Gun Digest Presents 10 Best Late-Season Goose Guns

25 Pages·2012·1.03 MB·English

by  Jennifer Pearsall

Contents
Cover
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 1: Mossberg 935
Late-Goose Season Guns, Setup No. 2: Benelli Super Vinci
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 3: Ithaca Model 37
Waterfowler
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 4: Franchi Affinity
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 5: Beretta AL391 Urika 2
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 6: Remington SP-10
Waterfowl
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 7: Browning Maxus
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 8: Winchester SXP
Waterfowl
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 9: Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag
Waterfowler
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 10: Stoeger M3500
Copyright
A functional and ultra reliable shotgun from Mossberg.
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 1: Mossberg 935
I can think of no better way to start out this series than with a gun from a maker
dedicated to functionality in harsh conditions. Mossberg certainly fits that bill in
spades, so if you find yourself freezing in some gawdforsaken muddy ditch on
the edge of an ice-edge river or perma-frosted corn field, then its 935 Magnum
Waterfowler is a natural choice for taking wary ganders. The 12-gauge handles
the 3 1⁄ -inch shells, a better choice for been-there-done-that geese trekking their
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way back north, but unlike some larger-chambered shotguns, this one has a slim,
straight-line design Mossberg claims instantly aligns the eye to the bead. Good
thing—long shots are tough enough as it is, and a good sight picture can be an
advantage if you shoot a pull-through method to build enough barrel speed and
connect at distances you don’t normally shoot at. Matte black and three camo
patterns are available, the latter all in high-def: Mossy Oak New Break Up,
Advantage Max-4, and Mossy Oak Duck Blind. Magazine capacity is a generous
five, good for many late-season snow goose hunts, where plugs aren’t always
mandated, the gun is overbored to reduce pellet deformation, and both 26-and
28-inch barrels are available. A special Flyway Series in Adavantage Max-4 gets
the addition of a padded sling and ported choke tubes.
Federal Black Cloud—Snow Goose
Federal caused quite a storm, when they introduced their high-velocity Black
Cloud waterfowl loads. The branding was marketing genius, to be sure, but the
loads have proven to be out-and-out deadly in the field. What I like most about
this line of shells, though, is the company developed two loads specifically for
we-ain’t-never-comin’-in-for-a-landin’ snow geese. The shot size is available in
No. 2 or BB steel only, but this isn’t just any everyday steel, but a mix of
proprietary 40% FLITESTOPPER steel and 60% regular. Combined with a
unique, rear-braking wad Federal calls its FLITECONTROL, potent patterns at
distance are the norm. The three-inch shells bear a shot payload of 1 1/8 ounces.
The Super Vinci shotgun from Benelli is indeed super! Pair it up with one of the waterfowl books from
Trulock Chokes, and you’ll have your late goose season in the bag!
Late-Goose Season Guns, Setup No. 2: Benelli Super Vinci
This gun made a definite splash in the semi-auto shotgun world a few years ago,
when it was first introduced. Now it’s super-sized and chambering 3 1⁄ -inch 12-
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gauge shells. You get all the flawless precision anyone should expect from a
Benelli shotgun—and seriously, does anyone make a smoother-cycling, faster-
cycling autoloader?—along with reduced recoil over similar competition, a
relatively low muzzle climb, and a design that’s nearly an art study in ergo-
dynamics. Benelli calls this latter feature its PSP, or Practical Speed
Performance, which is a measurement of how fast you can shoulder the gun, get
the bead on your target, shoot it, and recover to repeat the process. I have to
admit, the reduced top-line profile on the long 8 1⁄ -inch receiver (which can
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help provide a long sight radius that benefits shooting distant targets), paired
with the edgy lines of the fore-arm and even trigger guard nearly scream “point-
and-shoot,” and while that’s decidedly not a good shooting technique for far
away geese, it is a design that probably benefits those shooting pull-away: put
the bead effortlessly on the beak of a flying snow or speck, pull smoothing,
sleekly in front, and bang, you’re having goose for diner. Available in Realtree
APG, Realtree Max-4 and matte black.
Trulock Choke Tubes
