doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Driven Grouse

Was watching Fieldsport Briton TV the other day and they were out shooting driven grouse. One guy was shooting a MX2000 Perazzi but most seemed to be shooting doubles. Just wondering from our pals across the water what is the preferred barrel length and chokes and also shot size?
If you guys have not seen the show you can Google it. It is a great weekly 30 minute show.

Put any 25 shooters in a pub with a pint and you will come up with 25 different ideas on the perfect gun/choke/barrel length/hair colour/lipstick/etc/etc combination!
Driven grouse shooters are no different, they are just much more wealthy!
Traditionally grouse guns were choked the right (or wrong, depending on your view) way round: ie tighter in the first (right) barrel than the second. This was especially true of non-selective single trigger guns.
However, there are so few dedicated grouse guns around that I have only seen this a few times.
One pundit, whose name escapes me but he had spent a life time killing driven grouse, swore by 3/4 (RH) and IC (LH) (0.030" & 0.005") or LF & SK if you prefer (according to Briley).
Personally, if you can point it in the right direction, I think the choke and barrel length matter less than the Mutt Behind The Butt!

Toby is absolutely right. I am fortunate enough to have been on a few driven days, though I have done more 'walked up' grouse. I have seen all almost all guns from 25" Churchill style used to good effect through 28" side by sides to 30" over and unders. I would say 28" side by side has been the most common size I have seen.

I knew one person who every year took a double 12 bore Joe Manton muzzle loader on a walked up day over pointers. It filled the bag and the owner had a wonderful time using it.

Mike
No expert on driven grouse by any means but on the occasions that I have enjoyed most birds are generally killed at under 30 yards' distance from the shooter.
The gun's I use are choked .015 in the first barrel and .005 in the second using an ounce of No.6 or 1.1/16oz (30gr) of No.6.
Cylinder and skeet chokes will work just fine.
I shoot a .010 and .020 over setters and use No.6 cartridges.

Just recall that there are two shooting areas in driven grouse, in front and in back, with a VERY careful but fast turn-around with the gun lifted to the sky as you turn. You can get sent home if you violate this, and so you should. So the shots in front are longer then shorter and the ones in back are shorter then longer. All this makes special choke set-ups a bit problematic. Shots are low and fast as they come screaming in over the heather. I have shot most of mine behind, as they tend to surprise me as they come in. Better shots kill most in front.
In any case, relatively open chokes work for me.