A gun for the job

What is your favourite shotgun for shooting rabbits and why?

Ed says: It depends on what job I’m doing and they all serve a purpose for a particular scenario. I use three shotguns as a rule – a pump-action .410 with a moderator, an over-andunder Beretta 12-bore and a Benelli 10-shot 12-bore.

For shooting at night, the .410 from the quad is a hard calibre to beat for effectiveness and limited noise, which has enabled us to shoot big bags on numerous occasions.

The over-and-under is my preferred choice for most ferreting situations, though on occasion I do use the .410. The 12-bore gives a bit more whack and helps to penetrate through cover if required – when rabbits run along a hedgeline, for example. I use the 10-shot when numbers proliferate during harvest and on occasion during ferreting.