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LBs and pre-LBs: Older Doubles and Model 12s

Started by Super Fox, March 26, 2024, 08:12:23 PM

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Super Fox

As an older turkey hunter, I have been consistently successful with almost ancient shotguns
along with some different perspectives on LBs and earlier Winchester XX shells.

I actually hunt with  2-100-yr old LC Smith Long Range 3-in guns and an AH Fox HE grade 3-in Super-Fox.
The Fox had been re-stocked before I owned it, but it patterns well with both lead and NT shot.
The issue with really older shotguns is their barrels were built before plastic wads were even thought of.
Card wads and roll crimps were the order of the day. Even though John Olin and Western Cartridge came out with 3-in shells in 1924-25,
promising short shot strings with their Super -X shells.

So as in many cases, lead or copper-plated  lead shotshells pattern differently in different shotguns. The beauty
of double guns lies in balance and style. Then there is the practical aspect of having two separate barrels with the  potential
of using two different sized shot in the same gun. Very handy with a gobbler who may decide to hang up between 40-45 yards away.
This may be prime LongBeard territory if the gun pattern shows it is up to it.


{Nash Buckingham and Charles Askins put Fox on the duck hunting map with the HE Grade in 3 in, making duck and goose
pass shooting at 50-60 yards consistently possible}. Those were coppered Super-X #4 shotshells that Mr. Buck used on distant shots.
Turkeys and geese are different birds, and I don't take chances with a gobbler that I may have worked hard for. Fox with Bert Becker
in Philadelphia perfected tight chambers, and long highly-polished  Extra Full choking along with back-boring in the HE Grades. It worked.


The Winchester M-12 Heavy Duck gun also joined the 3in shotgun movement in the 1930s and my Model 12s pattern well with
Winchester XX Magnum 3 in shells with #5 and # 4 shot. My perception is that No. 6 shot patterns well, but #5 and #4  shot penetrate
a bit better if the range is a bit longer. It all depends on the gun.

Spring Creek Calls

My 30's Model 12 loved the XX #4's out of the 32" barrel. It did not like the 6's. It was .690 at the muzzle then and after it's transformation to a 26" barrel and an XFull choke tube it was again .690. I how have a .675 extended tube in and shoot Foxtrot Mini Twisters, 1-5/8 oz of #9's. TSS 8's and 8-1/2's also shoot well with this setup. I know many wouldn't think of altering such a fine weapon and it took many years in the gun safe for me to make the decision. Glad I did.
2014  SE Call Makers Short Box 2nd Place
2017  Buckeye Challenge Long Box 5th Place
2018  Mountain State Short Box 2nd Place
2019  Mountain State Short Box 1st Place
2019  NWTF Great Lakes Scratch Box 4th Place
2020 NWTF GNCC Amateur 5th Place Box
2021 Mountain State 3rd Place Short Box
2021 SE Callmakers 1st & 2nd Short Box
E-mail: gobblez@aol.com
Website: springcreekturkeycalls.weebly.com

crow

The Henry Davis turkey book has good info on the sxs's they were using in the early 1900's.
He bought a couple of English 3" guns in the 20's for the new Winchester 3" load.

I have an old 1800's Damascus that doesn't pattern nickel plated shot good at all, Patterns chilled lead better, but patterns best with higher antimony magnum shot.
also patterns better with #4 shot than 5's or 6's