing the Right Gun	19	(8)
The Basics of Gunfit	20	(5)
The Stock	25	(2)
Chapter 3: All About Barrels	27	(8)
Barrel Length	29	(6)
Sidebar: Improving Barrel Performance	32	(3)
Chapter 4: Chokes	35	(8)
Constriction Just Part of the System	37	(3)
Using Multiple Chokes	40	(3)
Sidebar: Tips on Choke Tubes	42	(1)
Chapter 5: Loads	43	(8)
How Far?	45	(1)
Upland Bird Loads	46	(1)
Small Game Loads	47	(4)
Sidebar: Storing Ammunition	49	(2)
Chapter 6: Patterning	51	(12)
Bigger Bore, Bigger Pattern?	52	(1)
Point of Impact	53	(1)
Basic Patterning	54	(5)
Importance of the Shot String	59	(2)
Patterning for Gunfit	61	(2)
Chapter 7: Working with Beginners	63	(14)
Starting Young	65	(1)
Safety	66	(2)
Introduction to Shooting	68	(5)
Sidebar: Shooting Guidelines	72	(1)
Hearing Protection	73	(4)
Chapter 8: The Art of Wingshooting	77	(12)
Shooting Methods	79	(1)
The Dominant Eye	80	(2)
The Stance	82	(1)
Learning the Move	83	(2)
The Instinctive Shooter	85	(4)
Chapter 9: Waterfowl Hunting	89	(14)
Selecting Chokes	92	(2)
Bismuth, the First Non-Steel Non-Toxic	94	(1)
Tungsten-Based Loads	95	(3)
The Case for Hevi-Shot	98	(5)
Chapter 10: Shotgunning for Big Game	103	(46)
Slugs: Evolution and History	107	(9)
Correct Handling of Slugs	116	(2)
Specialized Slug Guns	118	(5)
Making Your Slug Gun Shoot Better	123	(4)
Sighting Your Slug Gun	127	(4)
Optics for Shotguns	131	(4)
What About Buckshot?	135	(5)
Deer Hunting Techniques	140	(6)
Stand Hunting	140	(3)
Still-Hunting	143	(1)
Driving Deer	144	(2)
Other Big Game	146	(3)
Chapter 11: Turkey Hunting	149	(20)
Choosing the Best Turkey Load	154	(7)
Decide at the Patterning Range	161	(2)
Factoring in Recoil	163	(6)
Rule of Ninety-Six	164	(3)
Sidebar: Cosmetic Surgery for Your Shotgun	167	(2)
Chapter 12: Shooting Games	169	(14)
Sporting Clays	169	(5)
What You Need for Sporting Clays	174	(5)
Shotgun	174	(1)
Loads	175
Chokes	116	(61)
Protection	177	(1)
Sidebar: Shooters Are Athletes	178	(1)
Skeet Shooting	179	(1)
Trapshooting	180	(3)
Chapter 13: Keeping It Clean	183	(10)
Barrels	183	(5)
Backbored Barrels	187	(1)
Choke Tubes	187	(1)
Cleaning Other Parts of Your Shotgun	188	(2)
Working Around Lead	190	(1)
Unburnt Powder-The Curse of Steel Shot	190	(1)
Storing Your Guns	191	(2)
Chapter 14: Reloading for Shotgunners	193	(6)
Who Should Reload?	197	(1)
The Reloading Process	197	(2)
Appendix	199