I anticipated high flying, mature birds and lots of shots at longish distances. I normally use a small bore gun for doves, and would have possibly used a 20 but, considering the size of the field and the few guns that would be there I decided to use a 12. I have had a Smith 3E with 32" ventilated rib barrels, and 3" chambers, for a couple years but had never taken it to the field. It had shot clays once, with "so-so" results, and had lingered in it's leg-of-mutton case ever since. My feelings went towards it, and giving it a chance to strut it's stuff. The long 32" barrels are choked .037" and .037", so it had what was needed to reach out and touch the long ones. I took Aguila 1 oz. loads of no.8s, at 1200 fps., though 7 1/2s might have been better, in hindsight.
It was a good choice. The birds were flying wide and high, and the long barrels and tight chokes were in their element. At the end of the afternoon I had a limit of fifteen. Hard earned birds, most taken at distance. Wonderful sport in the late season.
SRH