I’ve been using George Trulock’s fine choke tubes for more than a few years
now, and so I think this is a fine place to include a recommendation for them. In
particular, the Super Waterfowl fitted for the Benelli 12-gauge is the choice here.
Designed specifically for long-range hits with steel shot, this tube sports a long
knurled extension for easy, hands-only removal, and a matte black oxide finish
that won’t reflect a thing. Also available for Beretta, Browning Invector Plus,
Benelli Crio, and Remington shotguns.
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 3: Ithaca Model 37 Waterfowler
Unlike many wingshooters, I didn’t grow up with a pump shotgun in my hand.
In fact, since I started shotgunning with a semi-auto, I kind of looked on with
disdain at the “lowly” pump—they just looked like so much work. I still think
that, but I know after shooting more than a couple Ithacas that just because ya
gotta shuck one, doesn’t mean you have to break a sweat doing it.
Without question, the Model 37s have some of the silkiest, smoothest, and
shortest stroke-actions to be had in a pump shotgun. Now take that bottom-eject
action—which won’t freeze up in cold weather like some semi-autos I know—
chamber it for 3-inch shells, slap a tough-as-nails synthetic stock on it, and apply
Ithaca’s Perma-Guard protection to the mechanics and exposed metal, and you
have a gun that can take on the worst late-season goose hunting conditions you
can plow and suffer through. I also like that this gun doesn’t weigh a ton.
Coming in at 7.4 pounds, this is a great choice if you’re humping it from open
water hole to open water hole and staying mobile as the birds come and go
through a morning or afternoon. Available with either a 28-or 30-inch barrel.
UVision Decoy Paint
Most waterfowl hunters wait until the season’ over or just before the next one
starts to freshen up their decoy spread with new paint. But late-season geese
have stayed alive by trial and fire, and there ain’t no way they’re landing in a
spread of tired looking blocks. If you’re a dedicated late-season limiter, get a
coat of paint on your dekes now with the UVision Decoy Paint. This paint
reflects UV light, as do many real feathers on waterfowl. Birds can see these
reflections—in fact, they can see reflections and make distinctions between
objects when we human can’t. Since other paints absorb UV light, distorting the
perception overhead birds have or your spread, (especially when they’re
experienced adults heading back home from Mexico), UVision paints offer a
distinct advantage.There are 34 colors to choose from individually, as well as
kits (might as well knock out your duck blocks, while you’re at it). Check out
www.decoypaint.com.
Late-Season Goose Guns, Setup No. 4: Franchi Affinity
This company doesn’t make a bad gun to my knowledge and experience. Every
time I’ve shot one I’ve found it responsive, nimble, and always reliable. The new
for 2012 Affinity replaces the I-12 and shouldn’t be any exception to those
opinions, thanks to its very trim receiver profile and fore-arm lines. It nearly
screams “Point me at a goose!” And if it screams that, then I say “Pull the
trigger, it won’t hurt a bit!” thanks to the Inertia Driven System and roating bolt
that produces seamless, recoil-reducing operation across a spectrum of 12-gauge
loads. The gun’s optional TSA—Twin Shock Absorber—recoil pad and an
optional gel insert, also takes a bite out of hard-knocking magnum loads. You
can take this gun home in a matte black synthetic, but for February geese, I’d
choose it in either the Max-4 or APG HD camo patterns. The gun comes with a
shim kit to adjust drop and cast, while the optional TSA pad permits length-of-
pull adjustment. Extended choke tubes in a wide range of constrictions are also
available.
This company doesn’t make a bad gun to my knowledge and experience.
Everytime I’ve shot one I’ve found it responsive, nimble, and always reliable.
The current I-12 Waterfowl shouldn’t be any exception to those opinions, thanks
to its very trim receiver profile and fore-arm lines. It nearly screams “Point me at
a goose!” And if it screams that, then I say “Pull the trigger, it won’t hurt a bit,
thanks to the Inertia Driven System and free-floating bolt that produces
seamless, recoil-reducing operation across the spectrum of shells ranging from 1
1/8-ounce target loads to full-boat 3-inch magnums. The gun’s unique recoil
pad, with TSA—Twin Shock Absorber—gel inserts, also takes a bite out of
hard-knocking magnum loads. You can take this gun home in a matte black
synthetic, but for February geese, I’d choose it in either the Max-4 or APG HD
camo patterns. The gun comes with a shim kit to adjust length of pull, and
extended choke tubes are available as an option.