suggestions and experience

Phil Nowack

Well-known member
My Remington SP-10 has arrived! but no 10G shells...so... that will have to wait. So, I made a hasty bid.. and ended up winning the shotgun. The problem is that is listed as a 24" barrel. (i.e turkey gun). I was recently out bid on a 26" barrel on ebay.... [mad] I am still looking for a long barrel, but do NOT want a 30" barrel. So, if I can not find a 26" or 28", is there any ballistic reason to goose hunt this? I am not interested in an opinion on why would I want a 10 vs another guage...etc...

I might never need or use this, but after the last time I went snow goose hunting, I swore I would never go with a 12 again. I also am planning a trip to St Paul, and go after King Eiders... Some people claim you have to take long shots on those birds. I also know how durable eiders are... so this might be a tool for that job. For St Paul... I will be using Hevi Shot... no matter the gun. But it will be a goose gun primarily. So, does a 24" 10 make since as a goose gun?

BTW- the camo on this was ugly as sin...so.. that had to change!
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chokes kill - not barrel length
full choke in a 24 is the same as full choke in a 32

so--it all depends on how it handles for you
 
I agree with Rick 100%.


As I stated in my post where you are looking for a longer barrel. You have a whole lotta receiver there and a lotta gun to move. Get used to that, find the size shot it likes the best, and puts XX's in their eyes, and you will not be disappointed.

My SP-10 with the 25inch barrel, IS made for turkey and even came with a green camo sling. I still have all paper work and the original box.

Many, many rounds of lead and steel have been fired through the gun over the years.

It is a fantastic goose and duck gun, far as I am concerned.

Beats the hell outta a 3 inch and 3 1/2 inch 12ga anyday, and will not beat you up, even day after day of hard use.

I have killed turkey with it but prefer my model 12 for that.

My suggestion to you is after a season of heavy use, take it to a good Gun Smith for proper cleaning (as you can only break it down so far) and it will long out last you and many guys after.
 
My thoughts are sight plane and swing of a long vs short barrel
I prefer a longer sight plane and heavier barrel (I stop my swing with short light barrels).
Would or could a 10 gauge short barrel in a blind have a muzzle blast issue?
 
Phil

The Mod. choke has been in my SP for years, and for large steel shot has served me very well. I have no reason to use the full choke, but to each their own. You will find what suits the gun and you best. Stick with what works for you and enjoy yourself.

Use that Green Camo Sling, it will bring you good luck, and I mean that for real.
 
Patrick

I my experience, any shotgun in a blind can have muzzle blast and safety issues. Shooters and shooting lanes must be established at the get go, and firmly enforced. If not serious problems can and will happen.

If four guns in a blind (max for me) one, or two shooters. One clean up shooter, IF needed,and one spotter to count birds and cripples. Each gun takes their turn, if possible. Some are much better clean up shooters than others. If so that is there J-O-B for the hunt.


The SP-10 is a heavy gun with a long receiver. So even what some folks think is a short barrel, provides a very good sight plane indeed.

For ducks and geese over decoys you need to get it going in one fluid move, cuz ya got a lot of gun to swing, and once it's going you will not stop the gun. I term this "It takes a man and a boy to get moving." Pass shooting is different, and more of a instinct of having used the gun for that purpose over a period of time.


One thing that IS a safety issue with the 10ga.

Hunters that also have 12ga 3 1/2 inch guns, better damn well check their shells. I have seen men make the mistake. Never leave shells in your bag, coat, or shell belt, and keep boxes well organized and separate. Every round must be correct.
 
Phil, I have dropped giant Canada geese and greater sandhill cranes at some impressive distances with Heavy Shot in #2 and B, often with an IC choke tube screwed in my SBE- most of them taken with only 3" shells.

Notice, I never mentioned gauge, just shot type and size...![;)]
 
I would say if the gun swings good for you hunt it at that length. Choke is what effects pattern and doesn,t matter what barrel length its from. Beauty of the heavy 10,s are your not going to stop your swing as those guns keep moving. When I shot a BPS 10 years ago never had a problem getting it started but on the long,long shots weight probably attributed to making a hit versus a lighter gun. I bought my BPS with 30" barrel but latter purchased a 26" mainly because it was easier to manipulate in my pit blind. Stuck with the 26" after that and gun would kill as far as the best 3" copper plated lead shell,s would but with the common steel loads that were available back then. This was way back at the initial switch from lead to steel. Learned a lesson from owning that gun though and all my duck guns are heavy. Weight added to basic gun via recoil reducers and lead in mag extension for my M2. Makes me a much better shot on the long birds versus lite guns.
 
