# Plugged Shotguns



## atwenterprise (Feb 2, 2011)

Is there a reason why a shotgun must be plugged to hunt anything other than deer, bear and pigs? I just don't understand what difference it really makes on how many shells the shotgun can hold.  I know I might not be any relation to Herb Parsons, but I can load pretty quick.


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## georgia_home (Feb 2, 2011)

Not the best answer, cause it doesn't 'splain the logic. Answer: it's the law.

IMHO, I think it's an attempt to prevent overkilling with overly rapid fire. I know some guys can reload fast but most don't, or at least the ones I know don't.

I've only removed the plug from my 870 1 time. Had a shot at a buck, and missed. ALL 5 TIMES!!! (buck fever  )

Heck, after the first shot, I've rarely done as good as on the first.

Actually, after the first shot, anything you shoot at, and missed is in high gear and IMHO your hit % is lower then on your first.

That being said, and mho, I do wonder why the limit of 5 shots for deer/bear/etc... In shotguns, but rifles are wide open. Most shotguns don't hold >5, but why the limit when rifles are wide open? After the first shot, or 5, your not gonna get a higher % shot.

Oh well, deer season is over, so we must fill idle time pondering such things.


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## atwenterprise (Feb 2, 2011)

That's exactly what was I was thinking when I posted the question. Nothing better to do but ponder. I know it's against the law, no problems with that. Just the question of why it was ever regulated to begin with and if for good reasons at the start, why is it still a regulation?


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## Twenty five ought six (Feb 3, 2011)

George Reiger (I think I have the spelling correct) who was the long time conservation editor for Field and Stream magazine, offered the following explanation, and it's as good as any I have found.

First, he was opposed to a lot of the regulation that affects migratory bird hunting in general, believing that if the limits were properly set and enforced, how you obtained those limits was pretty much irrelevant.

In that context, his opinion was  (and he may have had the sources to back it up) was that the pump shotgun and semi-automatic shotguns were developments of the late 19th and earlier 20th century.  Before that the SXS shotgun was the standard gun for bird hunting.

Also during the development period of the pumps and semi's, market hunting was legal and widely practiced.

So as the multi-shot guns were  developed, the traditionalists (SXS shooters) considered them "unsporting" and  more in the market hunting tradition than in the sporting tradition.  In fact both the Model 97 and Model 12 Winchesters were favorites of market hunters.

So when market hunting was outlawed, focus turned to the tools of market hunting, and the SXS shooters saw the multi shots as offering an unfair advantage to their users.  The SXS shooters also tended to be more affluent and more influential than the people using the mass produced pump and semi's.  So they were able to get the pumps and semi's limited to 3 shots.

Why 3 and not 2?  Because counterbalancing the "sporting" interests were the commercial interests of the people making the new shotguns, and they had to have some marketing advantage over the SXS manufacturers.

So the idea of 3 shots as being "sporting" has become sort of ingrained in the hunting community and enforcement arenas.  There is no conservation purpose.

As a footnote, these pressures continue to the present day as in England and some other European countries, a semi auto has to be _permanently_ plugged to accept no more than 2 in the magazine.  That's why on the Beretta series of semi autos, there is no plug you can remove to increase the capacity.

As another footnote, my father talked often about a market hunter he accompanied in 1920 and early 1930 Florida who used a Model 12, and would take down 5 quail on the rise, by shooting the furtherest away bird first and working his way back.


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## atwenterprise (Feb 3, 2011)

Thanks for the input quarter bore. I need to do a little research and check it out. It makes sense for the initial application of plugging to keep everyone from commercially slaughtering game. But it does seem a little archaic for today. Although I am sure it will not change as some shotgun manufacturers make guns to only hold two in the mag. BTW, 25-06 is the round I have used for many, many years out of a Rem 700. Awesome cartridge!


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## Throwback (Feb 3, 2011)

what 25-06 said is the same answer I have arrived at from my research 

T


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## king killer delete (May 25, 2011)

*Waterfowl*



Twenty five ought six said:


> George Reiger (I think I have the spelling correct) who was the long time conservation editor for Field and Stream magazine, offered the following explanation, and it's as good as any I have found.
> 
> First, he was opposed to a lot of the regulation that affects migratory bird hunting in general, believing that if the limits were properly set and enforced, how you obtained those limits was pretty much irrelevant.
> 
> ...


This is correct, Market hunters  fed the east coast hotels  in  large coastal areas   back in the day. At one time you could even use live decoys. Live ducks tied out on anchor lines. Many market hunters also used multi barreled 8/10  gauge shot guns lashed to the bow of the boats that they would paddle into groups of rafted birds killing hundreds at a time. Baiting of waterfowl was also legal at this time. Market hunters killed most of the wood ducks in the south east for the feathers which women wore in their hats.


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## LEON MANLEY (May 26, 2011)

atwenterprise said:


> Is there a reason why a shotgun must be plugged to hunt anything other than deer, bear and pigs? I just don't understand what difference it really makes on how many shells the shotgun can hold.  I know I might not be any relation to Herb Parsons, but I can load pretty quick.



The same reason pot is illegal.


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## georgia_home (May 26, 2011)

25,T,killa,

Makes sense. Fine. Your ideas on why a limit on shotguns, for deer, but not for rifle.

Yeah, most shotguns don't go over 5, but wondering why an explicit limit on shotguns.


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## Son (May 26, 2011)

Well, in my strong opinion, it's an outdated law from old time thinking. And it another one of those laws that provided some revenue from time to time.


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## king killer delete (May 28, 2011)

*Waterfowl*



Son said:


> Well, in my strong opinion, it's an outdated law from old time thinking. And it another one of those laws that provided some revenue from time to time.


 I think for waterfowl it should not change and Since the Feds control the waterfowl regs it wont. But I dont see the reason behind it for any other hunting.


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## Tom Laubach (Jun 18, 2011)

Per Ga reg plugged to 3 for turkey.


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## Twenty five ought six (Jun 18, 2011)

georgia_home said:


> 25,T,killa,
> 
> Makes sense. Fine. Your ideas on why a limit on shotguns, for deer, but not for rifle.
> 
> Yeah, most shotguns don't go over 5, but wondering why an explicit limit on shotguns.




I don't really have an explanation.  Understand that the "5" is a relatively recent change from "3" (meaning I can remember when it was done).  Also for a long time Georgia had a 5 round limit on rifle magazines.  Actually you could have a larger magazine, but you could only have 5 rounds in it.  I clearly remember this because my first "deer rifle" was a .303 British Enfield --totally stock-- I was 14 and thought that thing weighed 40 pounds..

I suppose there are a lot of reasons for the 5 limit on shotguns --the change from 3 to 5 was made to accommodate the dog hunters.  Reaction to dog hunters, reaction to using buckshot, reaction to how many shotguns can load more than 5, safety concerns and so on.

As with a lot of the game laws, the "because" probably has more to do with custom and tradition than any specific reason.


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