Browning Bps 10 gauge

[RED NECK]

I am all in, on putting this gun together the way I want. I have been pissed off at myself for 2 years since I sold my other bps nwtf 10 gauge, I have no idea why I thought It was a good move, I held off buying a new 26" barrel bps 10 gauge waiting for a bps 10 gauge with the 24" barrel, I actually am kind of happy it was the older black matte engraved version I found, I don't feel like I need to keep it "stock" and I can have it dipped in a pattern of my choice and cerakoted in a finish I like and drill and tap it for a red dot, and I am definitly going to load my own shells, if everything goes as planned.

I know they are heavy but I am a pretty stout guy and have no issues with that, I have a soft spot for 10 gauges. I absoulutely love big calibers & gauges, and loud guns. I love the sound of a 10 gauge, I have to admit, I once sent a sonic boom off on a tom at 36-38 yards with my first 28" 10 gauge bps in 2010, on the last day after calling him across a wide creek and off the mountain only to watch him run like Ben Johnson in seoul, back across the scrub field until he took off in flight back across the creek.  I have not missed a lot of birds in my life but I somehow managed to blow that shot, as my buddy laughed, I was pissed off but had to laugh at him laughing at me.

I lost that spot to hunt as the people sold it and the people who bought it had grandkids that hunted, that spot was an awesome place.

[RED NECK]

My gun arrived today while I was at work, Its a shame the person who owned this gun didn't look after it, or clean it.Its filthy, so I am sending it to be stripped and cleaned,drilled and tapped with a bps base tomorrow from my gunsmith. I honestly am impressed with the actual shape it is in, it has some minor blemishes on receiver, barrel is a satin finish but Id say 98 % shape, the stock and forend are beat up, I knew that. I bet the gun was used as grizzly defence, and its as filthy as I have ever seen a gun,it needs a thorough cleaning and lubing.

I may have it back for the weekend but I think I'll have it back for the weekend after and I will be testing it out.

I may not send receiver to be cerakoted,I am tempted to keep it in the condition it is, send the barrel for a black matte cerakote, and the stock and forend to be dipped.

It came with a full,improved cylinder and modified choke, so I am set for fowl, and we will see for longbeards.

It's not even heavy with a 24" barrel.......

[the Ward]

Looking forward to seeing the completed project. Sounds like a fun build.

[RED NECK]

Im going to have fun with this "build". I had my gunsmith give me his opinion on the gun, he told me that he could re blue the receiver but the 2 scuffs would still show, and he also told me it just depends on the cerakote,whether the engravings would show through. I am at this point not sure what to do with the receiver as, I like the engravings and there is only 2 small scuffs on one side,Id say its a 91% shape. I may wait and hunt with the receiver like that a year and see how I feel then. I am sending the barrel away and the stock and forearm.

I am rained out for work today, so I am going to take a drive an hour away to the shop where I bought my Rem 1187 12 21" Greenleaf and buy some 10 gauge ammo, I believe I saw 2-3 different types when I was there in January. It gives me time to get out for a drive,have some breakfast and go back to the shop, he had lots of different ammo and chokes, etc. That I cant find real local.

I wont have gun until next week, the gunsmith said gun just was not babied, not abused but It was filthy. He told me it would be looking brand new, drilled and tapped in a few days.

I am thinking I may have a custom sling made for this gun, I have 2 others made for other guns. If I can get this gun to pattern decent to 40-45 yards this season, I will hunt with it. I'd like to carry it in the afternoon opening day, the nwtf bps 12 gets opening morning.

[the Ward]

I get your concern on the engraving. I have a bps upland special with the engraving, and often
wondered how you would refinish it without ruining the detail. I think when they cera coat, they prep
the surface by glass beading to give the metal some "tooth" for the coating to grip to. Not 100% sure
on that though, just what I have read in the past, so i could be wrong. Not sure how that would affect the engraving if, in fact, is how they prep for the cera coat. Should be some sort of solution for doing one with engraving, if not cera coat, maybe a paint like gun-coat, or even a parkerized finish? I had often thought of doing a bps 10 like the early SP Remington's, a parkerized finish with a flat finish on wood stocks, and have rib removed and iron sights installed. Thought that would make for a classic look.

[RED NECK]

These are what they had there, they had 2 left of each after I was done buying, if I can get one of these to pattern then I'll drive back down and buy the rest.

