End the silence of your classic grouse gun with this vintage shot from RST.
A recurring theme with grouse and woodcock shotguns, and collectively throughout upland hunting guns, is the presence of turn-of-the-century manufactured doubles. Between the potentially weaker steel tubes, chamber lengths less than 2.75 inches and guns that generally just weren’t designed with today’s shotshell pressures in mind – many of these guns have sat and continue to sit in silence. From past experience in the used double market, I can tell you there are some real gems still out there with owners that believe they have a inert relic for the mantle – which keeps them from carrying the gun afield OR with no real attachment to the gun and not against selling it, do not believe the gun as perceived relic won’t bring a price worth more than what it holds to them as a conversation piece. What many don’t know is a shotshell company in Friendsville, Pennsylvania fits these needs . . . the Classic Shot Shell Co. Inc. – RST Ltd.
RST offers shells in 2, 2.5 and 2.75-inch lengths. Their Best Grade offerings are low pressure and subsequently low recoil. There must be some sort of performance trade off, right? I can tell you that I haven’t been able to determine it. What is appealing about RST beyond the previously mentioned aspects of their offerings, is also their use of spreader wads, size 9 and 10 shot sizing, paper hulls and roll-crimped manufacturing. In short, they can make a 2 and 9/16-inch chamber 12 gauge double choked full and full, a viable woodcock gun. Their Premium shells fall within the more modern offerings from other manufacturers, yet still don’t punch your shoulder.
A 20 gauge, 2.5 and 7/8-inch ounce and 8 shot are generally the shells in the pocket of my vest – great on grouse and woodcock over pointing dogs. I’ll note, that the 20s are modern manufacturing, post 1950. Another favorite shell is in 12 gauge, a 2.5-inch hull, spreader load in 1 ounce, with 8s- a great grouse shell.
RST really takes care of an important need in classic grouse guns and has done so in a industry-leading way. You’ll often find them represented at an RGS banquet through a case of shells they’ve donated and proudly advertised in the Ruffed Grouse Society magazine. They offer mixed cases as well through their website, which allows you the option to combine different gauges, shot weight and sizes as well as their other specialty offerings.
For more information on Classic Shot Shell Co. Inc., RST Ltd. – visit their website: www.rstshells.com.