Why not a 30"? I've always thought that they looked better proportioned with a longer barrel. You are a big strong guy, I'd think that you could heft it :). Plus the extra couple inches puts you all that closer to the birds. When I bought my SBE many moons ago, I bought a 26 because a 28 wouldn't fit in my travel case (aluminum take down), I would have probably got 3 or 4 more birds over the years having that extra 2" to help the swing.

I've always wanted an Ithaca Mag-10, having grown up near the plant in Ithaca. I remember Dave Shady had one that had beautiful wood and he had a bunch of work done on (barrel cut, I think) for sale here that I wish I'd bought.

Fun gun you got there and the camo looks great.
 
In 1990 when the first SP-10’s hit the stores, even the
26” barreled units came with a green sling. Modified choke has
been the choke of choice for the one I’ve used Get some shells and pattern
Your gun to see what works best in that gun
 
Anyone that shoots/hunts without ear protection is a fool.



As for the Mag 10. I bought one a few years after they came out. A good shotgun, unless you fired it almost straight up, then it would fail and that was it's major issue. Enlarging the gas port eliminated the problem, but was never advised by the company. A good gun smith worked on mine and it worked OK. When steel became the law Briley did some barrel work and opened the choke from Full to Mod. If ya owned one it did need work to make it right.

Remington improved upon the Mag 10, and made it a much better gun.


With a SBE ya need all the help ya can get cuz a 3 1/2 inch 12ga ain't a 10ga. and after many shots your arm will know it. In the Atlantic flyway it ain't a issue cuz most times the same shells ya put in the gun at the start of a hunt, are the ones you take out after the hunt.[;)] Shoot that SBE for many days and weeks with 3 1/2 shells when ya venture out west, and a flinch will be your friend indeed.[smile]
 
I don't know much about hunting Eiders at St. Paul but I've had a couple SP-10s.

The main mechanical problem that comes to mind is the plastic buffer at the back of the bolt breaking. If the temps are cold at St. Paul, it might be a consideration. Maybe not a problem since it's "coastal". At any rate, if the SP-10 goes to St. Paul I'd have a new buffer installed and make sure the gun is reliable after the replacement. I'm not sure, maybe that's a part you can replace yourself.

NR
 
Vince Pagliaroli said:
With a SBE ya need all the help ya can get cuz a 3 1/2 inch 12ga ain't a 10ga. and after many shots your arm will know it. In the Atlantic flyway it ain't a issue cuz most times the same shells ya put in the gun at the start of a hunt, are the ones you take out after the hunt.[;)] Shoot that SBE for many days and weeks with 3 1/2 shells when ya venture out west, and a flinch will be your friend indeed.[smile]

There are a pretty fair number of us here that have used SBEs for quite a while (and I know Phil does, which is why I mentioned it). I'm pretty sure I know mine since I owned it for nearly 20 years. It has been From Maine to Washington and many parts in between. But thanks,
 
Welcome to the 10 ga. world. Very different kind of gun. When we did a lot of goose hunting there were 2 BPS-10s and 1 Rem 10. One big difference is the weight of the gun makes a big recoil difference. Sometimes I will take mine to the trap range and pass it around, most people are amazed at the lack of recoil. BTW My buddy with a Rem 10 calls it AT&T because it will "reach out and touch"
 
Yeah..... Love my SBE... and probably haven't shot a 3 1/2" in 10 years. IN fact, I have gone back to a 2 3/4" shell for most of my hunting. Rather funny and Ironic that I picked up a 10g... [w00t]

10g with Hevishot #4.... that should be great for those skittish late season ducks!!!![sly]
 
You should name it "the Twombly, Jr."...!

I scooped-up several cases of 2 3/4" and 3" of the old Remington joint venture shotshells in #5 from a vendor who was selling it for less than a buck a shell with shipping. Still don't shoot it at goldeneyes...
 
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