-2 Winchester double x 4's
-2 Winchester double x 5's
-2 Federal Grand slam 4's

I also picked up a box of .410 2.5" #9's and a box of 20 gauge Rem premiere #6's, as I have a 20 they shoot lights out from.   

[the Ward]

I have shot the win 5's from the Indian creek .710 and got some pretty good patterns with them.
Previously they had not patterned that great through some other chokes, but that was with a 26" barrel,
not the new 24" barrel i am currently using. Have not tried the win 4's, or the federal grand slams. Wanted to try the grand slams but they were out of stock everywhere. If i run across any i am going to get a box to try. I still have quite a few boxes of turkey ammo that pattern good, so i'm set for awhile.

[RED NECK]

The only brand of 10 gauge turkey choke I can buy local is the Carlson longbeard xr in .680 or .705, I purchased a .680 for my 24" nwtf bps 10 in 2019 and It was blowing the pattern, the stock turkey choke shot better. I would go with the .705 this time, I am tempted to pick it up, as I go right by the shop to pick my guns up from my gunsmith and its a 40 minute drive so I'd rather not have to go back up, as I am busy with work and with hunting season fast approaching, I have little time.

I wish I could order online and have a choke in a week but It could be 5-7 days or 25-30 days with usps and Canada post, It's like playing  the roulette wheel at the casino.

I went at 5am today and checked out a few spots I hunt, birds were talking up a storm, and they are all still together,lots of strutting action as they got on ground.

[457121]

The only brand of 10 gauge turkey choke I can buy local is the Carlson longbeard xr in .680 or .705, I purchased a .680 for my 24" nwtf bps 10 in 2019 and It was blowing the pattern, the stock turkey choke shot better. I would go with the .705 this time,

I'm a big fan of the .705" constriction in the 10 gauge. But I'm strictly a lead #4 and #5 shooter.

[RED NECK]

Im strictly going to be shooting lead, for at least another season. I am hoping to be able to load my own tss but I am not counting on it, so I will be stocking up on 10 gauge turkey shells,no matter what they are, until I know I can get all the components, even then, I would be fine shooting lead along with tss. It sucks not having other choke options but I do trust longbeard xr chokes as they shoot everything well from my 20's and my 12's I have them in, so I figured I went to tight with restriction last time. I think I'll grab the .705 when I pick gun up.

[RED NECK]

I placed an order for a .705 comp n choke tonight to try out, I have wanted to try some chokes from them so I just made one order for 2 chokes to save on shipping cost, I hope they work, we will see.

[RED NECK]

 I am heading to pick my gun up,its been cleaned,lubed and drilled & tapped,I'll be patterning it Saturday with the full choke and the few types of ammo. I am going to use williams universal slugger peep sights on both 10 gauges at least this season,I'll eventually put a red dot on this one, once I get it all finished up.

[RED NECK]

I have had pretty good luck, buying used shotguns, I was informed last night when I picked the bps up, the gun was missing the carrier pin retainer, and the stock had been epoxied on, and the epoxy had leaked into the trigger assembly. My gunsmith had a carrier pin retainer, and installed it and cleaned all the epoxy out, said it was a mess. This was never stated in the ad, or never was I told about these issues when I purchased this gun. The gun is cleaned,lubed,drilled and tapped, shootable and safe. I hope the loser that sold me this gun gets Fuck..d hard by someone.

I will be patterning both of the Big 10's Saturday with stock full chokes and the ammo I have, until I receive my turkey chokes from comp n choke.

[RED NECK]

I knew when I received gun, that it was a complete filthy mess, I clean all my own guns, but I knew this gun was a mess and thats why I had him look into it. Seems I was correct, in my assesment.

[RED NECK]

I finished installing the willaims slugger universal sight on both 10's a few minutes ago and packed them up, I am heading away after work tomorrow afternoon to my camp, for some relaxation,patterning,scouting, and then Monday, hunting.

I plan on patterning Saturday, I have a buddy coming to pattern his new gun and then, It will be just myself and my father the rest of the time,along with our labs.  The weather has been chitty again, looks like the 3rd spring in a row it will be snowy and rainy for the first few weeks of season.


I am going to enjoy a nice glass of crown after dinner around my fire pit tomorrow night for sure. Wild turkey shish-kabobs on the bbq is on the menu.

I'll be sure to keep pictures of my shooting the 10's and post them sometime late monday, or tuesday. I am going to try and hunt in the afternoons after work a bit this year, and maybe get a few quick morning hunts in, depending on work. I'll be in the woods,Friday's,Saturday's and Sunday's though.