doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Experience with Connecticut Shotgun RBLs

I have one of the monsters - to include 32 inch tubes. Bought it as a dedicated wildfowl gun. With three-inch #2 heavy shot it is like using an 88mm dual purpose on geese. It also has won twice in the ring. It would never be my go to field or clays gun, but for geese, ducks and heavy loads it is a tremendous weapon.

Thanks for all your input. I have a Ruger Gold Label. It weighs 6lb, 8 oz and would be perfect if it had two triggers. I would like to duplicate this gun with double triggers.

Vol,

You said you want it for general duty upland hunting. What load would you anticipate using in it most of the time? I'm not trying to change your mind at all, but for most upland use a 16 or even a 20 will do the job fine. I'm thinking quail, doves, grouse, etc. Can't speak for wild pheasants. Only pheasants I've ever shot were in a continental shoot (pen raised). I used a 12 for everything for many years, but found that I enjoy a 16 or 20 so much more for upland shooting.

My point is just that it would be so much easier to find a gun in the weight range you want if you went to a 16 or 20. Again, not trying to change your mind if your heart is set on a 12, just asking.

Good luck, SRH

I've used a 20g with 1 oz of #5 on wild SD pheasant and never wanted for more gun.

I have a friend the doesn't like straight stocked guns and only likes 12ga. I loaned him my Ithaca 3E 20g with a straight stock to hunt some pen raised pheasant, chukar and quail and he loved my guns and now thinks 20ga is perfect, but says he doesn't like straight stocked guns still. Then I reminded him my gun is straight stocked. He didn't believe me. I had to show him a picture of it.

I know a guy that kills Kansas Wild Pheasants with.........a 410

I've heard of this... abominal snowman with the 410.

Vol, I still think an American built gun is going to be hard to find in 12 gauge whereas the sky is the limit for an English gun, light weight, double triggers and for right around the same money.

Not US built, but US designed...the Parker Repros can come in around 6 3/4 lbs. And just my opinion, but I think a Parker Repro is a much better quality gun than either the Ruger or RBL.

I've read several times that the Ruger Gold Label was designed a tad too thin in the barrels and that caused chokes to shoot out, barrels to split at the muzzles, etc., which lead to Ruger dropping it from production. Were those issues ever fully resolved, or are guys just taking their chances when shooting their Gold Labels with heavy loads? It seems that several people on this forum like their Gold Labels and use them with heavier pheasant loads. But for those reports, and that odd side sliding barrel selector in the safety which I could never tolerate, I liked everything else about the GL and would have bought one.

I have never had one bit of trouble with my Gold Label. I shoot 1-1/4 oz S&B No 6s and Winchester 4s and 5s for pheasant, and whatever 7-1/2s I have at the time for dove. I seldom shoot more than ten boxes a year.

I have several nice 20s and 16s, including a Merkel 1620 that weighs 6 pounds even. But I wanted a 12GA that I could use for rough duty.

I found a coin finished 12GA RBL with standard wood, 14-1/4" to a hard plate, straight grip, double triggers, splinter and 28" barrels at just under 7 pounds. The gun is built on the 16GA frame. He also has a 16GA but it weighed more than the 12GA. The triggers were reversed for a lefty, a bonus for me.