With deer season in the Carolinas over and done, and a bunch of sausage ingredients at the butcher, it was time to switch gears. The forecast called for a "chance" of rain...clearly the meteorologist wasn't standing outside as I drove to the dove field in the pre-dawn darkness. Standing at the barn, peering through the fog and mist...no birds. Should I venture into the field? No birds, and more moisture. Should I throw in the towel and go chase bushytails? Give it a few more minutes...and here they come, diving through the fog to the sparse late season sunflower. The pivot provided good cover in the wide open field, and the doves, good practice for upcoming duck hunts.



Doves, check...the Benelli was stowed away - now for the handguns.

A short drive down the blacktop had me slipping and sliding along the back entrance to the river tract. The FA M252 was secure in a Pistol Packaging Bandito rig, and with the likelihood of bumping into some swine in the swamp better than average, the 500 WE riding strong side on the hip. The wet woods allowed me to ease through the ridges quietly, that is, after wading to the ridge.

The M252 is ridiculously accurate with the Aguila SuperExtra 38gr HP, and since the heft of the 252 is nearly identical to the other 83's, provides a great "trainer" on targets, whether it be paper, steel, or fur.

A great upland and small game primer for the upcoming game to chase: ducks and swine.

Productive morning.

Good story.

I haven't gone dove hunting for awhile but this brings back some good memories.

"Ridiculously accurate" ...give me an idea of what you mean. ie. group size etc. Thanks!

Wish I was there bud! Good shooting!

Nice shootn Dur!

Thanks guys!



Gregg - I went out the other day plinking with rimfires to get my trigger squeeze down before I transitioned to the big boomers. I put the first 5 shots into .4" group @ 25, including one on the fringe of the ragged hole I considered a "flyer". The 252 has the match chambers like the silhouette model, requiring firm bullet placement in the cylinder. This gun has printed just over an inch at 100. I've been tempted to put a Burris 3-12 or riflescope on it to really see what she'll do at range.

Fun productive morning! Congrats!

Gregg, I've shot this gun and can attest that it is crazy accurate but the recoil is so bad, it's obnoxious.

a 22 on an 83 frame is a beast!

Way cool Dur and Glenn, I want one now!

The 5-shot cylinder looks funny with .22 cal holes!

I had to have one after watching what the silhouette model would do at distance. Amazing accuracy from a rimfire wheelgun.

Good work, Dur! Those 252's are indeed something. I had FA open up my chambers a bit after a Wyoming prairie dog hunt about 20 years ago. Crawling around a dog town, with the inevitable light dust that ensues, made chambering a round nearly impossible with the Match chambers.
Some mechanical accuracy probably was lost, but as a practical matter in the hunting fields, I've never regretted the decision.

Looks like a lot of fun.

looks like you had a good time,congrats

Great shooting.