Bolting rabbits with shotgun

[Sterry 0]

Seeing as polls seem not to be all that popular at this moment in time, i thought id leave it. I have always used a .410 3 shot bolt action for bolting rabbits, but was wondering what you people prefer to shoot bolting rabbits with, i have a 12 bore SxS 1/2 and 1/4 choke, a 20 bore SxS, and the said 3 shot .410 at my disposal............(just cant wait to get a lil beddlington x whippet)

 

cheers lads and lasses

 

 

p.s. I did use the search doobrey but that beared no fruit...strangely, i thought i remember a simiar post.

[dave1372 83]

Sometimes I use the Breda semi-auto 20 bore but can be a pain trying to find your spent cases so often use the 12 bore with 28g or 32g cartridges (just depends what is to hand) we just use the rabbits for feeding the ferrets so doesn't really matter if they are a bit mushy!

[leadpig 0]

tried most types,o/u, s/s,semi ,b/a and pump as well as different loads and calibres

sold/swapped the rest and settled on a 12g with 30/32g of 5/4 shot fibre wads only

[adymorris 0]

12g Semi or O/U using 32g 5's - and I try not to embed the plastic wad into the rabbit for when they are gutted later (you know who you are - lol)

[alun1960 234]

I prefer my old hushpower 20g fibre wad 26g no5, flushed by the beddys and lurchers other hedge side.

[Sterry 0]

Yeah, thats what i really really want , ( a beddlington whippet) but it would just be unfair on the dog with off to uni end of this year, but it will happen i hope.

[theinvisiblescarecrow 0]

12g as that's all I have now.

My ferreting mates have the dogs on the main side of the hedge, I'm on the other side with my back to them covering the bolt holes.

[Born Hunter 17,832]

12 bore semi auto with 5 shot and a fairly open choke but obviously depends on the ground, as a rule i just stick with half choke for everything but if i knew the rabbits would be really close skeet would be used. I think with shooting bolters the best approach is just to shoot whenever you feel its right, the little buggers will be away through the hedge, down a hole, under a trough etc etc if you worry about giving them time to run so as not to blow em apart. Always get plenty of good rabbits this way and a few that are heavily shot up for the ferrets.